That’s right folks, Sancerre and goat cheese. Well, we actually expanded the wine selection a bit further out to include most of the Loire Valley, but there will be Sancerre and there will be goat cheese.
FireFly Farms formed when a small group of friends decided to join forces and enter the world of domestic goat cheese making. Since its inception in 2002, FireFly Farms artisan goat’s milk cheeses have received 28 individual national and international awards for excellence.
FireFly Farms is dedicated to the art of cheese making. FireFly Farms artisanal goat cheeses are made according to time-honored tradition – they are produced and ripened with handmade care. We take special care to ensure the purity, quality, and clean flavor of our milk. Our aged cheeses are ripened in a specially constructed aging room – we shun short cuts and artificial techniques aimed at increasing yield or shelf life at the expense of taste and quality.
At FireFly Farms, we believe in the interdependence of people with one another and with our environment, and we are committed to caring for the land and protecting biodiversity for today’s communities and future generations. – Firefly Farms
The lineup of wines is as follows:
Caves Plouzeau Chinon Bonneliere Les Devants Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2008, $15.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 12.5% abv – From chalky, flinty soils along the Cher, Marc Plouzeau has crafted a 2008 Touraine Sauvignon redolent of white peach and passion fruit; lean and quite dense; but finishing with refreshing juiciness, a saline tang, and hints of cherry pit and pistachio. Enjoy it over the next 6-9 months. – WA 87 points
Domaine Villalin Quincy Silex 2007, $19.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 12.5% abv – As proprietors Jean-Jacques Smith and his wife Maryline tell it, they are the only growers in their appellation to harvest entirely by hand, and the parcel in which their 2007 Quincy Cuvee Silex originates was already planted a dozen centuries ago. Certainly on the strength of this wine Domaine Villalin can be added to the short list of those that make Quincy worth of the attention of value-hunters and Sauvignon-hounds, and their label’s depiction of donkey and dudelsack (which Smith raises and plays, respectively) is unforgettable. Flowers and crushed stone in the nose mingle with gooseberry, white currant, and lime on a sappy, refreshing, and strikingly saline palate. Hints of toasted almond, caraway, and nettle add to the whiplash and salt wash of a finish in this impressive even though not terribly ripe Sauvignon, which will prove highly invigorating and versatile over the coming year. – WA 89 points
Domaine Serge Dagueneau et Filles Pouilly-Fume Les Pentes 2007, $26.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 12.5% abv – Soft, with floral and lemon curd notes and a gentle finish that verges on blowsy. Drink now. 500 cases imported.
Gerard et Pierre Morin Sancerre Vieilles Vignes 2007, $24.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 13% abv – Bracing, with flint and chive flower notes that stay taut through the slightly lean finish. Good length. Drink now. 400 cases imported. – WS 87 points
Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Les Coutes 2008, $22.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 13% abv – On the strength of their 2008 Sancerre Les Coutes Nicolas Reverdy’s widow Sophie and son Pascal are not letting family tragedy or challenging weather interfere with rendering exceptional examples of their appellation. Grapefruit, lime, mint, sage, wood smoke, and crushed stone in the nose lead to a palate of exuberant brightness, delicacy (at 12.6% – natural – alcohol), yet oily richness, and boasting a depth of chalk, salt, iodine, and shellfish-like nuances that simply has to be tasted to be believed. If you don’t want to be left with a mouthful of mineral flavors you can’t wash out, then stay clear of this wine (and leave it for the rest of us)! Like other recent Reverdy bottlings done for the United States, this was neither cold-stabilized nor filtered. You can count on its being worth following for at least the next 3-4 years. – WA 92 points
Domaine Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos la Neore 2008, $65.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Sauvignon Blanc – 13.5% abv – RMP [Robert M. Parker, Jr.] wanted to add that this summer he has drunk a full case of the 2005 Sancerre Clos la Neore, which he consistently rated between 92 and 94. The wine represents pure liquid minerals! – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
And the lineup of Firefly Farms Goat’s Milk Cheeses:
Allegheny Chevre – Allegheny Chevre is our fresh, un-ripened goat’s milk cheese. It is a traditional chevre, crumbly in texture with a clean and tangy flavor. It’s a versatile ingredient in everyday cooking or finer cuisines. Crumbled on a salad, spread on sandwich, used in pasta dishes, or blended with spices for use as a spread, it is a perfect creamy addition to your meal.
Aging Notes
Allegheny Chevre is not aged. It generally takes us 3-4 days to make and package this fresh chevre and it is not uncommon to have it in the market within a week’s time. This is FireFly Farms most popular cheese, largely because there are so many uses for it in the kitchen. Like all cheese, it is best brought to room temperature before serving or using in a recipe.
Serving, Wrapping and Cooking
Allegheny Chevre is FireFly Farms most popular cheese, largely because there are so many uses for it in the kitchen. Like all cheese, it is best brought to room temperature before serving or using in a recipe.
We use the Allegheny Chevre as a healthier substitute for cream cheese, or used as a goat’s milk alternative for cheeses like ricotta. We’ve used it cooked in cheesecakes and lasagna, or crumbled on salads, pizzas, and crostini. Hint: If using in heated applications like pizza, add the crumbled chevre when the pizza is removed from the oven, not before. The heat of the oven will liquify this delicate fresh cheese; the heat of your cooling pizza will make it perfectly creamy. Plain or seasoned, it can spread on sandwiches, bagels or breads.
Once you have removed the originally wrapping of your Allegheny Chevre log, you can re-wrap in fresh plastic or put in a plastic containter or even a butter dish. Our chevres can be frozed beautifully. We have done freezer tests on whole and half logs of Allegheny Chevre for up to 4-weeks. Once removed from the freezer, allow the chevre to thaw for 24-hours in the refrigerator. Thawing faster on the counter is not recommended as it will cause water loss in the cheese and change its texture.
Ingredients
Pasteurized goat milk
Bacterials starter cultures (gluten-free)
Vegetable rennet
Salt
Bûche Noire – Bûche Noire is French for “black log.” It is a sophisticated, aged chevre log, first coated in vegetable ash and then aged for several weeks to develop a white-bloomed rind. The result is delicious. A rapidly maturing flavor and texture certain to please the most discerning of palates. The ashed rind is completely edible at any stage of the cheese’s ripening. In fact, the cheese’s fullest flavor is concentrated in its rind.
Awards and Honors
World Cheese Awards – 2006 Silver Medalist
American Dairy Goat Association Cheese Competition – 2006 Third Place
American Cheese Society, Cheese Judging – 2006 Third Place
Aging Notes
Weeks 1-3
Bûche Noire is considered a soft-ripened chevre. It develops its white-bloomed rind within a week’s time in our aging room. We wrap the young Bûche Noires at 2-3 weeks old to ensure that they have the maximum shelf life possible. At this stage, Bûche Noires are firm to the touch and have a clean, uncomplicated taste that is tangy like the Allehgheny Chevre. These young Bûche Noires can be used in cooking, but only with very gentle heat. We love putting a slice of Bûche Noire on the top of a bowl of warm soup.
Weeks 4-8
Because this cheese is a small-format, ripened, higher-moisture chevre, it moves directly from childhood into adulthood with very little “adolescence” to speak of. The ripening work of the white mold happens quickly, particularly at room temperature and the body of the cheese becomes creamy (to the point of finger-licking runny-ness). It’s flavor develops equally fast during this period, developing the earthy spiciness that identifies Bûche Noire. Not for the feint of heart, this delicate star is worth the extra care it requires and has developed a commited following among FireFly afficionados.
Serving, Wrapping and Cooking
Bûche Noire is a lovely addition to your meals. Its character is best suited for appetizer or cheese board, but it can be used mindfully in cooking. We love to spread a ripened Bûche Noire on a day-old crusty baguette and top it with a little sauteed mushroom tapendade. This, served with a nice Pinot Noir, is often dinner.
Once you have removed its original wrapping, DO NOT re-wrap in plastic wrap. This delicate star will suffocate and die a horrible soupy mess. Re-wrap in parchment or wax paper, or store a partially consumed Bûche Noire in a plastic container or on a dessert plate that’s covered in plastic wrap. Both methods allow for a bit of air around the cheese and continued breathing.
Ingredients
Pasteurized goat milk
Vegetable rennet
Bacterials starter cultures (gluten-free)
Vegetable ash
Salt
Enzymes
Merry Goat Round – Merry Goat Round is a surface-ripened goat’s milk round. It is our homage to brie or camembert and shares the same surface ripening mold as these traditional cheeses. It ripens from its rind inwards, growing progressively softer and creamier. The rind is completely edible at any stage of the cheese’s ripening. In fact, the cheese’s fullest flavor is concentrated in its rind.
Awards and Honors
World Cheese Awards – 2008 Silver Medalist, 2007 Bronze Medalist, 2004 Silver Medalist
American Dairy Goat Association Cheese Competition – 2007 Third Place, 2006 First Place
American Cheese Society, Cheese Judging – 2002 Third Place
Aging Notes
Weeks 1-3
Merry Goat Round is considered a soft-ripened cheese. It develops its white-bloomed rind within a week’s time in our aging room. We wrap the young Merry Goat Rounds at 2-3 weeks old to ensure that they have the maximum shelf life possible. At this stage, Merry Goat Round’s are firm to the touch and have a clean, uncomplicated taste that is slightly sharp. These young Merry Goat Rounds can be used in cooking, and will melt nicely.
Weeks 4-6
We think of this period as “adolescence” for Merry Goat Round. The rind is beginning to do its work, and when the cheese is cut you can see the ripening cheese body just below the rind. At room temperature, this ripened portion of the cheese body will be soft (and in the Spring quite creamy). The taste of the cheese is developing rapidly during this period; and the clean sharpness of the young cheese becomes increasingly complex and mushroomy.
Weeks 7-12
During this period, the “adult” Merry Goat Round reaches its fullest and most complex flavor profile. The rind has now ripened the cheese body ¼ to ½ inch toward its center. The cheese will feel soft to the touch, particularly at room temperature. Secondary molds and other “imperfections” may appear on the surface. The white-bloomed rind of youth begins to deepen to lovely orange hues. When unwrapped at this age, the captured ammonia (an exhalation by-product of the rind as it ripens the cheese body) may need to dissipate – allowing these older Merry Goat Rounds the time to “breathe” as they warm before serving is time well spent.
Serving, Wrapping and Cooking
Merry Goat Round is a lovely addition to your meals. It can be served alone as an appetizer, cut for a cheese board, served with crackers and a savory tapenade, or used in finer cuisines. Younger cheeses are definitely better for cooking, as they will withstand the heat of melting better; more mature cheeses shine as “solo-acts” on cheese boards, or served with complimentary stand out ingredients: a beautifully ripened pear, cured olives, sautéed mushrooms, or seasoned pecans.
Once you have removed its original wrapping, take care not to re-wrap too tightly in plastic wrap. This will suffocate the cheese. We store a partially consumed Merry Goat Round in a plastic container or a dessert plate covered in plastic wrap. Both methods allow for a bit of air around the cheese and continued breathing.
Ingredients
Pasteurized goat milk
Vegetable rennet
Bacterials starter cultures (gluten-free)
Salt
Enzymes
Mountain Top Bleu – Mountain Top Bleu is a surface-ripened blue and white mold pyramid. It ripens from its rind inwards, growing progressively softer and creamier. The rind is completely edible at any stage of the cheese’s ripening. In fact, the cheese’s fullest flavor is concentrated in its rind.
Awards and Honors
World Cheese Awards- 2008 Bronze Medalist, 2006 Silver Medalist, 2004 Bronze Medalist
American Dairy Goat Association Cheese Competition – 2009 Second Place, 2007 First Place, 2006 Third Place
American Cheese Society, Cheese Judging – 2006 Second Place, 2005 Third Place Finisher, 2004 Third Place, 2002 First Place
Saveur Magazine, 2005 Editor’s Pick – 50 Favorite American Cheeses
Aging Notes
Weeks 1-3
MountainTop Bleu is considered a soft-ripened cheese. We work hard to balance the white and blue molds to produce a cheese that has the luscious creaminess of a world-class soft-ripened cheeses plus the delicate piquancy of a blue mold cheese. This balancing act changes with the temperature of the seasons and the composition of the milk — as an artisan cheese, you’ll note that sometimes MountainTop’s are more blue; sometimes less. But they will always have that same subtle and distinctive taste.
It develops its white and blue-bloomed rind within a week’s time in our aging room. We wrap the young MountainTop Bleus at 2-3 weeks old to ensure that they have the maximum shelf life possible. At this stage, MountainTop Bleus are firm to the touch. The blue piquancy tends to be more pronouced at this stage — before the white mold has a chance to ripen and soften the cheese body. These young MountainTop Bleus can be used in cooking, and will melt nicely.
Weeks 4-6
We think of this period as “adolescence” for MountainTop Bleus. The rind beginning to do its work and when the cheese is cut, you can see the ripening cheese body just below the rind. At room temperature, this ripened portion of the cheese body will be soft (and in the Spring quite creamy). The taste of the cheese is developing rapidly during this period; and the clean sharpness of the young cheese becomes increasingly complex as white and bluie molds do their work in tandem.
Weeks 7-12
During this period, the “adult” MountainTop Bleu reaches its fullest and most complex flavor profile. The rind has now ripened the cheese body ½ inch or more toward its center. The cheese will feel soft to the touch, particularly at room temperature. Secondary molds and other “imperfections” may appear on the surface. The white and blue-bloomed rind of youth begins to deepen to lovely darker hues. When unwrapped at this age, the captured ammonia (an exhalation by-product of the rind as it ripens the cheese body) may need to dissipate – allowing these older MountainTop Bleus the time to “breathe” as they warm before serving is time well spent.
Serving, Wrapping and Cooking
MountainTop Bleu is a lovely addition to your meals. It can be served alone as an appetizer, cut for a cheese board, served with crackers and a savory tapenade, or used in finer cuisines. Younger cheeses are definitely better for cooking, as they will withstand the heat of melting better; more mature cheeses shine as “solo-acts” on cheese boards, or served with complimentary stand out ingredients: stewed figs, Spanish or Portugese membrillo, or cured olives.
Once you have removed its original wrapping, take care not to re-wrap too tightly in plastic wrap. This will suffocate the cheese. We store a partially consumed MountainTop Bleu in a plastic container or a dessert plate covered in plastic wrap. Both methods allow for a bit of air around the cheese and continued breathing.
Ingredients
Pasteurized goat milk
Vegetable rennet
Bacterials starter cultures (gluten-free)
Salt
Enzymes
With our pallets of wines that arrived at the shop this week, we received quite a few new vintages from some of our old friends (like Denis Alary pictured above). . .
