Swapper profile: Kelly White + Fresh Cultured Cream Cheese Recipe

Name: Kelly White

Home (+ hometown swap): San Francisco, SF Swappers

Profession: Recovering attorney, budding knitwear designer, die-hard fermenter, newly-minted natural cheesemaker, and stay-at-home mom.

How did you first get involved in food swapping? How long ago?

In the November of 2015, I was listening to an episode of the Local Mouthful podcast (http://www.localmouthful.com/tag/food-swaps/) in which the hosts were discussing food swaps. I had heard of food swaps before (although I couldn't tell you where or when), but the hosts' excitement about food swaps was particularly inspiring. I remember pausing the podcast so that I could search online for a swap in San Francisco. I pretty quickly found SF Swappers, got on the mailing list, and eagerly awaited the next event so I could try it out! 

What did you make for the last food swap and what inspired your choice?

I made fresh cream cheese, cultured naturally with kefir grains. It seems like cheese is always on my mind lately. Over the last seven months, my almost 5-year old son and I have been "cooking" our way through David Asher's book, The Art of NaturalCheesemaking. I have been chronicling our cheesemaking adventures (and mishaps) on my blog, www.stringandtwig.com, and I have been tending our aging cheeses almost daily. A couple of weeks before the swap, David Asher was in the Bay Area teaching classes and workshops. I attended his class on Blue Cheeses (through Pollinate Farm in Oakland) and during class, he mentioned that it's very easy to transform kefir-cultured crème fraîche into cream cheese. I had made cream cheese before, but only with freeze-dried cultures, and his mention was all I needed to start experimenting to find the cream cheese recipe I liked best. Homemade cream cheese is so much better than store bought, and I figured my fellow food swappers would appreciate it.

Cultured cream cheese: delicious!

What’s your favorite thing about swapping?

Preparing food at home and sharing it with your friends and family can be fun, but preparing food and trading with fellow food enthusiasts who have different culinary backgrounds is really inspiring, eye-opening, and delicious.

Who or what most influences your cooking?

Taking Harvard University's free online class, Science & Cooking, made a huge impact on my cooking. Ever since that class, I think more critically about what I'm doing and why I'm doing it when I cook anything. I also find inspiration in podcasts, like Local Mouthful and Cooking Issues, and in fermentation books including Sandor Katz's The Art of Fermentation, and Amanda Feifer's Ferment Your Vegetables. I also love hearing about new recipes, techniques, or ingredients from friends.

What’s your favorite kitchen tool?

My Benriner JapaneseMandolin Slicer. I have the original size, in mint green. It makes vegetable preparation a dream. I use it almost every day.

Your current flavor or ingredient obsession?

Whole Spice's CrushedUrfa Chili and Crushed Marash Chili. These spices seem to make pretty much everything taste better. 

Biggest food surprise?

People say your tastes can change and that you can learn to like things, but actually experiencing that shift really surprised me. I used to hate beets. Like really, really hate beets. They tasted like dirt to me. Ever hopeful my opinion of beets would change, I kept trying them when they'd show up on my plate at a restaurant. I continued to hate them until several years ago, when my husband and I were on vacation in New Zealand. I tried a beet there and was astounded to find that I actually liked them. Now I will eat beets pretty much anywhere or anytime, and I am a zealous advocate for continuing to try the food you didn't like yesterday.

If the Rapture came tomorrow, what would your last meal on earth be?

Oysters on the half-shell with a drizzle of mignonette, and a bottle of crisp white wine.

When I'm not in the kitchen I'm _________.

I'm writing, knitting, or galloping around town with my son.

Favorite local food experience:

I love the cheese counter at Rainbow Grocery. The staff is so knowledgeable and helpful, and the cheese selection (and samples) are incredible.

Recipe by Kelly:

Fresh Cultured Cream Cheese (makes about 12 ounces)

Equipment:

·         Clean, fine cheese cloth or butter muslin (not the loose stuff you can get at the grocery store)

·         Fine mesh strainer (for straining kefir)

·         Quart jar or other similar vessel

·         Pot or bowl for catching whey

·         Colander

Ingredients:

·         2 cups of fresh, heavy cream (not ultra-pasteurized)

·         1 cup of fresh whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized, and preferably not homogenized)

·         1 teaspoon (or so) of kefir grains OR about 2 tablespoons of homemade kefir

·         Kosher salt

Directions:

Mix the cream and milk together with the kefir grains or prepared, strained kefir in a quart jar. Loosely screw on the lid of the jar or cover with a tea towl secured by a rubber band. Let the jar sit for about 24 hours at room temperature. You're basically making crème fraîche, so keep an eye on when the mixture has thickened to that consistency.

Once the cream and milk mixture has thickened, strain out the kefir grains (if you used them) and place them in fresh milk. (If you used prepared kefir, there's no need to strain anything.)

Spread the cheese cloth evenly over a colander that you have placed over a pot or bowl and pour the thickened cream and milk mixture into the cheese cloth. Knot the cheese cloth at the top and either hang it from somewhere in your kitchen with a pot or bowl below to catch the whey. Knotting the cheese cloth on a wooden spoon placed across a tall pot works. You can also just knot the cheese cloth and  leave it in the colander over a pot or bowl. Let the mixture hang for about 8 hours at room temperature, or until you have the consistency of cream cheese that you prefer. 

Sprinkle kosher salt into the cheese and mix it thoroughly. I like about a teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe, but you can use more or less depending on your taste.  Store the cream cheese in a covered container in the refrigerator. You may notice that after your cream cheese has sat in the refrigerator for a day or more, it becomes slightly effervescent. That's totally normal.

Swapper Profile: Diana Dinh + Quince Tarte Tatin Recipe

Home (+ hometown swap): San Francisco, CA

Profession: Connecting people and processes within the tech start-up world.

How did you first get involved in food swapping? How long ago?

I can't even remember how I initially found out about the SF Food Swap, but seeing that I obsessively trawl the internet for food-related things, it was only a matter of time before I got reeled in. My first swap was in 2012. I made balsamic roasted strawberries and baked biscuits for samples. I remember being so awed by the thoughtful creations: vanilla kumquat compote, candy cap mushroom cookies, sugar-frosted flowers...

What did you make for the last food swap and what inspired your choice?

I made two things: a savory eggplant spread and miso caramel. I've had a long-time love affair with eggplant and had recently made baba ghanoush without tahini simply because I hadn't any handy. To make up for it, I amped up the paprika. The result was so delicious that I wanted to make more of it and share. As for the miso caramel, I'm a baker at heart, so my mind tends to sway towards the sweet for food swaps. However, I wanted to make something slightly off the beaten trail, and miso pairs so well with the savory smokiness of a dark caramel. 

Savory eggplant at the March 2015 swap

What’s your favorite thing about swapping?

I really love the creative inspiration I get from going to a food swap. It's a great opportunity to use ingredients (cara cara orange mostarda, chocolate adobo...) that I wouldn't have made myself. 

Who or what most influences your cooking?

I read about food voraciously, devouring cookbooks, food history books, food politics books. But I think my cooking has been most strongly shaped by three people: my mother; my butchery/charcuterie guru, Kate; and my friend and food soul mate, Jon. Growing up, I was my mother's unknowing sous chef, washing and prepping all manner of Asian greens and cleaning cuts of meat as she turned out amazing Vietnamese dishes. I spent a month learning to butcher and make charcuterie with Kate in Gascony. In addition to getting me technically attuned to pig anatomy and my boning knife, she's taught me volumes about what it means to cook good food. Lastly, it was Jon who pulled me into the culinary milieux of San Francisco, convincing me at the tender age of twenty-one that I must invest in a KitchenAid stand mixer and food processor (of course, he was right). 

Balsamic Roasted Strawberries with Baked Biscuits

What’s your favorite kitchen tool?

My stand mixer should be a given, seeing that I bake as much as I do. I also love my chef's knife (a Global) and bench scraper (it makes even the untidiest surfaces tidy!).  

Your current flavor or ingredient obsession?

After years of riding the Californian-Italian-New American high, I'm finding my passion newly renewed in South East Asian flavors. The brightness, the pungency one finds in food from that corner of the world is unlike any other flavor profile. 

Biggest food surprise?

Spanish tapas. Without a firm foothold in the US and with an unfortunate run of uninformed eating choices as a college student in Barcelona, tapas fell vertiginously low in my eyes. In my then-quite limited experience, tapas were overly heavy: a mess of potatoes, cheese, and grease. They remained decried for nearly a decade, until I returned to Barcelona with a tapas treasure map drawn out by Jon. The ah-ha moment was reached, and not long after cemented in the celebrated pintxos bars of San Sebastian. I was so incredibly wrong about tapas. 

If the Rapture came tomorrow, what would your last meal on earth be?

I would begin with a Lebanese mezze spread: hummus topped with lamb and pine nuts, roasted eggplants in warmed yogurt, muhammara, kibbeh, and pomegranate roasted starlings. I would want this with nargile. Then, I would move on to a main course of Vietnamese caramel-braised pork shoulder on the tenderest white rice, with a bowl of simple greens soup on the side. For dessert, I would have quince tarte tatin with a scoop of the velvetiest vanilla ice-cream. There would be a loaf of challah throughout the whole meal.  

When I'm not in the kitchen I'm _________.

Reading at Thoroughbread and Pastry or The Mill, hiking at Mt. Tam, or perhaps biking to Ocean Beach with my husband. 

Favorite local food experience:

Two things make me indescribably happy about living and eating in San Francisco: ice-cream from Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous and the Noe Street evening farmer's market. 

Recipe by Diana: 

Quince Tarte Tatin

For the crust:

Ingredients:

·         236 grams flour

·         3/4 T. sugar

·         3/4 t. salt

·         168 grams butter (also, 3/4 c.)

·         Ice water

Method:

1.       In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt and pulse to mix evenly

2.       Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add to flour mixture. Pulse until coarse, pebbly texture is achieved (~5-7 times)

3.       Add 3 tablespoons ice water to flour butter mixture and pulse (~10 times). Add additional ice water tablespoon by tablespoon, pulsing a few times between each addition. The dough should just come together; be careful not to add too much water or else the texture of the crust will be gluey and sticky rather than flaky and delicious. 

4.       Dump dough out onto sheet of plastic wrap, molding into an inch thick disc. Try to handle the dough as little as possible; you want to keep it nice and cold for texture. 

5.       Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes

For the tart:

Ingredients:

·         6 medium-sized apples (I like Granny Smiths or Pink Lady’s)

·         1 1/2 sticks butter

·         1 1/2 cups sugar

Method:

·         Preheat your oven to 375F

·         Peel, core, and quarter your apples and set aside

·         In a cast-iron or other heat-proof skillet (mine is 12 inches wide), melt butter over medium-low heat

·         Take off heat and add sugar, stirring (a wooden spoon is good here) to incorporate

·         Bring the skillet back over medium heat, letting the sugar and butter melt together into a light golden brown caramel. Timing is everything here; watch for the color to turn. Wait a minute too long and you will have burnt caramel. This should take about 7-10 minutes 

·         Add the apple quarters core side up, packing the skillet as densely as you can. I like to make two concentric circles

·         Let the apples and caramel meld together, about 5-7 minutes. You should notice a slight shrinking of the apples. Now would be a good time to add any extra slices if you find yourself with more room in the skillet

·         While the apples and caramel marry, take out your pie dough and roll it out to the size of your skillet. You want it to be somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick

·         Carefully drape the pie dough over the apples, using a fork to seal any gaps between the dough and the edge of the skillet

·         Place the skillet in the center rack of the oven and bake until the crust is a lovely golden color, about 25-30 minutes

·         Immediately flip the tart out onto a dish or another appropriate serving platter, taking extra care with the hot skillet and caramel 

Swapper profile: Andrea Bornschlegel + Arugula-Kumquat Salad with Roasted Salmon and Horseradish Sauce Recipe

I am so pleased to introduce Andrea Bornschlegel in this post, our first swapper profile in too long. I first met Andrea at our very first swap (3 years ago, what?!?), where she wowed us with the delicious flavor combos of her liqueurs such as Spiced Orange, Basil Ginger, and Vanilla Limoncello. She reduxed her liqueurs at a more recent swap, also serving up a delicious Gold Rush Cocktail for potluck consumption. Her bacon jam at the June swap last summer had just the right balance of sweet and salty, and Andrea brought tasty jars of bourbon and Meyer lemon caramel to the most recent swap. I've been lucky enough to score Andrea's goods in the past, and I must confess I was loathe to not bid on the caramel, but we were leaving town shortly afterwards for a month, and I feared I would not be able to savor it all before leaving (silly me). Her incredible sounding salad recipe below features a few of my favorite things...salmon and kumquats to start...and will definitely make it onto our dinner table very, very soon. Read on for her culinary inspirations and the makings of a perfect springtime meal! 

Andrea making liqueurs: kitchen alchemy at work

Name: Andrea Bornschlegel

Home (+ hometown swap): Mountain View, CA

Profession: Finance & accounting for startups

How did you first get involved in food swapping? How long ago?  I read a NY Times article about swapping and searched for local events. I went to the very first swaps in both SF and the East Bay in the spring of 2011, but haven’t been to a great number overall. I’ve considered trying to start up a Silicon Valley swap – if anyone is interested, please contact me!

What did you make for the last food swap and what inspired your choice?  I made Meyer lemon caramel and bourbon-cayenne caramel, as I’d been experimenting with different flavors. I do homemade liqueurs most often, but hadn’t given myself enough lead time last month. 

Andrea's Meyer Lemon and Bourbon Cayenne Caramels!

What’s your favorite thing about swapping?  The people, the inspiration, the goods! I especially like getting an unusual ingredient to play with (fennel pollen, rose geranium) rather than something to just eat. But it’s all good.

Who or what most influences your cooking?  Reading, reading, reading to expand my repertoire, and sharing ideas with friends and family. This year, I’ve been cooking things I’ve never touched before (sunchokes, celeriac, kumquats, pork belly) and doing projects like home-cured duck prosciutto and  homemade ricotta. For everyday cooking, my husband wants healthy meals while I want cheese, butter, bacon, and more cheese (with chocolate on top), and I realize he’s probably smarter, so I try to head that direction.

Bacon jam in the making

Bacon jam for sampling at the swap

What’s your favorite kitchen tool?  My mandoline, for super-easy, super-thin slicing. My dad bought it for me years ago. I like it much more now that I’ve bought a protective glove and don’t have to use the safety holder. Also, my microplane and a little julienne tool my mother-in-law bought me. I guess I like things small and thin and shredded?

Your current flavor or ingredient obsession? I’ve previously always required my eggs to be cooked hard, but somehow in the past year I’ve discovered the joys of runny yolks. Currently eating them on any kind of vegetable (but mostly asparagus) and/or any kind of starch, with truffle oil.

Biggest food surprise?  No-knead bread – it’s soooo easy! Even my first try at it was heaven, and even a disappointing loaf is fabulous.

If the Rapture came tomorrow, what would your last meal on earth be?  Oh, too hard! Fried chicken, various potatoes, scallops, salmon with vanilla sauce, several porky items. Chocolate lava cake with ginger ice cream. Inventive craft cocktails.

When I'm not in the kitchen, I'm...traveling, seeing friends, reading, doing crossword puzzles, running or at the gym, wasting time on the internet.

Favorite local fod experience:  Spreading a beach towel on the kitchen table for a Dungeness crab, artichoke, sourdough feast. Walking to downtown Mountain View and eating al fresco.

The Gold Rush Cocktail was a welcome addition to the bar...

...and coaxed people to the swap tables for her liqueurs for sure!

A sampling of Andrea's liqueurs - photo by Becky Spencer (EBCA swap)

Recipe by Andrea:

I made this up on Valentine’s Day (like I said, my husband likes healthy meals). Sorry for lack of amounts, but it’s a salad, it’s flexible – do what you prefer depending on how many you’re serving.

Arugula-Kumquat Salad with Roasted Salmon and Horseradish Sauce

(loosely inspired by “Salad for Dinner,” Tasha DeSerio)

Salad:

Arugula (or butter lettuce, romaine, or spinach if you prefer)

Fresh kumquats, sliced thinly or quartered, discarding big seeds – more than you think is reasonable ;-)

Fennel bulb, core removed, sliced very thinly

Roasted beets, chunked (Trader Joe’s carries cooked vacuum packed beets)

Avocado, chunked

Carrot curls (using veg peeler) or very thin julienne

Red onion, raw or quickly pickled in water/cider vinegar/sugar mixture (maybe 1C - 1/4C - 1/4C)

Salmon:

Wild salmon, 5-8 oz per person, roasted per your usual method or whatever looks simple on Google

Salad dressing:

50/50 roasted walnut oil and Trader Joe’s orange muscat champagne vinegar or other mild, fruity vinegar (more oil if your vinegar is stronger); thyme fresh or dried; a little Dijon or dried mustard; S&P

Horseradish sauce:

3/4 C plain greek yogurt (or strained a bit if a thinner style) (or thinned crème fraîche for decadence)

1-2 T prepared horseradish

1-2 shallots, minced fine

1-2 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 T champagne or sherry vinegar

1 T olive oil

Chopped chives and/or basil

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and dress very lightly.  Plate dinner-size salad portions covering most of the plate, overlap salmon a bit, top the salmon with ~2 T sauce, and pass the rest of the sauce at the table.

Tasting Jerusalem! Roasted Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad

It's dubious as to whether I can really take on another communal cooking project, but my love of Yottam Ottolenghi and the fun approach of the Tasting Jerusalem group (who were just featured in the New York Times' Recipe Lab!) has had me salivating from the sidelines for the past few months, coaxing me to join in the fun. I had the best of intentions for May's baking round (this phenomenal looking Chocolate Krantz Cake will still happen) and preserved lemons round too (a fridge full of Meyers didn't even tip the balance), but this month it's salads on the menu, and it all came together.

Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables. It like to think it hearkens back to warm memories of my Oma (German grandmother) making her cheesy, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth Gebakene Kohl (baked cauliflower), but whatever the genesis I'm always keeping an eye out for new recipes and ways of preparing it.

Without any conscious forethought to the recipes in Jerusalem, I picked up a small but perfect cauliflower at the farmers market and tucked it into the fridge. A couple days later I leafed through the cookbook pages again and saw I had bookmarked the Roasted Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad. Perfection! With the exception of sherry vinegar (I subbed red wine vinegar), I even had all the ingredients on hand.

Even though the ingredients seem autumnal, this is a great summer recipe. The roasting is easy and fast, allowing you to prep the rest of ingredients at the same time, which means you end up with a healthy, beautiful salad on the table with very little active cooking time.

Below is my ode in images, with a link to the recipe at the end.

Roasted Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad

I was particularly wowed by this salad, because it calls upon ingredients I would never have thought to put together but which effortlessly complement each other. With allspice and cinnamon, spices I typically don't use in salads, the layers of flavor were at once light and elegant. It was flavorfully rich, but easy to eat. Once again, Jerusalem hits one out of the park.

Find the recipe here.

And speaking of spices, Tasting Jerusalem's focus for August will be Bahārāt, a spice blend I look forward to experimenting with!