Local cheese and a not-so-local-salad

I had to try some more local Swedish Bleu (Swedes call their Bleu's Ädel = noble) the single mass-factory-size maker in Sweden that makes these is from enormous Danish-Swedish Arla Foods, Europes largest dairy they use their the Kvibille brand for these. I read somewhere that they won gold in an international competition with their drunken Whiskey variety, (as Best Scandinavian Cheese) so that's why I decided to go for a taste.

Today I was given a task, to use some japanese Hijiki (that's dried seaweed, I learned) in "some kind of meal" sitting by itself in the cupboard. After some googling I found an interesting recipe: Golden Tofu Salad with Carrots and Hijiki. Not a local dish to me in any way. However, I had a task to fulfill. The reason I decided to post about it is twofold: there was no picture of it on recipe site where I found the salad, so I decided to pull out my camera for a shot, it's a beautiful and colorful dish. Second, it tastes wonderful, just as they say on the site.

Golden Tofu Salad with Carrots and Hijiki:

• 3 tablespoons dried hijiki seaweed
• 1 cup water 12 ounces (~300 gr)firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 medium carrots, julienned
• 3 scallions (green onion), sliced thinly,sprinkled with
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, and pressed lightly

1. In a small saucepan, soak hijiki for 10 minutes.
2. Once rehydrated, simmer the seaweed uncovered for 20 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Meanwhile, drain the tofu and slice the cake horizontally.
5. Place between sheets of paper towels and put on a cutting board with a heavy weight atop the tofu to press away excess water. A cast iron skillet or heavy book is ideal. Drain the tofu for at least 15 minutes.
6. Cut into cubes and brown evenly on all sides using 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
7. Remove from pan and sprinkle with tamari. Set aside to cool.
8. In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, ginger, and salt.
9. Add seaweed, tofu, and veggies.
10. Toss well and allow flavors to 'marry' for at least 30 minutes

Nobody wants Cabbage every day

There's a problem. Sweden is so darn far north that living on local eco-friendly veggies and fruit just won't work for me. Here's a short list of common options for local fresh greens: potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onion and perhaps some cauliflower. The problem is also that organic choices often look terrible compare to its conventional counterpart in the veggy section. The big well-known organic certified label in Sweden is KRAV (transl: demand or requirement), every so slowly there's more choices available, but still there's a long ways to go.

(I think don't think that people in California get it, how fantastic they have it, really....)

I found a local unhomogenized whole milk, really terrific stuff, from Järna Mejerier with a creamy milky flavor. I'll guess the flavor is still there due to careful, lowish temp pasteurization, 72 C (161.6F) says their web site. It only has six days shelflife. The one liter "Kontiki" package is funky for sure, but alas, it does the job. Empty, it takes virtually no space in the trashbin.

I also had to try one of the local swedish cheeses, Prästost. Translates to Priest's Cheese, in the old days it was the farmers payment/tithe to the priest. This one is known back in history as far as the 16th century apparently, also known as Smålandsost. Sweden is from what I read, one of the worlds largest per-capita consumers of hard cheese, preferrably sliced thin, with a special cheese slicer contraption, available in every single swedish home. (Also common in other Nordic countries). Most typical Swedish factory cheese, including Prästost, doesn't get to age much, so the flavor isn't there. I'm told that Sweden has a good reputation for making hard-ish cheese. The best one of this particular type I've found so far, is called Prästost 1878, aged 18 months, from the maker Falbygden Ost, founded in 1878, hence the branding. Made with pasteurized cows milk, quite grainy, somewhat pungy, small holes, really nice tang, unique flavor. The key is that it's aged. Elsewhere, the standard variety Prästost basically has very, very mild (useless I think) flavor, instead, you have to know what to look for.

Aside from snaps, the traditional Swedish herring table includes a well-aged hard cheese, often eaten on crispbread or perhaps a dark rye bread.

In all honestly, I will be spending more time commenting on the fabulous imported foods from south of me in Europe. Cabbage gets to be only so interesting...

I'm going to list a few of the really well known typical Swedish cheeses that Falbygden promotes as their top of the line versions, in quotes below is their trademarked most-aged variant. That way I'll have something to go on. One more cheese, Västerbotten cheese isn't listed below because it's only made by one single factory in the way-up-north-town of Burträsk.

Herrgård (Falbygden calls theirs "Arn", Emmentaler-like, rich/strong aged 18 months)

Prästost ("1878" aged 18 months, already mentioned, Svecia-like)

Grevé ("Birger Jarl" aged +12 months. Jarlsberg/Emmentaler-ish. Sweden's newest cheese, invented in 1960's)

Brännvinsost a vodka doused Prästost ("Morfars Brännvinsost" aged +12 months)

Svecia ("Viking" aged 18 months. The only European Union "PDO" protected cheese from Sweden. )

The eating local challenge

For the heck of it I took a picture of our lonely Cherry tomato plant that's growing in the back of the house. It keeps loosing its red, ripe fruits finding its way to the salad. We also have a Satsuma Mandarin plant, but it won't be in ripe until later in the winter, I'll just have to be patient.

Today in the local paper was a listing of What's in Season, a hint on what's available when heading down to one of the local Farmers Markets. There's one in just about every town around here. Come to find out, there has been a total explosion of farmers markets:

In 1977, California had four farmers' markets. Today, experts estimate there are nearly 500 (numbers vary depending on the definition of farmers' market), with close to 100 in the Bay Area.

What's in Season -

First in season: Apples, Asian pears, winter squash.

Peak of season: Arugula, basil, carrots, chard, cherry tomato, cilantro, collards, cucumbers, fennel, green onions, green and yellow beans, kale, leaf lettuce, parsley, peppers, radishes, red onions, spinach, summer squash and heirloom tomatoes.

End of season: Blackberries, blueberries, celery, garlic, lemons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, corn.

Year-round: Almonds, bacon, butter, cheese, dried fruit, eggs, fish, goat cheese, honey, mustard, olive oil, oysters, perennials, sausage, walnuts and cut flowers.

With a little luck, I'll head to Sebastapol Farmers Market, I hope to find Golden Nectar Farm there, they are really close to our home. I stumbled on a nice article about them the other day. I suppose its part of my eating local challenge. I found a funny blog, Food on Food, someone trying hard to take that food challenge, somewhere in New England.

Lastly, I'll just mention that the east coast's Natural Products Expo just started, a big trade show about quality foods, in Baltimore, Maryland. I think some friends of ours in the foods business are there, it would have been interesting to check out.