Plymouth Artisan Cheese: November's Cave to Co-op
When I think about artisan cheese in Vermont, historic is not a word that comes to mind. Most of our local cheese makers have started up in the last few decades, producing cheeses I’m not sure my great-grandmother would have even recognized (although I’m sure she would have loved them as much as I do).
Plymouth Artisan Cheese, on the other hand, has 121 years of history. 1840-1915 marked a period in Vermont when butter and cheese were shifting from being produced on the home-scale in farmhouse kitchens to large-scale, commercial production to meet the demand of the urban markets of Boston and New York (for a fascinating history of this period, check out the blog What Ceres Might Say).
Started by President Calvin Coolidge’s father, John, in 1890, the cheese factory produced traditional granular style cheeses until 1934 when it was forced to close due to milk supply shortages brought on by the Great Depression. President Coolidge’s son, also named John, resumed cheese production in the facility in 1962. In 1998 the factory was sold to the State of Vermont for the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site.
Cheese making continues there today under cheesemaker Jesse Werner, still producing the traditional granular curd cheeses with raw cows’ milk from a neighboring dairy farm. Similar to a cheddar, the Original Plymouth, with its sharp flavor and creamy texture, is a great cooking cheese.
The Original Plymouth will be on sale through the end of November through the Cave to Co-op program of the Neighboring Food Coops Association and Provisions International.
Original Plymouth Bread Pudding with Squash and Kale
serves 4 as main course and up to 8 as a side
pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F
4 cups peeled and seeded winter squash, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Toss the squash with the oil and salt and roast on a rimmed baking sheet for about 20 minutes until tender. Set aside.
6 large eggs
2 cups of half and half (or milk)
2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups of day old bread, torn into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallots, chopped
1 bunch of kale, stripped from stems and coarsely chopped
8 ounces Original Plymouth, grated
Whisk eggs in a large bowl and add the half and half (or milk), mustard and salt. Add the pieces of bread and stir to mix. Let the bread soak in the egg for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. While the bread is soaking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the shallots until soft, then add the kale and cover the pan. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted. Turn off the heat.
Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13x9 inch baking pan. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about half the soaked bread mixture to the pan spreading it evenly. Spoon half the kale and half the squash over the bread. Sprinkle with half the cheese and repeat with the rest of the bread, vegetables and cheese. Pour whatever egg mixture is left over the cheese. Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes, Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.