Tag: Murray’s Cheese

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How to Throw A Raclette Party

Raclette comes from the French word Raclerâ, which means “to scrape.” It is a cheese traditionally eaten in Switzerland. The Swiss cow herders used to take the cheese with them when they were moving cows to or from the pastures up in the mountains. In the evenings around the campfire, they would place the cheese next to the fire and, when it had reached the perfect softness, scrape it on top of some bread. Today we use fancy machines to do the melting, but the results are just as tasty. The cheese has a mellow, slightly funky flavor that makes it the perfect accompaniment to almost anything, and the texture is ideal for melting.

Throwing a Raclette Party is easy. The key is to have a nice variety of meats, veggies and bread for topping with the gooey cheese. There are 2 kinds of raclette machines: one holds a quarter wheel of the cheese and heats it under a lamp, the other heats individual portions of cheese on little pans. If you don’t have a raclette machine you can use a nonstick pan to melt slabs of the cheese, it’s just a little messier.

Here are some of our favorite things to serve with raclette:

Artisanal Breads

Vegetables: Small Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Butternut Squash, Cipolline Onions, Cauliflower

Meats: Prosciutto, Speck, Jambon Royale, Finocchiona Salami, Chorizo, Roasted Pork

Fruits that go with cheese: Sliced pears, sliced apples

Fruits to refresh the palate: Grapes, Berries, Dried fruits

Acidic and briny bites to refresh the palate: Cornichons, Olives

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Murray’s Better than Basic Mac & Cheese

 

Béchamel

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in flour. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until mixture gets slightly darker in color. Add milk to the butter and flour mixture and stir constantly until it comes to a boil. Once the Béchamel boils, it will start to thicken. Once thick whisk in the cheeses, stirring until melted.
  2. Stir in the cooked pasta until well combined.
  3. Pour into a large baking dish, Dutch oven or cast iron pan and Bake at 375 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes until lightly browned on top.

Serves: 6-8 people.

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Murray’s French Onion Soup Mac & Cheese

Brilliant: combine two classic winter warmers into one delicious dish. Creamy, pungent Scharfe Maxx is the star here. It melts like a dream and its big, oniony flavor makes this mac over the top savory.

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INGREDIENTS

Béchamel

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  1. In a large sauté pan set over medium-low heat, add the onions and olive oil and cook until caramelized, about 40 minutes. Be attentive, don’t overstir. When nicely browned and very soft, place in a bowl and set aside.
  2. In the same pan set over medium high heat, cook pancetta until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and reserve pancetta.
  3. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in flour. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until mixture gets slightly darker in color. Add milk to the butter and flour mixture and stir constantly until it comes to a boil. Once the Béchamel boils, it will start to thicken. Once thick whisk in the cheeses, stirring until melted.
  4. Stir in the cooked pasta, the onions and the pancetta until well combined.
  5. Pour into a large baking dish, Dutch oven or cast iron pan and Bake at 375 degree oven for 45 minutes until lightly browned on top.

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The Story of Torus, Our Newest Cavemaster Reserve Cheese

by Adeline Druart, Master Cheesemaker & Operations Manager at Vermont Butter & Cheese Company

 

At Vermont Creamery we are known for making the best fresh and aged goat cheese in the country. We’ve been in business since 1984, and have been working with Murray’s for almost that long – way back when Rob, Frankie and Cielo were all behind the counter at the tiny shop on the corner of Bleecker Street. Our creamery crème fraiche, butter, and fresh goat cheese became a staple at the store, as did our small geo-rinded cheeses (the brainy-looking cheeses that are made with Geotrichum candidum mold). Over the years we’ve shared cheese beyond the shop, too – teaching classes, visiting restaurants, even hosting a bus of cheeselovers on a trip to the Vermont Cheesemakers’ Festival.

As Murray’s and Vermont Creamery continued to grow, what was left to do but create a brand new cheese, one that was made in Vermont and sent to age in the caves below Murray’s in New York City? Since we are known for our geo-rinded cheeses, it made sense to make an un-aged, or “green,” geo cheese for Murray’s to age – and that’s just what we did.

Vermont Creamery cheesemaker, Adeline Druart gathered the wish list from Murrays: Size? Small. Shape? Round. Ash? Nah. Creamy? YES. Yeasty-sweet-earthy-complex? Obviously. And yup, that signature brain-y Geotrichum rind, please. Our cheese expert friend from Australia, Will Studd put in his two cents and suggested we cut out the center, making a donut to create even more surface area for a yummy rind throughout. And with that brilliant idea, Torus was born.

Sounds easy enough? Not so. Adeline and the Murray’s cave master Brian Ralph worked for a year to perfect this little “donut.” Moisture and salt levels had to be just right. The milk had to be selected to accommodate the natural climate in the cave. The cave master had to “wake up” the dormant yeast and cheese cultures inside the carefully packaged and cooled cheeses to assure that the rind would grow properly in the cave. Luckily, with time we got it right. The result is a quintessential Geo goat cheese, with a flavor and texture unique to Murray’s and Vermont Creamery’s partnership.

What’s in a name?  Donuts make us think of Homer Price. And Homer Simpson. But we would like to think that making a good cheese requires more savoir faire. After lists of names by many, Murray’s buyer Aaron Foster came up with “Torus,” the geometric term for the ring shape of the cheese.  Indeed an artisanal replica of a geometric torus, we also think of Taurus the bull, an equally appropriate image for this cheese that required tenacity and drive to create such a satisfying reward. Vermont Creamery has spent years developing the Geotrichum category of goat cheese in America, both in perfecting the cheese and also in educating the market.  We are delighted to share the challenge with Murray’s who will serve their customers with a unique taste of Vermont and Manhattan terroir this holiday season.

Read more about Torus in the Wall Street Journal

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Coming to a Murray’s Near You: Fondue Nation

                                                                     

Saturday, December 15th, 2-6pm at every Murray’s shop nationwide

Warm up with winter fondue! Be a part of Fondue Nation, America’s largest fondue party. Hot, gooey, melt-y cheese for all. On December 15th at every Murray’s shop nationwide, you’ll find eager cheese experts ready to feed you a dreamy combination of cheeses and teach you how to be fondue fabulous. Free samples & recipes, activities for kids and a chance to win a trip for two in NYC*, valued at more than $2,000. To find a Murray’s shop near you, go to our store locator.

 

New York City Eataway Sweepstakes

 

 

 

 

 

Grand prize includes 2 nights at the Dream Downtown hotel, dinner at Murray’s Cheese Bar and a private tour of our cheese caves. Ten runners-up  receives a Boska fondue pot and three melting cheeses so you can continue the fondue cheese tradition year-round. Enter to win now through December 31.

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