Love of Goat’s Milk -- Mushroom, Cashew, and Goat Cheese Spread

“Enchant, stay beautiful and graceful, but do this, eat well. Bring the same consideration to the preparation of your food as you devote to your appearance. Let your dinner be a poem, like your dress.”
- Charles Pierre Monselet,French journalist

Have you had raw goat’s milk, fresh at its source….. on a farm?

I had the chance to enjoy it.

My first glass of raw goat’s milk!

I was pleasantly surprised! It tasted sweet, quite sweet. I was expecting a little tang. And freshness couldn’t be questioned when its source was just outside the kitchen.

Recently, I visited a family farm nestled in the beautiful hills of Southern California.

A small but happy farm!  Its  modest animal life  gives this family treasure some character. A few chickens, a dog, a couple turtles, and of course several goats are the life of this farm.

A team of mother and daughter are raising goats on this farm. Mom, Donna and daughter, Lauren are very passionate about their family of goats. They make all natural soaps with their milk . Their soaps are equally amazing as fresh goat’s milk!

My search for benefits of goat’s milk led me to these two beautiful people who are making quality products. They use simple, clean, and all natural ingredients. You can see their Chivas goat milk skin care line here.

Donna started making soaps from goat’s milk  as a hobby from the two goats she had a few years ago. Her hobby flourished into a thriving business. A few bars per batch to a few hundreds and two goats to several more was just a start. Moreover, recognition in Whole Living and Country Living magazines is icing on the cake. Humble beginnings from farmers markets to Whole Foods and Fred Segal is quite an accomplishment. They have a lot be proud of their hard work and success. They both enjoy living quiet farm life and creating good quality products.

All for the love of goat’s milk!

And yes, they drink fresh raw goat’s milk from their goats.

Having raw goat’s milk on Donna and Lauren’s farm was my first experience.

But goat’s cheese is not new to me. Anything with goat’s cheese is perfect for me — salads, crackers, sandwiches, or pastas. You can mix in some herbs, nuts, or seeds for flavor and texture. Marinate in olive oil with some herbs and spread on your favorite breads. Also, figs and dates taste wonderful with goat’s cheese. Drizzle some honey and sprinkle your favorite nuts. Just a few simple ways to enjoy this creamy cheese.

This recipe has some of my favorite ingredients. Earthy mushrooms, roasted cashews, and fragrant mint together with creamy goat’s cheese are absolutely delicious. Cranberries add festive touch to it. All together it is sweet, salty, nutty, creamy, earthy and minty experience.

A rainbow of tastes and textures!

Recipe

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 oz. Crimini mushrooms, coarsely chopped

3 large cloves of garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 small bunch parsley leaves

1 small bunch mint leaves

7 oz. goat’s cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup unsalted roasted cashew nuts, coarsely chopped

Dried sweetened cranberries for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in large saute pan. Cook mushroom in a single layer on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Add minced garlic, salt and pepper and mix gently. Remove from heat immediately. Don’t cook garlic. Set aside and let it cool.

In a food processor, add parsley and mint and pulse a couple times until chopped. Add goat’s cheese, salt, and pepper. Process until herbs and cheese are combined well. Add cashews and pulse just 2-3 times to mix only. Finally stir in mushrooms and combine gently with a spoon. Don’t puree mushrooms. Add a few cranberries, if using.

Serve with your favorite crackers or bread. Stuff in ravioli, phyllo cups, or spread on flat breads.

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