Are you aware that we have a regular weekend demo schedule set up at your Willamette market? On Friday and Monday evenings, we feature an item from our Meat and Seafood department. On Saturday and Sunday evenings, we showcase items from our Specialty Cheese Shop. Demo times are approximately 5-7 pm on all four days. Come by and have a taste!

At your Market Cheese Shop, we feel fortunate to stock an amazing collection of specialty products from around the world. We also appreciate the hard work and dedication that Oregon producers invest in their products. With Valentine's Day approaching, I would like to send some love to these local artisans!

Cheese

Fern's Edge in Lowell, OR: Raw goat's milk; fresh plain and flavored chèvre; feta and an aged cheese called Mt. Zion.

La Mariposa in Albany, OR: Welsh-style cheese named Chubut; a Swiss recipe called Five Corners; and a cheddar style named Pleasant Hill. These are all cows’ milk cheeses.

Full Circle Creamery in Scio, OR: Organic cows’ milk cheeses such as fresh mozzarella, mild and sharp cheddars, plain and flavored cheese curds and smoked mozzarella.

Froylan Cheese in Albany, OR: All cows’ milk Mexican-style cheeses including cotija, oaxacan string cheese, queso fresco and crema.

Fairview Farms Goat Dairy in Dallas, OR: Pasteurized plain and chocolate goat’s milk; plain and flavored Skyr cheese with yogurt cultures; plain, garlic and chive fresh chèvre; and drinkable goat yogurt in plain, vanilla and other flavors such as strawberry and marionberry.

Rogue Creamery in Central Point, OR: Makers of cows’ milk blue cheese and plain and flavored cheddar and Jack-style cheese. The blues include Oregonzola, Crater Lake Blue and Rogue River Blue. They also make an excellent raw milk cheddar, a Rosemary Touvelle (similar to a mild Jack) and Lavender Touvelle.

Fraga Farms Goat Cheese in Sweet Home, OR: Certified organic fresh chèvre (plain, herbed and an olive tapenade) and other aged goat’s milk cheeses, such as Farmhouse Plain, Goatzarella, raw milk feta and most recently, Camembert!

Ancient Heritage Dairy in Redmond, OR: A family business that makes a soft ripened cow and sheeps’ milk blend named Adelle, a sheep and cows’ milk Manchego-style cheese called Hannah, and a cows’ milk washed rind cheese named Juniper.

Willamette Valley Cheese Co. in Salem, OR: Makers of cows’ milk cheeses, including plain and smoked Gouda, plain and flavored Havarti, raw milk cheddar and a mild, soft-ripened gem called French Prairie.

Meat

Olympic Provisions in Portland, OR: European-style dry cured pork salami from antibiotic and hormone-free, locally raised pork. Italian, Greek, Spanish and French-inspired flavors.

Chop! in Portland, OR: Dry cured Italian-style salami made with local pork.

Fino in Fondo in McMinnville, OR: Dry cured pork salami with free-range pork from Madras, OR. Flavors include Tartufo, Calabrese, Sopressata and more.

Other Specialty Products

Albina City Nuts in Portland, OR: An array of candied and spiced nuts: Sweet and Salty Hazelnuts, Sweetly Spiced Almonds, Candied Walnuts, Candied Pecans, Sweet and Savory Nut Mix or Chili Cocoa Hazelnuts.

Rose City Pepperheads in Portland, OR: Pepper jellies from mild to wild. Flavors include Mango Madness, Marionberry Blast, Apricot with Attitude and more.

Oregon Growers and Shippers in Hood River, OR: Fruit preserves using Oregon fruit, fruit pastes and local honey. Preserve flavors include Pear Hazelnut, Cherry Zinfandel or Sweet Potato Butter.

Dukers Dills in Portland, OR: Pickled vegetables, such as spicy pickles, rosemary lemon green beans, spicy green tomatoes and spicy carrots.

Market of Choice Central Kitchen in Eugene, OR: Our Central Kitchen has begun an in-house charcuterie line that includes Mostarda de Fritta, a great condiment for meat and cheeses, as well as a Chicken Liver with Madeira Apples Pate that is smooth and creamy and goes great on crackers. And there are more exciting items to come in the near future. We’ll keep you posted.

Come by your Market Cheese Shop and ask about our local products!

Happy (soon to be) Valentine's Day, Oregon!

For me, the seasons translate into different varieties of food. Summer means lighter fare and LOTS of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs. I enjoy trekking out to my raised garden beds and seeing what has transpired over the past 24 hours, going to our local farmer's markets and of course, browsing the produce selection at my own workplace here at Market of Choice. A favorite pastime of mine is searching for recipes in which to use these items. Here is a recipe for a refreshing salad you can serve as an appetizer, entree or side dish.

Summer Salad With Pasta And Melon

Serves 4

• 4 oz small penne pasta
• Kosher salt
• 2 oz pancetta, sliced thin
• 2 1/2 TBsp white wine vinegar
• 3 1/2 TBsp olive oil
• 2 cups of melon of your choice, cut into 1" cubes
• 3 TBsp green onion, sliced thin
• 1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped coarsely
• 1/4 Tsp red chili pepper flakes
• Black pepper
• 1 oz of shaved Ricotta Salata or crumbled Feta cheese

Set the oven to 350 degrees and spread strips of pancetta in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for approximatley 20 minutes, or until brown. Let the pancetta cool, then break it into small pieces and set aside.

Cook the pasta as directed, drain and run under cold water until cool and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir the oil and vinegar together and add half of the pancetta, cooked pasta, melon, half of the mint, green onion and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer salad to serving bowl or plates and garnish by sprinkling the leftover pancetta, mint and cheese. Enjoy!

Laura Chenel is credited with bringing goat's milk cheese to the attention of America during the late '70s and early ‘80s by producing wonderful cheese and selling it to restaurants in northern California.

In 2006, Laura sold her business to a French artisan cheese corporation, Rians Group, whom she felt would uphold the integrity and quality of her products. She returned to raising goats and is still selling her milk to Laura Chenel Chèvre.

While we have carried many Laura Chenel products through the years, we are excited about one in particular that is new to us. Melodie is an ash-rinded goat's milk brie style cheese. Smooth and creamy in texture and fresh and mild in flavor, this cheese is mellow enough for a wide audience.

Try pairing Melodie with berries and other fresh fruit, or melting it on a baguette or in a panini. Look for Melodie in our current issue of Savories!