Red Moon

This Wednesday, August 1st at 11:28PM (EST) the moon will be in it's full phase. The August full moon is aka "red moon"; referring to the moon's glowing red color during August. Before you nod off under the brightness in the sky, you may want to consider the magical occurrences that take place during a full moon. I'm not talking folklore like werewolves or the loony effect on human or animal behavior—I'm referring to the making of a great artisanal cheese.

One Monday night in February under a full moon, using milk just coaxed from the cow, Tim Welsh and Pat Ford decided to skip the pasteurization process and stay up late to make cheese, while the milk was most fresh. After letting it age 60 days (a federal health requirement for unpasteurized milk cheese) and giving it a final approving taste test, they named the cheese Beehive's Full Moon Cheddar and hit the market running. The cheese is made with clean, raw milk from Wadeland South Dairy. Full Moon Cheddar carries earthy flavor undertones that reflect the unique four season climate of their farm in Utah.

Celebrate this lunar phase with a full moon late night picnic. Serve Beehive Full Moon Cheese—a Good Stuff pick—with my spiced nuts, a good crisp rose, and sliced crunchy baguette bread. Just kick back and enjoy the magical power of the summer solstice.

Entertain, Made in Spain

How about entertaining with a bit of Northern Spain/ South of France influence? Stock up on Olives and Anchovies. Tip: Give Arbequina olives a try - they are grown in Catalonia, Spain and have a buttery flavor with hints of pepper.

Tapenade comes from the word tapeno which means capers in Provence. The addition of sun dried tomatoes adds a little sweetness.

Olive Tapenade

Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes 1 cup

2/3 cup black oil cured olives (Kalamata or Nicoise), pitted and finely chopped 

2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped 

4 cloves caramelized garlic 

2 Tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed under cold tap water and finely chopped 

2 small sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped 

4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

3 basil leaves , chopped

In a bowl, mix together the olives, anchovies, garlic, capers, sun dried tomatoes, oil, pepper, and water. Spread Tapenade on toasted French baguette bread, top with fresh basil, or serve with your favorite sandwich. 

Sagaponack Winery

Close to my home and located right in the heart of farm country at the Hampton's East End - which was once mostly miles of potato fields, now inhabits more than fifty acres of grapevines at Wölffer Estate Vineyard. The loamy soil coupled with the Atlantic Ocean air were ideal conditions for the grapevines, planted some twenty-five years ago. 

In keeping with European traditions, including the dedication to winemaking; Wölffer's stately Tuscan style villa was built in Old World traditions overlooking the acres of vines.

Come with me as we meet up with my friends; wine writer & enthusiast Michael Braverman, and Wölffer Estate Winemaker Roman Roth for a fun and informative segment from my TV show, George Hirsch Living it UP!

It's going to be another great summer in the Hamptons! Cheers..

George Hirsch Living it up! TV segment: Wölffer Estate Vineyard

The Scoop

Where does your favorite flavor rank in popularity? 

THE 15 MOST POPULAR ICE CREAM FLAVORS

(Flavor, percent preferring) 

1. Vanilla, 29%

2. Chocolate, 8.9%

3. Butter pecan, 5.3%

4. Strawberry, 5.3%

5. Neapolitan, 4.2%

6. Chocolate chip, 3.9%

7. French vanilla, 3.8%

8. Cookies and cream, 3.6%

9. Vanilla fudge ripple, 2.6%

10. Praline pecan, 1.7%

11. Cherry, 1.6%

12. Chocolate almond, 1.6%

13. Coffee, 1.6%

14. Rocky road, 1.5%

15. Chocolate marshmallow, 1.3%

All others, 23.7%

{Source: International Ice Cream Association}

The Aroma: Ice cream season is now approaching. Homemade is still popular when it comes to peach flavor or pistachio. No need to crank for your cone, the wood barrel ice cream maker has now gone electric.

FOR MORE GOOD STUFF PICKS

Some recipes cannot be instant, quick or easy. But that doesn't mean it cannot be enjoyable to prepare. Before you know it you will taste the fruits of your efforts. There are so many new ice cream machines on the market today; so whether you are hand churning or letting the machine do the work, making homemade ice cream can be a good reason to have an activity at your next social gathering.

This strawberry ice cream recipe is a recipe I've used for years - but an important thing to note is that fruit never has the same flavor twice, due to it's level of ripening. You will need to taste the strawberries and adjust the sugar up or down depending on the sweetness of the fruit.

Strawberry Ice Cream

Makes six servings, about two quarts

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 quart fresh strawberries very ripe, hulled and split

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup half & half or milk for a lighter ice cream

3/4 - 1/2 cup pure cane granulated sugar, variable based on the sweetness of fruit

3 egg yolks

3 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place 3/4 of the the strawberries into a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Sieve pureed fruit into a large bowl, and set aside. Roughly chop remaining strawberries and add to pureed berries.

To Make the Base Vanilla Sauce

Heat heavy cream in a sauce pan over medium heat until a gentle simmer reaches the edge of the pan.

While cream is heating up, in a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, half & half, corn syrup, and vanilla. Gradually pour the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the sauce pan, and heat whisking until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; about 5 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil.

Strain vanilla sauce into the berry puree through a sieve, mix, and place over an ice bath to fully chill. Note: The base vanilla sauce can be made a day ahead.

Fill an ice cream maker with the mixture, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

TIP: Only use very ripe or better yet, over ripened fruit. This is a great way to use up less than picture perfect fruit in your kitchen.

Options: The strawberries may also be substituted for other summer soft fruits such as; cherries, peaches, mango, papaya and kiwi.

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For the Colony

The art of the apiarist is more about the preservation business these days. We taped a TV segment with a beekeeper in Ireland. I talked bees with J. Smith, who takes his bees very seriously. He is based in County Kerry where he has devoted his life to preserving the species and is constantly spreading the word of the critical condition the population is in globally. The one thing he said that really stuck with me was his explanation of how the bee colonies "live together with a collective consciousness - something humanity should adopt." His honey is available for local merchants and markets; sustainability is paramount.

My Honey Orange Cake

For more info: Tourism Ireland