Did You Know?
March is known for Madness, but this March has a particularly mad amount of special events…including March Madness itself. March always hosts St. Patrick’s Day, a day of fun and feast of all things Irish. Since everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, Carlino’s has imported four grand Emerald Isle cheeses that will make your taste buds do the Irish Jig.
1. Cahill with Porter – Creamy cheddar marbleized with rich brown Guinness port.
2. Dubliner with Stout – Creamy Stout infused Irish Cheddar.
3. Tipperary – Hailing from County Cork, a complex cheddar that puts a taste of Ireland in your mouth and makes you think that it’s really not a long way to Tipperary.
4. Irish Whiskey Cheese – The wind will definitely be at your back with this one… “whiskey –i.e.” and wonderful, a party for your plate.
March will bring the great pastries of St. Joseph’s Day, the welcoming of the first day of spring and, this year, Passover and Easter. Easter is high season for Basket Cheese, a firm form of ricotta that absorbs flavor like a sponge. This ability makes it the perfect cheese for cooking as well as baking. Basket Cheese is an integral part of Carlino’s Pizza Rustica Easter (Meat Pie) and a Carlino family favorite, when sliced and drizzled with EVOO (Carlino’s of course) and cracked pepper. So avoid the maddening parts of entertaining and March right on over to Carlino’s for a sane solution to all your cheese and entertaining needs.
Patty Church
-Carlino’s Executive Cheese Specialist
Visit Carlino’s Easter Menu HERE
Featured Cheese: Basket Cheese
Is it possible to find a delicious cheese for the Easter holiday that also looks like a decorative Easter basket? Why, yes it is. We know this because our featured Basket Cheese is back this Spring and ready to satisfy your needs. Basket Cheese is a type of ricotta cheese that is made using cow’s milk and rennet. It is named after the basket that is used to ripen and shape it. Basket Cheese is similar to tofu, in not only consistency, but also because both are great absorbers of flavors. This cheese is often eaten on toast with marmalade, or like farmer’s cheese, when topped with cracked black pepper. It is excellent when batter dipped and fried, but also, when sliced it’s the perfect addition to tomatoes, basil and olive oil. In Italy, this cheese is usually added to Easter dishes and pies.
Just Arrived: 4 Irish Cheeses
Let your taste buds take you to Ireland this St. Patrick’s Day because Carlino’s four wonderful cheeses have just arrived….Cahill with Porter, Tipperary Cheddar, Irish Whiskey Cheese and Dubliner with Stout.
• Cahill with Porter is a delicious and beautiful cheese. It has a creamy yellow cheddar paste that’s marbleized with rich brown Guinness port.
• Dubliner with Stout is aged 12 months and has a very unique flavor experience. The caramel and coffee flavor from the stout adds a creaminess to this bitter Irish treat.
• Irish Tipperary Cheddar hails from County Cork, a complex cheddar that puts a taste of Ireland in your mouth and makes you think that it’s really not a long way to Tipperary. Tipperary is creamy but dry, sweet but tangy and sharp but mellow. It hits a variety of taste buds in almost a time released fashion and lingers long.
• When you try Irish Whiskey Cheese, the wind will definitely be at your back… “whiskey –ie” and wonderful, a party for your plate.
Visit our e-commerce store where you can purchase these extravagant cheeses without leaving the comfort of your home.
Click HERE to view our Luck of the Irish Cheese Crate
Spring Goes With: Jams
As we celebrate the end of winter and the re-birth of nature, our taste buds begin to open as well. A tasty way to put those dull winter days behind you is with Carlino’s Exclusive Collection Jams. This collection has been some of our favorite products and it is great for all occasions. It will quickly become your favorite too! Carlino’s Mouthwatering Jams include: Strawberry & Blueberry Jam, Raspberry & Cranberry Jam and Blackberry & Peach Jam.
In our Strawberry & Blueberry Jam, juicy strawberries and blueberries come together to deliver America’s number one flavor selection. A great, delightful way to celebrate the coming of the Spring! In our Raspberry & Cranberry Jam, tart cranberries, sweet raspberries and fresh squeezed oranges are blended to perfection. A must have for the jam gourmand! Blackberry & Peach Jam is a luscious blend of vine-ripened blackberries and juicy summer peaches that is sure to become a family favorite. It lends itself to breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert.
We are thrilled to offer you these three jams that are made even tastier when matched with Carlino’s wonderful cheeses. Jams, Preserves, Marmalades and Fruit Spreads have been served with cheese for ages. Today, the variety of choices is mind boggling…but never fear, Carlino’s is here.
| Jams | Cheeses |
|---|---|
| Strawberry & Blueberry Jam | Prince La Fontaine, Délice de Bourgogne, Belletoile and Saint Angel |
| Blackberry & Peach Jam | Comté, Ciao Angelo, Gruyére and Fol Epi |
| Raspberry & Cranberry Jam | Drunken Goat, Humboldt Fog, Etorki, and Ossau Iraty |
Featured Recipe: Pizza Rustica
This traditional Easter pie, originated in Italy, and was meant to be prepared and eaten after the Good Friday fast, usually on Easter Saturday.
Yield: 15 Proportions
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb Ham diced
¾ lb Salami diced
¼ lb Pepperoni diced
¼ lb Prosciutto diced
7 lbs Ricotta Cheese
1 cup pecorino Romano cheese grated
1 lb basket cheese
2 lbs Mozzarella grated or shredded
¼ lb provolone grated or shredded
8 eggs
(All of the items above are available at Carlino’s Specialty Markets!)
*You will also need:
3 Homemade or store bought pie crusts
PREPARATION:
Cut the meats into small diced pieces no larger than a kernel of corn.
Using a wooden spoon, combine all cheeses in a large bowl or pot and mix well. Add the diced meat and mix those into the cheese mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Salt is optional.
Beat the eggs and pour them over the meat and cheese mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined. The filling mixture should be dense and thick enough to stand a spoon in it.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place one 9” round dough into a pie plate. Scoop in enough of the filling to fill the plate. Cut the second dough round into strips and lay over the filling in a lattice pattern.
Repeat this step 3 times as the filling mixture will fill 3 pie plates.
Bake for one hour until top is light golden brown. Remove and cool on rack for 15 minutes.
