[cold weather blues]

Hi Bettyx

Hopefully you'll feel better when you get out in the mountains. You said you were sick (or sent home from work for looking sick) so that's probably contributing to you feeling glum. When I lived in a rural area where I didn't know anyone I started going to the gym...for the first time in my life. It got me out of my house in the evenings and got me fit for the winter. The gym in my local sports centre was free for town residents. I took in my own CD (no music in there) and I felt great after every workout. It brings back such fond memories that you've inspired me to go this week.

[Cheesemans "Cheese of the Week"]

Making cheese

Someone asked about it on this thread. The cheese I make is actually "paneer" which is Indian...but I think it's like cottage cheese.

Bring about 4 pints of milk to the boil, switch off the heat then pour in lemon juice 1 or 2 lemons (or about a cup of vinegar). Leave it for a minute or 2 to separate then pour it through a sieve. You can line your sieve with cheesecloth (or gauze that you use for bandages) but I haven't done this yet. I always think I've messed it up at this point as there is so much liquid...but the cheese remains in the sieve. For the amount of milk there seems to be little cheese. The texture is like cottage cheese but if you want the cheese to be harder leave it to drain for a long time and squeeze the liquid out of the cheesecloth.

 

I think it's delicious soft with lots of black pepper on it. I also put it in lasagne with mozarella, parmesan and tomato sauce. It was also good fried in a frying pan on both sides topped with sliced chillies and mitsuba leaves. Although I haven't tried it, my Japanese friend (who studied cooking in India) suggested serving it with soy sauce.

[Cheesemans "Cheese of the Week"]

In Blighty I never heard of eating cheese with syrup. However, with beans, yes. In Italian restaurants in Japan I've had blue cheese served with honey. Is this an Italian thing or a Japanese thing? Is chilled red wine a Japanese thing too? I heard that somewhere (Spain perhaps) people put coke in their red wine!!!! How do you feel about this cheeseman? I'd also like to hear your opinions on some blue cheeses. How do you think stilton compares to gorgonzola and Danish blue?

So far my favourite of your cheese reviews is the crottin. Very natsukashii.

[Backcountry guides]

I recommend Nao as your "Niseko Powder Guide". http://www5.ocn.ne.jp/~nao-pj/ His fees are: 2 hours - 3000 yen, 4 hours - 5000yen. The website is in Japanese...but if you need help post here or contact me by pm. He's a local private guide who started skiing in this area when he was 2...so he knows his way around!