Twice a month we highlight local restaurants, farms and farmers markets featured on episodes of UNC-TV’s “Flavor, NC.” This week, we review the third episode of Season 3, in which host Lisa Prince highlights cheese from Looking Glass Creamery.
In this episode, Lisa Prince heads to Buncombe County to look into the artisan cheese production. North Carolina has about 40 licensed cheese operators, all of which are inspected annually by inspectors from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Award-winning Looking Glass Creamery in Asheville offers several different types of cheeses online and in specialty stores in North Carolina and across the Southeast. Williams Sonoma stores selected Looking Glass cheeses to be part of their North Carolina collection of their catalog and online. Looking Glass Creamery’s signature goat cheese, Ellington, was a medal winner at the International Cheese Competition at the NC State Fair in 2012 and 2013.
Lisa and Cheryl Barnes of Picture Perfect Meals uses Looking Glass Creamery Cheeses in three delicious recipes. Cheryl is a professional cook, food stylist, writer and author of two cookbooks. She and her husband, Adam, are professional food photographers. They believe that food should “look as good as it taste.” Below is Cheryl’s recipe for Warm Brie, Apple and Honey Tartlets.
Warm Brie, Apple and Honey Tartlets:
Makes 15 Tartlets
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- Dash of red cayenne pepper
- 15 frozen mini phyllo tart shells
- 3 ounces Brie, small-diced (they used the Looking Glass Creamery Pack Square Brie)
- 1 green apple, peeled, cored, small-diced and tossed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons good honey
- Chopped, fresh lavender (culinary grade – free of pesticide)
Directions:
In a small sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the walnuts and brown sugar, season with a tiny pinch of salt and a dash of cayenne. Cook, stirring frequently, until the walnuts are slightly toasted and the sugar has melted. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the nuts to cool. Coarsely chop. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the tart shells on the prepared pan. Layer each tart shell with some Brie and apples. Generously drizzle the honey over the tarts and bake until the cheese is slightly melty and the honey has caramelized, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle a little chopped lavender and walnuts over each tartlet and serve.