Ruth's Cheddar by Land and by Sea

August 22, 2017 Missive from J.K. Farm

As we moved into the open water it was clear Champ did not enjoy being on the boat. All that pitching and yawing in the swell of Lake Ontario upset his equilibrium and his delicate stomach. He looked at me with these plaintive eyes I had never seen before as if to say “You have to take me back to shore”. Our very considerate host and captain agreed to turn his worthy craft about and we made for Wellington harbour and terra firma for Champ. Safely ensconced in the back seat of the car under the shade of the basswood trees Champ flashed a smile at me as if to say “thanks doggie daddy. Now you run along. I’ll be fine here”.

Back into the open water we went. Our excitement mounted as the time for the total eclipse of the sun approached. Our plan was to anchor offshore of the sand dunes to the east of Wellington and take in the event. None of us had proper eyewear for looking directly at the sun. Instead we took in the subtle environmental changes that occurred as the moon passed between the sun and the earth. At precisely 2:22 pm the lake went calm and the wind died. It was a blue sky day with no clouds in sight. As the wind subsided and the boat stopped bobbing, the daylight dimmed perceptibly. The outline of the dunes on shore seemed in sharper focus in spite of the diminished intensity. The event lasted long enough to register these subtle changes and then, it seemed, the day returned to normal. The wind came back up and the boat resumed its bobbing. It became broad daylight again and we enjoyed a lovely picnic on the open water.

I thought about the dinner we gave this past Saturday, as I gazed out at the dunes. I re-lived part of the evening as I munched on a cracker covered with the most extraordinary cheddar cheese I have ever tasted. Ruth Klahsen was a featured guest at dinner this week. In addition to this dreamy cheddar, she brought several other delicious examples of her craft for the guests to sample during our al fresco break from the seated dinner inside the loafing barn. Ruth and I have known each other for many years. Working together and in our own corners, we have come to realize the importance of our shared community in moving the ideology and culture of food forward for our region.

Keith Tyers, winemaker at Closson Chase Vineyards, was our other featured guest. He is doing the same thing only in the wine world of Prince Edward County. Keith presented several wines from his portfolio to serve with dinner this evening. His Chardonnay, South Clos from the 2014 vintage was superb paired with Ruth’s cheeses.

As the summer progresses, more and more produce for the dinners is being harvested out of the garden on the farm. Shehan is already planning the garden layout for next year! We are starting to get to know and understand our brand new clay bake oven. The length of time to burn and the intensity of the fire are becoming more familiar to us now. There is a period of time between sweeping the fire out of the oven and placing the loaves in to bake that must be observed to allow the interior of the oven to equalize in temperature. The wall, the ceiling and the hearth of the oven must all be the same. For the dinner this week, Chase made his best bread yet!