And Little Lambs Eat Ivey.......

Spring is taking it's own sweet time arriving this year.  While the rest of us are moaning and groaning about the rain/damp/snow that Mother Nature is throwing our way, these young ladies take it all in stride (or maybe hoof!) providing the mild, sweet milk for the cheeses made by Best Baa Dairy in Conn, Ontario.  Truly a family affair, Elizabeth and Eric Bzikot along with their son and daughter-in-law, Peter and Nicole manage their herd, farm and dairy operation along with developing their unique products while promoting the sheep dairy market.

In 1998, they moved from Manitoba to Ontario, purchasing the farm with the intent of raising sheep strictly for their meat and happened into artisanal cheese-making after discovering a market here for sheep's milk products.  Yogurt was the original product and soon after, Elizabeth started trying her hand at cheese-making.  Today, Best Baa Dairy makes a range of cheeses both with pasteurized and unpasteurized sheep's milk. Mouton Rouge is a wash-rind cheese with a lovely reddish exterior encasing a creamy, light yellow paste.  This is a raw milk cheese, aged for 60 days, nutty and butttery with a lovely creamy finish.  Sheep In  The Meadow with its dusting of herbes de provence, is creamy, mushroomy and fabulously smooth. Eweda is a deliciously, aged take on a Gouda.  All of these cheeses are in the case at C'est Cheese Please!

With spring weather nearly here, why not try this recipe for a hot Greek Salad with the Best Baa Feta available both  pasteurized and unpasteurized, $8.99 a tub at C'est Cheese Please!

Hot Greek Salad*

4 Zucchini

3 Yellow Peppers

3 Red Peppers

1 Red Onion

Good hand-full of Green Beans

Same of Yellow Beans

1 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

Parmesan Cheese

Best Baa Sheep's Milk Feta either pasteurized or unpasteurized

Chopped tomatoes (when our lovely Ontario tomatoes are not available, try using some grape or cherry tomatoes, cutting them in half)

Black olives

Romaine lettuce

Clean and tear the romaine lettuce and arrange on a large platter leaving the centre of the platter bare.

Prepare the vegetables by chopping into bite-sized chunks (don't be too fancy, this salad should look rustic and hearty).  Grill the vegetables on your BBQ using one of those great baskets to toss them around in.  Place them into a good sized bowl.  Heat the dressing in your microwave, pour over the grilled vegetables and toss the hot vegetables in the hot dressing.  Remove the vegetables from the dressing using a slotted spoon, place in the centre of the platter.  Add the chopped tomatoes, feta cheese, black olives and sprinkle generously with the Parmesan cheese.

*adapted from a recipe found in "What's Cooking?", Kraft Recipes

I love this recipe as you can feed a few or lots just by adjusting the amount of vegetables.  It goes great with Rack of Lamb marinated in lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and a sprinkling of Fleur de Sel and mini red potatoes (I par cook in the microwave and finish off on the BBQ) et voilà a fabulous meal and most of it happens on the BBQ - great for those hot summer nights when we all try to keep the heat out of the kitchen!

Bon Appétit!