Libation of the Week: Jamun nectar

Name: Jamun Nectar

 

Brand: Deep

Place of Purchase: Pamell Grocery in Ames, IA

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Country/Region of Origin: India

Tasting Conditions: Chilled

Price in Iowa: $2.69

Description: a thick, mauve nectar

Flavors:Sweet, flowery, perfume, astringent, rich

Mouth-feel: Clean and fresh

Aroma: Incredibly complex.  There are floral notes, but there is also a spiciness to it that is unique.  It immediately reminded my of certain Indian sauces and desserts.

Notes: The jamun or jambul or jaam tree is native to the Indian subcontinent.  There are tons of legends and traditions associated with this fruit.  The most famous legend is that these fruits are what Lord Rama subsisted on during his exile to the wilderness.  Aside from the wonderful aroma and flavor of this juice, it supposedly has a million health benefits.  I think what I want to do is cook with it.  Perhaps in a marinade?

Libation of the Week: Inca Kola

Name: Inca Kola "the Golden Kola"

 

Brand: Coca Cola Co.

Place of Purchase: Pamell Grocery in Ames, IA

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Country/Region of Origin: Peru

Tasting Conditions: Chilled and bottled

Price in Iowa: $1.69

Description: a frothy, golden brew

Flavors: Cream, vanilla, mediciney undertones

Mouth-feel: Bubbly

Aroma: Vanilla and fruity

Notes: I was trying the falafel gyro at the Pamell Grocery when I spotted this drink in the cooler.  There were plenty of new fruit juices from India to try, but this attractive cola drink caught my eye.  I took my first sip before I started eating my sandwich (which was delicious, but very, very garlicy).  The first hit was cream soda: light, frothy and cream-flavored.  My second sip revealed some of the more astringent and medicinal tones.  I found out later that the cola was flavored with Lemon Verbena, which probably created this flavor profile.  I enjoyed it with my meal, but to me it was just a unique cream soda.  In Peru and other parts of South America, it is the number one soft drink, pushing out Coke and Pepsi.  So, if you get the chance, try an Inca Golden Kola.

Cheese of the week: Morbier cheese

Name: Morbier Cheese

Brand: none listed

Place of Purchase: Wheatsfield Organic Co-op in Ames, Iowa

Country/Region of Origin: France

Price in Iowa: $11.50/pound

Milk: raw cow

Processing: 60 days of aging, egg added to the cheese

Texture: soft

Color: Straw yellow with a thin line of ash through the center of the cheese.

Rind: Natural basket-weave

Aroma: pungent, strong dairy, brie

Taste: creamy with mild brie flavors

Mouth feel: custard-like and lucious
 
Notes: This cheese is very, very stinky.  It will get on your hands and get in your breath.  I'd already suggest pairing this cheese with fruit, perhaps even citrus, or a fruity white wine.  The flavor, on the other hand, is mild and buttery.  There is still the pungency, but it is milder than the aroma.  The paste has the consistency of firm custard, which yields itself as it is warmed by your mouth.  A key feature of this cheese is the line of ash running through the center of the cheese.  This is an artisan feature now, but before it represented a stopping point in the cheese pouring.  When the cheesemaker was stopping for the evening, he would use a thin layer of vegetable ash to preserve the fresh cheese.  Then, he would pour again the next day to finish off the round.  This left a thin line of ash, which is now added to maintain tradition. 

Cheese of the week: Humboldt Fog

Name: Humboldt Fog

Brand: Cypress Grove

Place of Purchase: Wheatsfield Organic Co-op in Ames, Iowa

Country/Region of Origin: 

Price in Iowa: $22.57/pound

Milk: pasteurized goat

Processing: a ripened goat cheese with a vegetable ash rind

Texture: soft

Color: Bone-white to gray

Rind: Natural with a layer of edible vegetable ash

Aroma: strong dairy

Taste: tangy with strong brie flavors

Mouth feel: soft and lucious
 
Notes: I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this ash covered cheese.  But it was delicious, with a long lasting tang and a dense creaminess that a bovine cheese could never accomplish.