Foster’s Farm Dinners: Chapel Hill Creamery’s 5-Cheese Mac-and-Cheese

Way on back in 1999, when we were in the process of moving from our Southern California home to Piedmont North Carolina, my husband Will came on ahead to begin his new job in RTP, the high tech-biotech research centered business park created back in the 50’s, on land between Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill. I stayed behind in Carlsbad to finish the details of selling our house. Thanks to Will’s company’s generosity, we had the use of a townhouse near his work, so that we could set our selves down and consider where to look for a house.

Early on, he noted in a phone call to California that Chapel Hill could be ‘it’, based on his visit to Foster’s Market there. “It’s a really ‘Nancie’ kind of place”, he told me, meaning that they had great coffee, fantastic food, and tables where you could sit and read or do some work. He was right, and I have since been found often, mostly at the Chaple Hill location, for PTA committee meetings, deadline-frenzied writing sessions, salad-plate suppers, wood fired pizzas, CHOP NC planning sessions, cakes and pies of magnificent deliciousness, candy-purchasing for Christmas stockings (shhhhh, don’t tell), Foster’s 7 Pepper Jelly restocking, newspaper browsing, and big chunky mugs of coffee.

Back when Foster’s Market had a Chapel Hill location, we enjoyed their special events, including Grill-Out’s at the Durham Foster’s location, and Farm Dinners here in Chapel Hill. Here’s a good memory, when Will and I attended the first one of the 2012 season, where we had the very best time.

To find out all about Foster’s Market, visit their website

by clicking HERE:

 

  Check oTo find out about Chapel Hill Creamery, visit their website HERE

 

Menu from Foster’s Farm Dinner featuring

Chapel Hill Creamery in June of 2012

 

Portia McKnight shares stories from the world of dairy farming, grass-tending, cow-centric cheese-making Chapel Hill Creamery, home of divine irresistible dynamite-good farmstead cheese. 

 

 

 

HORS D’ OEUVRE

Sausage Balls with Chapel Hill Creamery Calavander and Chorizo

 1^ST COURSE

Panzanella Salad with Chapel Hill Creamery Pheta,

Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Onions, and Olives, tossed with Foster’s Focaccia

2^ND COURSE

Slow Roasted Whey Fed Pork Loin from Chapel Hill Creamery

 Chapel Hill Creamery 5 Cheese Mac and Cheese with House Smoked Bacon

3rd Course

Foster’s Market Peach Crisp with Farm-Fresh Whipped Cream

For more of the scoop on Chapel Hill Creamery, read my feature story on Flo and Portia’s amazing farm and business from Edible Piedmont Magazine‘s Winter 2010 issue by clicking HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIDEO TIME: How some of the Chapel Hill Creamery Cheese gets made!

Now, about that mac-and-cheese…..yes, we got you the recipe. Since it is summertime, those of you with Southern roots (long-time or newly planted) know that vegetable plates are the way to go all summer long. When you need a substantial vegetable, but don’t want to get all overwrought cooking something meaty and complex, turn to one of my very favorite Southern Vegetables: Macaroni and Cheese!

Yes, folks, around here and throughout the South, we know that macaroni and cheese is a vegetable (look on any meat-and-three menu, or down any cafeteria line, or ask an old-timer (I’m available but you know my opinion already). Anyway, even without the staggeringly delicious roast pork from CH Creamery’s own whey-fed pigs, this dinner would have been satisfying and complete.

Here’s the Recipe: