Holiday time is cheese time, so I’ve gone ahead and sampled some of our fine local cheeses. It was a rough job, but someone had to do it.

We’re fortunate to be able to choose from a lovely selection of raw milk cheeses, as well as quite a few varieties made from pasteurized milk. Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to a temperature hot enough to kill harmful bacteria. Unfortunately, it can also kill many of the beneficial bacteria in dairy products, and it changes the flavor, making it less complex. Some states, including Washington, allow producers to sell raw milk directly to the public, although they have to jump through quite a few hoops to do it legally. Raw milk cheese is legal in every state, provided it’s been aged for at least sixty days. Aging lessens the moisture content and lowers the pH, creating a less hospitable environment for bacteria. More...

It’s easy to eat sustainably, right? Just buy all organic foods when you go to the store. Actually, it’s not that simple anymore. Like so many other green products, organic foods have become a mixed blessing as they’ve gone mainstream. As large, corporate conglomerates have caught on to the fact that we want foods grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides, they’ve been using the term "organic" in ways that have little to do with the wholesome ideals which fueled the movement during its early days. More...