The art of making nut cheeses: Red Currant Walnut Cheese

Last year, when I came to New York City in February 2010, I went to eat at Pure Food and Wine for the first time and was blown away by the tastiness and quality of the divine gourmet creations they dished out. And one item on their menu particularly impressed me: The Dr. Cow Tree Nut Cheese Sampling Plate. Making hard aged nut cheeses was beyond my knowledge that I had acquired so far and I had no idea on how to actually make them. 

In Spring this year, I started experimenting with fermented aged nut cheeses and the results turned out great, as you can read about in a previous blog post I published a while ago. I have been making plenty of cashew, brazil nut and almond cheese since then. A small batch I kept in my fridge to experiment with the aging process and I just recently had the last bites of 3 months old cashew, brazil nut and almond cheeses. All of them were still delicious. The almond cheese developed an interesting “patina” and all of them intensified in taste and became harder over time. Surprisingly, none of them developed any molds, which is outstanding. Not many commercial dairy based cheeses can keep in the fridge for 3 months without growing unhealthy molds!

After having explored the base of nut cheese making, I figured, it is now time to get creative. So, I just used my September Course Bread & Cheese to experiment for the first time with walnuts. I blended up the base and let the first fermentation process happen overnight. Next day, when my students and I tried the result after the first 24 hour fermentation, we all agreed that the walnuts leave a somewhat bitter flavor. In that moment, I remembered a black current powder, I have had sitting in the shelf for a while and never put to use and had the immediate idea to combine it with some white crushed peppercorn and combine it with the base flavorings of nutritional yeast, nutmeg and salt and whip it under the fermented nut cheese batter. 

After dehydration and fermenting it for another week, the result was an amazing walnut cheese, perfectly balanced in flavor, with bitter notes of walnut, sweet and tangy notes of the black current and pungent notes of white pepper. Moreover, the color of the cheese is particularly eye catching and beautiful. I served it with fresh fig and peat and my fennel kamut squares at my last dinner club and it turned out to be a big hit!

One and a half years after discovering these wonderful cheeses in New York, I miraculously find myself sitting in the living room of Pablo, founder and owner of Dr. Cow Tree Nut Cheeses, in his wonderful loft right under Williamsburg bridge in New York City just a couple of days ago. That was such a nice experience, after all my small home experiments to finally meet the creator of those cheeses that were the source for my inspirations and cheese creations this year. Special thanks to Neal (my friend and also ex head chef at Pure Food and Wine), whom I stayed with in New York and who lives just around the corner from Pablo and introduced us. 

I hope you all get a chance to taste these wonderful cheeses yourself soon, either Dr. Cow in the States or my homemade ones in Berlin, when I am back next year :)

My new favorite breakfast: Raw Probiotic Almond Yoghurt

I am still keeping my obsession about fermentation. And my new favorite breakfast is very simple but oh soooo delicious. It is plain fermented probiotic almond yoghurt with seasonal fresh fruit sprinkled with some raw Balinese Cacao Nibs and Bee Pollen.

Not only is this combination super delicous, it´s also VERY healthy. For one, the probiotics in the almond yoghurt are an immune booster, since they are helping to maintain a healthy intestinal flora, which is the center of your immune system. If you have a week immune system, most of the time there is something wrong with your intestinal flora. Almonds on the other hand are one of the most healthy nuts. They have a high content in proteins, while close to no carbohydrates, they lower the bad cholesterol and raise the good cholesterol levels and can therefore prevent heart disease and moreover they stimulate brain function due to their content in phenylalanine, a brain boosting chemical.

So, now of course you would like to know how to do this great immune booster healthy yoghurt at home :) It´s that simple, all you need is 3 ingredients

• almonds
• water
• probiotic powder (check your health food store or local pharmacy, you can even use probiotic pills, just open them and take the powder out of the caps)

soak about 1,5 cups (or a little more) of almonds in water for about 12 hours. Then peel them using your thumb and index finger to sort of squish the skin off. It needs a little practice, but once you got the technique it´s fairly quick and easy to do. I usually do this job while watching an episode of Desperate Housewives ;-)
After peeling the almonds, give them another quick rinse and put them into your vitamix or similar blender. It should be about 2 cups of almonds. Add water to fill it up to about 3 cups and blend everything until very smooth. You can add more water for a more runny yoghurt or less for a thicker one. Blend until it is slightly warm (around 40 degrees). Then add the probiotic powder to your mix. As a rule of thumb, use 1/4 teaspoon of powder (or 1 pill) to 1 cup of yoghurt mass. So for your 3 cups, use 3/4 teaspoons of powder. Blend again until the powder is incorporated.
Transfer the almond mix into a glass jar (fill max up to 3/4), cover with a cheesecloth or a nutmilk bag and let sit overnight (for about 8 hours) in a warm place (for example at 40 degrees in your dehydrator or on top of or near a radiator.
Stir again and transfer to your fridge. Your yoghurt is now ready. It might still ferment a bit more over the next few days in the fridge. The probiotics make it last for at least 5 days in the fridge.

In my bowl, I put y few spoons of the yoghurt in the bottom, and topped it off with all the delicious seasonal autumn fruit like grapes, Turkish figs, pear, prickly pear and for ultimate nutrition, sprinkled some bee pollen and raw cacao nibs on top. Bee pollen are loaded with B vitamins and proteins and are considered the most complete food on the planet, whereas raw cacao is the highest source of magnesium and antioxidants and has about 300 other active nutrients as well as psychoactive brain chemicals like serotonin stimulants, which will make this day truly a happy day.

Enjoy your yoghurt, b.happy - b.healthy - b.alive!

Die Kunst der Nusskäse Zubereitung / The art of making nut cheese

Wer von euch hat die Frage noch nicht gehört: “Aber was esse ich denn in der Rohkost anstelle von Käse?” In der Tat, der Käse hat es den Deutschen angetan und als kleiner Feinschmecker und selbst immer noch Liebhaber von Höhlen- oder Bergkäsespezialitäten, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, Schafskäse und co. kann Gourmet Raw Chef Boris Lauser (b.alive!) das sehr gut nachvollziehen.

Darum lag es ihm vor kurzem besonders am Herzen, sich endlich einem schon lange anstehenden Projekt zu widmen: Der Herstellung von Nusskäse. Ja, ihr habt richtig gelesen, man kann aus Nüssen richtigen Käse herstellen, welcher auch noch nach Käse schmeckt :-) Dieser entsteht simpel zusammengefasst durch Fermentation einer sehr dicken Nussmasse mit Probiotika. Das Ergebnis seiner ersten Versuche wurde auch direkt in seinem kleinen Berliner Dinner Club verköstigt und das Feedback der Gäste war grandios! Sharon, eine der Dinner Club Gäste, hat sogar direkt einen ganzen Artikel darüber geschrieben (auf Englisch), den ihr hier lesen könnt: http://reluctantveganrawfoodian.blogspot.com/2011/05/day-61-oh-my-sainted-aunts.html#comment-form

Nun aber erstmal zu den verschiedenen Käsesorten auf dem Bild: Vorne links seht ihr einen Mandelkäse mit Pfefferkruste, vorne rechts eine Sonnenblumen – Käserolle nach Schafskäseart im Lavendel – Zitronenmantel und die hinteren beiden sind gereifte Cashew- und Macadamianuss – Käse. Besonders der Cashewkäse erinnert in Geschmack und Konsistenz an einen alten bekannten, nämlich dem französischen Brie oder Camembert. Dieser war auch der ungeschlagene Favorit aller Gäste bei den beiden letzten b.alive! Dinner Club Abenden.

Der vegane Rohköstler muss also nicht mehr länger auf den zarten Schmelz und die so allseits beliebte Würzigkeit von gereiftem konventionellen Käse verzichten. Begeistert? Ihr könnt noch bis Ende des Monats täglich für Boris Lauser als Deutschlands Rohkost Chef der am meisten begeistert abstimmen. Wo? Auf www.rohkost.de, Deutschlands informativem Rohkost Blog und Portal. Wenn das nicht den Goldenen Vitamix verdient ;-)

Wer nun selbst in den Genuss von diesen Nusskäsespezialitäten kommen möchte, der kann dies gerne bei einem meiner Dinner Club Abende oder die Kunst in meinem eigens dafür entworfenen Kurs erlernen. Infos dazu findet ihr auf meiner Webseite (www.balive.org). Bestellen und kaufen auf Anfrage kann man die Nusskäse ebenfalls bei b.alive! in der Dresdener Strasse in Berlin.

Die mutigen Pioniere unter euch können aber auch einfach schon mal loslegen und selbst experimentieren. Hierfür teile ich mit euch eines meiner Rezepte, welches vom Blog The Sunny Raw Kitchen (http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/04/not-cheeze-pleaze.html) inspiriert wurde, sowohl als auch von Russel James e-book und Charlie Trotter´s Gourmet Buch Raw (http://www.amazon.com/Raw-Charlie-Trotter/dp/1580084702).

Viel Spass beim Experimentieren :-)

Harter gereifter Cashewkäse

3 Tassen Cashewnüsse, 12-14 Stunden eingeweicht

3 probiotische Pillen (der Pulverinhalt) oder ¾ Teelöffel Probiotisches Pulver

2/3 Tassen Rejuvelac (oder Wasser)

Alles im Mixer zu einer cremigen Masse pürieren. Mit weniger Flüssigkeit starten. Je weniger Flüssigkeit benötigt wird, desto härter das Endresultat.

Fermentation:

Ein Passiertuch doppel - lagig in ein Sieb legen und die Cashewmasse reingeben. Das Passiertuch einschlagen, so dass die Masse eingeschlossen ist. Einen Teller darauf geben und das ganze mit einem Gewicht beschweren und für 14-16 Stunden an einen warmen Ort stellen (je nach Belieben und gewünschter Stärke auch länger).

Nun ist die Käsebasis fertig zum würzen.

Basiswürzrezept für Nusskäse:

1 Tasse Nusskäsemasse

1 Eßlöffel Würzhefeflocken

¼ Eßlöffel Zwiebelpulver

1/8 Teelöffel Muskat, gemahlen

½ Teelöffel Salz

Die letzten 4 Zutaten im Vitamix zu feinem Pulver mahlen und unter die Käsemasse heben.

Abwandlungen:

Hier eigenen sich auch sehr gut klein geschnittene sonnengetrocknete Tomaten, Oliven, Frühlingszwiebeln oder Frische Kräuter. Auch ein Schuss Zitronensaft kann hier verwendet werden, um mehr Säure zuzufügen.

Härtung:

Die fertige Masse in eine Kugel formen und in eine runde Form pressen, welche mit Folie ausgekleidet ist.

Dann im Kühlschrank lagern. Wenn der Käse fest geworden ist (nach 1-2 Tagen) aus der Form nehmen. Der Käse hält sich mindestens 4 Wochen im Kühlschrank und wird härter und intensiver im Geschmack!

Gutes Gelingen und: Sag Kääääääse :-)

Vegan and Raw hit the press

The vegan movement has reached a critical mass and with it also the raw food movement is catching up in light speed and is getting massive press coverage. It is amazing to see how many press articles are being written about the subject and how the press is just literally jumping on the subject. I recently had the Deutsche Welle camera team over at my dinner club and they shot a piece on my raw dinner club and interviewed my guests. The piece was out there already a couple of months ago and now, only by coincidence I find it embedded already into another piece on veganism and the raw food movement, circulating in the web:



Still waiting for the Tagesschau coverage, but it is soon to come. Watch out :-)

Raw Magic in Berlin

Last weekend, I had the great pleasure to host Kate Magic for a magical workshop on raw and superfoods here in Berlin. Kate is the founder of one of Europe's biggest online sellers of raw products and superfoods, Raw Living, where you can find a great selection of products. The store features not only regular raw food products, but also exotic ayurvedic herbs like Ashwaganda, medicinal mushrooms like reishi, brain stimulants like Etherium Gold or amazing sweeteners like black currant powder or baobab. Kate is a most loving mother of 3 beautiful kids and has also written and published 4 books, one of which, Raw Magic, explaining the use of the aforementioned superfoods, as well as many more, in your daily life with a great selection of sweet and savory recipes.
Friday evening started with a very informative talk on healthy nutrition and making the raw food diet work in your daily life. Berlin's best organic salad bar Eve & Adams hosted this talk. Kate shared her experiences as a mum and lots of knowledge that she has gathered during her time being raw, and of course, she also shared raw living's more decadent cake Dedicakeshun, moist and delicious just like a baked brownie, but totally healthy and raw! So good :-)


During Saturday's workshop which took part in my studio loft, Kate focused more on the practicalities and also went into much more depth in the theory of raw food. During 4 hours, packed with information on raw foods, a healthy diet and theoretical background on superfoods and the general raw food diet, Kate shared with us four of her favorite recipes: a sunflower seed mayonnaise, a mouthwatering nut and seed free yellow curry, coconut oil based maca - macadamia chocolate bars as well as the best cake ever: A fluffy sprouted buckwheat cake base sweetened with lucuma, xylotol and maca, topped with a purple frosting, made from avocado, purple corn and blackcurrant powder. So yummy and surprisingly light for a raw cake!

It was a great workshop with lots of helpful, practical information and yummy food. Thank you Kate for bringing your Raw Magic to Berlin and hopefully there will be more people in the future to get a taste of it, when she comes back next year in spring :-)
b.magic!

Blissed in Bali: Gaia Oasis

After a summer full of raw food events over Europe, including a successful participation at the Rohvolution, German's biggest raw food event last weekend in Speyer, I just got back to Bali a few days ago.
Thanks to my friend Marianne, who I met during my last stay here at the Radiantly Alive Yoga Teacher training, I was asked to come to Gaia Oasis as a raw food consultant. Gaia Oasis is a jewel tuck away in the North of Bali in Tejakula. Only having seen the South and center of Bali during my last visits, I finally felt that I just discovered the real Bali. The resort is split into two locations, a mountain resort, with 9 hectars of ground where they grow all the amazing organic fruits and vegetables, like mango, papaya, jackfruit,
even Durian :-) and spinach, arugula, all the herbs, ginger, lemongrass and so much more and of course endless supplies of coconuts.
The second resort is down by the beach with a private beach access, beautiful gardens , a great spa and a picturesque restaurant patio right by the sea.
During the last 5 days, I had the joy to teach the staff at Gaia some raw food dishes that they can easily implement with their simple tools they have at hand.

From now on, Gaias menu has been extended with some new fun raw dishes like my b.alive! zucchini spaghetti "bolognese", Asialive noodles, zucchini hummus,
Love Sprout salad with pink ginger lime dressing, cashew kaffir lime cheese on cucumber bites, avocado chocolate pudding, passion love smoothie, coconut yoghurt for breakfast and even mocaccinos and lattes based on cashew milk :-)











Working with the kitchen team was an beautiful and rewarding experience. Sirsan, the head chef, was extremely excited to learn the new ways of preparing the food and very happy and willing to learn.
And on top, the working conditions couldn't be better, when I asked Sirsan that we need a fresh young coconut that has some thick meat inside for making a nice creamy coconut sauce, he simply walked out of the kitchen , going to the coconut tree by the beach and getting a coconut fresh from the tree ! We live in Paradise :-)

We also visited another resort and spa closeby, where they make their own organic fresh cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil. If you were ever wondering , what a coconut oil press looks like, here you go:


Gaia Oasis is a wonderful place full of good energy. Being a non-profit organization, with a board of 15 members that communally built the place and invested their money without the aim of making money, but giving back to the community, this is the real way of how to build holiday homes. The staff gets properly treated, well paid and they donate big parts of the profits of the operation to the community to support the schools and many other things.

It is a perfect place for holding retreats of all kinds and now with the inclusion of raw food definitely a good address to just spend a lush day and indulge in their amazing healthy drinks list and fresh food prepared by the most lovely chef and his kitchen staff.
Thanks Gaia for a wonderful experience. It's been a bliss to work for a place like this!

Oriental Raw Food Diner with Piano Improvisation

When my good friend Lonneke from Holland called me beginning of this summer, I was so happy to hear that she wanted to come to Berlin to visit me with her new boyfriend Freek Zwanenberg. Unbound excitement kicked in, when she mentioned that this same boy was an amazing piano player and she suggested to have a raw food dinner, during which he can play his improvisations, inspired by my food. I called Melanie from Aphrohdisia and over some vegan ice cream on a lush summer evening , we designed an exceptional oriental style 5 course menu. Reinhold "Bubi" Rath sponsored his magical location, former restaurant and raw food café Rawmeister, at the lake in the midst of the Grunewald, an inspiring place full of energy. See for yourself , what the about 20 select guests were able to experience on this fantastic evening:



Thank you Lonneke and Freek for initializing this beautiful event.
If you want to see more of what Freek is doing, check out his website:
http://www.freekzwanenberg.nl