Local Flavors: Templeton woman returns from France saying: ‘Fromage’

Bev Michels’ inspiration produced cheese, soap and a new cookbook

Katy Budge

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For many of us, a vacation sparks a new perspective on things. For Bev Michels, a European jaunt helped inspire a new lifestyle fueled by cheese and soap.

Though she “had always wanted a farm,”Michels had little experience beyond a backyard garden when she and her family moved to rural Templeton in 2000 after “doing the corporate tour of America.”

She plunged headlong into growing organic fruits and vegetables for her family, but kept thinking about the goat cheese she had tasted during a trip to France.

“I could never find any as good here,” she recalled, “so I decided to try making my own with the goal of having fresh cheese on the table every night.”

Michels milked knowledge from the dairy goat exhibitors at the California Mid State Fair, and enrolled in Cal Poly’s cheesemaking class.

Now, five years into achieving her goal of providing her family with farmstead cheese, she is also hand-milling luxurious soap “using my goat milk, Olea Farm olive oil, and essential oils.”

Recently, Michels got “coaxed into sharing my knowledge,” and began offering casual soapmaking and cheesemaking classes at her Alcea Rosea Farm.

“It’s neat that people are interested in knowing where cheese comes from,” she said, “and I think it’s wonderful that there is a renewed interest in the home arts. It’s just a hobby for me, but I am more than willing to share my old-fashioned skills.”

Another of Michels’ other “old-fashioned” skills is bringing people together over seasonal, home-cooked meals, a passion reflected in her newly released, self-published cookbook, “Home for Dinner.”

Some 15 years in the making, the cookbook offers dozens of family recipes, as well as Michels’ philosophy that “we could solve a lot of our problems if we would just take the time to cook and sit down together.”

Katy Budge is a freelance writer from Atascadero. If you have a favorite “Local Flavor” you’d like to see featured, e-mail your suggestions to ktbudge@sbcglobal.net.

APPETIZER HAS A SECRET INGREDIENT: HOMEMADE CHEESE

This artichoke and goat cheese appetizer recipe from Bev Michels’ “Home for Dinner” cookbook uses fresh, seasonal ingredients in an easy-to-make dish that’s perfect for family dinners or casual entertaining.

Michels noted that you may make the cheese mixture up to two days ahead of time, and the artichokes may be stuffed and wrapped in foil a day ahead and refrigerated.

ARTICHOKES STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND HERBS

Makes: 8-10 appetizer servings, 4 main course or side dish servings.

• 4 medium artichokes, already cooked and cooled

• 8 ounces cream cheese

TO LEARN MORE …

Bev Michels’ cookbook, “Home for Dinner,” is available at several locations, including Castoro Cellars, Victor Hugo Winery, Olea Farms, and on amazon.com, and her soaps are also available at Victor Hugo Winery and Olea Farms, as well as Penman Springs Vineyard and Winery, Lone Madrone Winery, Contessa S. Home, and Pozo Valley. For more

information about the cookbook or classes, contact Michels at 226-0947 or at AlceaRoseaFarm@aol.com. All classes are by appointment only, and capacity is limited; the hourlong soapmaking class is $30, the one-hour cheesemaking class is $35.

• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

• 1 medium scallion, cleaned, diced

• 1/4 pound goat cheese

• 1/4 cup whipping cream (or milk)

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In food processor or mixer, combine cream cheese, goat cheese, and whipping cream. Process or beat until mixture is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add herbs and scallion to cheese mixture, and process until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste.

To prepare the artichokes, carefully remove the tiny, paper- thin center leaves and scoop out the spiny choke, being careful to leave the whole artichoke intact.

Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of cheese mixture into the center of each artichoke.

Place each artichoke on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to completely cover the artichoke, and gather foil up around the artichoke, twisting at top to secure.

Place artichokes on a baking sheet and put in oven until they are completely heated through; approximately 10 to 15 minutes, depending on whether the artichokes had been refrigerated.

Remove from oven, unwrap artichokes, place on plates, and serve.

—Katy Budge