Waterloo, Wisconsin—Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics Fresh Mozzarella helps you set the scene for holiday entertaining. The same fresh mozzarella that marries so well with ripe tomato slices and fresh basil during the summer months can complement your holiday menus with its natural flavor, luxurious texture and variety of sizes and shapes.

For examples, Perlines pearl-sized fresh mozzarella balls are ideal for combining with other ingredients for memorable buffet salads. You can make meals and appetizers more special without taking extra time or trouble. Here are a few suggestions to get your creative juices flowing.

• Simply combine Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella Perlines with dried cranberries, thawed frozen peas and walnut pieces. Dress the salad lightly with walnut oil vinaigrette for an easy, attractive and flavorful holiday offering.

• Add a Mediterranean note to your holiday salads by combining Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella Perlines with pine nuts, shredded fresh basil and diced sun-dried tomatoes.  

• For a warm and welcoming vegetable side dish idea, serve steamed Brussels sprouts with Perlines, walnut pieces, a splash of olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

• Enhance your holiday soup recipes by adding the flavor and texture of fresh mozzarella. Simply sprinkle Perlines into each bowl before serving.

• Fondue is ideal for holiday entertaining because it’s an interactive menu item that promotes sharing. Intensify the fondue experience for your guests by adding Perlines to your traditional recipe.

For easy entrees when entertaining during the holidays, pasta is always a crowd-pleaser. Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella Perlines make everyday pasta recipes more memorable, but you can also create new seasonal specialties.

•Make luxury lasagna by adding Crave Brothers award-winning Mascarpone and Fresh Mozzarella to your recipe. 

• Serve creamy four-cheese rigatoni made with the Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics Cheeses of your choice.

Other Crave Brothers Cheeses add a note of affordable indulgence to your entertaining menu to help you pamper your guests. 

•For the perfect holiday brunch or Santa breakfast, scones made with Mascarpone will help create magical memories (recipe included and photo available).

• For a simple-yet-sensational warm appetizer, top tiny whole wheat toasts (approximately 1” square) with a bit of Les Frères rich rind-washed cheese and a thin slice of sautéed mushroom. Slip the toasts into the oven on a cookie sheet for a few minutes until the cheese is just melted, and serve with a crisp white wine.

For more seasonal entertaining recipe ideas featuring Crave Brothers Perlines fresh mozzarella and other holiday-worthy cheeses, visit the Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics website at www.cravecheese.com. 

Mascarpone Lemon-Pepper Scones
 
Makes 16 scones
 
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour                                                                   
1 cup sugar  
2 teaspoons baking powder                                                                    
1 teaspoon salt                                                                                    
1 cup cold butter, cubed                                                        
1 cup Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics Mascarpone Cheese          
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
1/3 to ½ cup cold milk
3 egg whites, well beaten
Coarse Sugar, as needed                                                                   
                                                                                               
Preheat oven to 375°F.

In medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Cut cubes of butter into flour mixture with pastry blender, two knives or a fork, until butter is the size of peas.  Gently stir in mascarpone, lemon zest and juice and pepper until mixed.  Add milk a few tablespoons at a time and stir only enough to make a soft dough.  Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangle.  Fold dough over in thirds, flouring lightly if needed to prevent sticking.  Gently roll out to 8-x12-inch rectangle and cut into 16 triangles.  Place triangles on cookie sheet and chill until ready to bake.  Beat egg whites until very foamy.  Brush over each triangle.  Sprinkle each with sugar.  Bake until set in center and lightly browned around the edges, about 20 minutes.

Scott Johnson, Executive Chef
Blair Hill Inn
Greenville, Maine

The Crave family farms 1700 acres of rich land in south-central Wisconsin, growing soybeans, corn and alfalfa to use as nutritious feed for their Holstein cows. Every pound of cheese made by George Crave, a licensed cheese maker, is made with milk from the family’s herd. Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese also produces Mascarpone,  Fresh Mozzarella, Les Frères and Petit Frère French-style cheeses, Farmer’s Rope Part-Skim Mozzarella String Cheese and Oaxaca