Flat Creek Lodge Blog

With the temperatures rising (well... except for the lows we've had this week!) it's finally farmer's market season! You'll find us at two different markets around Georgia:

The Peachtree Road Farmer's Market in Atlanta just opened again! You'll find us amongst other fresh goodies, artists and more.

April 10, 2010 - December 18, 2010
April - August: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
September - December: 9 am to 12:30 pm

You'll find us closer to the lodge at the Mainstreet Statesboro Farmers Market too! It is in the Sea Island Bank Parking Lot at 2 East Main St. in Downtown Statesboro. The new extended market hours are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through late November to see what fresh produce and local items!

We know that we told you a bit about our time at the World Cheese Championships, but now that we're settled back in we wanted to give y'all some more details! Just five years since we've opened our dairy, and we're so pleased to say that we brought three medals back to Swainsboro, Georgia, from the World Championship Cheese Contest held in Madison, Wisconsin! There were over 2,300 entries from across the globe, and we ere the only dairy from the state to return to the Peach State with medals in hand. Read more about our adventures in our latest press release!

We are SO excited about our awards yesterday at the 2010 World Cheese Championship yesterday! We took awards in the Bandaged Cheddar, Mild to Medium category and Surface (Mold) Ripened Mixed Milk Cheeses category. Congrats to the entire team on this victory - and throwing Swainsboro into the limelight! You can also check out our cheese online. More details to come on our experiences and the awards!

Flat Creek Lodge oyster mushrooms will be on special the week of 3/17-3/23 at Whole Foods Market!  Look out for FCL in their weekly ad, in-store signage,and all stores will carry them. A great chance to be introduced to FCL mushrooms! Check out our oyster mushroom recipes for inspiration!

Want to check out the farm and see how one of Georgia's top producers of artisan cheese works?  Join us at Flat Creek Lodge for our Behind the Scenes Dairy Tours on Saturdays from 10AM- 4PM with an advance reservation.  Guests, $15 and Non-Guests, $25.  Includes a Wine & Cheese Tasting during the Saturday Tour. Weekday tours also available and include a cheese tasting only.  Please call for reservations at (877) 352-8273.

We were thrilled to be featured in the Winter 2009 issue of Edible Metro and Mountains "Not Your Usual Georgia Farmer" article by Sally Summerson.  As she mentions in her article, there are only three farms in Georgia producing award winning and handcrafted cheese in our state, and we are glad to be in excellent company alongside Sweet Grass Dairy and Cole's Lake Dairy. 

We had a great time preparing this recipe at the Buckhead Whole Foods location last Thursday and wanted to share this with you!

VIRGINIA WILLIS’ CREAM OF EXOTIC MUSHROOM SOUP
Serves 6

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
2 pounds Flat Creek Lodge Oyster Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 cups homemade chicken stock or reduced fat low sodium chicken broth
Bouquet Garni of parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add the porcini mushrooms in hot water to plump, about 15 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and squeeze out the excess liquid. Place the mushrooms in a bowl. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve or coffee filter into another bowl. Set aside.

Melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, reserved mushroom liquid, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook until the mushrooms are very soft, about 30 minutes.

Remove the bouquet garni. Puree with an immersion blender. Leave it coarse for a more rustic soup or puree it to smooth for a more elegant soups. Add the cream and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

We were excited about getting to try Dynamic Dish's use of our mushrooms!  Dynamic Dish is located in Atlanta off of Edgewood Avenue, with a mission to cook super tasty/modern/natural and organic dishes.  Check out this delish pic of grilled oyster mushrooms last night! Thanks, Dynamic Dish! Mmm...

You heard us right. 

Three pounds.

Our lovely, delicate oyster mushrooms have been growing up a storm.  But we were treated to quite a surprise when we discovered this three pound 'shoom amongst the pack.

We don't know if it broke any world records, but it certainly was a record here at the Lodge! It came out looking more like a pretty piece of sculpture than a culinary delicacy! We also wanted to share a recipe for Oyster Mushroom Pasta... we know if we made this recipe with our record-busting mushoom, it would feed the whole farm!