Goat Cheese Log with Pink Peppercorns Recipe

Goat Cheese is an incredibly smooth and flavorful cheese. It is wonderful by itself, and even more tasty drenched with an herb and olive oil mixture like the one below. According to Bellechevre.com, goat cheese is lower in fat and calories than cheese made from cow's milk, and higher in protein, so it is the healthier choice. According to Dr. Oz, "Sardinia, a Mediterranean island 120 miles off the coast of Italy, is a blue zone, an area with a high rate of healthy citizens. Sardinians drink goat's milk, which is high in calcium and good for your heart. Plus, researchers believe it could protect against Alzheimer's and heart disease," Dr. Oz says. Goat cheese can be packaged in a container as a spread, in a log shape, or in a round package. The log package is suitable for this recipe.

Pink peppercorn are dried berries from the Peruvian Peppertree. Like the peppercorn, pink peppercorns have a spicey taste, but with a sweet fruity flavor as well. According to SeriousEats.com, "Since they break apart so easily, they should be crushed with a knife or spice grinder, not a pepper mill. And as they're so delicate, they're better purchased in small quantities from a specialty spice store to ensure top-quality freshness."

This cheese log is best kept in a platter that can be covered without touching the cheese. It is soft and will easily lose its shape and appearance. A large butter dish works nicely. If this type of dish is unavailable, use toothpicks stuck into the cheese, and cover with cellophane.

There are many types of crackers that can be used with this goat cheese log. Because the cheese will be packed with flavor, a plain cracker is preferable, so that flavors are not competing against one another. My favorite type of cracker is Carr's Table Water crackers. These crackers have a wonderful taste, simple and perfect for the goat cheese log with pink peppercorn.

My favorite type of bread to use is Cocktail Honey Wholegrain bread slices. These have a slightly sweet flavor and greatly compliment the goat cheese log. These can be served toasted or fresh out of the wrapping. Grape tomatoes cut into small pieces make a fantastic topper for this bread choice. Another excellent choice of bread is toasted bagel slices.

• Pink peppercorns can be found at specialty stores such as Trader Joe's, but is also available at Amazon.com. It can be bought in large or small quantities. I like the organic pink peppercorn. It is easy to crush, and does not require a peppermill grinder. It actually tastes good in its whole berry form.
• Herbs like thyme and rosemary can be bought at your local grocery store. Fresh herbs are the best, but are not always available. When using fresh herbs, triple the amount required in the recipe.
• Lemon zest is the outer scrapings of a lemon. This can easily be done with a cheese grater.
• A garlic press is the easiest way to crush fresh garlic and the juices add a lot of flavor as well.