Look for free summer Cuisine

The latest edition of Cuisine of the Hudson Valley is out there — look for the free magazine at stores and markets throughout the valley.

The cover story is on Elephant in Kingston, a creative eatery that serves up a variety of tapas and stellar wines with which to pair them.

There are stories on Sprout Creek Farm in Poughkeepsie, an educational farm and market that makes some of the best local cheeses in the valley, and Monkey Joe Roasting Co. in Kingston, an old-fashioned establishment that makes an art out of roasting its own coffee beans, among many other tantalizing stories.

The next time you're out and about shopping, look for Cuisine at many places food and wine are sold. There are some delicious recipes in there, informative stories and listings of local stores.

To whet your appetite, here's a recipe from Sprout Creek Farm for some sinful mac 'n' cheese.
Visit the Web site or call 845-485-9885 for information on where to find their luscious cheeses.

(Sprout Creek Farm's Barat cheese is placed on racks in the salt room./Karl Rabe photo, Poughkeepsie Journal)

Sprout Creek Farm Mac & Cheese

Adapted for the home kitchen by Theresa J. Marquez

Serves 8

1. 1 pound elbow macaroni
2. 1⁄4 cup (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter
3. 1⁄2 cup chopped onion
4. 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
5. 4 cups whole milk
6. 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
7. 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
8. 1⁄2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or more to taste
9. 1 cup grated Bogart cheese
10. 1⁄2 cup grated Barat cheese
11. 11⁄2 cup grated Ouray cheese, divided use
12. 3⁄4 cup (about 6 ounces) crumbled Camus, divided use
13. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Note: Camus will be available on the farm sometime in the fall. Until then, a good quality blue cheese can be substituted.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Following the directions on the package, cook macaroni to al dente.
• Drain well and set aside.
• While the macaroni is cooking, melt the butter in a large heavy pan over medium heat.
• Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
• Stir in the flour, mixing until it is fully incorporated into the butter.
• Continue to cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.
• Slowly stir the milk into the flour mixture, stirring thoroughly to ensure small lumps of flour are broken down and fully incorporated.
• Bring up to a gentle simmer, adjusting heat as needed. Stirring frequently, cook for about 10 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
• Remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcehstershire sauce and pepper sauce.
• While the sauce is still warm, add the Bogart and Barat cheeses, half of the Ouray and half of the Camus, stir to melt.
• Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Add the cooked macaroni to the warm sauce until the pasta is evenly coated; pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• Sprinkle with the remaining Ouray and Camus cheeses over the top.
• Bake in preheated oven until bubbly and the top starts to brown, about 30 minutes.
  

Let stand 5 minutes; serve hot.

Wine suggestion: Pinot Noir