We have that same "farms" branding in Canada and the U.S. I assume that the corporate behemoths behind most of the cheese we see in supermarkets (such as Kraft in this country) want us to be so distracted by nostalgic visions of milkmaids and farm wives meditatively turning cheeses in breezy creameries that we don't ever bother to look at, let alone think about, their real production methods.

This summer I added frittate, learned from the famous Marcella Hazan, to our rotation of supper dishes. It's not exactly low-cal, but what really good dish is?

Frittata is an Italian egg dish that includes grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and rather a lot of cooked veg. For two people, four to six eggs (depending on appetite and what else is to be served), 20 to 30 grams of cheese, and a substantial heap (250 to 300 grams) of steamed broccoli, blanched haricots verts, blanched asparagus or what you will, as long as it's not what I think of as a wet veg -- i.e., not tomatoes. (I often use a mix we call "veg haché", which includes cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini (aka courgette) and red onion, all sliced fairly fine and sautéed fast with olive oil and garlic.)

First, turn on the broiler so it's good and hot when you want it.

Then beat the eggs in a large bowl, add the grated cheese and then the cooked veg. If the veg has cooled, good for you for thinking ahead. If not, add it gradually while beating so the egg doesn't curdle.

Use a skillet than can go under the broiler. Put it on the hob, add a substantial knob of butter, and let the butter foam and get a bit brown, as for omelette. Add the egg-and-veg mixture and cook as for omelette.

When the sides are cooked but the top is still runny, pop the skillet under the hot broiler and leave it there until the entire top of the frittata is brown and puffy.

Frittate can be served either hot or at room temperature, as the main dish with bread, or cut in wedges as part of a selection of antipasti.