As you might have noticed, unfortunately I didn’t post again before the holidays. Work, family visits and getting ready to head away were like a hurricane and I didn’t stand a chance! I hope all of you are well rested and ate too much. Now continue nibbling on those treats Santa gave you or else you’ll get hungry looking at these pictures from my past week! Yowza!

In lieu of a "regular present", I asked my mom to spend a day teaching me how to bake her ridiculously loaded and healthy bread.

She also wanted to teach me how to bake whole wheat apple cinnamon rolls. Honestly, how do you say no to that? Recipe soon!

My favorite ever shortbread recipe, made into a bunch of different types of cookies. Recipe to be posted soon, too!

The most deliciously beautiful (and quickest eaten) cheese plate I've ever had the pleasure of helping to assemble.

Roasted veal bones for marrow...

...and veal stock. This was later reduced into a demi-glace, which unfortunately took a long time and was completed after I came back home.

Deep-frying a turkey outdoors. Yes, I DID see that All-State commercial. That's why this was 1) at someone else's house, 2) outdoors, and 3) done by somebody else.

The turkey-frying episode of Good Eats had me thinking that this setup would be overly complicated. Nope!

Unbelievably crispy...

Ker-ssshhhhik!!!!

Carnage. Delicious, tasty carnage...

This doesn't look like a lot because of the photo angle but there were about 30 potatoes and I mashed them all with brute woman-arm strength. Wearing a BCBG dress, no less.

I had never tried goose until this Christmas!

The goose was stuffed with pieces of fruit so I Bogarted the apple. I love apples because they're amazing flavour-holders.

These chickens were both equally cute and smelly.

These were way better than store-bought eggs.

A giant fritatta for everyone to share. I've made small ones before but this one was fun to tackle.

Caramelized onions and red peppers, ham, salami, dried sausage, eggs, pastry roll chunks, and 2 cheeses. I have no idea what kind.

Pickled cucumbers. Good as a salad for all, and the brine is good as vodka shot chaser for others.

Nighttime lamb chop grilling with the help of the moon and a flashlight.

Amazing Italian sausage pizza from Abeetza in Abbotsford.

A fantastic gift from ChocolaTas.

A special pie for a friend who always gets gypped because his birthday is between Christmas and New Year's. Eeep!

Wishing you all an awesome 2010 with enough food to share with people close to your heart.

Eat well!

Kari

The lovely and talented Lisa Baker, Playboy’s Miss November 1966 enjoys jazz, cheese-tasting, and a refreshingly open-minded take on afternoon snacking attire.

Photographed by either Bill Figge or Ed DeLong

Cheese looks like simple red-rind edam, alcohol looks like some kind of dessert wine, I am going to say Sauternes because I could drink that by the bottle and think it pairs well with cheese.

I like to order a cheese plate, where they give you the whole range from mild to sharp, with a glass of Sauternes at a fancy place when I feel like being hoity-toity and/or want to die from eating cheese, as I am viciously lactose intolerant and never remember to carry any kind of medicine with me. Read: if in some distant future, I am out with you, and I order a cheese plate, sex is not even remotely on my mind. The spirit may be willing thanks to the wine, but the flesh? Weak doesn’t begin to cover it.

Stomach swelling and projectile vomit notwithstanding, I am not the only girl who gets ga-ga over cute little cheese samples and suchlike. Sauternes and a cheese plate with nuts and triangle slices of that quince stuff have mellowed many a lady’s mind and made her look at her date more charitably. All the elements of a cheese-tasting spread are honestly easy to procure, and look super-posh. Believe me. Take this to the bank. We women go bananas for that kind of shit. Dessert wine, cheese varieties, almonds, and quince: write that down.

Records visible in the centerfold photo are Trini Lopez’s “Trini Lopez at PJ’s,” a live recording from 1963; the 1960 album “Hello Love” by Ella Fitzgerald; and “Playboy Presents: Once In A Blue Moon” by Johnny Janis (nice plug by the magazine).

Get it: the skis make her bunny ears. That’s kind of clever, right?

Anyway, I’ve blathered all this time about cheese and wine and LP’s mainly because I got all these pictures but very little info about Ms. Baker, other than that she was Playmate of the Year in 1967. Outside of that, her credits kind of died down around the late ’70s and they were all Playboy projects. I actually found more about her present doings than I did her past. She is currently still an active spokesmodel for products and print model available for photoshoots, appearing at conventions around the United States.

l to r: DeDe Lind (Miss August 1967), Helena Antonaccio (Miss June 1969), and Lisa Baker at Glamourcon 2006, from Helena’s official website.

Interestingly, according to the wiki, Ms. Baker now lives in Florida and rooms with fellow retired Playmate DeDe Lind, who is alleged to be one of the most popular Playmates ever, garnering the most bags of mail ever received in the magazine’s history up until the time of her appearance in August, 1967. The two travel to conventions together and appear at local events.

You keep on keepin’ on, girls. God bless ‘em!

Photographed by Patrick “Patman” Sun, DragonCon 1998. Judging from her expression and her grip on that alien, I think Ms. Lind may have been over-served at the hotel bar.

The night of my dinner party was the first really cold night here in Greece, and it set the tone well for my Fall French Bistro fare. (Admittedly, cold for us here is 45-50F…I still cannot convert to Celsius!)

It was also Halloween night!! I nearly forgot, but my friends Peggy and Ted brought a huge, hella festive cake. I used to live in San Francisco, so I still use lame words like “hella” sometimes. forgive me. Here’s a pic:

So we kept some of the American tradition alive!

The rest of the meal, however, was very French. As I mentioned in my last post, the menu was: Smoked Salmon Mousse, Blanquette de Veau, Pomme Anna, Two Cheese Plates, and Chocolate Mousse with Candied Almonds.

Making this salmon mousse is effortless and decadent.

I whipped up chopped bits of smoked salmon with marscapone, a drizzle of lemon juice, and sea salt & pepper. You can also use ricotta cheese, or any smooth farmer’s cheese. You may prefer ricotta if you want a lighter, airier texture. The mascarpone makes a thicker texture.

The ratio is 1/2 cup cheese for every 200 grams salmon. This makes enough for 12 people to have 2 or 3 bites. 20 minutes before guests arrived, I spread them on round melba toasts, and topped each one with a caper and some dill.

Meanwhile, my blanquette de veau and potato tart (pomme anna) was  re-heating.

The heavenly veal-mushroom-parsnip-carrot-leek aroma filled the kitchen. I snuck a bite and the meat was like butter. Boiling the veal first and then letting it stew in broth must be the most effective technique I’ve used for preparing veal. I used this recipe from epicurious, but instead of celery root, I used parsnips, and instead of pearl onions, I used leeks. I highly recommend using leeks. They unravel and absorb beautifully into the stew. I also used half chicken broth and half beef broth.

Right before serving I made the “white sauce” by making a roux of butter and flour and then adding cooking juices, and some heavy cream.

Honestly, the veal tastes amazing even without this sauce. But I really do like this very thin gravy that almost gets totally soaked into the meat. It adds a very subtle creamy-ness. My boyfriend Niko, who hates creamy sauces, did not even notice the cream.

I made my Pomme Anne and while everyone seemed to like it, I prefer a light potato gratin with chicken stock made with thicker slices of potato. So I will go back to that recipe next time. Here’s a picture though:

I loved this simple salad. Very few ingredients with BOLD flavors: Spicy arugula, licorice fennel, and a citrus orange vinaigrette:

For the orange vinaigrette I mix a few tbs of sherry vinegar, 2 tbs honey, (1 tbs of dijon if i want it creamy and a bit spicy), 1 tbs diced garlic, 2 tbs orange zest, and juice of one orange. Whiz this up and add olive oil until it is to your desired taste and texture.

I made two cheese plates. One was a peppercorn blue cheese that I drizzled lightly with honey. The other was baked camembert spread with apricot jam and sprinkled with thinly sliced almonds.

So this was the meal! I thought of serving cheese after dinner along with dessert like the French…but I worried no one would have any room.

We all made room for dessert though! Now, I love chocolate mousse. But I think there needs to be some variety to its one-note smooth texture. I love the airy quality, but something hard or crunchy makes it all the better in my opinion. I made candied almonds to top it with, and it worked well.

I piped the mousse onto every plate and topped with the almonds. Again, very quick yet very elegant.

You can eat the candied almonds all by themselves! Totally addictive. And it takes 15 minutes! Just put 1 cup thinly sliced almonds, and 1 cup sugar in a pan and stir constantly over medium heat. Once toasted, golden, and the sugar has melted and sticks to the almonds, youre done! Store in an airtight container until you use them, and try not to eat them all before your party!

We had such a nice night. My friends brought that great cake and some very good red wine. We chatted, savoured, laughed, indulged. It was my version of a wonderful night.

Cheese Platter at the Swift Half

While spending an Saturday afternoon checking out the shops and scene at the new Piazza at Schmidt’s, I got a little hungry. Not a lot hungry, but beer and a snack hungry. Already a fan of the Good Dog and Grace, I decided to check out the legendary bartender/owner Fergie’s new spot, the Swift Half. With generous outdoor seating and the luck of a Phillies game on the Jumbotron, my friend Ryan and I ordered up some hoppy beverages and I took a look at the menu.

While there are a few tasty looking vegetarian options – a beet and goat cheese sandwich, a vegetarian shepards pie and petite cucumber finger sandwiches, I had a few options, but the cheese plates really caught my eye. For just $5 you can choose a lovely cheese, paired with sliced baguette, fresh fruit and accoutremonts. I choose the boucheron, a French goat’s cheese that is interestingly firm on the inside and softer on the outside. It came paired with fresh blueberries and a thick blueberry sauce. A generous slice of delicious cheese, spreadable fruit, and just $5? I’m hooked.

Greetings all,

Sorry for the hiatus but duty (graduate school) calls.  Once I get through test week, I can resume blogging.  I anticipate the next cheese plate/wine combo will occur this Friday (God willing).

Not much to report from the garden as of late.  Only a simple swap of pansies for flowering tobacco.  But what a difference some fresh flowers make!  

Fortisseur tip: Clip some of your knockout roses for indoor flower arrangements. It won’t be long before their blooms will be gone not to return until the middle of Spring.

But as for me, I’ll return this weekend.  Au revoir!

There are few things more enjoyable in the world than sharing a meal with close friends, when everyone makes the time in their respectively busy lives to actually be present, and eat and laugh and tell stories and simply enjoy each other’s company.

… Which makes my birthday dinner at Gonzo in the West Village just about perfect.

It wasn’t the original plan: Earlier Monday morning I found out that Brooklyn Bowl — the new, LEED-certified, 16-lane bowling alley in Williamsburg with a full menu by Blue Ribbon (where I was going to have a small fête) — was closed Mondays.

I needed options, stat. My research skills kicked into high gear, and I ended up with a list of options that included everything from all-you-can eat/drink rip tips (which are excellent) and domestic draft beer at Brother Jimmy’s BBQ ($15.95) to a 3-course, $35 prixe fix meal at Sojourn in the Upper East Side that includes a wine pairings.

In the mix, from my friends at winedanddined.com:

Gonzo (W. 13th nr 6th Ave) is offering 2 for 1 pizzas on Monday nights and from 5-7 on Saturdays.

At first, pizza didn’t sound quite right. But the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. It was the perfect renegade birthday dinner — going gonzo at Gonzo. A girl can’t ask for much more on my birthday than a literary pun that’s this sweet.

Plus, the grilled, thin-crust pizzas are unique in the city, a culinary gift from the late chef Vincent Scotto. Oblong, ultra-thin and piled high with premium toppings in complex, sometimes exotic, flavor combinations, they’re certainly unlike any pizza I’d ever had.

I’ll be back to try the pizza with watermelon listed as a topping, but for a first taste we stuck with the classics:

(top) Sausage pizza, topped with ricotta cheese, roasted red pepper puree, romano & bel paese cheeses.

(bottom) Wild mushroom pizza, topped with chanterelle, shiitake & oyster mushrooms, caramelized onions, taleggio, romano & bel paese cheeses.

We also shared a large meat-and-cheese tasting platter ($25), my picks (counter-clockwise from top left): Capicola, Prosciutto di Parma, Cacciatorini with fig & fennel jam; taleggio, pepper pecorino (center), giant basket of grilled bread slices (not pictured). Few things make me happy like a good meat and cheese plate, maybe a glass of prosecco to go with — oh wait, had that, too.

Prosecco was as much a through-line to this lovely meal as was the cherished company and … of course, the cheese.

That thing with a candle up top? Brown sugar cheesecake. It’s a cheesecake purists will appreciate: a slightly different, darker sugar taste (molasses?) comes through, but the flavors aren’t so radically changed as if whole candy bars are thrown in, a la Cheesecake Factory. It’s really, really good. My one critique? With the circular shape, you get less buttery, gram-cracker-y crust.

TIP: The pizzas are definitely larger than our server let on — don’t let them up-sell you. Go with a group and share a mix of the cicchetti, Venetian-style small plates ($7-$11), or maybe a couple of appetizers, plus the pizzas. Two-for-one pizzas makes group dining that much more affordable — and fun.

So the Thursday morning after the Top Chef Masters finale, I was a little bummed because Hubert Keller lost, but I wasn’t down for too long because I had dinner at my friend Ellen’s house to look forward to. As I wrote a few months ago, every Thursday Ellen hosts a “Girls Night” at her home.

Ellen is a fabulous cook and host. She usually prepares an entree and then the rest of us sign up to bring salad, bread, wine or dessert. Along with Ellen, my weekly dining companions are Mahnaz, Tara, Jill, Lynn and Michelle. Although it’s “Girls Night,” men are welcome so Ellen’s husband, Jeff, is also at the table and other spouses make frequent appearances. Half of us are new moms so there are also a few babies in the mix as well as Jeff and Ellen’s dachsund, Chaplin.

This past Thursday, we celebrated the return of Project Runway with an all-appetizers menu.

Jill made garam masala deviled eggs and ham tartines.

Tara brought a fancy cheese plate and a not-so-fancy, but delicious, sweet dip for strawberries made with cream cheese and marshmallow fluff.

Ellen prepared Italian meatballs and Jamaican chicken bites.

Mahnaz roasted an assortment of vegetables dusted with curry powder.

And I attempted to recreate a Tom Douglas appetizer I had tasted at an event. It was a thin slice of granny smith apple topped with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and dill. I couldn’t find any creme fraiche at the grocery store so I used sour cream instead. They turned out surprisingly well!

Lynn rounded out things with amazing chocolate and peanut butter brownie bites.

Tara and Mahnaz dressed up for Project Runway viewing and looked fierce. (I wore sweats.)

The lone male that evening was Ellen’s baby boy, Jonah.

The food was awesome, the company divine. And Project Runway? I enjoyed the All-Stars edition much more than the season 6 premiere, although there was way too much Santino for my taste. Season 6 has way too many designers to keep track of, and I thought the challenge of creating an outfit for a “red carpet event” was pretty dull.

Speaking of fashion, who designed the outfit for the lead singer in this video? If your client says, “I’d like a floor length jacket that looks like a brick wall,” you should say no.

OK, last night I splurged on a nice bottle of vino for our combo cheese/sushi plate.  Delicious! 

My wife and I first discovered cheese plates when we visited the wine valleys (Sonoma & Napa) of California.  The night of our engagement we splurged (there’s that word again!) and ordered a cheese plate as an appetizer.  We were amazed by how pairing cheese with fruits (dates) and nuts produced a better wine experience.  I’ve heard time and time again that wine makes food taste better.  I’m now a firm believer.

So, back to last night.  What was on the plate, you ask?  The sushi portion included salmon rolls, tuna rolls, and california rolls.  The rest of the plate was doctored with mozzarella/prosciutto/basil rolls, Seahive cheese (similar to a mild swiss), a french soft cheese infused with herbs, and fresh baked bread with olive oil and basil.  The usual standout was the mozzarella/prosciutto/basil rolls.  The biggest disappointment was the french cheese.  It had a very awkward taste for a cheese that wasn’t on the cheap.  Oh well, live and learn.

And then there was the wine…

This varietal of wine has a special place in our hearts.  Again, because of our visit to California.  Did I mention we got engaged in Sonoma?  The wine of the week (revised) was a Sur Lie Chardonnay.  Sur Lie is a special method of fermenting the wine in french oak barrels.  The end result is a taste that was a nice buttery finish.  And it is something to experience.  I selected Kendall Jackson’s Grand Reserve Chardonnay from the Party Source @ $20.  Definitely worth every penny.  I rated a 9 and Joelle, my wife, rated an 8.5. But if I could recommend a like wine that is even better quality, I would select Chateau Julien’s Chardonnay:  http://www.chateaujulien.com/ 

We visited Chateau Julien during our visit to California and were amazed (granted, it was the first winery we visited).  Their chardonnays range mid $20’s+ but are worth every penny. 

P.S. No kickbacks on this write-up…I simply love the wine.  Bon appetit!

The first in a series of tasting notes from our New York Summer ‘09 Cheese Tour. We made a quick stop in Brooklyn the day before, but our real day of cheese grazing (#chzday09) began Sunday morning at Artisanal Bistro in Midtown. As this was our first joint cheese expedition in NY, we started by visiting the classic landmarks. We got some great tips from new friends for our next visit, and the day culminated in a truly inspired dinner at a new favorite spot. You’ll have to stay tuned for that review, however.

Back to our brunch. I had been to this original Artisanal bistro several years ago, and while we were tempted to check out the newer Bar Artisanal we decided to stick with the classic this time. While the food was satisfactory, the overall experience was underwhelming. The service was indifferent at best, and the cheeses were well-cared for but served naked and forlorn on a stark white plate.

We opted for the seasonal cheese plate and received two traditional European cheeses, Pierre Robert (France) and Monte Enebro (Spain), and one from our list, Thistle Hill Farm’s Tarentaise of Vermont. Of course we couldn’t resist peaking in to the well-lit cheese cave, where you can actually reserve a table to dine in the midst of the cheese. The cheese counter had a nice array of cheeses available for purchase. 

Thistle Hill Farm is an organic-certified small family farm in North Pomfret, Vermont. They use raw, organic milk from their herd of grassfed Jersey cows as the base for this Alpine-style cheese. Check out their website for the full story of their cheesemaking education. They use a custom-made Swiss copper vat and cultures imported from France in their labor-intensive process. The curds are scooped by hand, pressed and molded and then aged four to six months in an aging room used solely for this cheese. The finished cheese is very smooth, golden in color and meaty but sweet. It has a soft, full-bodied flavor with notes of sweet hay. You’ll notice just a few of those crystals found in true Alpine cheeses (like Appenzeller). We found it too sweet for our brunch cocktails, but would suggest a medium-bodied red wine. 

Next stop: Murray’s.

Hope everyone had a good 4^th! I am happy to report that the consistent rain has finally left New England. Yes! I’m hoping for a more summer-like July. I spent the weekend in Maine and, overall, the weather was great…blue skies and sun. We had the occasional shower but I’m okay with that as long as it’s mostly sunny.

I always tend to fall off the healthy eating wagon when I’m away and this weekend wasn’t too different. My meals were a tad larger than normal and I probably had a treat or two every day. However, we did do quite a bit of walking and I ran a 4 mile race on Saturday in York, Maine. My unofficial time was about 42 minutes and I ran the entire race. Woohoo! I have to say the sun is great until it’s beating down on me when running – it was HOT. I was happy to have a little ocean breeze, that’s for sure!

Starting Line:

Me, steps from the Finish Line:

During our weekend getaway, my family and I walked to Perkins & Perkins Wine Café in Ogunquit for a drink and a little appetizer before dinner on Saturday. We have driven by this place for years but have never stopped in. I’m glad we did this past weekend because it was a lot of fun and the food/drinks were awesome.

Perkins & Perkins is a wine bar/café plus a wine shop. The casual wine café has outdoor seating for about 20 people and the wine shop carries over 300 wines. In addition to a large wine list, the café offers a good selection of appetizers as well as a few entrees and specials. Here’s the menu.

My dad and I tried local red wines, my mom had the special (two white wines on ice with a lime) and my brother chose pinot grigio. Our wines were about $8 each. All were very tasty but my mom’s drink was especially refreshing for a summer afternoon.

For apps, we decided on the Mini One Cheese Plate – a cheese selection of our choice (we chose Provolone) served with bread, apple slices and grapes. We also ordered the Red Pepper Hummus Plate which was served with tortilla chips, pita bread and carrots. They knew my dad had celiac so the waitress brought out a side dish of gluten-free rice crackers for him – a nice touch. The hummus was homemade and very flavorful. Both appetizers were $7 each.

While we were enjoying our wine and appetizers, we witnessed several other menu items being served including Lobster Bruschetta, Coconut Shrimp and Homemade Blueberry Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream. Perkins and Perkins had several specials the night we were there as well as about five desserts on the menu. If you’re in the Ogunquit, Maine area this summer, check it out!

I ate this week at a fairly new restaurant in DC, Art and Soul, helmed by Chef Art Smith. A Southern-bred, James Beard award-winning chef who came to Washington by way of Chicago — and formerly cooked for Oprah –, Chef Art has a menu that highlights local, seasonal ingredients. Sure, many restaurants profess to do the same, with varying degrees of success, but what impressed me here was seeing the “eat local” philosophy carried over to the cheese menu. Sadly, we didn’t actually sample the cheese this time as it was not on the Kids’ Restaurant Week prix fixe menu (boo!), but the list is familiar to any DC-area cheese fan: Talbot’s Reserve from Chapel’s Country Creamery (MD), Everona Dairy’s Piedmont (VA), Meadow Creek Dairy’s Grayson (VA), and Firefly Farms’ Black and Blue (MD) — all fine choices!

Just to round out the local dairy offerings, Art and Soul also dishes up Moorenko’s ice cream and sorbet. (You can read more about our dinner over at FoodieTots, and if you live in Chicago or NYC, your Kids’ Restaurant Week kicks off tomorrow, June 20.) 

elsewhere in cheese this week ….

Check out Madame Fromage’s sheep’s milk blue discovery; and, It’s Not You, It’s Brie describes a cheese with “more texture and flavor variations than Mariah Carey has pink stilettos.” Click over to check them out!

Cheese is one of THE great entertaining staples.  For optimal flavor, serve cheese at room temperature.  Bringing the cheese to room temperature allows the full flavor of the cheese to come through; the flavor of cheese is muted when served chilled.

Plan ahead and take cheese out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving time.  Keep cheese covered until you serve it to prevent the surface from becoming dry.

A couple Cheese plates with Domes are drying.  I used a different “knob” this time instead of going for traditional.  I think it will match my other pots a bit more!

I made some Bread bakers.  I did the oval bread bakers and some hand built ones as well.  I thought folks could than see it’s the same baking service for most recipes?

Some are plain and some will have texture and subtle designs. 

Some large bowls just because they are fun to throw and I think sell well.  And test tiles.   I have been struggling with blend line testing and have received alot of advice…..So I will attempt to do it again for some tans in my glazes and maybe a focus on overlapping glazes.  Hummmmm

In April my boyfriend and I stumbled upon Vinter Market in Hell’s Kitchen. Such a gem. Our sandwiches and cheese plate were divine. I especially enjoyed the fine taleggio and the flavorful, basil-topped prosciutto. Such delicate pink ribbons of meat!

I tried to recreate the scene at home. Not as outstanding, but still pretty nice.

i am very much into blues of the guitar evangelist sort, from the 1920’s and 30’s and crackly as can be. i don’t really know much, in terms of historical or autobiographical context, but its god without fire and brimstone, life full of sorrow, quivery women’s voices and deep, bellowing men. it’s saturated with americaness, with experience. its music that makes me lie down and think of nothing but what i’m hearing for the entire side, and then the other.

mississippi records releases some amazing compilations in this vein, of unearthed 45″ rarities and unreleased recordings. most of the musicians have “blind” before their name, like blind willie johnson and blind willie eason, blind gussie nesbit, and blind joe taggart.

i have “fight on, your time ain’t long”. and it is probably one of my favorite records that i own.

i like coming home and turning all the lights off in the big space in our loft, and putting this record on, and doing nothing else. a few times i have had company, and i think it is probably almost as beautiful if you and your company are both enjoying:

1. wine and cheese (if it’s cold outside)
2. sweet tea
3. mint juleps

i have not actually yet listened while drinking a mint julep, but i imagine it’d be the best. actually the only times i have had mint juleps were that summer i lived in the blue house, and only a couple times.  traditionally, you are supposed to drink mint juleps at the kentucky derby, which is the first saturday in may. or, you can drink them anytime, especially if it’s hot outside and (as you’ve never been to there) you imagine it feels kind of like the south.

repurposed bottles

Booth 1

Open House was wonderful.   Many of Building Blocks loyal customers came by, and many folks who are just finding us.

More awesome upcycled pieces…

a very interesting woman from SanDiego came by our shop a few weeks ago.  She’s a potter and brought the most unusual pieces..she rolls actual leaves into her dishes and creates the veins and life of the leaves right into her plates.  They are gorgeous, and, food safe.  Yes, you can eat from them or put a candle in them and just admire the flicker.  The “leaf dishes”  come  in all colors, shapes and sizes.  I think they would look fabulous laid out on a buffet table down the middle with an assortment of cheeses, french bread and a great red wine. 

And, by the way, even the worst red wine tastes great in a beautiful glass.  Marion

I am an unabashed cheese-lover. It makes me happy in a way that few inanimate objects can. The moment that I feel the creamy texture on my tongue and the penetrating flavors swirl in my mouth, I am transported; my worries wash away, I feel pampered, sated, and, of course, besotted. I really love cheese.

So when I saw a sign in my neighborhood Whole Foods market that they had lowered cheese prices, I nearly fell over in ecstasy; while I couldn’t care less about the affects on my bikini-body, at $25/pound and a notoriously short shelf-life, indulging has to be well-planned.

I am a huge proponent of incorporating a cheese plate into a dinner menu. It fits perfectly into the “Buy, Arrange, Cook Trinity” and is generally a crowd pleaser. But now, thanks to lower fuel and commodity prices, as well as the dollar’s more favorable position against the euro, cheese lovers can guiltlessly spring for the more majestic cheeses.

My favorite is Humboldt Fog – it is regal in both appearance and taste, and it often causes a stir among my guests. First off, it looks elegant – the interior goat cheese, bisected by a vegetable ash, is encased in an oozing shell whose texture is reminiscent of brie. The deliberate layering affect gives substance and noteworthiness to the cheese’s presentation.

But, one must not worry about off-putting those that do not like stinky cheeses. Humboldt Fog’s taste is as gentle as it is elegant. It is only slightly acidic, but deliciously creamy, and the vegetable ash, though unique, has little flavor.

While it may be tempting to opt for the better-known and less expensive options, there are two very good reasons to opt for the pricier, rarefied varieties:

1. Less is much, much more. An exotic, gourmet cheese never dulls the pallet. You will rarely see someone mindlessly chomping a regal cheese like Humboldt Fog in the way that they might a more pedestrian cheddar or goat cheese.
2. In adding an exotic cheese to your menu, you have effortlessly wowed your guests, as opposed to merely feeding them. It is a rarity that we are able to garner a grand effect with little effort, and now, thanks to the lower prices, for little cost, as well.

Lastly, a note on serving and preserving a great cheese like Humboldt Fog:

1. Always let the cheese come to room temperature before serving (this goes for any cheese).
2. Use the cheese as a diversion while you prep. I like to put it out as an appetizer, which gives my guests something to nibble on as I put the finishing touches on dinner. OR serve it mid-meal as a diversion while you prep something that required last-minute attention (like the Baby Lava Cakes that have to go into the oven at the last minute.)
3. Get the most out of your cheese. Don’t throw the rind away. Wrap it and toss it in the freezer; you can add it to soups, broths, and stews before serving, and it’ll add another layer of complexity to the dish. For a soft cheese like this, I would suggest tossing the rind into a cream of mushroom, roasted garlic, or even a french onion soup.

One final suggestion – use the people and resources at your local cheese shop or Whole Foods to find exactly what you like. Taste cheeses in the store before buying – this is in no way frowned upon – ask questions, compare and contrast flavors, and ask for recommendations to pair with the rest of your menu. The staff are there to help you make the best decision possible, use them.

Ok so I am not really sure what to call this latest…piece?  Hummmm looks like a cheese plate on a stem/stand.  Or a cake plate with a cover.  Or possibly a serving plate with cover.

Not really sure but I know I haven’t seen many of these, if any <G>.  I am exploring glazes and textures at the moment and I have those lace patterns to play with texture.  Now it’s easy to get lace patterns on FLAT, slab built pieces and a bit of a challenge to get a lace pattern on a thrown piece of pottery.  When the slab is flat you can just roll the lace pattern into it and than slab build the piece.  Simple…

Soooooo how do I get those lace patterns on mugs or round bowls?????  What’s my secret?  Well I start with a flat piece of clay, roll the lace design into it.  Than I use the flat piece as a “roller” by attaching the ends together so I can roll the design into clay.  Similar to a Stamp.  I bisque fire this roller stamp and than I use it on my clay to get more texture and design into the piece.

I had the pleasure of going out to dinner with the girls the other night. And we couldn’t have chosen a better place to enjoy each other’s company. Cafe Maude has been a favorite since it opened. For brunch. For dinner. For happy hour. It’s perfect for nearly any occasion. The food is consistently inventive and delicious. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. The prices are very manageable.

We started with their magnificent fries with Bearnaise sauce and the cheese plate. Both were awesome and we munched on them through the whole meal. I couldn’t turn down a cup of the carrot soup with ginger. And believe it or not, it actually tasted like carrots (I love it when food tastes like what it should). There were fried bits of fresh ginger on the top of the soup that really brought out the flavors, of both the ginger and the carrots. That would be one recipe I would love ot have. For the rest of the meal I went with the duck breast. It was listed on the menu under the Small Plates, which was good, because after the fries, cheese and the soup there was little room left. The duck was prepared beautifully and served with brussel sprouts and Parmesan puree. It was unique but homey at the same time. A perfect meal.

L ordered the scallops (above), Jen ordered the salmon and T ordered the beet salad (yum, so good, so earthy) and the corn chowder. Everyone was happy, the wine flowed freely and we could barely resist dessert. Then again, T had a freezer full of cupcakes from the Bulldog from her birthday the previous week, plus the batch of Sea Salt Caramels we made for her birthday, so we didn’t go empty handed.

On a side note, Cafe Maude has expanded to include the Armatage Room. It’s a great concept, check it out.

This site has been officially moved to a new domain, http://www.myhalalkitchen.com. Please visit there to see what’s cooking!

I made the mistake of not preparing this breakfast the night before. If I had, I am guessing this morning instead of taking 40 minutes to set the table and serve the food, it might have taken me not more than 10 minutes to do.

This breakfast is so healthy and so simple to make, not to mention inexpensive. Instead of sugary and expensive cereals, breakfast bars and muffins, I opted for more protein and healthy dairy, fruit and herbal tea this morning.

On the menu:
Cheese and Olive Plate: Feta, smoked mozzarella, sour cream and cream cheese- each sprinkled with dried parsley flakes and olive oil; mixed olives in the middle

Hard Boiled Eggs: Thinly sliced, these were great with the bread and cheeses.

Artisanal Wheat Bread: If you don’t have time to bake your own, buy from a grocery store, bakery or farmer’s market. Be sure to buy only whole grain bread for optimal health benefits.

Plain Yogurt: Goes great on your bread and with the eggs. You could also mix some fruit in it to reduce some of the sour taste of plain yogurt.

Fruit Plate: Today I arranged dates, oranges and sliced bananas because that’s what I had on hand. Serve whatever is fresh and seasonal.

Blueberry Flavored Herbal Tea: This Bigelow tea was absolutely delicious. I love all flavors of herbal teas and coffees in the morning, so long as it’s nice and hot and goes along with the meal. Just makes the morning a bit easier… (http://www.bigelowtea.com/)

What are your ideas for a quick, healthy and inexpensive breakfast?

Copyright 2008-2009 My Halal Kitchen

Copyright 2008-2009 My Halal Kitchen

Copyright 2008-2009 My Halal Kitchen

http://www.kekau.com/

Wow… we went to a chocolate tasting last night at the newly opened NIB dessert and wine bar in Eugene, OR.  It’s on Monroe, just south of 7th (by Sweet Life, Laughing Planet, etc).  It’s owned and operated by a husband and wife team who has been behind the KeKau Chocolatier deliciousness seen around town for the past few years at various restaurants.

We started the night with quite possibly the most delicious cheese plate ever.  It was very gorgeous, well crafted, and… YUMMY.  It was nine month Dolaner Gouda (cow’s milk), Bellweather ricotta (cow’s milk) with Meyer lemon curd, and Humbolt Fog, Cypress Grove chevre (goat’s milk).  Accompanying it was this odd, but tasty, encapsulated orange sauce over toasted nuts (hazelnuts, perhaps).  There were also thinly sliced apples & pears, diced winter squash, and these sugared crackers that were absolutely fabulous.  I think my favorite cheese was the gouda, but it was all quite AMAZING.  My wife and I paired it with Navarro Vineyards Gewuerztraminer grape juice and a 2005 Abacela Malbec.

The chocolate tasting started at 7pm, and it was very informational.  The husband side of the mom & pop run wine bar, Shane Tracey, came out and told us about each chocolate before the pieces came around.  It was very informative, and I started writing stuff down, but gave up early on…  We tasted 6-7 chocolates, I believe.  Our table was at the end of the pass along; so the chocolates stopped at our table.  Darn… we could nab extra nibs.

The first was a delicious white chocolate, which was high in cocoa butter content.  We usually don’t like white chocolates, but it was quite good.  Next up was a milk chocolate (or two).  Then we had a spicy darker chocolate (this one was my favorite).  We had a creamier dark chocolate that, no lie, had heavy hints of banana up front with a pineapple finish.  We rounded out the tasting with a 70% chocolate, which is more of what my wife and I usually get from Trader Joe’s.  The final chocolate was also a dark, but I don’t remember the % of solids.  I paired my tasting with a 2003 Chateau Les Justices Sauternes.

At the end of the tastings, we bought a 2 Bite Holiday which was a small and delicious chocolate mousse with (if I remember correctly) some caramel, candied ginger, white chocolate shavings on a (fancy) graham cracker.  We also bought some of their truffles to take home: Habañero Tequila, Thai Curry, Kalamansi Coconut, Spiced Berry, and maybe one other that I don’t see on their website right now.

http://www.kekau.com/

NIB dessert & wine bar is a GREAT place. They have many great desserts, a great wine selection (white, red, dessert), and their cheese plate is amazing.  They also do brunch on Sundays (and on New Year’s Day from 12am to 3am!!).

Eugene, Oregon… it is now your duty to support this amazing new place!!!  Go forth and be delighted!!

~Dan – np: Miles Davis – On the Corner

A Cheese plate is one of my favorite things to serve at at party or before dinner.  Why? A few reasons: 1) I can assemble it before everyone arrives and they can munch away and chat while I finish cooking, 2) the only work on my part is to buy things from the grocery store and arrange them, and 3) almost everyone loves cheese, not everyone loves things like chicken liver pate (until they try it).  I’m pretty sure that having everything (or at least almost everything) planned out and in place before your guests arrive makes them think that you are some kind of domestic deity (or that you are a hyperanal freak show of a host).  

I am lucky enough to have several specialty stores with tons of cheese to choose from at my disposal.  If you don’t have a cheesemonger around, try your grocery store, several smaller regional grocery chains I’ve been in have nice selections of high quality cheeses.  Target even has a few nice cheeses in its grocery section.  If all else fails check out some online retailers.

Here are a few of my rules for putting together a cheese plate

1) No more than three kinds of cheese (for a small group anyway).  Three varieties of cheese is enough to have an interesting mixture of cheeses; I find that more can be overwhelming.

2) Try to have some kind of theme or progression.  For example: pick three cheese from Spain such as Manchego (probably the most famous cheese from Spain), Cabrales (a blue cheese), and Garrotxa (a goat cheese).  A selection of different goat cheeses of varying texture could also be cool.  When in doubt, pick something soft, something hard (or semi-hard), and something blue.  The axiom is: something old, something new, something stinky, and something blue.

3) Make it really good cheese.  Please don’t serve your guests slices from a block of Kraft swiss cheese.  Not only will they hate you, they will talk about you behind your back once they leave (if they were raised right; if they weren’t they might tell you to your face)

4) Have some tasty accompaniments.  Good french bread is a must.  Don’t use any bread that is too highly flavored, it will compete with the cheese.  Olives, cured meats, nuts, and fresh fruit are all good choices.  If you are really good, whip up (or buy) some membrillo, a sweet paste made from quince.  

5) Make it pretty.  No one wants to eat ugly food.  Arrange the cheese on a slate cheese board or a pretty wood cutting board.  An attractive plate or tray would work too.  Make sure that all of the cheese are easy to access so your guests can cut off pieces without struggling.  Also make sure that there are enough utensils to cut the cheeses.

6) Throw away the wrapper your cheese came in.  As convenient as they lovely sheet of plastic wrap is for your grocer, your cheese doesn’t love it.  Rewrap your cheese in parchment paper and throw it in your crisper for storage.

7) Feel free to break all of these rules.  You’ll notice that in the photo I have brie, ricotta salata, and emmenthaler.  It may be a slightly odd combination, but I pulled it out of my fridge in about 5 minutes before some people came over.  Note the domestic deity/hyperanal freak comment above.

Next up on Chez Travie: Christmas candy (I think)

That's what I'm talkin' about.

Okay.  I know you might not consider a “cheese plate” as a part of the pastry chef’s world, but in the restaurants I’ve worked in, the cheese plate was our responsibility.  Why?  Well, because of the condiments, of course!  Here’s the thing about cheese:  It doesn’t want to perch alone on a cracker, naked and vulnerable.  It doesn’t want to be mixed with Worcestershire sauce and rolled in chopped nuts.  Cheese does not want to be mixed with mayonnaise, made into a dough (well, sometimes it does) or squeezed out of a can.  No, friends.  Cheese wants to shine.

Here’s how to give cheese what it wants and how to give your holiday guests what they want (even though they might not realize that they want it).  Sure, you can serve cheese with bits of meat, and that’s fine.  But, offer some sweet and/or tangy condiments to go along with your cheese and crostini/crackers/lavash/bagel chips/Ritz crackers, and your cheese and your guests will love you forever.  These condiments are all about highlighting the cheese through contrast:  in texture, in flavor, in acidity.  Explore!

Ideas:

• raspberry jam (You can make your own, if you want–do add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice to the recipe.)
• spiced or candied nuts
• chutney (store-bought, or try dicing pears/apples and cooking down with a splash of white balsamic, some lightly caramelized onions, a pinch of salt and a bit of herbs)
• apple butter (Add a wee bit of salt to this.  The cheese will thank you.)
• whole grain mustard
• fresh fruit
• stewed raisins
• pureed beets (Before you get sad, think of the goat cheese!  Roast the beets until soft.  Puree in the food processor with salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar.  Maybe a squeeze of honey.  You’ll have to taste it to see.)
• marmalade (no, you don’t have to make your own if you don’t want to)
• figs or fig puree (easy:  stew figs in some apple cider, honey if it needs it, and a pinch of salt.  Whiz up in the food processor.)
• dates
• Marcona almonds (seek them out)
• excellent quality balsamic vinegar (only for your very special friends.  And cheese)
• Tupelo (or other) honey
• Toffee (no chocolate, depending on the cheese)

I’m sure you guys will have your own ideas.  Leave some in the comments section, and I’ll add them to the list.  Just, please, don’t let the cheese down.  It’s counting on you.

***Addendum***

I have recently gotten in touch with many old college friends whom I haven’t seen in 20 years.  Thank you, facebook.  Anyway, one of these friends, Don Phillips, who used to be called “Cujo” in college (but that’s another story) has taken to following directions and reading my posts when I let my fb buddies know I have posted something new.  Being a wonderful friend, he generally comments.  And, being a somewhat un-informed, somewhat needy cook;), he wants to know what sort of cheese to put with all these wonderful flavors listed above.

First, I told him he was whiny, but now I take it back.  Sorry, Don–I’m still a bit reactionary, even after all these years!  He’s right.  It was unfair and mean of me not to give you some cheese ideas along with the condiment ideas.

I don’t think I’ve ever met a cheese I didn’t like.  Velveeta does NOT count.   But some folks are picky about their cheeses.  I suggest you get about 5 cheeses ranging in flavor from mild to bold and ranging in texture from soft and creamy to hard and crumbly.  Get your cheese guy at Whole Foods or your local cheese shop to help you make your selections.  Cheese guys are generally pretty passionate about their job and will be more than happy to hook you up.  Once you get your cheeses home, bust out 5-6 of the condiments I mention (or come up with your own) and mix and match.

You want the cheese and the condiment to complement each other, not have one duck the other in the deep end of the pool.  So, pair bolder flavors with bold flavors and milder flavors with mild flavors.  Look for a contrast in texture.  For example, a crunchy walnut might be better with a brie-type cheese than it would be with a hard cheese like Parmesan.

I hope that helps to clear things up, and thanks Don.  Your neediness spurs me on to be a better teacher:)  Thanks for being my friend and resurfacing in such grand fashion after so many years!  Go, Cobras!

Last night Silver Catering helped put on an event in Midtown for a small group, and the food looked great. We paired the wine selection with a beautiful cheese plate and four hors devours. The wine selection contained medium bodied reds and crisp whites. As always, the food was great and the presentation was really impressive.

Menu:

Cheese Plate accompanied by red California grapes and assorted crackers

(Danish Blue, Cantalet, Cacio, Brie)

Tuna Tartare served over Sesame Wonton Crisps

Tomato Basil Bruschetta / White Bean Puree and Walnut Bruschetta

Miniature Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

Tuscan Style Stuffed Mushrooms