Cheese and Reality

Salad: a love story

2010-11-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

When I first visited New York with my mum in high school, I feel in love with two things: Crate&Barrel and the NYC deli salad bar. What can I say, I'm a sucker for overpriced sliced melon.

The truth is, though, that since living here, I never buy lunch at those delis. My youthful enthuasiam didn't stand the test of time (and I've recently learned from Ben Ryder Howe's forthcoming -- and utterly brilliant -- memoir, My Korean Deli (look for it in March, 2011) that steam tables are a breeding ground for bacteria).

Instead, for the first four and a half years, I very often bought my lunch from the "chopped" salad shops that cover the city. This was my second love affair with salad in the city. My go-to ingredients were chickpeas (always), cheese (always, either blue cheese crumbles or mozzarella), black olives (always), tomatoes (sometimes), avocado (sometimes), a hardboiled egg (sometimes), edamame (sometimes), and carrots (sometimes) all splashed with red wine vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper.

And then one day, it was over. Just like that. Actually, it was two days in a row. I just couldn't swallow the salad one more time.

But a girl's got to eat. Bringing my lunch to work became a whole new challenge. It's hard to keep it yummy, affordable and portable.

I may have hit the jackpot, though, with this winning comibination: a warm salad with potatoes, mushrooms and goat cheese. It all started with an impromptu trip the farmer's market near the Natural History Museum. Inspired, I bought a nice head of lettuce and fresh chevre from Ardith Mae in Pennsylvania (ardithmae.com). I picked up some mushrooms and at home I already had some waxy new potatoes and a red onion. I quartered and sauteed the mushrooms in olive oil and butter. I boiled then sliced the potatoes. I dressed both the mushrooms and the potatoes along with some finely chopped red onion in a dijon-y vinaigrette. In a separate bag, I brought the lettuce to work washed, ripped and ready to go. I zapped the vinaigrette mixture for a minute and thirty seconds. I slowly incorporated in the lettuce so as to not splash my outfit. I enjoyed, and I recommend.

Daring-do, intrigue and cheese... this book has it all!

2010-07-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

Looking for a exciting summer read that combines WWII bravery, international intrique and cheese? Look no further than OPERATION MINCEMEAT by Ben Macintyre.

Macintrye's riverting read chronicles the legendary Operation Mincemeat, in which a sad sack suicide was dressed up as a naval officer and floated out the Spanish coast with his pockets and attache case packed with false "top secret" war plans. The goal: to mislead the Germans, allowing the Allies to invade Sicily and win the war. Brilliant!

The hero of this tale is spy master Ewen Montagu, "a shrewd criminal lawyer and workaholic with a prematurely receding hairline and a penchant for stinky cheese." At University, along with his brother, Ivor (a Soviet spy, no less), they founded the Cheese Eaters League:

Ivor and Ewen shared a passion for cheese and set up a dining club to import and taste the most exotic specimens from around the world: camel's milk cheese, Middle Eastern goat cheese, cheese made from the milk of the long-horned Afghan sheep. "Our greatest ambition was to get whale's milk cheese," Ewen wrote, and to this end he contacted a whaling company to arrange that "if a mother whale was killed the milk should be 'cheesed' and sent to us."

Disgusting but also a little bit fascinating.

Here's the New York Times review. If your curiousity is piqued, rush out to buy this great book (and others!) at Barnes&Noble, Borders or, better yet, your local independent bookshop.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/books/review/Conant-t.html?pagewanted=all

Wild strawberries

2010-06-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

Wild strawberries admittedly have nothing to do with cheese but they're just so darn exquisite. We picked two baskets* (with a little equine interference) and it was definitely worth the sore thighs the next morning.

LC outdid herself with a lemon-raspberry-wild strawberry tart adapted from sassyradish.com.

Life is good!!!

* a note on scale: the two bigger strawberries were grown by a farmer down the road. So, while commercially grown, they aren't those enormous, tasteless monsters (or SSOs -- strawberry shaped objects, as Rebecca Stead writes in her Newbury award winning YA novel, When You Reach Me) held out as strawberries in every grocery store. No siree, the strawberries from Fred's Fruit Market on Hwy 35/115 were sweet, juicy and plump -- but even they can't compare to wild strawberries picked in a horse field.

Artisanal Cheese in Ontario

2010-06-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was spent celebrating my mother's retirement with wonderful cheeses from the Prince Edward Country-based Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co. www.fifthtown.ca

Pictured here: Nettles Gone Wild (surface ripened soft goat cheese; semi firm) and a watermelon, mint and feta salad made with Bedda Fedda (a brine soaked Greek-style feta; sheep's milk).

Both were absolutely delicious and I can't wait to go home soon to try the Lighthall Tomme (goat; aged 2-3 months) and award-winning Cape Vessey (washed rind goat; aged 3-6 months). Will there be any left??

Sag Harbor, NY

2010-06-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago in Sag Harbor, the stereotypical Hamptons scene didn't even register on my radar. Instead, we tasted a wonderful tomme and farmhouse cheddar from Mecox Bay Dairy and planted a herb garden and two tomato plants (one is a yellow and green zebra tomato and the other is a pear shaped, cherry tomato-sized). You could even buy a dozen assorted eggs at the Sag Harbor farmers' market. Beautiful, aren't they?

Wooed with cheese

2010-06-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

An impressive showing with this decadent cheese plate and an endive & blue cheese salad.

Lunch in Toronto, Cheese from Quebec

2010-05-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

At lunch with an old friend last Friday in Toronto at Mercatto, I ordered the $15 antipasti misti. This is exactly the way I like to eat: a choice of 2 verdure, 2 fromaggi and 2 salumi.

I choose artichokes and winter squash for my 2 vegetables, cacciatorini (a hunter style salami) and an Abruzzese salami (rustic pork) for my 2 salumi and, being in Canada, I picked 2 cheeses from Quebec: Baluchon (cow's milk) and Bleu Benedictin (cow's milk).

http://www.mercatto.ca/

http://www.mercatto.ca/_menus/Mercatto-Menu.pdf

Here's an idea

2010-05-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a little snapshot of the impromptu cheeseplate I shared with my dad last week in Toronto. We found a Brie de Meaux and another triple cream in the fridge, along with some prosciutto and grapes. We both had martinis -- mine was vodka with a lot of olive juice and as many olives as my heart desired. Daddy's was more classic -- gin with vermouth, of course.

Marea

2010-04-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

Delicious dinner last night at Marea. Two kinds of oysters (both east coast) and risotto frutti di mare followed by the "large" cheese plate.

As Adam Platt writes in New York Magazine, the portions really are tiny at Marea. My risotto was truly perfect but there just wasn't enough of it. Same for the cheese portions, as this picture will attest. Also, let it be known once and for all: I think manchego is the most overrated cheese. There, I said it.

I will say, though, that the barman did not hold back on the olive juice in my dirty martini. It was very briny and for that I say, thank you!

A joke about cheese

2010-04-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Matt Spratt, for our first joke about cheese! Because really, Cheese & Reality could also be called Cheese & Happiness, Joy and Laughter.

Easter

2010-04-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

Easter blessings: the most glorious weather, old and new friends and a perfect old fashioned dinner of ham, JC's scalloped potatoes*, haricots verts almondine, and mimosa salad. What could be springier than asparagus and eggs?!

Mimosa salad

Asparagus (cooked for exactly 3 minutes, not a second more; and this rule applies to skinny and chubby asparagus alike)

Dijon vinaigrette

Diced and/or sliced hard boiled eggs

Parmigiano Reggiano shavings

* that's Julia Child, not Jesus Christ

I [heart] rock 'n roll

2010-04-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday night: cheese, wine and a rock concert. Oh yeah.

Pre-show nibbles at Bar Jamon. We had a beet salad with slice of valdeon (goat cheese) and a plate of sliced chorizo. The real standout was the spicy octopus with chickpeas.

The cheese selection was pretty good too. We had Leondra (sprinkled with granola, which frankly didn't add much), Garrotxa (with a very nice cherry tomato jam) and Malvorosa (but I can't remember the accompaniment).

Old friends

2010-03-31T09:39:00.000-07:00

Last night at Bar Centrale, the cheese : wine ratio was definitely in favour of the wine. No matter, we still managed to squeeze in a few morsels of Comte, Garrotxa, Pierre Robert and my old friend, Blue d'Auvergne.

Ah, Blue d'Auvergne. You old standby. Discovered in the mid-1850s by cheesemaker Antoine Roussel, who realized that rye bread mold created the blue veining, which prickled the cow's milk cheese curd and improved aeration. Today, Blue d'Auvergne is aged for approximately four weeks in cool, wet cellars, a relatively short period for blue cheeses.

Blue d'Auvergne is a regular feature on my cheeseplates, especially when I'm in Toronto. We've been together a long time, B d'A and I. Which is funny and touching, considering that my friend Kate made her own Blue d'Auvergne discovery last night. I've only known Kate for 4 years but, like B d'A, I feel like I've known her forever.

Top of the morning to you

2010-03-17T07:15:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favourite cheeses is the great Irish blue cheese, Cashel Blue, and it's hard to imagine celebrating St. Patrick's Day without a big slice. But today, instead, I'm dedicating my coloric quota to the office Irish Soda Bread festival and legendary Kerry Gold Irish Butter.

For the history of Irish Soda Bread: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/stpatricks/sodabread

Sunday night special

2010-03-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

After gorging on two hard cheeses and cherry jam gently sprinkled with rare French glass shards, GG wowed us with coq au vin and rosemary potatoes. Jamie Oliver may have contributed the recipe, but GG took it to a whole new level.

We concluded the evening with two of life's great treats: Bananagrams and Mini Eggs from England.

Desperately Seeking Vlaskaas

2010-03-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

Fifty percent of this cheese duo is in love with Vlaskaas, which is a Dutch hard cheese known for its sweet and creamy taste. The other fifty percent is on high alert for when it's available at Fairway, having learned the hard way yesterday that it's a rare commodity.

Historically, Vlaskaas was made only during the Dutch flax harvest. Only in 2004 did cheesemakers discover the exact way to recreate the recipe for Vlaskaas, and Vlaskaas was once again discovered.

In lieu of Vlaskaas we subsituted Uniekass Gouda (cow's milk; aged 18 months) and Comte (cow's milk; hard yet flexible with a strong but sweet taste). Two-thirds preferred the Comte but the Vlaskaas lover was pleasantly surprised with the substituting gouda.

To top things off, our cheese plate included Anne Rozes' famed confiture de cerises noires (black cherry jam), and 100% of cheese lovers rejoiced.

Stinky Cheese Festival / NYC

2010-03-03T10:43:00.001-08:00

Third Annual Stinky Cheese Festival
3/3/2010 - Culinary Tour de France
Join us for our Third Annual Stinky Cheese Festival. This year our chefs will be creating Stinky Cheese appetizers, entrees and desserts in addition to our regular menu from March 3, 2010 to March 12th, 2010.

Particpating Restaurants Include*:

Cafe D'Alsace: www.cafedalsace.com

1695 2nd Avenue (at 88th Street); 212.722.5133

French Roast Uptown: www.frenchroastny.com/

2340 Broadway (at 85th Street); 212.799.1533;

French Roast Downtown: www.frenchroastny.com

78 West 11th Street (at 6th Avenue); 212.533.2233

Le Monde: www.lemondenyc.com/

2885 Broadway (btw 112th & 113th Street); 212.531.3939

L'Express: www.lexpressnyc.com/

249 Park Avenue (at 20th Street); 212. 254.5858

Maison: www.maisonnyc.com/

1700 Broadway ( at 53rd Street); 212.757.2233

Marseille: www.marseillenyc.com/

630 9th Avenue (at 44th Street); 212.333.2323

Nice Matin: www.nicematinnyc.com/

201 West 79th Street (at Amsterdam); 212.873.6423

Pigalle: www.pigallenyc.com/

790 8th Avenue (at 48th Street); 212.489.2233

*Individual restaurant sites host Stinky Cheese Menus unique to the region of France the restaurant celebrates.

Winter Blahs: 3-Step Cure

2010-02-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

Here are three easy steps to cure the winter blahs:

1. Good company
2. Vitamin-C Burst. Mark Bittman's Winter Citrus Salad is both gorgeous and the homoepathic equivalent of the flu shot. Blood oranges (that most divine of winter fruits), pink grapefruits and navel oranges are dressed with a sherry vinaigrette (we substituted good old red wine vinegar) and a tarragon garnish. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/dining/201mrex.html
3. Cheese (of course). Fairway can always be counted on for one of my all time favourite cheeses: Delice de Pommard. This ball-shaped triple creme goat cheese from Burgundy is rolled in mustard seed and is the perfect tangy/rich combination. We served it with our recent discovery of "Mary's Gone Crackers" biscuits. They're crisp, gluten-free and organic crackers made from brown rice, quinoa, flax and sesame seeds. Best of all, they have no added fat, which is a good thing when you consider how rich the cheese is.

Storing Cheese

2010-01-10T09:03:00.001-08:00

Friends just back from a trip to Italy were inspired by how they saw cheeses kept in restaurants. As their New Year's resolution, they've resolved to store their cheese on the counter, not the fridge, covered with a tea towel. The advantage, of course, is that your cheese is always perfectly at room temperature. I'm not convinced, though, largely because I think restaurants probably only keep out that day's cheese.

In any case, this led me to do a little research on proper cheese storage. Here's a great link from someone who should know (formerly of Murray's Cheese, currently working for Martha Stewart):

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/cheese/how-to-store-cheese-what-to-do-when-you-get-it-home-the-cheesemonger-100285

Bringing Home the Turkey

2009-12-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

November New Ampsterdam market was even more bountiful and delicious than last month. And the bonus this month was that my gorgeous thanksgiving turkey was there waiting for me when I arrived. Yes all 17.7 lbs of him. The next best thing is that I have a new camera to shoot all the gorgeousness that ensued under the bridge downtown... Some highlights included: Saxelby and Formaggio representing Essex Market, $3 Brisket, Porchetta Rolls, Luke's Lobster Roll, Baby turnips and root veg, gorgeous funghi and Oysters - all of the above by 11:30am breakfast!

High Sodium Diet...

2009-12-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

While this quickly improvised cheese plate was not perfectly balanced, it did envoke happiness and fond memories of by its tasters... Pecorino (salty), Olives (saltier) and Radishes dipped in salt (saltiest).

Will rent room for Cheese...

2009-12-04T10:12:00.000-08:00

Reality. Renting second bedroom in my apartment as I can't afford the rent on my own. Accompanying Cheese - gooey goodness from Paris on a monthly basis. Roomie lives part time in France and always arrives with a vacu pack of cheese and sausison! Yipee!!!!
Only bummer besides less personal space is that I don't have any info on these particular goodies as she didn't get the names. Cheese with the pressed fern leaf was unbelievable. Anyone reading able to identify?

Cheese fit for a Rockefeller

2009-11-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

This weekend, a friend and I made our annual outing to see historic homes in Tarrytown, NY (aka Sleepy Hollow, home of Washington Irving and the Headless Horsemen and Rip Van Winkle).

Every year, the trip includes a scenic trainride along the Hudson River, a tour of a historic home (this year we visited Kikuit, home of four generations of the Rockefeller family), and a pub lunch at the Horsefeathers Pub. A perfect day.

This year's outing was taken to a new level with the discovery of Tarrytown's farmers' market. We ate delicious roasted, curried cashews from Tierra Farm, bought the most gorgeous Baby French Breakfast radishes and carrots and, of course, tasted cheeses.

Calkins Creamery in Wayne Co, Delaware. Calkins Creamery is a sixth generation family farm. They make 14 different cheeses, including this the delicious, nutty "farmer boy" tomme. In addition to cheese, they raise beef, pork and vegetables.

Now that's a work ethic that John D. Rockefeller would approve of!

Tredieci anni fa.... a trip down memory lane

2009-11-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

Thirteen years ago, I discovered the best pizza in the world at Lanterna Verde in Lanciano, Italia. Seriously, the best. It's the dough that makes them so unique, especially among all those thin crust pizzas.

After years of reminiscing and salivating, an old friend and I went back to Lanciano last weekend and ordered the same pizzas we ate as 18 year olds living the Italian dream. Elenio -- the genius behind Lanterna Verde -- remembered our orders. Truly.

My order is mushrooms, artichokes and olives (pictured here, missing a slice) and hers was the same plus garlic. The other pizza pictured here is mushroom with truffle oil.

Mozzarella 101

2009-11-01T18:01:00.000-08:00

A somewhat underwhelming experience at the Obika mozzarella bar in Rome was redeemed by their great table mats depicting the mozzarella-producing regions in Italy.

A great resource for every cheese fanatic.

Fromaggi, four ways

2009-11-01T17:41:00.000-08:00

Pictured here:

Zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella and mushrooms with a timbale of mushroom mousse. If you love zucchini, it's hard to imagine ever thwarting one's development but if stealing zucchini blossoms means the most delicate, delightful dish on earth, who am I to stand in the way? In Capri, we also ate dozens of deep fried stuffed zucchini flowers that were divine -- the lightest batter imaginable -- a healthy gourmet doughnut.

Rucola con porcini e parmigiano: One of my favourite things in Italy are the porcini mushrooms. We had them grilled, roasted and here as a salad with roast porcini (still warm), arugula and parmigiano.

Insalata Capreses: Creamy mozzarrella, perfectly ripe tomatoes, basil and a little olive oil is a gift from the gods to be enjoyed daily (or twice daily) in Italy. Here are a few examples: on a pizza (with proscuitto crudo) at Laterna Verde in Lanciano and at a mozzarella bar in Rome.

Prima colazione -- breakfast, Italian style

2009-11-01T17:31:00.000-08:00

Just back from a delightful holiday in Italy. Every day started with a mini cheese plate. Paradiso.

In Sorrento, (see the all-white cheese photograph), I enjoyed a taleggio, a bel paese and a mozzarella scamorza (smoked).

In Capri, breakfast included what else... a few bites of insalata caprese along with some olives, capers and salami.

Che bella vita.

New Amsterdam Market

2009-10-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

I was one of many food blogger enthusists at the second New Amsterdam market yesterday afternoon. The vendors are unbelievably generous (one can fill up on just sampling alone...), the shoppers were excitable and keen to learn, taste and run home to their computers and blog...

By noon I had already eaten fresh oysters from W&T Seafood (moon shoal was my fav), lobster roll from Luke's lobster, crab claws, chicken pot pie, dozens of artisinal cheeses, truffles, jellies, fresh yogurt, sausages and pulled pork!!! I also ordered my thanksgiving turkey which I will pick up at the next market on Nov. 20th. I highly recommend you check out this monthly foodie showdown - get there early...

Hangover Cheeseplate

2009-10-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday hangover from two nights of music and debauchery at CMJ. Included cheeses from the new sampling baskets at the fromagerie in wholefoods - favorites starred. Emmenthaler (raw cow), St Nectare (cow), *Cabecoli (goat), *Rookass Gouda (goat) and Kasseri (sheep and goat). Grapes, olives, riveta (with currants) and Anne Rosés Black Cherry Jam.

The Ansonia

2009-10-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite places to visit in the city has been visiting a friend who's been living at the Ansonia on the UWS. The landmark building stands on the corner of Broadway and 72nd in all her glory- every single detail about her, from the entryway to the mailboxes is exquisite and upon stepping into the grand entryway one is immediately transported to New York City in all it's grandeur in the early 19th century.

Last night we bid adieu to our evenings in the Ansonia with a gorgeous Rhone and a tasty dutch cheese called Vlaskaas. Surprisingly complex and yet relatively inexpensive, this cheese is firm but creamy with end notes of caramel and hazelnuts.

Deck the Halls with balls of...

2009-10-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

WASABI!!! Canadian Thanksgiving (October 1oth) comes along a little early to be thinking about holiday entertaining but luckily for me, I can take a cue from my mother and steal her simple dishes to serve up to the Yanks in November. Here's a simple recipe from the LCBO magazine... An update on the cheeseball with wasibi and ginger. Perfect amount of zang and zest to spark those holiday spirits...

Cheese n' Pickles

2009-10-04T17:31:00.001-07:00

Pictured here: [Saxelby Cheese ladies make a delicious quesidillas with Pickled Corn Relish]; deep fried pickles, pickle bouquet: new dill, brown mustard and spicy pickle.

Falling into Feta

2009-10-04T17:28:00.001-07:00

Acorn squash stuffed with quinoa, toasted hazelnuts and feta, topped with tomato.

Quiz: Cheese or Font

2009-09-10T10:13:00.001-07:00

Thank you, Kanwal, for this hilarious game. Totally brilliant -- who thinks of this stuff?

http://cheeseorfont.mogrify.org/

My favourite font du jour is Tahoma (though I'm also partial to Book Antiqua). A humanist, sans-serif typeface designed in 1994, Tahoma is similar to Verdana, but with a narrower body, less generous counters and tighter letter spacing. Mount Tahoma is the Native American name for Mount Rainier in Washington State.

To best enjoy the Tahoma font (typing while eating cheese, for example), check out these cheesemakers in Washington State: http://www.washingtoncheesemakers.org/members.shtml.

Essential reading: THE CHEESE CHRONICLES by Liz Thorpe (Ecco, 2009)

2009-09-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/the-cheese-chronicles-liz-thorpe-and-american-artisanal-cheese/10002

Have Cheese, Will Travel...

2009-09-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

Marks and Spencers has a delictable assortment of sample cheeses that are perfect for travelling. A much more sophisticated variety than the North American travel friendly Baby Bell... Port Salut, Roulade, Saint Argur, Wensleydale & Cranberry with travel size Cabernet Sauvignon, toasted wheat crackers, cashews and some fresh cherries - perfect for an hour long train jaunt from Edinburgh to Cooper.

Highland, High Tea, High Cheese

2009-09-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

On a 2 day trip up to the mystical (and very rainy) Scottish highlands, I sampled a local cheese called "Gauda". One might think that it's gouda pronounced with a thick pikey accent but my waitress assured me that was not the case. I have to say it it had a unique flavour of it's own. Soft with tiny airy holes similar to havarti but a little harder and with a nutty aroma. I have been searching and googling to find out more about it but my search comes up empty. I guess that means a second more in depth trip is in order. Below, "gauda" with oatcakes and blackberry jame. Toast and Marmite and coffee at the Torridon Hotel. Loch Torridon, Scotland.

http://www.thetorridon.com/

Greener pastures... Or should we say greener unpastures?

2009-09-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

A few pics to show the plethora of artisanal cheese vendors on Rue des Martyrs in Montmatres... I love how most of the selection comes in single serving portions perfect for snacking or compiling a very in depth cheese tasting menu for 2!

Je T'aime, Je T'aime

2009-09-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

Oh Paris Paris. Where do I begin? The cheese, the wine, the confitures... It's taken me over 3 weeks to post about my little romp to Paris mid-august, I think I want to pretend I never left... I must first post the cheese and and black cherry jam I had for dessert at L'Entrecote - a famous steak frites restaurant near the St Germain station. The cheese was great but in this case it was the accoutrements that stole the show. I had our waitress ask the chef about the black cherry compote served on the side and she came down with a note that had a woman's name and phone number in the south of France. Crap, I thought this must be something uniquely made for the restaurant. Something I cannot export. Fast forward a few days later, cheese browsing on Rue Des Martyrs, what do I see out of the corner in the corner of a cooler nuzzling up to a fantastic blue...

Charcuterie & Me

2009-09-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

At a recent wedding my dear friend Rita was told that she had a "keeper" by the father-of-the-bride. And by this, he was implying that her boyfriend, chef Grant Van Gameren, had garnered his favour by way of charcuterie. Guests, who arrived by ferry to Toronto's Ward Island, were greeted with cocktails and an overflowing spread of cured meats and crudité fashioned by Mr. Gameran. A true meatsman if I ever did meet one, Grant cures all his charcuterie himself in the basement of his Toronto restaurant The Black Hoof. He with the utmost delicacy, technique and skill. Each paper thin slice of fleshy goodness makes me forget that I was a vegitarian for almost 15 years (a confession I will not divulge in his company for sure).

Check out Grant's blog: http://charcuteriesundays.blogspot.com/

A bit confused but that's the fun part!

2009-08-20T19:09:00.001-07:00

I previously mentioned Red Hawk from Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes, CA (a hand-washed cows milk) as one of the finalist cheeses at the American blue cheese competition held in Texas and I'd been dying to try it and its fellow finalists. When I saw it at Whole Food's today ($16.99 !!!), I was thrilled -- a chance to put my money where my mouth is. Well, it's not a blue cheese. Delicious, yes. Blue, no. But no matter. The real stand out, though, was the Hudson Valley Camembert from Old Chatham Sheepherding Co in Old Chatham, NY. It's a soft ripened cheese made from sheep and cows milk and was a big hit with Starbury's parents.

Winning blues

2009-08-11T13:49:00.001-07:00

Everyone is saying how much more entertaining the Julia-in-France scenes are than the Julie-in-Queens scenes in JULIE AND JULIA. I won't be able to say myself until tomorrow night.

But in the meantime, I can say that the USA should be proud of its blue cheeses. A staggering 1327 American blue cheeses competed for the title of "Best Blue Cheese" last week in Texas. Taking top honours was Rogue River Blue from Oregon, a grape-leaf wrapped cows milk. The name itself is gorgeous; I can only imagine how delicious it tastes.

I'm dreaming of a cheese plate featuring Rogue River Blue and the runner-ups. In 2nd place was Red Hawk (triple cream cows milk; aged six weeks with a red-orange rind) from Cowgirl Creamery in California. In 3rd place, Rupert (cows milk; aged six months with a gruyere or comte firmness) from Consider Bardwell Farm in Vermont.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/08/serious-cheese-rogue-river-blue-wins-2009-american-cheese-society-award.html

And thanks to Jamie Forest at curdnerds.com for his summary of the results!

Sound of Music II -- no lonely goats here

2009-08-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

Two goat cheeses, one plate.

Cypress Grove Humbolt Fog and Goat's Ziegenbrie (a goat-based brie).

High on a hill was a lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo

16 going on 17 grams of fat

2009-07-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

Things I love, in no particular order: Captain Von Trapp, edelweiss, cheese, refuge from the Nazis, building a new life in America.

And here's the perfect accompaniment: Oma cheese made by the Von Trapp family in Vermont.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/07/serious-cheese-von-trapp-farmsteads-oma-vermont-cows-milk.html#continued

O Canada, O Cheese

2009-07-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Having missed the prime opportunity of Canada Day, I'm using my trip home tonight as a reason to tip my hat to Canadian cheese.

http://www2.agr.ca/dairyinfo/english/chees-from-v_e.cfm
http://cheeseofcanada.ca/
http://www.artisanalcheese.com/products.asp?dept=1136

If you love cheese and you live in Toronto, you'll want to read this great summary of Toronto's best cheese stores:

http://www.blogto.com/toronto/the_best_cheese_shops_in_toronto/

And a little somethig from Quebec:

http://mediacentre.canada.travel/content/travel_story_ideas/quebec_cheese

Do It Yourself Room Service

2009-07-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

While there is nothing quite as satisfying as ordering room service in a chic boutique hotel at the end of a work travel day, I must say I did a fine job sustaining and making my own plate on a budget last night. Thankfully spending twenty dollars at the nearby Wholefoods provided me with cheese plate for two evenings. A local California blush wine, full bodied paired with 2 cheeses, pita chips and fresh mixed berries.
Cheeses: Pictured (round) Mitica Cana Cabra - goats milk. Very strong flavor almost blue in taste- not for the pedestrian palette. Would have been nice with honey and nuts... Soignon Goat Brie, also goat. Gooey and creamy, has a nice nutty flavour without being too overpowering- great with the berries. An excellent treat at the end of the day. Not pictured- two squares of truffle pig dark chocolat with orange... And goodnight.

Bastille Day -- July 14

2009-07-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Surprise, surprise

On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris stormed the Bastille, a symbolic prison for dissidents of the King. The crowd quickly overpowered the fort’s defenders and seven prisoners, none of whom turned out to be important political detainees, were freed.

On July 14, 2009, four New Yorkers gathered in an Upper West Side garden to have a glass of wine. What started as a last minute catch-up session turned into an impromptu Bastille Day party. Yours truly stormed West Side Market (Broadway and 76th) and pillaged two cheeses, a saucisson and cornichons -- essential ingredients for celebrating summer evenings and freedom from tyranny.

In the spirit of Bastille Day, our cheese plate included a classic Camembert and Tomme de Savoie (a mild, semi-firm cow's milk cheese from the French Alps; made from the skim milk left over after the cream is used to make butter or richer cheeses, Tomme de Savoie has a relatively low fat content -- bonus!).

Summer time is cheese time

2009-05-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

Summer has finally arrived, and with it comes four happy months of drinking too much rose. Here's a fun link to cheeses suited to rose. Happy drinking!

http://www.frenchcheese.dk/gb/rose.html

Paris May 2009 - continued

2009-05-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

An exquisite dinner at Racines (8 Passage des Panoramas, 75002 Paris) with friends. Highlights included a first course of ribbons of lard on bread and -- most importantly -- a snowy mountain of conte shavings for the cheese course, along with a slice of morbier. Life is good.

Paris May 2009 -

2009-05-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

In Paris, visiting old friends. A delicious apero after a delightful afternoon marketing. The cheeses here are a Rouelle de Pic (a soft chevre with a natural rind) and a Saint-Nectaire (which is an uncooked, pressed, semi-hard cows milk cheese from Auvergne). The Saint-Nectaire makes a great addition to any cheese board, but the Rouelle was the stand-out. Quite strong, absolutely perfect.

My Birthday, My Cheese Party

2009-05-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, I celebrated my birthday with good friends and good cheese. The theme was "Dream Cheese Plate" and everyone brought their favourite cheese or one they've always wanted to try. A great success -- no repeats and each one stinkier than the next. This picture shows cheese plate #1 of 4.

I love cheese, and so does Liz Lemon

2009-05-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

Only tangentially related to cheese, Jonah Weiner's article on the Conservative leanings of 30 Rock is absolutely brilliant.

http://www.slate.com/id/2217712/

Cinco de Mayo -- Ole

2009-05-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

It's true that Ontario corn in August is the best in the world. All it needs is a little butter and some salt -- and sometimes it's so sweet, it doesn't need anything at all.

But if that's not an option, I'm a big fan of Mexican-style corn-on-the-cob: grilled with a dusting of queso fresco and a squeeze of lime juice.

My Birthday, My Dream Cheese Plate

2009-05-01T07:46:00.001-07:00

Cashel Blue -- Made by the Grubb family in Tipperary, Ireland, this mild, creamy ivory-colored cows milk cheese is laced with powdery blue veins.

Delice de Pommard -- This ball shaped triple creme goat cheese from Burgundy is rolled in mustard seed. The perfect tangy/rich combination.

Humboldt Fog -- Native to Arcata, California, this elegant, soft, creamy goat cheese has a ribbon of vegetable ash along its center and a coating of ash under its exterior to give it a cake-like appearance.

Epoisse -- Extremely pungent (in fact, wikipedia says it has been banned on the French Metro), this unpasteurized cows milk cheese has a rind washed in marc de Bourgogne (local brandy) and is sold in a circular wooden box. A favourite of Napoleon and Brillat-Savarin, who called it the "king of all cheeses." Need I say more.

Bad for my bottom, good for my soul

2009-04-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today would have been our 9th anniversary but "he just couldn't be sure" he wanted to marry me. Jerk.

Epoisse de Bourgogne -- the most decadent cheese on earth. The "king of all cheeses," according to Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), is extremely pungent, unpasteurized and made from cows milk with a rind washed in marc de Bourgogne. Drippingly creamy, divinely stinky, luxuriously fattening, I'm going to eat a whole circular, wooden box of it. With slices of pear and oaty biscuits.

Cheeseburgers in Paradise

2009-04-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

The first true summer day. Cheeseburger picnic in Central Park. It's good to be alive.

Burger Shack's cheeseburger is made with American cheese. I wasn't quite sure what makes cheese "American," so I looked it up. Turns out, "American" isn't a synonym for cheddar.

American cheese is, simply put, processed cheese. Orange (at the Burger Shack), yellow, or white, American cheese is a mild cheese known for easy melting. Traditionally made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby and Cheddar, American cheese is now a blend of milk, whey, milkfat, milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate and salt. Sounds gross and yet .....

"There are only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other people's cultures and the Dutch." - Nigel Powers

2009-04-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

In the May 2009 Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg addresses that most tragic of tragedies: lactose-intolerance. http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200905/goldberg-advice

The irony, of course, being that there is no accompanying cheese for lactose intolerance. (And I don't want to hear one peep about soy cheese.)

So, instead, I'll just mention a cheese I tried this past weekend. It wasn't especially to my liking but, in the spirit of tolerance, I'd like to introduce you to Leyden. Like its cousin Edam, Leyden is made from partly skimmed cows milk. Leyden, however, is firmer and studded with cumin and caraway seeds, and occasionally cloves.

According to the fantastic website, cheeseofthemonthclub.com, it has mysterious origins: “No one seems to know how it came about. One popular theory is that an apprentice cheesemaker was munching on some cumin seeds, a very popular spice in Holland, and accidentally dropped a handful into the cheese vat. In fear of being fired, he didn’t tell the cheesemaker and when the cheese was tasted, they all loved it!”

Common Cold

2009-04-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to kick this nasty head cold out of my system. Whilst I normally embrace the curbed appetite a cold virus grants me, I am hardly myself when forced to stick to a diet of soups and clear liquids. Sadly there isn't a cheese pairing I can think of to accompany my symptoms - I can only wish for all the cheese in the world to ripen and await me for when this miserable flu to leaves my body.

Bathing suit season

2009-04-15T13:22:00.000-07:00

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a diet rich in calcium, which is supplied by low-fat cheese, is associated with fat loss.

A good thing too, since I just bought a hot pink bathing suit at the JCrew sample sale at lunch!

Here's hoping that Spring (ideally followed by long summer days) will show her face soon. I'm certainly looking forward to poolside dining and beach picnics complete with a lovely salad of watermelon (same shade as my new bathing suit), tomatoes, feta and black olives with a red wine vinagrette and a dusting of oregano.

Nigella Lawson’s - Watermelon and Feta Salad - Forever Summer
1 small red onion
2-4 limes, depending on their juiciness
3 1/2 pounds watermelon
9 oz feta cheese
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
1 bunch flat leafed parsley
3-4 T olive oil
4 oz pitted black olives
black pepper to taste

Peel and halve the red onion and cut into very fine half moons. Put in a small bowl to steep with the lime juice. Remove the rind and seeds from the watermelon and cut into large bite-sized, triangular chunks. Cut the feta into similar sized pieces and put them both in a large, shallow bowl. Tear off the sprigs of parsley so that it’s used like a salad leaf, rather than garnish, and add to the bowl along with the chopped mint.Add the onions (with the now oniony lime juice), olive oil, and olives, and toss gently so as not to break up the watermelon and feta too much. Add a nice grinding of black pepper and taste to see whether the dressing needs more lime. Keep at room temperature till serving.

Long lasting cheese

2009-04-13T11:52:00.001-07:00

"The third friend noted that you spend all this time trying to find the right man, and then wondering if you should stay, and complaining about his faults, and wondering some more if you should stay, but then the day arrives when you realize you’ll probably outlive him." -- Jane Hamilton, Modern Love (NYT, 4/13/09)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/fashion/12love.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&emc=eta1

Mini babybels. They last forever in that red wax covering and are surprisingly satisyfing.

Cinq A Sept

2009-04-11T04:40:00.000-07:00

Left work before 5 o'clock! Shell shocked and parched we head to Inoteca for some celebratory wine and cheese. Just about the only way to secure a table on a friday night is to be there before 6. After racing downtown we placed our order for a cheese tasting, crustino and, of course, truffled egg toast. Alas, my tartufo cheese cravings are satisfied - first one of cow's milk and then a second variety of goats cheese tartufo was substituted when much to our dismay the selection included parmesan (I mean why would our waiter include such a pedestrian choice given the palette and direction we gave him?). Regardless of that tiny glitch, Inoteca creates the most generous and diverse Italian cheese plate in the city. The condiments are always perfectly paired - this time it was spicy and sweet almonds, poached apricots and thyme infused honey. Truffled egg toast and alfogato - a perfect way to unwind the week and or wind up for the weekend.

Home Plate

2009-04-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

A night at home with an old friend. It's been a year since we've caught up. Rather than having to speak over the bru-ha-ha of a lower east side cheese plate we decided to make our own selection.

Cheese: Tomme De Savoie, Cana De Sabra, Greek Feta, Parmigiano Reggiano. Paired with salami, olives, prosciutto, chunky humus with rye and rice crackers, Riojas... dark chocolat with hazelnut prailine. Savoie was delish - complex, old world taste, slightly nutty - made with skim milk (low fat) but very rich in texture and flavor. Cabra- light and fluffy in the centre but gooey and creamy around the edges, tangy and mild. Feta and parm need no introduction, welcome always like old friends.

Day 21

2009-04-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

PMS. Cravings for all things decadent and fattening. One must allow herself the guiltiest savory pleasures.

Accompanied cheese: Anything al Tartufo (with truffles) - Boschetto, Sottocenere it really doesn't matter as long as it's in abundance. Accoutrements: cabernet, strawberries, figs, dark chocolat and almonds. Entire ritual can take place on the couch or in the bath.

Et voilà.

Featured cheese shop -- UES / NYC

2009-04-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

As featured in the NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/dining/08chee.html?ref=dining

Snow in April

2009-04-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

A final snowfall in April. Winter's final bid adieu. Harsh yet soft. Light and Consistent. A sprinkle of white to remember her taste on our tongues.

Pecorino Romano - an old faithful of Italian hard cheeses. Perhaps not as widely used as parmesan but in our opinion far superior flavor. Made from Sheeps milk it is sharp and memorable. Sprinkled finely over just about anything, Pecorino Romano is like the delicate and sharp snowfall on a spring day like today.