Winter Blahs: 3-Step Cure

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

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

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...

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...

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

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

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.