I pick up these gourmet treats when we tour the local wineries, and today I’m giving away a box of some of my favorites. We love nearby Viansa (mentioned here) in Sonoma which specializes in Italian varietal and blends. Truffle honey and lemon vinaigrette plus chardonnay strawberry peach preserve are included in the box.

My most favorite balsamic vinegar on the planet comes from the famous girl & the fig, and it’s paired with the apricot fig chutney, delicious as a spread.  For your summer BBQ, also included are both a spicy zinfandel and herbed cabernet marinades. And yes, I’m parting with my baby cutting board (full deets here) which is the perfect size for presenting a mini wheel of brie or a favorite artisan cheese, and also this great 2011 Food & Wine guide to the wine scene ~ it will tip you off on all the best wines to buy plus offers some basic things to know about different grapes, blends, and varietals. 

Eligibility to win the Wine Country Gourmet gift box . . .

1) Leave one comment telling me your favorite gift to give this season. That’s it!

One winner, US only, chosen at random.  Giveaway ends Sunday December 18, 2011 at 8 p.m PST.  By entering this giveaway you agree to this site’s giveaway policy and Official Rules of Entry.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Congratulations to:  #409 BJ at Sweet Nothings!

Cong.

The thing I love the most about having out of town visitors is how they force me to get out of my paint splattered yoga pants and head out into the nearby countryside to adventure and explore. Our visitors couldn’t have come at a better time, October in this region is simply divine. 

We headed up to Healdsburg to attend a ‘Pizza and Pinot’ event at a winery owned by a friend. Our Saturday consisted of apple picking, pizza eating, pinot drinking, roadside vegetable stand sampling, and a serious bocce ball competition.

This is De la Montanya Winery, and this property has it all: picnic tables in the apple orchard, vineyard all around, a fired up pizza oven, and bocce ball court. They’re home to the best Pinot Noir in the Russian River valley, it’s pure bliss!

West Side Road in Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Valley is covered with wineries both large and small, and this time of year is especially pretty, with the leaves on the vines changing color before your eyes and the fruit nearing harvest, ripening in the sun. 

I can’t resist a roadside stand, and this one did not disappoint. We were surrounded by fields of heirloom tomatoes, zinnias, gourds, and gorgeous purple hyacinth beans. 

There’s nothing quite like a perfect fall day spent in the country.

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Any visit to my place begins with a glass of something special in the backyard, time to shake off all of the discomforts of travel and chill, relax, chillax!  

I took her on my favorite quick tour of the WC which includes Viansa . . .

Jacuzzi Winery . . .

and nearby Cornerstone Gardens and Artefact Design & Salvage.

Artefact is home to the most amazing salvage and global finds in both the showroom and the extensive yard outside. 

We stopped into a neighboring café where we admired the walls covered in rustic whitewashed wood, and I’m such a fan of that stunning giant wood sculpture.

In fact, I kinda love it.

We had lunch at the fabulous El Dorado Kitchen and spent the afternoon strolling the Sonoma Plaza.  Back home I coaxed Rhoda into cooking some of her famous chicken and dumplings for me and she fell for my devious plan.

Mmmmmmm mmmmmmm comfort food!

Rhoda’s homemade recipe is here.

Sunday we both headed to the local Antique Faire to go treasure hunting together.

This was one of my favorite finds, a giant blue rusty wire basket.

Rhoda is just one of those {best kind of} friends that brings out the silly in me.

It was time for serious blog business, so we took a break and headed to the used book section at the local bookstore to dig through some decorating texts and do research for the upcoming Haven Conference.  Did we score some valuable information! 

So inspiring, I tell you.  We came up with several ideas for workshops to teach.  We decided we are definitely bringing back the cactus/cow/duck combo.  

Personally, I think some window treatments deserve a real chance at a comeback.  

Poufy knots!  Swags and jabots!

Oooh, a ruffled floral balloon valance! With matching shams!

Be still my heart, it’s a matching quilted comforter, shams, border, and a swag valance with a matching oversized rosette!  Salmon pink walls too!  “Crowning the double swag is a fabric rose which repeats the pattern motif to complete the design”.  Awesome.

Anyone interested in a gathered floral lampshade tutorial?

You can always count on me to bring you the most valuable DIY information.

After our extensive research session, we headed back out to the Antique Faire for more browsing, and what a great time we had. Today, we’re off to San Francisco to do some sightseeing, and don’t forget, the big mantel party that kicks off the Fall Link Parties is tomorrow.

Question of the day:  What design trends are we embracing today that you think will become the balloon valances, floral swags, and jabots of the future?  Please discuss.  

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“Hey Kate, we’re coming to San Francisco and want to spend one of our vacation days in Wine Country, where do you recommend we go/sip/eat?”

Just one day?  Oh no!  Truly, you need several days to experience Northern Cali’s Wine Country, preferably two days spent in the Napa Valley touring Calistoga, St. Helena and Yountville, and two days in the different regions of Sonoma County, specifically Healdsburg and Sonoma.  A few days is really the way to vacation in the WC in order to truly absorb the flavors and the relaxed atmosphere around here.  It’s infectious.  You may find you never want to return home. 

However, if you’ve only got one day and you’re coming from (or living in) the City by the Bay, it’s true, you can still get the flavor of Wine Country in a single day.  Here is the very best route for all of you “I just have one day” visitors.  This day trip is 45 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge and takes you on a tour of the Carneros region in Sonoma, known for its Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and sparking wines from grapes that grow in the volcanic soil and thrive amid the coastal breezes. 

This tour will give you a taste and feel for the region and still allow your designated driver to get back to your hotel in San Francisco by nightfall.  Let’s journey, shall we?  Who’s up for a day trip to Wine Country?  Yay, glad you all raised your hands. 

First, travel north on Highway 101 to Highway 37 to Highway 121 – it’s best to map it out before you come on MapQuest, your smart phone, or a GPS device.  

You’ll cross Marin County into Sonoma County and enter the Carneros Valley where you’ll see the grapevines rolling along the hills and start to get excited.  Relax, there are acres of those to come!  Your first stop is Viansa, an Italian inspired hilltop winery which specializes in both red and Italian varietals.  This villa offers a fabulous view, beautiful gardens, and a great marketplace of gourmet foods.  

Next, you’ll travel next door to Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.  The nicest thing about Jacuzzi, other than its sustainable practices, is the fact that although relatively new, the estate buildings seem as if they’ve existed for centuries.  There’s a courtyard, fountain, and vines crawling up the stone façade.  Sample their wines and the flavorful olive oils at The Olive Press.

A worthy stop along Highway 121 for both its idyllic gardens and charming farmhouse tasting room is Cline Cellars. You’ll walk among rose gardens and swaying willow trees nestled along the banks of several spring fed ponds surrounded by vineyards. This winery is definitely worth your stroll, plus they offer complimentary tastings. 

Along this Highway 121 route (also known as Arnold Drive) you’ll also see two of my favorite places, the first is Sonoma Country Antiques.  They have great finds in their shop, but much more out back, be sure to look around if time permits. 

On this route, you’ll also want to stop into CornerStone Gardens, home to many design shops and art galleries in an outdoor setting where you can stroll from shop to gallery and admire all of the garden installations and their unexpected forms designed by renowned artists.  There’s also a gourmet café here which makes a great stop for a quick lunch. 

One of the best places on the planet for architectural salvage is Artefact Design & Salvage, located within CornerStone Gardens.  Inside you’ll find swoon worthy finds from all across the world, curated by globe trotting owner Dave.  Nate would really love this place. 

Don’t spend too long because you want to sample sparkling wines while you’re in the region.  You have two places to sip them close by, Gloria Ferrer which is the next stop after Jacuzzi, or you can drive in the direction of Napa along Highway 12/121 to visit Domaine Carneros, with a stunning French inspired chateau which sits atop a knoll surrounded by vineyards.  Both wineries have amazing views and great sparkling wine samplers. 

There are two other favorites wineries in the near vicinity, one of them is Gundlach Bundschu (pronounced Gun-Lock-Bun-Shoe).  They make great Cab Franc and Syrah, but also are known for unique varietals like Gewürztraminer and Tempranillo Rose. 

We also like Nicholson Ranch for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and the sweeping views of the valley.  Both are definitely worth your visit if you have the time, and only a short distance from the Sonoma Plaza, which is where you want to head by late afternoon.    

From Highway 12, take Broadway to the Sonoma Plaza and find a parking spot. 

There are amazing shops and galleries on all four sides of the Plaza, here are just some of the highlights: 

When you stroll around the Plaza in the afternoon and evening, visiting the shops and galleries, be sure to duck down some of the interesting alleys for even more to see. 

For home décor visit Summervine and H Frank to the north west, Harvest Home and Chateau Sonoma for great antiques on the southwest side, and The Corner Store for beautiful linens, bed, and bath.  Many of these home décor shops close at 5 or 5:30 p.m. so be sure to arrive at the Sonoma Plaza around 4 p.m. or earlier to allow time to browse.  

Two great places to taste wine on the Plaza are the Ledson Hotel and our most favorite place to sample boutique wines, the Sonoma Wine Shop.  We’re members of their wine club because they’re experts at what they do: they fine tune your palate through various tastings, and they will ship you wines based on your personal preference.  We like that.  You’ll like them too. 

End you busy day of sipping, sightseeing, and shopping at any one of these fine restaurants on the Plaza, mapped out above.  Here are our five favorites, and reservations are recommended:  Meritage Oyster Bar (seafood & cocktails); El Dorado Kitchen (gourmet seasonal Californian, outdoor seating); the girl & the fig (classic seasonal French); The Swiss Hotel (relaxed Italian/Californian, outdoor seating); and Della Santinas (traditional seasonal Italian fare). 

Cheers to you and a lovely day spent in unforgettable Sonoma, our favorite place to be.

Happy tasting and safe travels from your local tour guide!

xo,

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Our first stop, Tomales Bay Oyster Company, specializing in fresh farmed oysters and clams, pulled straight from the ocean water before your eyes.  

The place is packed with people filling up dozens of picnic tables, barbequing their shellfish fresh from the sea, with this sweet beach shack playing music while you enjoy the view.

Thankfully, there are 10 minute parking spots up front for those who just want to pickup like we did.  You have your choice of extra small to large, and the owner Tod even opened up a sample for us.

There were dozens of oysters on the grill everywhere you walk! 

Next stop, Hog Island Oyster Company, where you pay to sit, and they will serve you their oysters on a tray with the tools to shuck them yourself, while you relax in front of a peaceful view of Tomales Bay.

Last stop, Nick’s Cove, another fantastic restaurant where we’ve dined in the past, with a fantastic view and also cottages you can rent to stay overnight. 

There’s a little boat shack at the end of a long dock where you can savor seafood with beer or wine, while you take in the view. 

We found this was also a great place for kids to stretch their legs . . .

While you’re out here, you can always spend a half day kayaking too!

If you’d like to make this day trip from San Francisco, here’s a handy map:

source

After our little Tomales Bay tour, we brought our little morsels packed on ice home for an impromptu oyster party with friends.

We served barbequed oysters, raw oysters on the half shell with mignonette, and these Oysters Rockefeller, which were a little meal in themselves, and so delicious! 

Recipe here.

With our feast, we served Balleto 2009 Pinot Gris from the Russian River Valley, it’s the perfect summer wine with citrus flavors, very mellow, crisp, and light.  

It was one of those enchanting afternoons that has me and my mister talking about writing our own book on the Wine Country, with all there is to see and taste.

If you’re an oyster lover, you can savor the experience in print.  Oyster Culture by Gwendolyn Meyer teaches all about the history of the oyster farms and the fascinating ecosystem behind it, coupled with beautiful images of the life by the sea growing this culinary delicacy. 

You’ll also find many of the recipes famous in these parts, from Hog Island’s Hog Wash (mignonette) to Nick’s Cove’s Oyster’s Mornay.  I’m not paid to say it, we just had such an fantastic experience inspired by the book I wanted to share it all with you, enjoy! 

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Here are a few scenes from our outdoor table for two.

The spring green chairs are extra seating we keep around for entertaining so I brought them along; the pillows I borrowed for the occasion from my little boy’s room.

The pleated tablecloth (layered over a simple folding table) I stitched out of a painter’s canvas.  I love painter’s tarps for all sorts of projects, they’re inexpensive and can be used in so many ways, from their intended purpose as a drop cloth to drapes or even tablecloths like this one.  The canvas adds a rustic texture and the pleats a flirty feminine detail, so pretty right?

Dinner was three courses, including an olive medley and local cheese plate served with warm sourdough, followed by farmer’s market greens and chilled tri tip as an entrée, then finished off with my homemade lemon tart.

Candle, bowl and napkins found last year at Anthropologie.  Both of the dinner plate and salad/dessert plate are not ceramic, and get this, they’re indestructible.  I discovered them in a local shop ~ they’re Le Cadeaux triple weight melamine.

I walked into a favorite local shop iLeoni and inquired about melamine plates for a picnic basket I was putting together for our anniversary.  I was amazed when the owner pointed them out to me because I passed them by thinking they were ceramic, but no!  They’re both sturdy and pretty, so I thought them the perfect plate to tuck into our picnic basket.  If you love them too, you can buy them online, the yellow dinner plates are available here, and the rooster dessert plates here.

I assembled this collection of plates and napkins with every intention of our picnicking often and we have!  I keep them tucked inside this vintage picnic basket I found at an antique store, ready to go whenever we feel the urge to head out on an adventure and dine outdoors.  My little girl is now in the habit of grabbing the basket when we announce we’re on our way to have a picnic ~ it makes for a lovely memory for all of us and I plan to hand it down to her someday.

The Sonoma Plaza has grandfathered consumption laws, so it’s perfectly fine to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine under the trees as we did that evening.  Yet another reason why you need to visit Sonoma someday, if you haven’t already!

It was really enchanting, people all around stopped by to admire the table and inquire about the reason for the formal outdoor picnic.  Our reply was always “It’s our anniversary!” which was followed by smiles and congratulatory wishes.

I’m so happy to have finally had the chance to share this table with you!  Who needs a fancy restaurant when you can create a romantic table right at your local park?  I say just do it.

Create magic when the opportunity exists because life is too short not to. Be brave, take risks, carpe diem!  Seize the moment and then make it special for your loved ones.  Whether you choose to do it in a public plaza or your own backyard is up to you.

Do you have an inspiring picnic or BBQ idea you’d like to share?  Link up friends, I can’t wait to see it !

Here’s a glimpse through the lens of my recently discovered iPhone app called CameraBag.  I discovered it a few weeks ago and I’ve been having so much fun with it!  CameraBag gives you a variety of different filters, ranging from ‘Italiano’ to ‘Instant’ (like a Polaroid) to ‘1974’.   Here’s a look at our family friendly adventure through the lens of these CameraBag filters.

ColorCross filter

Walk the dock at Hagemann’s and you’re guaranteed a good time, simply bring or rent bait and poles.  This pond is filled with rainbow trout just waiting to be caught. 

Magazine filter

We equipped our kids with a proper pole for their first time fishing.

Italiano filter

A night crawler on a hook is all it takes to catch yourself a trout.

Plastic filter

I asked my boy how big of a fish he caught today.

Me:  “How big was the fish you caught Buddy?”

Boy:  “This big Mama!” 

Mono filter

Is it something about that Y chromosome that lends itself to exaggeration?  Me thinks it so.   My girl was excited she caught one, but a little too scared at first to handle it, even after it was cleaned. 

Helga filter

if you’re in the area, take note, Hagemann Ranch is also a great stop for kids to stretch their legs, since the entire lake is surrounded by rolling hills and a grove of eucalyptus trees swaying in the coastal breeze.  Bring a picnic or a BBQ if you’re inclined to stay a few hours, they have tables and grills! 

Cinema filter

We stopped in Valley Forge on our way home and snapped a quick pic.  I think this is my favorite filter: 1974, or it could be just the craziness of this moment. 

1974 filter

Once we got home, we put the fish on ice.  The munchkins were so proud of their catch, and thankfully they didn’t develop an attachment as kids often do!  How cool is the Polaroid style filter?

Instant filter

I coated the trout in bread crumbs and fresh sage, and fried it in a pan in olive oil and butter ~ what a delightful evening feast!

Lolo filter

CameraBag is a great photography app, and it gives you a combination of many nostalgic filters.  If you have kids and are touring the region, we recommend Hagemann Ranch for an afternoon of fun and good eating! 

Another round of BOTB coming up next, be sure to check back later this afternoon!

xoxo,

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Last week, I made a quick trip to my favorite source for wine barrels.  I had a few projects in mind, one coming up later this week!  A short time ago, they were only $10 bucks, but apparently they’re in high demand abroad hence the price increase.  But still, at $20 dollars for a half barrel, that’s a good price considering the amount of hours that go into the making of one single barrel (see below), and the many uses for the staves (the strips of wood bent to form a barrel).    

Rustic and reclaimed wood is all the rage in home décor.  We’ve seen tree stumps show up as endtables and pallets reinvented in all sorts of ways in interior design over the past few years.  Wine barrels are getting their fair share of reuse too. 

When used as just the right accent in unexpected ways, wine barrels are a fantastic source of reusing real French or American oak.  I love the pairing of natural wood tones with casual furnishings, they always work well together.  I also love seeing products made from reclaimed wood placed in formal settings or in contemporary spaces ~ they have a way of keeping the space from feeling too predictable.  When juxtaposed against anything modern and glossy, reclaimed wood can take center stage.

New wine barrels have a shelf life of 3 to 6 years for aging wine, depending on which vintner you ask.  Most become planters, yet others get turned into some amazing accessories.  I was excited to see so many creative uses for a used wine barrel when I went looking around the web. 

VivaTerra sells several products made out of barrels, like this beautiful stave bread bowl ($95)

and this Lazy Susan ($129)

and this basket ($98)

I love all of these versions of end tables made from wine barrels!

Wine Enthusiast End Table

Restoration Hardware Side Table 

Whit McLeod Side Table

Monique Shay Coffee Table

I die over this chandy! I think this drum shade use of staves is so cool. 

How beautiful is this Wine Barrel Chandelier?  It’s priced $1,195 yet despite the hefty price tag, I absolutely love the look of this statement piece.

Here it is taking center stage in a dining room.  Oh.Em.Gee.  Love.

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Then there is the Wine Barrel Planet Chandelier, at $1,969, it’s pricey, but just as stunning. 

At this point I’m thinking, does anyone know a welder?  This would certainly be an advanced DIY project to pull off a knock off, but it could be done with some advanced welding, parts from an old chandy and some wiring skills.  That’s me, thinking out loud!  

Or if you happen to have $2,595 plus tax just lying around, you could buy this version of a Wine Barrel 6 Arm Chandelier from Restoration Hardware. 

I have to admit, every time I browse my local RH, I’m like “Sheesh, that is one incredible light fixture, would love that in my house!”   Then reality sets in and I realize I have to both eat and pay my mortgage every month.

Here are two examples of the same wine barrel chandelier used in very elegant spaces:

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Of course, the barrel itself makes a perfectly natural end table outdoors.  I spied this one on last year’s visit to Arista Winery. 

The art of barrel making is called cooperage, and a professional earns the title of Cooper.  To give you an idea of the amount of man hours that go into the making of each individual barrel, take a look at this informative video from our friends in the UK.   

Incredible right?  What’s interesting is that each year a barrel is used to age wine, it gives that particular wine a different flavor profile as the wine penetrates the wood.  Eventually the flavors are exhausted, and the barrels are reused for other purposes.  Recycling at its best! 

While we’re on the topic of wine, is anyone interested in a monthly post recommending favorite wines for the season?  Not just wines from California, but from all regions?  Maybe some hints on food pairings too?  I know this is a DIY blog, so I’m testing the waters here, but the hub and I do a lot of tasting.  So tell me, who’s up for something like that?  Lemme know. 

Did you know there is at least one winery in all 50 States?  Do you have a great source for used wine barrels in your state?  If so, please share!  I have a link for a source online, and I will share it with you when I show you my latest DIY project.

You can only guess what I used to make it.

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It was one of those weekends where instead of driving, we all walk the mile and a half to our downtown shops, and I can’t help but appreciate along the way the charm of so many of our neighborhood’s homes.

It was the weekend of our city’s spring festival, where everyone in town traditionally gathers on the downtown streets to watch the annual parade.

It was one of those weekends where we travel with our guests to a nearby tourist stop {Point Reyes} to window shop and savor local specialties.

It was one of those weekends I look forward to every year, where I browse the annual Antique Fair, filled with vendors from all over the Bay Area selling their wares.

It was that weekend when one of my favorite perennials is finally blooming, and I can’t help but bring early clippings indoors to display in my new Antique Faire find, a trophy like silver vase that (despite a good polish) is still a bit tarnished, but aren’t we all?

It was one of those warm spring evenings where we dine alfresco for the first time all year on a simple menu of wild mushroom pizza, asparagus, and local chardonnay. 

Where we sit and enjoy the fact that the garden and grapevines are blooming again.  And somehow the long dreary winter is forgiven and forgotten.

It was one of those weekends that we all need to experience now and then, the ones spent ignoring the daily chores, and instead focused solely on relaxation.  The kind of weekend where it just doesn’t matter that there is laundry piling up because it’s much more important to step outside and appreciate the blossoms. 

Have you had one of those kinds of weekends lately?

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There are several things in life that go hand in hand.  Hot dogs and baseball.  Peas and carrots.  Bert and Ernie.  Bo and Luke.  Around these parts, the two delectables that go hand in hand are wine and cheese.  It’s just how I was raised. 

I showed up a few minutes late at this ‘advanced’ artisan cheese making class, and they were doing that ‘icebreaker’ thing where they ask everyone to introduce themselves.  Quickly, it became evident I was out of my league. 

To my left was a distinguished Frenchman who’d been making cheese for a decade.  To my right, a Dairy Queen who knew everything there was to know about butter, eggs, and dairy products.  Then it was my turn to talk.  I was the self proclaimed rookie in the room.  All I could muster after a long awkward pause was this:  “Well.  I’ve never met a piece of cheese I didn’t like!”  They laughed.  I don’t think it was at my joke.  It was at my ignorance. 

Anyhoo, the class began, and I was mesmerized.  All I ever knew about curds and whey was from the Little Miss Muffet nursery rhyme, but my suspicions were true.  Cheese making is all about Chemistry and Latin, two subjects I was never very good at.  But just because I’m no good at it doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the ‘How To’. 

I declare myself an incurable DIYer, and cheese making is one of those subjects on my life’s ‘Bucket List’.  As it turns out, cheese making is indeed a science, and a gastronomic creation anyone can tackle, if one follows the proper steps. 

First, there’s the heating of the milk.

Then there is the addition of a culture.  The culture, or a mix of milk and specified bacteria, creates an acidic environment.  The bacteria consumes the lactose, the milk sours, then the curds form. 

There is also the addition of a rennet.  Rennet?  I had to ask, what is a rennet?  As it turns out, a rennet is a coagulant that comes from the inner lining of the stomach of young mammals.  Hey moms, remember that spit up from your infants?  That be a form of rennet.  Animal rennet or vegetable rennet (not human, fear not) is available for purchase, but it is that coagulant that is necessary, and present, in most cheeses. 

*From a learned text, link below.

After coagulation comes the process of separating the curd from the whey to make the specific variety of cheese.

I learned that he amount of acidity affects the texture of the cheese.  The higher the acidity, the more moisture is retained by the curds, which results in a softer cheese.  In the class, we were making blue cheese, so we began by slowly separating the curds from the whey by draining the whey in cheesecloth and with a colander.   

Overnight, the curds are separated from the whey by a very scientific method only recently developed!   Actually, it’s been around forever.  You drain the whey by tying the curds up in cheesecloth.  Get it?  Cheesecloth.  Cloth made for cheese making.  Hence the term ‘cheesecloth’. 

Aren’t you glad I am here to tell you these things? 

Actually, the Cheese Professors told me. 

That’s what I want to be when I grow up.  A Cheese Professor.

You press the curds in the cheesecloth, then the next day, (they brought in these curds) you crumble them up and press them into sanitized cheese molds. 

And then there’s this very scientific process of pressing and flipping them every 20 minutes or so.  Then you store them in a ripening box and the magic of penicillium roqueforti  (the culture in blue cheese) begins to work.  You’re supposed to turn the cheeses a few times a day in the first few days.

Then you pierce the cheese with a knitting needle, keep it at a certain humidity (90%) at a specific temperature (55 degrees) and a few weeks later you get this heavenly delicacy.  Blue cheese. 

Ah, the miracle of cheese!

I walked out of the class, my head spinning, wanting to recreate so many varieties in my own kitchen.   For now, I’m devouring the recommended text which is extremely informative and guaranteed to make you crave all forms of yogurt, chèvre, cheddar, mozzarella, ricotta, and more. 

It’s Tim Smith’s Making Artisan Cheese: 50 Fine Cheeses That You Can Make in Your Own Kitchen.   I have yet to try any recipes, but it came highly recommended by the Cheese Professors.  It gives some history on cheese making.  It explains lactose intolerance.  It’s filled with pretty pictures of various cheeses and helpful illustrations.

And it gives (who would have thought?) 50 recipes for making cheeses at home.  I can’t wait to try some of them.  

Just because I love you, and blue cheese, in that order, here is one of my favorite hors d’œuvres to serve:

Endive, Blue Cheese & Cranberry Bites

2 heads of endive

6 oz. blue cheese

4-5 tbsp cream (or half & half)

2 oz diced dried cranberries

candied walnut halves

caramel sauce

Blend blue cheese with cream or half & half in mini processor until it makes a paste.  Spoon into rinsed endive, then layer with candied walnut halves.  Sprinkle with diced cranberries and drizzle with caramel sauce (Tip: heat 2-3 oz of caramel sauce in microwave, spoon into plastic bag with a *tiny* snip of the corner cut off for the best ‘drizzled’ presentation.)  Makes one dozen endive bites.  One is missing because I ate it.

These won’t last long, so it’s best to make several dozen. .

So tell me,

I need to know.

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