Wine & Cheese Please

There is a wine tasting room in downtown Murphys, CA called Lavender Ridge and they serve complimentary cheese with their wines. Like most tasting rooms in Murphys, there is a $5 tasting fee per person, but Lavender Ridge does not charge an additional fee for the cheese like some places do. Every time we visit Murphys we stop by this tasting room because it introduces us to different cheeses and they sell the cheese in the store! 

Pairing wine with cheese is always fun before or after dinner or for a party. Wine and cheese pairing parties are a fun way for people to try new combinations. Each person brings a bottle of wine and a cheese that they think would pair well with their wine. Sometimes we find that we favor certain cheeses over others due to which region and animal they come from. Artisanal is a website and lists different cheeses with the region and animal they come from. There are lots of resources out there on pairing wine and cheese and they often all say that it comes down to the acidity of the wine and the fat content of the cheese.

Sometimes it is a matter of finding a store that has these wines and cheeses available. If you can't find a certain cheese, ask the store's cheese monger or an employee in the wine section for alternatives. Here is a nice guide that the Wine Inquirer provides:

Appenzellar:	Gewurtztraminer, Riesling
Blue d’Auvergne:	Port
Triple Cream Brie:	full Chardonnay
Brillat-Savarin:	Sparkling wine
Camembert:	full Chardonnay
Chabichou du Poitou:	a Loire white, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pouilly-Fume
Cheddar(Farmhouse,aged):	Port, Beaujolais or Pinot Noir. A white or red where tannins and acidity are not too strong.
Compte:	Beaujolais or light Pinot Noir for reds
Double Gloucester:	Port
Dry Jack:	Cabernet
Epoisses:	White Burgundy (a rich Chardonnay is a good substitute and often less pricey)
Feta:	Greek white (Assyrtiko or Moschofilero)
Garrotxa:	Rueda white, Garnacha rose, light tempranillo
Gruyere:	Alsatian Riesling, Beaujolais
Le Chevrot:	Sauvignon Blanc
Livarot:	dry or off dry Riesling
Manchego:	Cabernet Sauvignon
Manchester:	Chinon blanc (from Savennieres)
Parmigiano-Reggiano:	Sparkling red before dinner, Port after
Aged Gouda:	Red Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon
Piave:	Fruity reds from the Veneto region such asa Valpolicella
Roquefort:	Sauternes; for reds try a Banyuls or Madera
Shropshire Blue:	Port or Sauternes
Stilton:	Port or Sauternes
Valencay:	Sauvignon blanc or naked (unoaked) Chardonnay

Here is a great chart that indicates certain wines and their level of sweetness (click on image to enlarge):

These Italian pairings listed below we tried and were really great. However, this was in 2011, so you may have to look for more a recent vintage. In bold is the region or varietal of wine:

• Bortolotti Prosecco NV (sparkling wine/dry - Veneto):
  Paired with Robiola Bosina (soft - Piemonte) 
• Luisi Moscato d'Asti 2010 (sparkling wine/sweet - Piemonte):
  Paired with Gorgonzola (blue cheese - Lombardia)
  
• Gini Soave Classico 2010 (white wine - Veneto):
  Paired with Pecorino Toscano Fresco (semi-soft - Tuscany)
  
• Ruffino Orvieto 2010 (white wine - Umbria):
  Paired with Piave Vecchio (hard - Veneto)
  
• Cavallotto Dolcetto d'Alba 2009 (red wine - Piemonte):
  Paired with Provolone (semi-soft - Lombardia)
  
• Castello d'Albola Chianti Classico 2008 (red wine - Tuscany):
  Paired with Taleggio (soft - Lombardia)

If you are looking for party cheese recipes, here are some ideas that combine cheeses and the fun part is trying different wines with these combinations. This is nice for a larger group and is more unstructured that just pairing one wine with one cheese.  
Party Cheese Balls

If you want to make the cheese balls the day before a party, roll the cheese into balls and refrigerate them (only up to 24 hours or they start to become less fresh). Coat them right before guests arrive, no more than 1 hour before the party.

Cream cheese and cheddar cheese ball
- 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
- whip cream cheese until fluffy
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (add more if needed)

Shape into 1 large ball or several mini sized balls. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.

Salmon cream cheese ball
- 1 (8oz) pckg cream cheese

- 2 Tbsp Sour Cream

- 1 Tbsp. lime juice

- 1 green onion, chopped

- 4oz of Smoked Salmon, chopped

- 1 tsp dill, optional
- Combine ingredients in a food processor bowl and process for 30 seconds to 1 minute until a chunky texture. Season the cheese mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for two hours.
- Shape the mixture into a ball and press down gently to form a larger cheese ball. Place the cheese ball on the center of a plate or platter and surround with crisp veggie slices.

Coating ideas
- finely chopped nuts
- dried cranberries
- chives
- bacon pieces
- herbs
- spices (such as paprika, ground white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)
- I find that spicy things (cayenne, hot pepper flakes, hot sauce, etc.) don't pair as well with wines high in alcohol or acidity

Dipping ideas
- bagel chips
- veggie sticks
- sturdy chips (kettle chips)
- crackers


Leaning Tower of Cheese
This is a great recipe! It makes enough for a group up to 10 people. You may need to double it for larger groups. This pairs well with Rieslings, Chardonnay, or Barbera.

- 1.5 oz. sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 5 slices provolone cheese
- 4 oz. pesto

Bring a small pan of hot water to boil. Turn off heat. Put the sun-dried tomatoes in water, cover, and sit for 5 minutes. Drain and finely chop.

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and garlic together. Line a medium bowl or loaf pan with a large piece of dampened cheese cloth. Layer with 1/3 of the provolone cheese. Spread with 1/2 the pesto. Pour in 1/2 the cream cheese and garlic mixture. Layer with 1/2 the sun-dried tomatoes. Layer with 1/3 provolone, remaining pesto, remaining cream cheese and garlic mixture and remaining sun-dried tomatoes. Top with remaining provolone cheese. Pull cheese cloth around the layered mixture and gently press into a bowl to mold and remove excess oil. Chill in the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours. Remove cheese cloth and turn upside down onto a large dish to serve.


Blue Cheese and Celery
Kalaf family recipe. This pairs well with Sauvignon Blanc or a Viognier.

- Blue Cheese (Stilton, Danish, etc)
- cream cheese
- splash of white wine
- celery
- paprika (or chopped pecans)

In a bowl, crumble the blue cheese into fine pieces with a fork. Add small amounts of cream cheese and taste as you go along. It is roughly 3 parts blue cheese to 1 part cream cheese, depending on how strong of a flavor you like the blue cheese. Add a splash of white wine to make it creamy. Cut celery into bite size pieces. Find a nice plate to put the celery filled cheese on. Put cheese filling in each piece, a plastic knife works best because it is flexible. When finished, sprinkle paprika lightly over the top (or chopped pecans).

How to Raise an Alligator Pear

An alligator pear is actually an avocado and is given this alternative name for its alligator-like skin. Avocados provides more protein than any other fruit and contains more potassium than bananas.

You can grow your own avocado tree at home from using the pit! They are great low-maintenance indoor trees, but usually do not bear fruit due to genetic alteration (you would have to graft the seedling with a fruit producing seedling).

Here are simple directions on how to grow your very own avocado tree. Keep in mind that it will be at least 2-3 months in water before it will be ready for planting.

1. Peel and eat avocado, taking great care not to cut the pit. Rinse any leftover fruit off the pit. Don't remove the brown seed cover.

2. Stick 2-4 toothpicks about 5mm into the pit, narrow side pointed up. The toothpicks will rest on the edge of a container (jam jar, small bowl, glass).

3. Fill container up with water so the bottom half of the pit is submerged and top half is not. Keep the narrow end up.
















4. Keep container near a window or well-lit area. Change the water every 2 days to avoid mold and bacteria growth.

5. The avocado takes several weeks to begin to root. Over the next 2-3 weeks, the avocado's brown outer layer will begin to dry out and wrinkle, eventually peeling off. Soon after, the pit should begin to split open at the top and bottom. After 3-4 weeks, a snake-like tap root (mine had two) should begin to emerge at the base of the pit.

6. When the stem is six to seven inches long, cut it back to about three inches. When the roots are thick and the stem has had a chance to re-grow leaves (after at least one pruning), your baby avocado tree is ready to be planted in soil. Remove the sprouted pit from the water container, and gently remove each of the toothpicks. Fill a pot with potting soil to 2 cm below the top. Smooth and slightly pack the soil, adding more soil as needed. Once the soil is prepared, dig a narrow hole deep enough to accommodate your avocado's roots and pit. Carefully put the avocado pit in the soil, keeping the top-half of the pit above the surface of the soil. This ensures that the base of the seedling trunk doesn't rot under the soil. Pack the soil lightly around the pit.

Water plant daily, or enough to keep soil moist (not muddy). If the leaves turn brown at the tips, the tree needs more water. If the leaves turn yellow, the tree is getting too much water and needs to be permitted to dry out for a day or two. Low lighting and/or improper watering can create weak stems and branches, which could cause the plant to collapse under its own weight. You may need to transfer tree to a new pot in a year or two. (Instructions for growing in a garden)


There are some great salads out there that contain avocados. Here is one of my favorites. It is very easy and light. It is excellent as a side dish to something heavy, such as pasta. Make this salad at the last minute, or cut up and add the avocado to the salad right before serving. When the avocado's skin is removed, the air causes it to turn brown. So serve immediately, for the sake of presentation.

Avocado & Tomato Salad
(serve immediately)
4 large tomatoes, diced
4 avocados, diced
chopped fresh basil
roasted corn (optional)

Corn
Drain a can of whole kernal corn (or cut cooked corn off the cob) and spread onto baking sheet. Mix with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Roast at 450°F, stirring often until golden.

Salad Dressing
You can use olive oil with some white wine, salt, and pepper.
Or use this vinaigrette recipe below:

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil (according to taste)


Here is a creamier version of the avocado and tomato salad.

2 cups sweet corn kernels
1 avocado (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup tomatoes (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup black beans
2 green onions (sliced)
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
4 slices bacon (chopped and cooked)
creamy salsa verde dressing (see below)

Mix all together with dressing. Make sure you serve this immediately due to browning of avocado.

Creamy Salsa Verde Dressing
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
1 lime (juice)
1/4 cup cilantro

Puree everything in a blender or food processor.

BASIL (Ocimum basilicum)

There are many varieties of basil. Sweet basil is the one I use the most for red sauce, pesto, caprese salad, etc.

When I buy fresh at the market I put it in a tall glass or vase on the counter in the corner of the kitchen. First I rinse the basil, snip the ends of the stems at an angle, and pull any dead looking leaves off. Placing into something tall and narrow helps support the stems. I have a Pom glass that works great (which they no longer make!). Having a green plant in the kitchen looks great and basil has a nice fresh aroma. Don't put vase of basil in the sun, they will wilt immediately. After a week or so basil begins to get wilty and droopy looking. Keep an eye on it if you haven't used it up yet. When some of the leaves start looking black, they are on their way out and and need to be dried. Snip off and lay the leaves on a paper towel to dry out.

I like using small fresh leaves for dishes that are not cooked, like salads. Whole leaves offer better presentation. However, for things like red sauce I break the leaves up into pieces the size of my thumb nail. Big enough so you taste them but so big so that they overpower a spoonful/bite.

Dried basil purchased at the store is fine. However, I have discovered that if you are going to use dried basil, basil tastes best when you buy it fresh and dry it out yourself. I just bought a bunch to dry out and help last through the winter. You will never get full flavor when using dried basil, so keep this in mind when substituting dried for fresh. If you find yourself in dire need and without fresh basil, use 1/3 the amount of dried basil substituted for fresh. One tablespoon of fresh chopped basil equals 1 teaspoon dried.

If you have a pot of basil growing, pluck only the big leaves. When the flowers start to bud, nip it away quickly. Once the flowers start to grow and bloom, the leaves will lose their flavor. You must bring the pot indoors in winter and keep it near the window and warm.

There are many varieties of basil. The most common is sweet basil, which is what I have. Other types often used are cinnamon basil (used in some teas), lemon basil (used with fish) and anise basil (used in Thai curries, also called Thai basil). The leaves of sweet basil curve when they are ripe, while the other types are somewhat flat and differ in length, but maintain a similar shape. You might also have seen purple basil in more “exotic” dishes. The leaves look like the sweet basil’s but are dark purple in color.


One great side dish that uses fresh basil are stuffed tomatoes with ricotta cheese.

Stuffed Roma Tomatoes

8 Roma (plum) tomatoes, cut in half
1.5 cups (approx) of ricotta cheese
handful of fresh chopped basil
handful of fresh chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
breadcrumbs
kosher salt
olive oil

Cut your tomatoes in half, length wise, and scoop out the pulp and seeds with a melon baller or anything else that you can use to get the insides out. Turn the tomato halves upside down on paper towels to drain out the moisture. In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese with the garlic & herbs. You could add Parmesan or other herbs if you like. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the tomato halves and place the tomatoes onto an oiled baking sheet. Top with dried seasoned bread crumbs, or Ritz cracker crumbs (Panko crumbs work too). Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt and bake in a 400F degree oven for 20-30 minutes. Let it rest a few minutes before serving.


There is a great recipe that involves cooking Roma tomatoes in olive oil and herbs all day. I found this idea on one of my favorite blogs (Orangette) that Sarah suggested to me. The finished product compliments many delicious repast. You can use any herb you like, but I think basil is great for this. Depending on what I am craving or the meals I plan on making, I will switch around the herbs (e.g. ground coriander, basil, oregano, dill, Italian seasoning, fresh ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, etc).

Pomodori al Forno
Ripe tomatoes, preferably Roma
Olive oil
Sea salt
Herbs

Wash the tomatoes, cut off the stem end, and halve them lengthwise. There are two ways these can be cooked.

1) Baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Pour a bit of olive oil into a small bowl, dip a pastry brush into it, and brush the tomato halves lightly with oil. Place them, skin side down, on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle them with sea salt and ground coriander (or another herb you would like)—about a pinch of each for every four to six tomato halves.

Bake the tomatoes until they shrink to about 1/3 of their original size but are still soft and juicy, 4 to 6 hours. [I usually let mine go for the maximum time.] Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature. Place them in an airtight container, and store them in the refrigerator.

2) Baking Dish: Preheat oven to 250°F. Pour 1/2 cup oil into 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange tomatoes in dish, cut side up. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup oil. Sprinkle with oregano (or a different herb you like, garlic cloves are nice submerged in the oil too), sugar, and salt. Bake 1 hour. Using tongs, turn tomatoes over. Bake 1 hour longer. Turn tomatoes over again. Bake until deep red and very tender, transferring tomatoes to plate when soft (time will vary, depending on ripeness of tomatoes), about 15 to 45 minutes longer.

I usually pour everything into a mason jar and refrigerate until I want to use it. It is good up to about 2 weeks. You can use it for a variety of things:

- use the tomatoes in a salad (e.g. caprese)
- use the oil for salad dressing or on top of a pasta dish
- drizzle oil and put tomatoes on top of steak with onions
- use the tomatoes on top of homemade pizza



Pesto is another great way to use basil. My mother taught me a great trick for storing pesto in the freezer. Spoon about 1/8 cup (or whatever would be the portion you need for a meal) onto a sheet of Press-n-Seal by spacing out the globs. Cover it with another layer of Press-n-Seal, making sure the edges are sealed to prevent freezer burn. Store in the freezer and you can cut away the portions with scissors whenever you want to use the pesto.

Pesto

3 cups fresh basil leaves
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper

Put basil leaves, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor. While processing, add olive oil slowly. Use the pulse when adding the cheese, salt, and pepper.

To help preserve the bright green color of fresh basil, chill the olive oil before adding it to the food processor (the cold mitigates some of the heat generated in the food processor). Some people add vitamin C to preserve color.

You can use pesto in a variety of meals:
- sandwiches: use peso in place of mayonnaise or mix it in with mayonnaise
- Make a pesto sauce for a pasta dinner

The attack of the Blight

For all of you gardeners back home in NY, my condolences. Your tomatoes' lives have been cut short. Late Blight, a highly contagious fungus, has become widespread in the Northeast.

If you have an abundance of green tomatoes, there are several yummy ways you can cook them. Fried Green Tomatoes is a popular side dish.

The NY Times has a decent recipe, and one of my favorite cooking blogs has one as well. However, I like my breading on the green tomatoes more crispy and similar to tempura. This can be achieved with a few simply ingredients.

Fried Green Tomatoes
(as Tempura)

Slice the green tomatoes very thin (1/4" or less). Cut up any other ingredients you desire as well. You could use zucchini, yellow squash, green peppers, sweet potatoes, broccoli, shrimp, chicken, etc. Remember, whatever pieces of food you use, the oil level in the pan needs to be high enough to cover at least 3/4 of the piece so when you flip it, it cooks on all sides. Also, the pieces are only cooking for about 3-5 minutes. Slice them thin enough so they won't be soggy and uncooked inside the crisp layer.

Tempura Batter
1 egg beaten
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup cold water (40°F)
2 Tbsp dry white wine (optional)
1 cup flour, sifted

Mix flour and baking powder together in a small bowl. Mix the egg, water, and wine together in a large bowl. Make sure to use ice cold water to prevent sticky batter. Sticky batter makes the food oily. Dump flour and baking powder into a sifter. Whisk quickly the sifted flour/baking powder into the liquid. Do not over mix the batter. The batter should be on the thicker side; when you take a spoonful and hold it up high, it should drip thickly down into bowl. You can add spices here if you'd like (pepper, salt, garlic salt or garlic powder, lemon pepper, etc). Chill this batter for 15-20 minutes.

Canola oil works best when frying food. It has a neutral flavor. Using cast irons pans or woks work well for this. Make a layer of oil in pan at least 3/4 the height of your food you wish to fry. Heat to 375°F or put the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and if the oil bubbles up around it, the oil is ready. Fry 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with tongs. Drain on paper towels or paper bags. I keep the oven on 220°F or so with a cookie sheet. After I cook a batch, I put them on paper towels for a bit and then transfer to the oven to stay warm until served. Do not cover to keep warm or the condensation will make them soggy.


Traditional salsa verde calls for tomatillos, which can be hard to find unless you have a good farmer's market nearby. You can substitute tomatillos with green tomatoes and lemon juice.

Salsa Verde

3 medium green tomatoes, diced
1/2 of a lemon, squeezed
2 jalapeno peppers
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 of a lime (juice and zest)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Place everything in a food processor and blend. Taste, add more lemon or lime juice if necessary.

Another simple way to use green tomatoes is for pasta sauce. Marlena De Blasi mentions in her book that crushed green tomatoes over pici is most delicious. Pici, thick hand-rolled ropes of pasta, is great when made at home, but any pasta can be used with this sauce. This sauce can be served Cold or Warm.

Crushed Green Tomato Sauce

Cold Version
Crush the raw green tomatoes in a bowl with a potato masher or other kitchen tool. Add minced garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. Serve over room temperature pasta.

Warm Version
Cut the green tomatoes into quarters. In a medium sauce pan, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil on medium. Add the green tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Crush tomatoes in pan with a potato masher or other kitchen tool. Add more olive oil, minced garlic, and fresh basil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over warm pasta.



Here is another great recipe using green tomatoes and zucchini. It calls for breadcrumbs and I found that the homemade bread crumbs taste the best. Here is a quick way to make homemade bread crumbs.

Homemade Breadcrumbs
Take any 4 slices of bread that you'd like (stale bread works best, but not necessary). Tear into quarters and put into a food processor (do this in phases if food processor is small). Pulse for 15 intervals until the bread has an even, course mixture.

This Greek side dish has a hint of a lemon that will be great to soak up with a crusty bread. It would be a great side for a chicken dish, kibbe, or burgers.














Green Tomatoes & Zucchini
(Serves 4-5)

olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved & sliced into 1/4"
1/2 tsp salt, sea salt is best if you have it
1/2 tsp pepper, freshly ground is best
1 tsp sugar
4 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp oregano, fresh & chopped is best
1 tsp lemon juice
3 medium green tomatoes, cored and cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
3-4 medium zucchini, cut diagonally into 1/4" slices
1 cup feta cheese, however much you desire
2 cups bread crumbs, homemade is best
Pine nuts (optional)

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray the sides and bottom of a 1 1/2-quart gratin pan or an 8-by-10-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, salt and sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown and caramelize, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Add 3 teaspoons minced garlic to the onions and cook for about 1 minute, watch closely to not burn the garlic. Add the white wine. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of oregano, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Add the sliced tomatoes, zucchini and salt and black pepper and toss to coat.

In the gratin or baking dish, arrange the first row of zucchini, by standing them up and then tipping them at a 45-degree angle against the side of the pan, slightly overlapping the edges. Next, arrange a single layer of tomatoes next to the zucchini in a shingle pattern. Repeat, alternating rows of vegetables until all are used. Then evenly distribute the onion mixture over the vegetables. Bake until tender about 40 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, if you like pine nuts, you can toast them in a skillet and add them after the tomatoes have been cooking for 20 minutes. There has been some suggestion as to the quality of the pine nuts that should be used.

Remove the gratin from the oven. Raise the oven temperature to 450°F. Evenly sprinkle the feta cheese over the gratin. Mix the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and spread in an even layer over the top. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon chopped oregano. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.