Swiss chard & cheese party

Cheese tasting in Paris you will find often artisanal butters in the midst of the spread because the creaminess of the plush or sharpness of certain cheeses can amplify butter. The same is true with wines such as Chardonnay, whose aromas and flavors of only rich allusions to cream and butter, almost dripping with it. If you choose an Unoaked, moderately oaked or full on Oak chard, there is a wine style for any style of cheese. Photo courtesy of Sonoma Cutrer

If attention awhile to Chardonnay you didn't because it "to suave" are happy to learn that the producers have you heard and now many Mangold create contact, or none, with terms such as "Unoaked" or "Virgin" on the label with only minimal oak (barrel). Chablis, in the French region of Burgundy, is the standard-bearer of the Unoaked chard. Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River ranches Chardonnay is an example of restrained oak, assertive acidity to offset by minimal creaminess. Best cheeses, pair with these fruity, crisp, mineral Mangold tend to be young, semifirm cheese such as Asiago, fontina, Gouda, Jack and why not, Ossau-Iraty (a nutty goat cheese from Spain).

Moderately oaked Mangold dance the tightrope walk between elegance and wealth; Their creamy roundness is balanced with bright, mouthwatering acidity and highlighted with aromas and flavors of Apple, pear and lemon zest. Sonoma-Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a good example of this style, fusion of flavours to golden delicious Apple, Bosc pear and white peach with toasted nuts, Oak spice and a touch of butter. A cheese pairing strategy with this medium-bodied wine is as decadent, creamy triple creams, such as Camembert, Brie and Explorateur. A touch of sharpness is an attractive shade to pair with the wines.

When it comes to offer Chardonnays, which are aged and fermented in oak barrels, the balance and elegance, you get what you pay for. While each one daily $10-loves chard, can not reach a great Grand Cru White Burgundy or a Burgundian style Chardonnay from the new world. Les Pierres Chardonnay Sonoma-Cutrer has the best of both worlds with classic stony minerality, caramelized oak and toasted spice aromas and flavors to integrate beautifully with refreshing, citrus flavors. Cheese, powerful, elegant wines pair well with this in the rule are pungent cheese the most powerful, especially the "Blues" such as Roquefort, Stilton, gorgonzola and whose deep creaminess, Diablo and clear, distinct flavors pay the perfect complement to this Swiss chard.

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Engineering the Future of Artisanal Vegan Cheese

Today's most forward-thinking chefs are investigating new frontiers of flavor in their very own labs. Here, in part one of a two-part series, is a look at the science and craft behind chef Tal Ronnen's Kite Hill and its shockingly good vegan cheeses. To make artisanal vegan cheese, Kite Hill uses pure nut milks and a secret vegetable enzyme.

Tal Ronnen, the goateed chef behind Kite Hill, quivers with humiliation as he recalls the beginning of his three-year quest to create the world's best vegan cheese.

"Steve Wynn had just gone vegan," Ronnen says, referring to the Las Vegas casino magnate. "In 2009, he hired me to develop vegan menus for 12 of his restaurants." Ronnen was well known for having designed Oprah Winfrey's 21-day vegan cleanse. Nevertheless, he felt intimidated by the task of creating vegan menus for a half-dozen cuisines at once. So he was already nervous when he brought Wynn's chefs together for a tasting of vegan alternatives to staples like eggs, butter and milk.

"I brought in a vegan cheese that I thought was a decent product, and one of Wynn's chefs spit it out in front of everybody," Ronnen says, still palpably mortified. "It was so embarrassing."

The story of what happened next— Ronnen's journey through old-world cheesemaking, 21st-century biotech and Silicon Valley venture capital—perfectly expresses the newest wave in culinary entrepreneurialism: an exquisitely Californian combination of environmentalist and vegan ethics, earnest commitment to flavor and pleasure and confidence that money and technology can make the world a better place.

Even more intriguing, Ronnen also represents a trend of curious chefs opening their own research-and-development studios to chase their most out-there inspirations. In Copenhagen, chef René Redzepi's Nordic Food Lab recently received a six-figure grant from a Danish nonprofit to fund experiments in "insect gastronomy" as part of a United Nations push to get humans eating a more environmentally sustainable diet. And Momofuku chef David Chang's New York City lab is a hive of microbial projects, as his R&D team creates umami-rich, miso-style pastes out of pistachios, sweet potatoes and chickpeas. For some chefs, these labs are mostly about inventing new dishes for their own kitchens, but for others, like Chang and Ronnen, they hold the promise of reaching a far bigger audience.

Ronnen, who didn't have a lab of his own, started by touring the cheese-making rooms at Le Cordon Bleu Boston, where he met veteran instructor Monte Casino. He explained his mission: to make vegan cheeses worthy of a great chef. "I had no clue how we were going to do it," says Casino, a small and wiry former chef with big, intense eyes, "but I started messing around in my lab after hours."

Cheesemaking, at its most elemental, involves acidifying milk—souring it, really—and then adding the enzyme rennet to thicken the proteins and fat. Casino wasn't the first to realize that nut milk has the same four basic components as dairy milk—sugar, protein, fat and water—and should, hypothetically, thicken in the same way.

A friend of Ronnen's, Stanford University biochemist Dr. Patrick Brown, already had a private side project developing ultra-pure nut milks for vegan cheesemaking. Casino began tinkering with samples of Brown's almond- and macadamia-nut milks. Casino put the nut milk into a double-boiler with a PolyScience immersion circulator, a device embraced by chefs for sous vide cooking to control the temperature of a water bath. Then he added a bacterial starter culture, the industry standard in dairy cheesemaking, with a vegetable rennet to thicken it. "Absolutely nothing happened," Casino says.

Brown thought that the rennet might be the problem—so he shipped Casino a sample of a new enzyme he'd discovered, one that occurs naturally in plants and microbes, to help thicken the cheese. The morning after adding the enzyme (Kite Hill won't release its exact name for proprietary reasons) to a batch of nut milk, Casino arrived at the lab and put his spatula into the milk. It emerged with "curds all over it." Since the curds slipped through a traditional perforated cheese mold, Casino went out and bought some panty hose. "We washed them real good, lined the interior of the perforated mold, and it was brilliant!"

Days later, Ronnen was in Boston promising to put his life savings into the project. He and Brown convinced Casino to move to California and lined up investment from Khosla Ventures, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm specializing in green technology. Jean Prevot, director of operations for Laura Chenel's Chèvre, also joined Kite Hill to help them design and build a production facility in Hayward, California, just a few hundred yards from the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay.

Pushing open the front door at Kite Hill headquarters on a recent Monday morning, I entered a large office space indistinguishable from countless Bay Area startups, with too much room for too few employees. Then I donned a white lab coat, sterile shoe covers and a hair cover and followed Prevot and Casino through a double set of doors into a pressurized room. Stainless steel vats and metal tubing coursed across ceilings in a high-tech facility converting Californian almonds and Hawaiian macadamia nuts into nut milk. (It took a team of researchers to find the best variety of almond to use—they tested 27 different samples, creating one-kilogram test cheeses from each one.)

Casino disappeared briefly behind the unmarked door blocking entry to the top-secret Kite Hill R&D lab, a sterile, pressurized room cluttered with cheese-aging chambers, temperature control boxes and a pasteurizer for ongoing experiments with both a Roquefort-style blue and—Casino's current dream project—a sunflower-based Parmesan.

Back in the office space, I sat at a conference table to try the four Kite Hill cheeses already in full production. The Cassucio (falling into the same "soft fresh" category as ricotta and most chèvre) is tangy and light, with a mild, delicate flavor that would make it ideal for a tomato-cucumber salad. (It also comes in a truffle, dill and chive flavor.) The White Alder, a so-called "soft-ripened" cheese in the same category as Brie and Camembert, has enough complexity to pair with a good white wine. Costanoa is a semisoft cheese similar to Havarti and comes dusted with paprika and fennel pollen.

Cathy Strange, the global cheese buyer for Whole Foods Market, tasted the Kite Hill lineup earlier this year. "I loved it instantly," she says. "I could taste the culture, the rind. I've never, ever seen this kind of texture in an alternative milk product." As a result of that tasting, Kite Hill reached a deal to retail exclusively through Whole Foods. Kite Hill has also begun making a nut-based ricotta for the Whole Foods prepared-food counters that genuinely knocked me out, especially when I used it one night in a zucchini-corn succotash.

Ronnen himself now uses all of the Kite Hill cheeses at his vegan Mediterranean restaurant, Crossroads, in Los Angeles. Best of all, in a recent tasting of Kite Hill cheeses back at the Wynn, he says, "That same chef, the one who spit out the cheese three years ago, loved mine so much, he asked if he could take some home to his wife."

Daniel Duane wrote about the late-night menu at Chez Panisse in F&W's October 2013 issue.

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Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club

Gourmet cheese of the month clubs are one of the dozens of "of the Month" club memberships that are available. What better way could there be to discover delicious gourmet artisan cheeses from around the world. If you love cheese but aren't sure what makes a cheese "gourmet" or "artisan", a club membership is a perfect way to find out.

If you already belong to a club and have been appreciating handcrafted aged cheeses, you can share your love with friends and family by giving a gourmet cheese of the month club membership as a gift.

What is Gourmet?

Some cheese of the month clubs call themselves just that, a "cheese of the month club". Others have the name "gourmet cheese of the month club". In many cases the name doesn't mean anything, but just in case, you might want to become educated in exactly what a gourmet or "artisan" is to make sure you are getting what you want. Some of the differences between an artisan cheese and the typical cheeses purchased in the supermarket are:

1. Artisan cheeses are manufactured by hand using old and traditional techniques.

2. An important part of artisan cheese making is the aging and ripening. This is how the flavors develop as well as the texture and firmness that are associated with each cheese.

3. Mass-produced cheeses that are manufactured in big operations are packaged, shipped and sold almost immediately after production is completed.

4. These mass-produced cheeses have very mild flavors because they are not aged or ripened.

What Type of Cheeses Can You Experience?

Some of the gourmet clubs have gained a lot of experience at pairing cheeses with wine, food, and even the different sexes. Many of these clubs have experts choosing their cheese based on what they see at wine and cheese exhibits in which they participate. By observing who tastes what as visitors stop by their exhibit, some experts have observed that men seemed to enjoy cheese like the bold cheddars and Gouda, while women prefer the more delicately flavored cheeses.

With each month's shipment, some gourmet cheese clubs send out an assortment based on the type of wine they pair with or what kind of tastes they appeal to. Here are some examples.

· Cheese for Women - This group of cheese may include things like white Stilton flavored with different tastes like ginger or mango. Another might be a particularly creamy blue cheese or one of the varieties of "drunken" goat cheeses made in Spain that bathed in wine.

· Cheese for Merlots - California and the Bordeaux region of France grow most of the merlot grapes used in winemaking. Merlots are smooth and soft with a plummy taste. If a monthly shipment for your cheese of the month club contains cheeses best served with merlots, it may include:

o An aged Gouda. The aging develops the body of the cheese and gives it an intense flavor.

o Manchego - This is the most famous cheese that Spain makes and is made from sheep's milk. Its zesty taste comes from the variety of herbs added to the cheese.

· Cheese for Cabernet Sauvignon - These are some of the best wines in the world. Flavors associated with a Cabernet are deep cherry, currant, mint, and tobacco. Cheeses that pair well with Cabernets are:

o Smokey Blue Cheeses - This is similar to Roquefort and is smoked for 16 hours. The flavors of a cabernet are perfect with a smoked blue cheese.

o Aged Mimolette - This cheese is traditionally made in the Italian Alps. It has a fruitiness to it that comes from the milk of Alpine cows that feed on wild grasses.

These are just examples of the type of cheese you can get with your gourmet cheese of the month club membership.

What Do you Get with a Membership?

Most clubs have different levels of membership and let you choose different lengths of time that your membership lasts, normally 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. You will probably receive about ½-pound of three different cheeses each month.

A membership to a good club will often include a monthly newsletter with plenty of helpful information. It should explain the monthly selections you received, the origins of each cheese and how the diet of the animal and when the animal is milked can have an effect on the final product. The newsletter may also have tips on ways to cook with or serve each cheese and may even include recipes.

I write because I love to help people.

There is a Cheese of the Month Club waiting for you.

Gourmet Cheese Gifts

Before choosing a gourmet cheese gift for friends, family, employees, or even for your boss, you need to be sure that whoever you are planning to give this great gift to would truly appreciate genuine artisan cheeses. Gourmet cheeses can be expensive and you don't want something this good to go to waste.

How to Be Sure You Are Getting Genuine Artisan Gourmet Cheeses

Once you've decided to give a gift of gourmet cheese, be sure you do it right. The word "artisan" is used pretty freely these days to fool the public into thinking an ordinary product is something that it is not. A great example of this applied to cheese is the fact that Sargento is selling a line of cheese they refer to as their "artisan cheese blends". Mass produced cheeses like this are not artisan.

A true gourmet artisan cheese is made by hand by skilled cheesemakers known as cheesemongers using centuries old craftsmanship handed down over the years. These cheeses are generally much more complex and aged much longer than mass produced cheeses.

Frequently, the country or region of origin plays a big part in whether or not a cheese is labeled as "artisan". This is especially so in Europe where the quality of foods such as cheese is based on pride and years of tradition that make the cheesemaking techniques worthy of preserving and passing on through the years.

In America, when a cheese is labeled artisan or gourmet, that title is based on the process by which the cheese is made. American gourmet cheeses are normally made by hand and in small batches. It is easier to control the quality of a cheese that is made like this.

A great way to get more acquainted with gourmet cheeses is to have on hand a good book that can teach you the basics. A couple of suggestions are:

· The Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins

· The Cheese Plate by Max McCalman

In fact, including a book like this with your gift of gourmet cheese would make the gift even more special

Suggestions for Your Gourmet Cheese Gift

Now that you know what you are looking for in a genuine gourmet cheese you can have some fun in designing the perfect gift. Employing some sort of theme like cheeses from particular countries or regions allows you to add some variety, while having everything in your gift being tied to one particular idea. One fun direction to go with your gourmet cheese gift is with cheeses of the Mediterranean.

This is a great theme to choose because you can include cheeses from at least four different countries, which means four very different types of cheeses.

· Spain produces some very good gourmet goat cheeses. One interesting label from Spain is the Tipsy Goat. It gets this name because the rind is washed in red wine made in the area.

· Feta is probably Greece's most famous cheese. Feta is very versatile cheese because it comes in so many different variations. It can be semi-soft to semi-hard and mild to sharp. It can be used in so many different ways, too, such as in baked goods or in casseroles, as an appetizer, served with fruit, and as a table cheese.

· Italy offers any number of great choices to include in your gift: mozzarella, provolone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Asiago to name only a few.

· Don't forget France. They are most famous for their soft cheese like Brie, Boursin, and Camembert.

There are some great non-cheese items you can include with a gift to give some flair and continue the Mediterranean twist.

· Olives from Greece

· Bread sticks

· A crust French baguette

· Dried fruit like cranberries

· A jar of roasted almonds

· A small cheese board and knife

· Paper plates and napkins with a cheese-related theme

I write because I love to help people.

Check this link to Wine and Cheese Gifts for more great information.

Gourmet Cheese Gift Baskets Make the Perfect Present For Anyone Anywhere

Stop the presses and listen up! The perfect gift for just about anyone has been found. By sending a gourmet cheese gift basket for almost any occasion, you'll be sending something that the recipient can really appreciate. Cheese is such a versatile food that it can be enjoyed equally for a birthday in the middle of summer or a Christmas present while the snow flies. Pair it with some tasty meat selections, crackers, and other items, and you've got a gift that will make you a hit with anyone. It's a gift that's equally appropriate for a co-worker, a relative, or a friend and will be welcomed any time, anywhere.

The sure thing about cheese is that it always tastes good, and when you send a gourmet basket of cheeses, you can rest assured that it will include only the best. Many baskets feature cheese from Wisconsin, America's dairyland. You just can't get much better than that. That is unless you add some great summer sausages to the mix providing the person you send it to with a picnic in a basket. As you well know, everyone has an urge to snack sometimes, and what could be nicer than having such a super snack available for just these times?

Do you know anyone that would fail to appreciate a basket of gourmet cheese? It's one of those universal foods that everyone seems to love. Use a cheese basket as a corporate gift from your company to a client to show them how much you appreciate their business. Maybe you could send one to your child's teacher to thank them for a great year at school. Or what about your great aunt out in Utah? She's sure to enjoy receiving such a package of delightfully-wrapped meat and cheese. It doesn't take much of an imagination to think of someone who would like to receive a gift like this from you.

You'll never be stumped for what to buy again now that you know about gourmet cheese gift baskets. And by the way, they're convenient to send, too. You can order from your computer and have them delivered directly to anyone's door.

You're looking for a unique gift idea. Visit DanicasGiftBaskets.com for more themed gift baskets including care packages for soldiers and gourmet chocolate baskets - you'll be sure to come up with several gift ideas.

TMI: what makes Gourmet cheese vegetarian?

We all know that the cheese is made from milk, but what does it mean when a cheese is labeled vegetarian? Gird your gourmet cheese lovers lombi, this article could qualify as TMI (too much information). To explain the meaning of vegetarian rennet cheese means explaining what it is and how it is used in the cheese making process.

First let's take a trip back several thousand years to learn how this prehistoric food was "discovered". While you are not sure just who invented the cheese, the theory is that Central Asian peoples transported milk canteens made from the stomach of a cow, sheep and goat. These animal stomachs have a coagulating enzyme known as rennet. This enzyme converts milk into solids known as ricotta, which is separated from the remaining liquid called serum. The addition of salt, helped to preserve their new found finesse and has allowed these ancient peoples carry and preserve a perishable food, rich in nutrients-cheese. Certainly a success in ranks right up there with the advent of fire!

Today, modern dairy animal stomachs don't add to milk vats in artisan cheese. In fact, now have two options when making cheese gourmet-animal rennet or microbial rennet, vegetable/. Since 1990, animal rennet was genetically engineered using the gene for animal rennet and is purified for cheese making. Vegetarian rennet is derived from plants or microbes, which have the same properties as coagulant of animal rennet. 1

Ingredients known as microbial enzymes, vegetable rennet and vegetable enzymes indicate that cheese is suitable for vegetarians. Gourmet cheese that is certified as DOP (protected designation of origin) by the European Union, otherwise known as a protected name cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Roquefort can only be called as such because they are manufactured strictly according to the cultural and historical tradition. These types of cheese should use animal rennet to adhere to legal food laws.

Is there a difference in taste between the vegetable and animal rennet? Don't worry, vegetarians can find excellent gourmet cheese. Here is a list of outstanding, incredibly delicious cheese that just happens to use the vegetable rennet/microbial.

Butlers Blacksticks blue
Cahill Farm Cheddar
Cashel Blue
Coach Farm goat cheese
Cypress Grove goats and sheep milk cheeses (Humboldt Fog, lamb Chopper, Purple Haze, etc.)
Mull of mature Cheddar truckle Scottish Kintyre
Old Chatham sheep-farming co. (Bleu, Camembert)
Point Reyes Farmstead cheeses
Rogue Creamery blue cheese (Crater Lake, Oregon Blue, Oregonzola, Rogue River Blue, Smokey blue)
Saint Andre Triple Creme
Shropshire Blue
Vella special select dry Monterey Jack
Vermont butter and cheese & (Bijou, Bonne Bouche, Chevre, torque, etc.)
And Wensleydale Wensleydale with Cranberries

1. David b. Fankhauser, Ph.d., Professor of biology and chemistry, University of Cincinnati College of Clermont, rennet for making cheese, November 23, 2009

About Sara Kahn
Though his passion for gourmet cheese was immortal, Sara Kahn trovato shopping to be overwhelming, time-consuming and confusing. He established The cheese Ambassador to offer an easy way to select and serve the cheese. Discover the robust selection of cheese cheese gifts and gourmet for home entertainment.

Gourmet Cheese Course - Food Pairing Inspirations

Whether you are hosting a soiree or a casual get-together, your mission is to provide your guests with warm hospitality, lively conversation and a delectable spread of food and drink. Whether the menu is complicated or simple it better be delicious. Serving a sumptuous gourmet cheese course is perfect as a starter or centerpiece of the meal. Not only is the preparation simple (no cooking!) but like fine wine, serving a gourmet cheese course can be mystifying. You may find yourself asking - What sort of foods to serve alongside? How do I select the right food and cheese pairings?

Not to fret! The good news is, you really can't go wrong. Just keep in mind that a cheese course is about observing and enjoying contrasting and complementary flavors. There are no hard and fast rules. Experiment and discover your favorites by using the recommendations for traditional food and beverage matches as a starting point.

Bread/Crackers - Bread such as a baguette and plain or mildly flavored crackers serve to cleanse the palate.
Fruits such as apples, figs, pears, grapes, berries, nectarines and melon are traditional accompaniments as their juicy and/or crisp textures contrast with the cheese. Their sweetness provides a counterpoint to the salty flavors of cheese.
Dried fruits offer a chewy texture that contrasts with harder cheese.
Fruity jams, pastes, and chutneys also provide sweet and sometimes savory notes.
Toasted nuts enhance the nuttiness of the cheeses. Try toasted almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios or hazelnuts.
Olives - The briny flavor of olives contrasts with the richness of the cheeses.
Cured meats such as prosciutto add a salty and textural difference.

About Sara Kahn
Even though her passion for gourmet cheese was undying, Sara Kahn found shopping for it to be overwhelming, time consuming and confusing. She established http://www.thecheeseambassador.com to offer a simple way to select and serve the world's finest cheeses. By providing the perfect combination of exquisite cheese along with a comprehensive cheese course guide, enjoying gourmet cheese is now a deliciously enriching experience.

Cesti regalo formaggio

You can create and customize your cheese gift baskets for every occasion. A gift basket cheese is versatile in that you can add a personal touch, add fine wines to suit the occasion. Each family member or friend would appreciate a gift so wonderful.

You can easily create a gourmet cheese and wine for that special man in your life or even a family member. Men are exceptionally difficult to buy and there is nothing better than giving a man a memorable wine and cheese gift basket.

You can fill your gourmet cheese basket with a myriad of delicious goodies like five or more different cheeses, crackers, savory and spicy and a variety of different nuts such as almonds, Pecans, and others. You could also add smoked cocktail sausage, salami, pastrami, as well as chips. You can also add some useful gadget that could have used shop or around the House.

When making a gift basket for a man, you must use more earthy colors and instead of using Ribbons that could tie the raffia and packing up with Ivy leaves. You could also add a border of cheese as a cheese knife to the basket. And of course don't forget the wine.

There are thousands of different cheeses to choose from, all you have to do is visit a delicatessen that specialises in cheeses from around the world or simply go online and visit the cheese shops and shows the Collections. Above all occasions like Christmas and fathers day, you could give all men abundant cheese gift baskets. You can buy a variety of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, cheese, and spicy and exotic cheeses. Instead of buying individual bottles of wine buy a case of assorted wines like this work much cheaper.

Cheeses like cheese gourmet St. Pat that is wrapped in leaves of nettle and MT Tam triple cream cheese, as well as pt. Reyes Blue cheese are all winners, if you are looking for something different. Wines as a good Pinot Noir or a good Merlot are excellent choices when combed with a variety of cheese and other snacks salty and spicy.

These types of gourmet gift baskets are easy to make and the elements are available year-round. These are simple and easy to make up, as there is no shortage of what might be added into the basket. These cheese gift baskets can be given to anyone and they can make their own as well. Almost everyone likes cheese and cheese is known to enhance the flavor of the food especially the pasta.

You could also create a cheese gift basket and add picnic sandwiches, cold cuts and other meats, olives, olive oil, salads and of course a variety of different cheeses and wines. Always line your basket to suit the occasion and the best is to use cellophane wrap as it keeps food fresh.

Michelle Reynolds has a great connoisseur of gift baskets. For more information about unique gift giving ideas and themed gift baskets. Visit http://www.affordablegourmetgiftbaskets.com/gourmet-cheese-gift-baskets/

Give with good taste: Top unique gifts of Gourmet cheese

Let's face it. Finding the right holiday gift for gourmet food lovers in your life can be a challenge. You want to surprise and delight with your good taste but not sure how please? Perfect as a hostess gift, a gift company for employees or customers, or as a unique holiday gift for friends and family, a typical cheese baskets can offer a culinary adventure that you can enjoy with loved ones. Take a look at the top picks of the cheese Ambassador for the season and you are invited to share hope!

FONDUE?

Who doesn't love ooey gooey indulgence of this cold weather? From the French word fondre, meaning to melt, fondue is a communal tradition coming from the Swiss and French Jura. Going back centuries, fondue was considered a peasant dish since it was a way to use the old bread and cheese. Now, only the finest like Gruyere, Emmental and Comte with wine and spices are blended to perfection. Long forks are used for spear and dip bread, meat, potatoes, fruits and more. Fondue cheese hampers can include a perfect mix of cheeses, recipes and even fondue pot melting fashion.

TAPAS COLLECTIONS

Dining plate Spanish style is more popular than ever, easy to recreate at home with a gift basket of gourmet cheese. Spanish Folklore suggests tapas was born in taverns, as a way to keep flies Sherry glasses. Bartenders would cover the glass of sherry with a piece of bread or ham. Soon it was customized for small snacks be served with wine, beer and Sherry. A gift basket and gourmet cheese might include tapas such as Manchego and Mahon, Jamón Serrano (cured ham), membrillo (Quince), Marcona almonds and olives. Tapas at home is perfect for a cocktail party or a casual evening with friends.

WINE CHEESE COLLECTIONS

Wine and cheese is a match made in heaven foodie but select the right combination can be daunting. If you prefer a bottle or red or white, these gourmet cheese baskets take the guesswork out of the equation. Perfect for cold winter nights, the Cabernet Sauvignon collection features bold and strong cheeses such as aged Mimolette, San Joaquin gold and Smokey Blue Rogue Creamery to reflect the intensity of red wine, hearty belly-warming. A unique gift to ring in the new year, fresh goat cheese, Champagne basket cheese, Irish cheddar offerings, Camembert and Pierre Robert. Bless you!

Although his passion for gourmet cheese was immortal, Sara Kahn found shopping to be overwhelming, time-consuming and confusing. He established The cheese Ambassador to offer an easy way to select and serve the cheese. Discover the robust selection of cheese and cheese gifts gourmet home for entertaining.

Gourmet Cheese Gift Baskets

For a friend or family member who loves cheese and to receive unusual gifts as well, a gourmet cheese basket makes is the perfect choice for just about any occasion. An assortment of fine artisan cheeses and accessories is also ideal for a housewarming gift, especially if you include a lot of little extras that the recipients can use in their new kitchen.

Dozens of websites sell gourmet cheese gift sets and baskets full of hand picked artisan cheeses and other food items to accompany them. There are also dozens of cheese of the month clubs that offer monthly shipments of gourmet cheeses. A three to twelve month membership is an awesome gift. These websites and clubs offer great cheeses that most people can't find in their local stores and gourmet shops.

Personal Gourmet Cheese Baskets

If you enjoy adding a personal touch to your gifts, putting together a basket of goodies that you have researched and picked out yourself can make the gift more unique. You can gear it towards the lucky person's personal tastes and add things you know that they can use.

1. You can use a decorative basket or even a colorful bowl for your "delivery system". Another great idea is to use a nice big wooden cutting board. This is a very clever way to display your gift of cheese. If you use a cutting board, you will definitely have to use a shrink-wrap bag to hold your items in place. Most craft stores carry these.

2. Add some goodies to the basket that will go well with cheese. Crackers, bread, or breadsticks are a must. Think about including some fruit spreads or preserves and the little knives to spread them with. Fruit and cheese make a great pair.

3. Another culinary treat that works well with cheese is smoked fish like salmon.

4. How about including a book on cheese with your gift basket. There are a lot of these you can find on line or in your local bookstore. I have one that explains what fruit goes with what cheese and what wines and cheeses pair well together.

5. Some other food ideas to include are things like a log of smoked pepperoni, gourmet olives, and pickled mushrooms.

How to Choose Gourmet Cheeses for a Gift Basket

If you live in a city big enough to have gourmet food stores, you should be able to find some very good cheeses. If not, you can order from one of the many gourmet cheese sellers on line. You can select the cheese for your basket by country, type of milk used, its texture, or its type.

There are many "types" of gourmet cheeses. A few examples are:

· Blue cheese

· Brie

· Cheddars

· Chevres (goat cheeps)

· Smoked

· Extra mile

· Extra soft

A common way to categorize cheese is by grouping them by texture. This makes a lot of sense for people searching for a particular "mouthfeel". Soft, spreadable cheeses have more water (whey) than firmer cheeses. The firmer the cheese, the more whey has been extracted through pressing or aging. Choosing one cheese from each texture category will provide a nice variety.

1. Hard and grating cheeses - These cheeses are probably very familiar to you. They are aged to the point that they take on intense flavors and are full of crunchy crumbles. Most of these are Italian cheeses like Pecorina, Parmesan, and Romano.

2. Semi-hard cheese - Appenzeller is a cheese crafted in Switzerland. This is a yellow cheese with fruity flavor that goes well with fruit.

Asiago cheese from Italy and all of the cheddars fall into the semi-hard category, as well as Gruyere and Swiss cheese, offering a lot of good choices for your gift basket.

3. Semi-soft - Most varieties of jack cheese fall into this texture category as well as Gouda. Jacks and Gouda are easy to find at your local market.

4. Soft - This category consists of the good spreadable cheeses that are great on a fancy cracker or hard bread. Boursin, Brie, Camembert, and goat cheeses fall into this texture category.

I write because I love to help people.
Still curious about Fruit and Cheese Gift Baskets, then check out that link.

Maccheroni and cheese

Facciamo un salto negli Stati Uniti per gustare un famosissimo piatto: MACCHERONI AND CHEESE.

Mettiamo una pentola sul fuoco, facciamo scogliere il burro e poi versiamo la farina. 

Quando i due ingredienti si saranno amalgamati versiamo il latte e lasciamo addensare il composto per 8-10 minuti. Aggiungiamo il formaggio tritato e lasciamo che si sciolga bene. Saliamo, aggiungiamo pepe e noce moscata.

Facciamo bollire dell'acqua e lasciamo cuocere i maccheroni per 3/4 del loro tempo di cottura ottimale. 

In una teglia amalgamiamo la pasta e la crema di formaggio.

Cospargiamo la superficie con una manciata di mollica di pane ed inforniamo per 20 minuti a 200 gradi.

View the original article here

Cheese and Food Gifts

Food gifts are a variation from the conventional gifting patterns. They can be very innovative. It is delightful to receive a surprise food gift basket. Cheese is an popular gift in the gourmet food world. Cheese parties or cheese tasting parties are apt occasions for gifting cheese food gifts. Cheese is an important ingredient in many meals and snacks.

Cheese is obtained by processing the milk of animals such as cows and goats. There are many different kinds of cheese available. Many popular varieties come from France and Holland. A variety of dips are made using cheese. Some popular types of cheese varieties are Cheddar, Parmesan or Camembert.

Flavored cheese is very popular as dessert. Cheesecakes of different flavors are a popular delicacy. Lemon and strawberry flavored cheesecakes are all time favorites. Cheese spreads are also made. Some are combined with pepper to make delicious sandwich fillings. These spreads come in different flavors. Cheese can be gifted in any one of these forms. Cheese food gifts are loved and welcomed by children and adults alike.

It is now possible to gift cheese from any place in the world. Packaged cheese baskets, with a combination of various cheese products, can be gifted to friends. Cheese has a high nutrition content, but the nutritional value can be lost if it is not packed under the right conditions. Some variety of cheese has to be frozen during transit - a reputable company will know how to pack and ship the cheese, though.

Cheese compliments all varieties of wine. A cheese food gift is always welcome at parties. Smoked cheese is a favorite starter. Blue cheese is an exclusive cheese that involves a long processing time. It is eaten with the moulds on it and is very expensive, compared to some varieties.

A basket of the choicest varieties can be presented at most occasions. Cheese imported from other countries must be bought from reliable sources to ensure the quality.

Food Gifts provides detailed information on Food Gifts, Food Gift Baskets, Gourmet Food Gifts, Corporate Food Gifts and more. Food Gifts is affiliated with Dog Lover Gift Baskets [http://www.e-DogLoverGifts.com].

Buying, Storing and Serving Gourmet Cheese

Gourmet cheese comes in a large variety with well over 400 varieties just from the French cheese alone. From the mild to the strong, the soft to the hard, cheese is a great way to compliment any meal or snack.

Whether you are having a fancy wine and cheese party, or just enjoying a slice of cheese with an apple for a snack, your gourmet cheese will taste a lot better if you learn how to purchase, store and serve it properly.

Buying Cheese

When buying gourmet cheese, you want to shop at a place that has a large selection and knows about cheese. That way you'll be able to ask for recommendations if you want some special cheese to go with a certain type of wine or special meal. You can find a good selection of cheese in a specialty market or gourmet grocery store. Buy only what will be consumed with in a few days. Flavors and aroma of fine cheeses change over time in a home refrigerator.

When picking out your cheese make sure that it presents the characteristics of that particular style. The interior should not have cracks, mold or discoloration in any form. If you are buying a natural rind cheese make sure it has a rustic appearance. Note that it is normal for Blue and Roquefort style cheese to have some mold and cracks.

Storing Cheese

You should not store the cheese in the package that it comes in. This packaging is meant for transportation only. The best thing to store your cheese in is waxed paper as you must let air and moisture in. Air and moisture are integral to keeping the cheese in the best possible condition.

Serving Cheese

When you serve cheese at a party, limit yourself to 4 or 5 types of cheese. You should select cheeses that have a variety of shapes, sizes, textures and flavors. Mix some soft cheese with the hard cheeses. I think cheese looks nice served on a nice wooden tray. Don't mash the cheese in together, make sure each one has enough room without having the tray look empty. If the cheeses served have strong distinctive flavors use separate trays and serving utensils. Mild flavors will pick up aromas and tastes from stronger flavored cheese.

We all know that cheese goes great with crackers, but you can also serve it with fruits like grapes, strawberries, apples and pears. Add some figs to the table for an interesting contrast in taste and visual appeal. Combining cheese with thin slices of onion can be an interesting eating experience.

As a desert, cheese can be very elegant, or as a light course after the entree and before desert. When serving as an appetizer cheese should be coupled with a light dinner due to the filling nature of most cheeses.

While some people believe that cheese must always be chilled, it really as more flavor when it is at room temperature. You do need to watch the cheese, however, especially if your party is going on for a long time. If the cheese gets too warm it will begin to sweat. Put your cheese out about 30 minutes before guests arrive and keep checking throughout the evening.

Lee Dobbins writes for Online Gourmet Foods where you can find out more about gourmet cheese and appetizers.

Italian wine and cheese gift baskets and Italian wine and food pairing Gourmet Recipes

Spaghetti with Garlic and chili Oil (Spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and chilli)

1.5 lb imported Italian Spaghetti or make your own dough with flour of Sir Galahad (see our other recipes)
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil Altomontese
1 small chopped anchovy and belle
3-4 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed and coarsely chopped
1-2 Hot chili pepper pods
3-4 sprigs fresh parsley, finely chopped
Fresh black pepper

Bring salted water to a boil in a saucepan. Cook pasta according to the suggested baking time. (This varies depending on the brand-I always cook my dough just slightly below because I like "al dente").

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and add anchovies, garlic and hot pepper. Be very careful not to let the garlic turn brown or burn. Anchovy will disappear in reality and there will be no fish taste a hint of salty fresh aroma. When the garlic begins just to turn slightly Brown, remove the Pan from the fire immediately.

Drain the spaghetti carefully and place it in your dish. Pour olive oil over the noodles straight from the Pan, sprinkle with black pepper, mix well and, especially, this dish to be served immediately. If you want to sprinkle with Parmigianno-Reggiano cheese. Enjoy!

-Wine Pairing suggestion:
The most important part of this dish is to choose the perfect wine to accent the flavors and enhance the experience of gourmet meal. We enjoy a strong Nero d'Avola with this dish and encourage appetizers like an equipment with a sheep milk cheese imported as a first salt, produced in Sicily.

Suggestion of salad:

Mock Caesar Salad

Serves 2

I love real Caesar salad dressing, but often worry about consuming raw egg & sincerely not a fan of mayonnaise.

Try this version for a satisfactory alternative. Don't let the anchovy is turn off, trust me, you don't even know who is in there!

Not only they add a world of flavor that are an excellent source of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids-plus are high in protein, low in calories and rich in vitamins, minerals, & so are super good for you! Just don't tell your children: or)

1-Anchovy (anchoa imported Italian Gourmet course)
1/2-ripe Avocado, mashed
1 tsp Whole Grain mustard
fresh squeezed lemon juice 2-tbslp
1/2 tsp Agave Nectar or honey-Italian
5-tbslp Cup Extra Virgin olive oil
2-tbslp Parmesan cheese (grated)
Sea salt and pepper &
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, washed, dried minced &

In a large serving bowl, crushed anchovy using two forks into a paste.

Add mustard, agave nectar, lemon juice and whisk together. Add avocado puree and whisk until creamy.

Slowly add olive oil, whisking all together until well blended. & Salt pepper, keep in mind is already salted anchovy.

Stir in the cheese. Add the chopped romaine lettuce in the bowl and toss with Tongs. Serve immediately. Top with grated more if you like.

Bon appétit and have a glass of Italian wine!

Joseph D Nappi

Gastronomy, wine and cheese baskets-five tips for finding a good Online website

I'm sure you're as I ' m; I like to shop online. And I don't want to spend a lot of time looking for a good site for the store. Here are five things that I look at when picking a shop site for, in this case, gift baskets.

1. Overview: you can see immediately how to navigate the site? You want as few clicks as possible. You can see the products well enough, and arranged in a logical order. It is easy to see how to order?

2. There are enough choices and they are classified as well? We recommend a basket for a birthday, or how to get a message to tell someone you are thinking about him or her or to send a new client. If you want something with chocolate and wine, it is easy to see, or if you want, gourmet foods or ice cream products, or flowers or cookies can find fairly easy?

3. What about the quality of the product? Ghiradelli chocolate Lindt chocolate, cracker Carr, gourmet coffee, flavored pretzels, a selection of premium beers, wines, quality baskets that can be used again or jars that can serve another purpose are all things that lure you to a site.

4. you can customize the trash? You want a site that has several selections prepared, but also offers the opportunity to add your own special touch if you want.

5. what was your past experience with the site? If you have been able to get just the right basket, with quality products and then shipped easily and in time, shop there again.

Shopping for Gift Baskets Online makes sense for lots of reasons. You can find gifts for friends, family or co-workers. Just click on this link to basket gift shopping online

Gift Baskets-important elements for a fabulous wine, cheese or Gourmet food basket

Are you wondering what are the most important aspects of a memorable gift basket? You want the recipient to feel special enough that you have posted the best? Well, I can say things that I think are important when I send a gift basket.

First, you want to have the right basket cheese or other gourmet foods in it. So try a basket that has the best types of cheese. Brie, havarti and baby Gouda cheeses are are nice to include.

Carr water Crackers, chocolates Lindt Chiradelli, honey and mustard or chocolate dipped pretzels, macadamia, flavored coffees and teas, specialty honey, fresh fruit or flowers are things that you want to send to your special someone or client.

According to, you want quality beers or wines. Do you want to be able to find Bass Ale, Guinness or other style brewery beers. You want to have a selection of wines from Chardonnay and Merlot coming from different areas to choose from. Have the possibility of a non-alcoholic wine is nice for your friends non-drinking purposes.

Third, you want to have a basket or container which is not only good quality, but also something that can be used again. Some options are trays that can be used to serve foods in new market baskets, robust or wash baskets with handles, wooden boxes that wines can be decorated or even re-gifted with a new bottle of wine, picnic baskets for romantic trips, ceramic bowls that can be used every day, which are useful for storing or decorative chests that can be used to organize things in jars.

Fourth, are accessories. Golf balls, or tools for your bags Golf wine corkscrew customers and friends, cheeseboards, graters and knives, are some of the complementary accessories that people appreciate and use again and again.

5th, but not least is the site of the same gift basket. Same day shipping, gift cards and rewards for being a customer of return are all the things you want on a site of gift basket.

Looking for and buying a fine, quality and memorable gift basket is easy. Just think what it is, that you expect your friend or client deserves to have and the rest is just a few clicks away.

Shopping for Gift Baskets Online makes sense for lots of reasons. You can find gifts for friends, family or co-workers. Just click on this link to basket gift shopping online

Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club - Now You Can Buy Gourmet Cheese Online

Are you the type of person who loves cheese? We're not talking your run of the mill brick cheese, but the properly aged, hard to find cheeses that your grocery store doesn't carry. Do your Greek salads require only the best Feta Cheese that money can buy? The 'Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club' is one place where you can buy gourmet cheeses online for even those hard to find cheeses.

Normally, you would have to mail order for the finest cheeses, because they were made only in certain parts of the world that, as it works out, probably weren't your part of the world. So, maybe once or twice a year, you would pay outrageous prices to order cheeses from across the globe and save these luxuries for special occasions.

Now, however, you don't have to do that because you can buy gourmet cheese online and save a ton of money on them. Imagine how nice it would be to have new, fresh cheese delivered to your door every month and know that you're getting a truly gourmet creation at an affordable price.

As with all things, though, it's important to make sure that all your cheese comes from a reliable source and is made from only the freshest ingredients. Buying online can be tricky if you aren't certain that your supplier is a good reliable one. The 'Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club' has top quality gourmet cheeses that will delight month after month. You have the option of choosing what you want and you can even give wedding and gift memberships to those you love as well.

Why would you want to buy gourmet cheese online? Because it's one of the best ways to get the unique cheeses you crave, without the high cost of trying to track it down for yourself. With a cheese of the month club, you will get to sample tons of new cheese selections and still get some of your old favorites to enjoy.

Whether you're hosting a dinner party and want to offer something truly distinctive to your guests or you want to make something extraordinary out of the ordinary, a gourmet cheese is one of the easiest ways to do that. Take the time today to explore the selection and options that a cheese of the month club can offer you and start enjoying your selections.

Like what you taste? Keep it in mind and come back to order your favorite cheeses online anytime. Instead of going through a catalog or driving for hours searching for top of the line cheeses, you can buy gourmet cheese online and have it delivered right to your door.

Patricia Harris provides many food and cooking tips, including where to buy gourmet cheese online from places such as the Gourmet Monthly Cheese Club. Visit 'Cooking Any Style' cookinganystyle.com for all your culinary delights.