Filed under: Cheese, Italy, Artisan Foods, Cheese Course

Last year, at Slow Food’s cheese festival in Italy, I tried Nostrale di Elva, a rich cow’s milk cheese with a slight cheddar-like taste and a creamy texture. What first attracted me to this cheese was it’s circular patterns on the rind and its oozing light pale paste. The cheese’s bright earthy, lightly acidic flavor, pairs well with drizzled honey, in particular wild dandelion honey. Interested in a decadent sandwich? Put Nostrale di Elva in a variety of sandwiches to add a more interesting texture and flavor.

In Italian, “Nostra” means “our.” Nostrale di Elva is produced in the Alpine village of Elva by a small cheese consortium that uses raw milk from cows that graze on pastures over 5,000 feet high. The craftsmanship of this cheese can be attested to the cheese’s unique luscious texture and sweet taste. It’s unlike many similar style Italian cheeses, such as Raschera and Castelmagno. The wheels are aged by an expert affineur in the Piedmont.

Where can one purchase Nostrale di Elva?
Currently, the cheese is being imported exclusively by Formaggio Kitchen. The cheese sells for about $27 per pound on their website. You may be able to find it from Ayse Gurdal at Formaggio Essex in NY. When in Italy, I highly recommend making a trip to the Piedmont to taste some of the best creamy and savory dishes. While in the Piedmont, drive through Elva and experience the seemingly endless impressive bucolic countryside that makes this artisanal cheese so special.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Cocktail Hour

After a week spent wandering the halls of Tales of the Cocktail in July 2008, sipping many finely stirred and shaken libations; I said to myself, “These special cocktails need to be shared with the world.” So I bring you Cocktail Hour, a finer way to celebrate the end of the day; with these recipes. They have either been created specifically for Tales of the Cocktail, or re-designed for a new approach on the traditional version by some of the top Mixologists in the world. Many are being presented to the public here for the first time. Enjoy!

Crown Contender cocktail recipe after the jump

Continue reading Crown Contender - Cocktail Hour

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Parties, Hors D’oeuvres, Cheese, Recipes

But it’s just a humble cheeseball, you say, why call it “the ball of shame?” Well, because shame is what you feel when, in mid-manufacture, you say you’ll just take one swipe with a cracker to see how it tastes and wind up scarfing down a half-dozen. Shame is what you feel when you find yourself standing in front of the refrigerator at night, licking off the Saran wrap. However, pride is what you’ll feel when you bring it to a party and watch people fall on it like starved hyenas.

Continue reading The Ball of Shame

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Cocktail Hour

After a week spent wandering the halls of Tales of the Cocktail in July 2008, sipping many finely stirred and shaken libations; I said to myself, “These special cocktails need to be shared with the world.” So I bring you Cocktail Hour, a finer way to celebrate the end of the day; with these recipes. They have either been created specifically for Tales of the Cocktail, or re-designed for a new approach on the traditional version by some of the top Mixologists in the world. Many are being presented to the public here for the first time. Enjoy!

Prairie Sunrise cocktail recipe after the jump

Continue reading Prairie Sunrise - Cocktail Hour

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: in sixty seconds

• Halloween treats: This Star rundown even includes bloody eyeballs — the perfect match to the Bleeding Vampires.
• For love of toaster ovens — the small and super-handy kitchen instrument — plus a few recipes.
• If you’re looking to stretch your beer-loving taste buds, or immerse yourself in rare beer, get into the Cask ale celebrations.
• Wines for many taste buds.
• DT Bistro — no admittance of guilt and disappointing meals, but a good experience at Mississauga’s Shish Mahal.
• A discussion with Eduardo Chadwick, president of Errázuriz wines.
• Toronto just might see the long yellow pepper hit local stands soon enough, as efforts continue to eat everything locally.
• Recipes: Butter Chicken, Pasta with Creamed Prosciutto Sauce, Truffle Potato and Mushroom Gratin, Pan-Seared Steaks with Mushrooms, Onions, and Thyme Gravy, and Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Cocktail Hour

After a week spent wandering the halls of Tales of the Cocktail in July 2008, sipping many finely stirred and shaken libations; I said to myself, “These special cocktails need to be shared with the world.” So I bring you Cocktail Hour, a finer way to celebrate the end of the day; with these recipes. They have either been created specifically for Tales of the Cocktail, or re-designed for a new approach on the traditional version by some of the top Mixologists in the world. Many are being presented to the public here for the first time. Enjoy!

Major Rising cocktail recipe after the jump

Continue reading Cocktail Hour: Major Rising

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Lunch, Dinner, Restaurants, Raves & Reviews, America

I found myself in Westport, Connecticut and wanted to check out Chef Pietro Scotti’s hot lunch place, Zest.

Chef Pietro Scotti of the famous Da Pietro’s opened Zest in 2006 to cater to Westport’s casual crowd, or at least the fine dining crowd when they don’t feel like getting dressed up.

The first thing I noticed as I stepped down the stairs into their intimate dining room was the fresh, fanciful decor. One wall was entirely covered by a mural of stylized foliage, perhaps inspired by Sir John Tenniel’s Alice in Wonderland illustrations. The feel was modern, without the harsh edges of minimalism. The clientele was mostly lunching ladies, and I spotted one very well-behaved child. Yes, there is a kids’ menu.

Continue reading Where the ladies lunch in Westport

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Cocktail Hour

After a week spent wandering the halls of Tales of the Cocktail in July 2008, sipping many finely stirred and shaken libations; I said to myself, “These special cocktails need to be shared with the world.” So I bring you Cocktail Hour, a finer way to celebrate the end of the day; with these recipes. They have either been created specifically for Tales of the Cocktail, or re-designed for a new approach on the traditional version by some of the top Mixologists in the world. Many are being presented to the public here for the first time. Enjoy!

Peppers Delicious cocktail recipe after the jump

Continue reading Cocktail Hour: Peppers Delicious

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Fruit, Raves & Reviews, Food Gadgets, New Products

So do you believe we’re in a recession? Retailers sure seem to, especially specialty retailers. In the kitchenware store, the season’s usual large bundles of roasting pans and pie plates, while still available, are being supplemented by smaller displays of beckoning trinkets for inexpensive shopping fixes. If one is a classic movie fan, one remembers Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard in Breakfast at Tiffanys — wherein, broke but shopping, they consider a platinum dream from a CrackerJack box as well as a silver telephone dialer. More practical (and, at around thirteen bucks, more economical) is the Microplane Multi-Citrus Tool, and I have to admit that I have succumbed.

As most slashfoodies know, zest is the outer skin of a citrus fruit, used as a flavoring agent in everything from sauces to baked goods, as well as a garnish. The zest contains a high concentration of the oil of the citrus fruit, which contributes a highly concentrated burst of both flavor and aroma. As experienced eaters know, there is no substitute for fresh zest — a lemon pound cake, for example, will simply taste better if you add fresh zest. As experienced zesters know, the challenge while zesting is to get just that outer layer of skin without getting any of the white pith that separates the flesh of the fruit from the skin.

Continue reading Product Review: Microplane Multi-Citrus Tool

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Chocolate, South Africa, Northern Africa, New Products, America, Holidays, Food News

Los Angeles gourmet chocolatier Compartes has created the perfect combination of style, charity, and deliciousness.

Chocolates for a Cause (5 piece box for $20, 10 piece box for $30) brings you five explosive chocolate flavors decorated with little colored Africas in a box with a Relief Beads bracelet, all to benefit Darfur.

Funds raised from this collaboration [with RELIEF INTERNATIONAL] go directly to funding the only women’s center in Darfur!

The five flavors are made with the finest African ingredients - some of them hard to find, like carmelized plantains and grains of paradise.

You can order the packages here (in plenty of time for the holidays!) or click here for more info on the Relief Beads bracelets.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This