France 44

Food: The Universal Gift

Today is my birthday and despite my being removed from childhood or even adolescence by a good many years, people still buy me presents. I'm not big on getting a lot of "stuff", so I have tried to have years where I refuse gifts, I include on party invitations the words, "no presents necessary", I even use ALL CAPS. I also know how hard it is to feel obligated to find someone a gift. I wanted none of that for my friends and relatives. Alas, it seems that our society is stuck on the idea and forever there will be wrapping paper and bows coming my way. The good news, there is an answer. A million dollar, never get stuck at the mall again idea. Food (That's it...the idea is food). Brilliant, yes. Simple, yes. Easy to justify and feel good about. I think so.

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Locavore's Dilemma: Can We Eat Local and Still Enjoy Global Food Traditions?

The benefits of eating local cannot be understated: fresher and more flavorful products, economic support for local small-scale farmers and producers, less harmful environmental impacts and better appreciation for the delicious bounty to be found closer to home. But for many food lovers, embracing this philosophy comes with a trade-off.

Call it the Locavore’s Dilemma – how can one reconcile an earnest desire to eat local with the enjoyment of certain foods whose best examples are imported from great distances? Must we resign ourselves to giving up authentic Italian prosciutto or France’s renowned fromages, in effect abstaining from some of Europe’s finest culinary traditions, in the name of conscientious consumption?

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The Proper Care and Feeding of Cheese

The cheese available in the United States has changed dramatically in the past decade. From coast to coast, the quantity and quality of locally made cheese has increased, and so has our interest in sampling new and different types. From Brebis (sheep’s milk cheese) to Chêvre (goat’s milk cheese), and from a triple cream to a Tomme, we are wide open to new tastes and textures; but we may not be up to speed when it comes to taking care of this fragile food.

To be able to fully enjoy the flavors of a cheese it needs be stored properly and served at the right temperature. Those delicate wheels, wedges, blocks and logs that have been carefully coaxed to ripened perfection and are teeming with beneficial microorganisms that deserve better treatment than in your fridge and on your counter.

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Cooking Up a Special Valentine's Day: What to Skip, Do Instead, and "While You're There"

“Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”
  - Harriet Van Horne

I’ve always said that Valentine’s Day isn’t for the faint of heart. Between the overpriced roses, over-pinked shopping, and overly dramatic search for restaurant reservations, it’s enough to give any girl – or guy –  indigestion. And more than ever, I’m really thinking about the true value of gift giving, because, frankly, I just don’t need any more stuff.

What I truly want to give – and receive – for Valentine’s Day is a great experience to share with the one I adore. So, how about cooking at home this year?

With this in mind, I set out to find some great gift ideas for you, your honey and your home that just might lead to a romantic evening in. Let’s get started!

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Creating the Perfect Local Cheese Plate

Ahhh…the power of cheese.™ Do you remember this ad campaign from the American Dairy Association? My favorite of their series of commercials was the one with the cute little red haired girl who had the invisible friend. That was before I became the cheese geek I am and came to realize how a simple selection of quality cheeses could be a guaranteed hit at any party.

The holiday season is the party season and when you’re looking for non-fuss, quick appetizer, cheese has your back.

Creating a great cheese plate is as simple as 1, 2, 3.

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Rogue Chocolate: Rich, Delicious Cake in Every Bite

rogue I'm not sure how to describe what I've recently tasted from Minneapolis' Rogue Chocolatier. I'm not used to eating chocolate that's as complex as fine wine or beer, as satisfying as a cheese plate, or as rich as King Midas. I know that I'm prone to superlatives, but here I go again: Rogue Chocolatier's Sambirano (the only kind I've tried so far), single-origin chocolate from the Sambirano Valley in Madagascar, is as good as any chocolate I've ever had.

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