August 20, 2012
Last weekend on a warm Sunday evening in the woods we hosted A Forest Fiesta in honor of the recent opening of the Umami Mart shop in Oakland.  Guests who came were contributors and supporters of Umami Mart and all brought amazing things to share. Mike made some amazing pao de queijo aka brazilian cheese bread (I need to try this recipe!);Kishi brought his delicious […]
June 11, 2012
Strawberry Caprese is a seasonal twist on the classic tomato basil appetizer. A perfect mix of sweet and savory! Strawberry Caprese 1 bunch chopped basil 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1 cup bocconcini (mozzarella balls) 2 cups sliced strawberries Combine all. Dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sea salt. *All photos and illustration by © […]
June 24, 2011
I’m really glad we made it to Florence before the Jersey Invasion dropped a gang of guidettes into the birthplace of Michelangelo. Although I’m sure they feel quite at home amongst the various Guess stores and Footlockers, I was disappointed that there is no legitimate shopping in this city. But I did have two of […]
June 20, 2011
On my recent trip to Holland, we visited the adorable little town of Edam, and I got to try some genuine Edam cheese. This salad was covered with aged Edam cheese, pecans and roasted cherry tomatoes. Photo by Erin Gleeson.
January 28, 2011
My introduction to vegetable ash came back in 2005, in the form of a very ripe slice of Morbier. For this I thank my friend Sean, a Francophile whose constant hankerings for Morbier resulted in him often stocking this cheese in our fridge. It is a wonderful, rubbery French cheese that features a thin, black […]
January 7, 2011
What does a cheesemonger do on Christmas vacation? If that holiday involves traveling to Boston, then it means paying a first-time visit to South End Formaggio. In my estimation, South End Formaggio and its parent store Formaggio Kitchen (in Cambridge, Mass.) are among the finest purveyors of cheese, wine, charcuterie, condiments, and the like in […]
December 24, 2010
La Tur is for lovers. More specifically, it’s for those who love the complexity of cheeses that boast a blend of milks from goat, sheep, and cow. And let’s be honest, if you’re reading this cheese-centric post, then I’m probably speaking to you. Made in the Piemonte region of Italy, an area known for magnificent […]
September 8, 2010
I was never a big fan of tits. Maybe when I was a wee infant, but these days I have absolutely no interest. Women’s tits, elephant tits, it’s all a blur. Even if the coolest dinosaurs had tits, I’d still prefer a frozen daiquri and the newest episode of Project Runway. Except, sometimes the stuff […]
November 22, 2009
Remember my post about making a Japanese cheesecake? It’s a simple recipe, but very difficult to retain the fluffiness because of all the egg whites. Although it rises high during baking, but it shrinks down like an old person once you take it out of the oven. It’s like taking Viagra before baking: it performs […]
September 17, 2009
I actually made this a week after the first trial, hence my memory isn’t too clear. So after the first trial, from when I bought cheese curd at Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, I was determined to make the very best mozzarella. Unfortunately it’s very difficult to find curd in the city. Even a store […]