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Contemporary Terroir
Interesting People

Mitch Bechard, Glenfiddich's Brand Amabassador West, shares the very best. Thank you, thank you!

Lamberto Frescobaldi has been appointed the new President of Marchesi de' Frescobaldi, Tuscany's legendary 700-year old winemaking group. Bravo!

Food Arts just awarded their July/August 2013 Silver Spoon Award to Seattle Chef Tom Douglas for sterling performance. Bravo, bravo, bravo!

Patrick Norquet, the Product Designer Bringing Style to McDonald's French Division 

Sylvia Woods, 1926-2012. Harlem's Queen of Soul Food Who Taught a Whole Nation to Appreciate Its Complete Culinary Heritage

Marion Cunningham, 1922-2012. Inspired Advocate of American Home Cooking, James Beard Colleague, Author and Esteemed Grand Dame d'Escoffier

 La Mancha Wine Ambassador Gregorio Martin-Zarco shares a true Spanish treasure with the world.

Naeem Khan, Style Setting Designer of Michelle Obama's WHCD Dress

Terron Schaefer, Sak's Senior Vice President of Creative Marketing - Co-Creator of The Snowflake and the Bubble 

Pete Wells, the NEW Restaurant Critic for the venerated New York Times - Enjoy the Feast! Ah Bon Appetit!

Garry Trudeau Who Transferred the Faces and Feelings of the 1968 Harvard - Yale Game into the Insightful Doonesbury Commentary Cartoons

Chef Patron Massimo Riccioli of London's Famed Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar - Celebrity Perfect 

Carl Warner, Creator of Food Landscapes, a Culinary Terrain Extraordinary

Howard Schiffer, Founder of Vitamin Angels, Giving Healthly Future to Millions of Children

Françoise Branget, French National Assembly Deputy AND editor of La Cuisine de la République, Cuisinez avec vos députés! (or The Cuisine of the Republic: Cook With Your Deputies!)

Professor Hanshan Dong, Developer of the New Antibacterial Stainless Steel - No More Kitchen Germs!

Frieda Caplan, Founder of Frieda's - Innovative Vendor Who Introduced New & Rare Produce to U.S. Well Done Frieda!

Adam D. Tihany, International Famed Hotel & Restaurant Designer To Be New CIA Art Director - FANTASTIC CHOICE!

George Lang, Founder of New York's Trend-Setting Café des Artistes sadly Passed Away Tuesday, July 5, 2011. Rest in Peace.  A Great Gentleman. 

Chef Pasquale Vari of ITHQ - Canada

Nach Waxman, Owner of the Legendary Kitchen Arts & Letters Culinary Bookstore, NYC

Chef Roberto Santibanez, Noted Master of the True Mexican Cuisine - Both Historic and Modern 

Jeremy Goring, the Fourth Goring to Direct the Legendary Goring Hotel, London

Elena Arzak, Master Chef of Arzak, Basque Restaurant in Spain

Yula Zubritsky, Photographer to the Culinary Greats including Chef Anne-Sophie Pic

Adam Rapoport, New Editor in Chief of Bon Appetit

Christine Muhlke, New Executive Editor of Bon Appetit, which recently relocated to New York City

Darren McGrady, Private Chef to the Beloved Princess Diana 

Master French Chef Paul Locuse, Esteemed Founder of the Bocuse d'Or Culinary Championship

Graydon Carter, Editor Extraordinaire and Host of the Most Elite of Post Oscar Parties, The Vanity Fair Gala

Cheryl Cecchetto, Event Designer for Oscar Governor's Ball 2011

Antonio Galloni, the New California Wine Reviewer at Wine Advocate

Tim Walker, Moet & Chandon's New Photographer Extraordinaire

John R. Hanny, White House Food Writer 

Nancy Verde Barr, Friend and Colleague of Julia Child

David Tanis, Co-Chef of Chez Panisse and Paris

Colman AndrewsAuthor of Ferran

Special Finds

Thanks to the IceBag, your Champagne will now always be chilled. Bravo, Bravo, Bravo!

Canada's Crystal Head Vodka, 2011 Double Gold Winner at San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Though Halloween Perfect It's So Much More Than a Pretty Bottle: Fastastic Taste 

Post It Paper Watchbands - How to Remember Anything in Unforgettable Style

     
Kai Young Coconut Shochu - Stunning New Rice 'Vodka' from Vietnam, the Full Flavor of a Coconut in a Bottle!

Mandarian Hotel Group Now Offers Diners the Newest Cyber Currency - Worldwide E-Gift Cards

Qkies Cookies Makes QR Codes So Sweet

Air France Brings Art Aloft with New Menu Covers

Moet's Ice Imperial Champagne, a New Summer Favorite at Cannes Film Fetival Designed to Serve on Ice! 


P8tch, Customized Cloth URL patches - Perfect for Website ID Link on a Chef's Knife Roll

Dexter's New Knife Shape, the DuoGlide - An Innovative Design that More Than Makes the Cut & Then Some!

Spring Cupcakes, Perfect for Easter and Beyond, Thanks to Jelly Beans

Chocolates as Stunning as Rare Jewels from Promise Me Chocolate: Great for Mardi Gras or Elegant Weddings

Microplane's Fantastic New Hard Cheese Mill Exclusively from Williams-Sonoma

Be Enchanted by Red Italian Rosa Regale Sparkling Wine, Perfect with Chocolate for a Rose Themed Wedding

Moet & Chandon, the Official Champagne of the Oscars

Hu2 Design,  Art Stickers for the Kitchen 

Dry Fly Vodka of Washington State

New Portability with the Collapsible X-Grill by Picnic Basket

Before there was Champagne, there was Saint-Hilaire, the original sparkling wine

Chilean Winers to Remind Us All of True Courage

Monk's Head or Tete de Moine Cheese Slicer by Boska

The Amazing Smoking Gun by Poly Science

Maytag - Great Blue Cheese

Bookshelf

Ukutya Kwasekhaya - Tastes from Nelson Mandela's Kitchen is more than a just a book of recipes. Each dish tells one part of the 20 year journey the Mandela Family's cook traveled on South Africa's path to freedom.

Like Water for Choclate uses Magical Realism to capture the transformative qualities of everyday food and drink into something more. Also consider reading (and enjoying) Joanne Harris' amazing Chocolat.

Seven Fires by Argentine Grill Master Francis Mallmann is a must have book as all things Latin are set to become a major culinary trend.

Food Landscapes by Carl Warner, London's Amazing Commercial Food Photographer (and yes, there is a 2012 Image Calendar for your wall - Happy New Year!)

Trading Up by Michael J. Silverstein and Neil Fiske, a Must Read for All Who Market Luxury

Las Cocinas del Camino de Santiago de Compostela Captures the Essence of this Great Spanish Journey of Discovery

La Cuisine de la République, Cuisinez avec vos députés! (The Cuisine of the Republic: Cook With Your Deputies!) by Françoise Branget

Toast by English Food Writer Nigel Slater

Dinner at Buckingham Palace by Charles Oliver, Royal Household Servant

Tihany Design by Adam D. Tihany and Paul Goldberger - Truly Inspiring!

Hollywood Cocktails by Tobias & Ben Reed

The Art of the Chocolatier by Master Chef Ewald Notter, National Pastry Team Champion

The Stork Club Bar Book by bon vivant and culinary critic Lucius Beebe

Les Gouttes de Dieu, French Edition

Great Places

Entries in Cheese (20)

Monday
Jan242011

Cheeseheads Unite as the Green Bay Packers Get Ready for the Super Bowl!

Yes, it s true the Green Bay Packers are going to the Super Bowl! The last time they won the title rings was way back in 1996 at Super Bowl XXXI. It's more than time to go again - this time south to Dallas.

So get ready for some grind iron fun and half-time snacks as we all wait for the opening toss. It's going to be a great game. Just don t forget to wear your cheesehead.

Never heard of a cheesehead? Well, this unique attire is as much a part of the Packer's proud legacy as Vince Lombardi and Brett Favre. And it all began with an insult and a devoted fan who just wasn't going to take the anti-cheese anti-team jeers for another year.

During the 1980s Illinois football and baseball fans had a habit of yelling "CHEESEHEADS!" at any sports team from Wisconsin.

As Wisconsin had long made some of America's greatest cheese, they did not look favorably on the negative cat calling. By 1987 Ralph Bruno had had enough.

Bruno carved a yellow piece of foam into a cheese wedge shape and defiantly wore it on his head to the next game. There the center-fielder Rick Manning saw it and the rest, as they say, is history.

Bruno went on to found Foamation, Inc. in St Francis Wisconsin (where else would the company be but Wisconsin?). That is where the hat (yes, it has been legally declared a 'hat') is still crafted along with all things foam and cheese.

If you want to be part of this great Packer heritage and be an official cheesehead come February 6th, you will need to order right away as currently the company is supplying 'hats' to all 50 states and 30 foreign nations! Now that's fan support!

But if you still feel wearing a cheesehead in your non-Wisconsin neighborhood might be viewed as well, a little 'cheesy', you can always support the team by serving appetizers that highlight Wisconsin cheese on game day. Trega Cheese is one sure winner. Your culinary choices will be nearly endless. Be assured your guests will love every bite as they cheer on the Green Bay Packers and you'll score a big party touchdown!

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Friday
Dec102010

Discover Forgotten Culinary Ties to the Army Navy Football Game Mascots

This weekend the midshipmen of the US Naval Academy meet the Army cadets from West Point in their legendary annual football game.  There will be cheering and courage as each military academy supports their players on the field.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines each school's mascots will be waiting.  The midshipmen will proud lead forward Bill XXXIII, the Navy Mascot Goat while three lucky West Point cadets will ride Raider, Ranger II and General Scott, the US Army Mascot mules around the packed stadium.  As you might imagine, this tradition is highly honored at this historic match.  Yet few people know that each mascot has a strong tie to cuisine

After all, wasn’t it Napoleon who said an army travels on its stomach?  Well, the navy beat him to the punch on that one.  Two hundred years ago the navy warships carried live chickens and goats aboard while at sea.  That way they always had fresh eggs and goat milk for cheese and sauces.  (Cows were just too big to take aboard and sheep were too confused by the endless sea).

Besides goats had character and were always a ship favorite.  Well, in 1893 the fourth Army Navy Football Game was being played at Annapolis.  The USS New York had dropped anchor near the naval academy as the young officers planned to attend the game.  On a whim they also brought their ship’s goat, El Cid, to the game.  And Navy won!     

Navy had their mascot.  By 1899 the army had had enough of the Navy's goat.  An Army quartermaster visiting from Philadelphia left the stands and went looking for an appropriate mascot.  He soon encountered an ice wagon being pulled by a strong white mule.

“Perfect,” he thought.  The army had long used mules to pull cannons and troop food wagons.  Exactly how he convinced the owner to part with the mule midday has been lost to history but one can only imagine it had something to do with the famed mule-like tenacity of the Army that has won so many battles.

At any rate, the mule arrived at the football field to the cheers of the cadets.  West Point won the game and the Army had their mascot, sin ice wagon.  

So enjoy the game this Saturday and cheer loudly when you see your favorite mascot as army vrs navy in yet another history making game.  Just be sure to serve some great goat cheese or sparkling round "cannon ball" ice in your classic army navy cocktail.

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2010

Monday
Dec062010

In the Know with Culture Cheese Magazine

Scanning the magazine shelves at your local bookstore, you’ve probably marveled at the recent explosion of culinary magazines.  It seems there’s a magazine for every need and ingredient. 

In one way this sudden availability of something on everything is an asset to the creative cook. In another way it can all be overwhelming – which magazine, out of so many, is worth buying?

Given the average price of $6.95 each, four or five of these publications in your shopping cart can quickly equal the cost of a nice bottle of wine.  So which one is the right one?

If you are a cheese lover (and who isn’t), consider taking home a copy of Culture Cheese Magazine. Published quarterly, it offers outstanding articles on the many topics surrounding cheese – cuisine, production, history, sources, wine and beer matches and thoughtful interviews with the leading individuals in the world of cheese.

The just-released winter issue detailed everything from how Henry Ford used cheese at his hosted roadside picnics to help sell his Model-T cars to an in-depth analysis of Australia’s amazing but often overlooked cheeses. Every page is filled with information that helps the reader become a true connoisseur of all things fromage.

Each copy of Culture is a feast for both the mind and the eye with insightful stories and stunningly beautiful full color photographs. With Christmas coming, it makes a great holiday gift - one to be enjoyed (and treasured) all year long...just like fine cheese!

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2010

Thursday
Sep302010

Life's a Feast So Enjoy the Trip

One of the wonderful things about food is that it always makes one want to travel – try new flavors and experiences in far away places. But did you ever wonder how the travel industry got started?

Back in 1841 a creative individual with a commitment to quality named Thomas Cook came up with a new idea – what if travel was fun and problem free. Prior to 1841 travel was dirty, dangerous and downright unpleasant. Cook, who was a teetotaler in an age of very, very heavy drinkers, was interested in health and the quality of life (and eventually of travel itself).

After arranging a day trip for fellow nondrinkers, he was shocked at how difficult it was to travel safely and comfortably even on the newest form of transportation of his day – trains.

After opening a bookstore in London, friends urged him to go further and arrange a trip to the Continent.Thinking it might be easier then arranging travel in Britain, he agreed. But it was worse! Multiple languages and differing customs made travel there even more difficult.

Well, Cook was anything if not organized and analytical. He quickly realized that travelers needed the help of knowledgeable professionals to smooth out the rough spots and help them along their way.

Cook then decided to open the first offices where nervous travelers could pick up all their tickets for any entire trip at one time as well as sign up for tours taken and approved by Cook himself. Every detail was personally checked and rechecked.

Nothing was left to chance or error. Cook not only offered safe traveler’s checks to the hesitant traveler but regional guidebooks and correct departure and arrival timetables for all trains and cruise lines.

Expert travel advice in one’s own language was always available at the Cook Offices including what sights to see, the best local food to enjoy and where to shop.

And of course, Cook’s was always willing to ship your purchases home for you, freeing you to move on carefree and unburdened by extra boxes and bags.

How nice. (Are you listen airlines?)

If you are starting to long for these bye-gone days of quality travel to come again, just remember there still are certain hotels and cruise lines that have never abandoned the standard that Thomas Cook established for the travel industry over one hundred years ago. He’s motto (and their's)...service, service, service – at every possible level!

Life’s a feast – enjoy your trip!

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2010

Wednesday
Sep012010

Say Cheese!

American Cheese Society Conference, Seattle WA 2010

If you love cheese (and who doesn't), Seattle was the place to be as the Emerald City played host to the leading cheese artisans from the US, France, Holland and Canada.

The American Cheese Society’s annual meeting played host there to hundreds of its members from two-person farm creameries to the legendary cheese firms of Europe.  Topics presented included the Terroir of American Cheese, Marketing Cheese in the Age of Twitter, Global Cheese Trends, The Art of Affinage and Learning Lessons from France to name only a few.

Among the many amazing individuals present it was a pleasure to talk with Martijn Bos of Boska Holland and Max McCalman, author of Mastering Cheese: Lessons for Connoisseurship from a Maitre Fromager.  

MEET: Martijn Bos of Boska Holland

Wilem Bos created the first cheese plane (thank you thank you) in his blacksmith shop in 1896.  Perfectly located in Bodegraven near Gouda, Netherland (yes, Virginia there really is a city named Gouda in Holland where the cheese comes from), the Bos family has continued their tradition of producing quality cheese tools. 

Guided today by Martijn Bos, this hallmark company presented several items that created quite a stir at the Conference:  a raclette, the cheese curler and the new barbeclette.

Don’t worry if some of these cheese tools are unfamiliar to you.  Martijn Bos is working hard to make them available in America.

Meet the raclette and its country cousin, the barbeclette.  Most people have only seen a raclette in European restaurants where skilled servers heat the surface of a flavorful cheese and then scrap the melted cheese onto steamed vegetables.

Martijn Bos, who also owns a seaside restaurant, wanted to take this concept outside.  He designed a small melting tray that can be used over a campfire or backyard grill.  The result is a culinary delight.

Equally amazing is Boska’s cheese curler.  Traditionally called a “tete de moine” or monk’s head, the curler is designed with a round wooden base with a pointed spike.  A round hard flat-topped cheese (hence the reference to a shaved  monk’s head) is centered on the spike and pressed down onto the wooden base.

A sharp knife with a metal loop at the end is placed on the spike and slide down to rest on the cheese.  The knife is then slowly rotated cutting a long thin ribbon of cheese.  The result is a beautiful ruffled rose made entirely of cheese!  Stunning and tasty.

One can only say thanks to Boska Holland for crafting these innovative cheese tools that continues his family's great culinary commitment.

MEET: Max McCalman, author of Mastering Cheese: Lessons for Connoisseurship from a Maitre Fromager     

While Martijn Bos shared the best of European cheese tools with Conference attendees, Max McCalman offered ACS members an exciting new book on everything cheese.    

Mastering Cheese: Lessons for Connoisseurship from a Maitre Fromager is simply the most definitive book on cheese available today.  It’s a must-have for any cheese lover.

Max McCalman has the resume (and then some) that qualifies him to be the only individual who could write this outstanding book.  As America’s first restaurant-based Maitre Fromager and then as a Garde et Jure in France’s famed Guilde Internationale des Fromagers, he is a legend within the cheese world.  He is currently the Dean of Curriculum at Artisanal Premium Cheese Center in New York City.

With all that background, Max's goal in writing this remarkable book was to share an in-depth understanding of all things cheese.   His insightful chapters include such topics as where does flavor come from, how to make cheese (even at home), what you do need to know when buying (or judging) a cheese, which wine (and beers) go with what cheeses (and why), understanding artisan cheeses in the US and abroad and much, much more.  

Max is as charming as his book and an absolute delight to talk with.  He’s a man that’s found his passion.  

I promise that once you start reading this new culinary classic, you’ll be sure to say, “More cheese please”.  Hurray for Max and thank you for a remarkable job well done. 

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2010

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