Virginia

Greetings from Virginia!

I have sincerely missed sharing recipes with you all. My move has left me in a much longer state of limbo than anticipated, as my kitchen is still sitting in boxes and will be through the Spring. I'll try and keep my update as food oriented as possible though.

As soon as summer hit, I jumped on the road and moved just south of Washington, D.C. on the Virginia side for a new job. Florida had its good moments, but I've been looking to move north for a long time now. Even though I've been here for months now, I still catch myself smiling spontaneously at the realization I'm finally someplace new. I was able to experience my first real autumn, and I'm looking forward to seeing snow this winter.

I'd have to say the most difficult part of the move was finding food to eat. The stores here are all different, and I used to shop at a co-op in Tallahassee which had everything I needed. Thus far, a grocery store named Wegman's has been holding me over pretty well. Their prices are about what I paid in Florida and their organic grocery selection is broad. My cooking is limited, but I've browsed through most everything and made a mental note of what to seek out from local, organic farms.

Which brings me to the fact I have not had raw milk or milk products since leaving Florida. I really miss my raw milk. I can tell I have less energy and my body is craving the calcium I used to supply it with regularly. In Virginia, it is illegal to sell raw milk. Instead, you have to buy into a cow share, which gives you the legal right to consume the milk since you own the cow. Local farms use the money from the cow share to feed and take care of the cow, and then distribute the milk to those people who are paying for its care. I've been using coconut milk for my coffee and eating coconut ice cream to hold me over, but it's not the same.

The closest cow share to me is in Richmond, which is over two hours south. Avery's Branch Farms provides not only raw milk through their cow shares, but eggs, pork, poultry, and several other delicious items. I've been speaking with Joy, who co-owns the farm with her husband Tim, and they are looking to expand further north. If you're in the area, but sure to send them an email to let them know you're interested!

I was able to make it into DC in early November for the annual Metro Cooking Show. The expo had several organic booths set up, thankfully, so I was able to snack and find some new favorite vendors.

I like to snack on granola mixes since it's non-perishable and crunchy. I used to get in in bulk from my co-op, so I hadn't tried any up here yet. A company called Michele's Granola, based out of Maryland, was at the expo and I was able to sample all their flavors.

I'm happy to say their Cherry Chocolate Granola is my new favorite! The guy handing out the samples was surprised I was able to pick out the secret that makes their granola the best immediately - they bake it - which means their granola is basically a giant bag of crumbled oatmeal cookies! If you haven't tried it yet, be sure to get two bags because you will eat one in a single sitting the first time before you learn how to control yourself.

Another great find was a company called Northwoods Gourmet Girl, based out of Maine. Her specialty are homemade canned goods, such as jams, jellies, ketchup, chutney, relish, and other handmade items. I sampled through everything, but decided to take home the blueberry jam, with the small intact blueberries found wild in Maine. I love how the jams have whole fruit still in them. I'll be ordering the cherry one next.

Funny story, as I was sampling the ketchups, some women took a huge spoonful of the habanero relish to sample and could not stop tearing up and coughing. Did they not realize a spoonful is basically eating at least one whole habanero? That junk is spicy! Anywho, the ketchups were a welcome break from commercialized ones I've had. These were thick and rich with home grown tomato flavor. I'll definitely be stocking up.

Of course I found the cheeses. Everona Dairy is a Virginia supplier of raw milk cheeses, which were phenomenal. It took me a while to make a decision, but I took home a wedge of the Vegetable Ash Piedmont. And I greedily ate the whole thing myself. With their Herbs de Provence baked chips. The well seasoned chips were very light and delicate, which melted in my mouth accompanied by the creamy, sweet sheep's milk cheese that had an extra sweetness surprisingly from the vegetable ash.

It was a perfect snack on a rainy day with a good book. Sigh, now I'm just making myself hungry.

I'll continue to be on the hunt for more local, organic foods here in Virginia. I've still got an endless list going of recipe ideas for the blog once I get my gear unpacked, too, so next year will be exciting! Have a lovely holiday season!

Le Grand Fromage is not affiliated with any company mentioned in this post. I was not asked to author a post regarding any company, nor was I compensated in any manner.

Cookbook Review: The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches by Susan Russo

Pound Cake Sandwich

Scented strawberries. Their sweet smell wafting on the humid Florida breeze signals the unofficial dawn of the summer.

With summer also comes dips in the pool and burgers on the grill. My favorite burger recipe still remains the Apple & Gruyere Turkey Burger with Sage Mayo by Susan Russo, aka Food Blogga. She was one of the very first food bloggers I ever discovered, and she was coincidentally the first food blogger to follow me on Twitter. I was dumbfounded at the time. Susan Russo following my little Twitter feed.

Although she's far beyond my capacities, it has also been exciting to see her grow as well these past few years and how many people have been introduced to her amazing recipes. She's released two cookbooks in a very short time span, and both are equally fun and helpful, which is not something I usually brag on cookbooks as being. Susan's first cookbooks, Recipes Every Man Should Know, co-authored by Brett Cohen, is a straight-to-the-point, witty, and useful guide to beginning cooks who want to master the basics on a delicious level. And her second cookbook, The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches, by Quirk Books, is the most useful and salivating cookbook I have yet come across.

Although I may be a self-labeled connoisseur of food, my fiancé has but one food group: sandwiches. Her new cookbook brought tears of joy to my eyes as I flipped through its crisp pages at all the dozens of new "meals" I could make to please such a picky palate.

To bring attention to my new fortune, I chose an unusual recipe to begin: Pound Cake Sandwiches. If I had chosen a more savory route, it could have disguised itself as a "regular" and not brought forth a yearning for recipe experimentation (plus, I just like sweets and I'm usually the one doing the cooking). Once my usual pound cake was baked and the smell lingering in the air, he soon ventures forth for a bite. This time, however, he discovered me slicing, buttering, and laying each piece on the hot griddle. Confused at first over whether or not my pound cake was thoroughly cooked, I assured him it was scrumptious, but we were instead having sandwiches - pound cake sandwiches. He watched my swift work and saw how quickly they came together. I handed him his plate and we each took a huge bite to begin. For something so simple, it's an impressive and luscious dessert sandwich. It reminds me of Southern short cake, only more mature. This is the perfect dessert of the summer.

We will easily be making quick work of Susan's other recipes and finding new favorites to enjoy many times over. You'll learn not only new recipes, but enjoy her witty humor and learn a little food history along the way. I highly encourage you to not only snag one for yourself, but grab another to give as a gift since it has universal appeal. Your taste buds will thank you.

Quirk Books provided a free copy of the cookbook without any obligation for review, nor was any other form of compensation received/exchanged.

Food Blog Forum - Orlando & A Giveaway

Something told me I should go to the Food Blog Forum event in Orlando. It was the closest food blogging event that had occurred to me, and the speakers looked spectacular: Jaden of Steamy Kitchen, Julie of the little kitchen, Helene of Tartlette, Dawn of Wicked Good Dinner, and Lindsey of Love and Olive Oil. So many food blogging idols in one room - I had to sign up!

And I had to get sick! Not a little sick, a *lot* sick. So sick as in the girl-who-coughs-in-your-face-when-you-ask-her-a-question-and-eventually-loses-her-voice type of sick. I knew the day before I left in my little rental car that it was all going downhill, but you can't put life on hold sometimes, so off I went hoping to make the best of it. Thankfully, my mental focus on not coughing as much as possible, and a high fever, helped keep me deliriously even tempered in the face of so much greatness.

Brie "Cake"

On Friday evening, everyone was thrust into a mixer at Whole Foods, with much wine, to hopefully jump right over any stage fright on meeting complete strangers. Although a few of us have forged deep relationships online with fellow bloggers, many times it can be a different story in person. Some only recognize people by their icons or names, so matching faces to blogs was a bit of a game at first. I actually wore my brown fedora for this reason, and it paid off since many did recognize me.

Asian Vegetable Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing

I said 'hello' to Julie first since she was guarding our badges, and then dove right into the food. I was excited our first food event was with organic foods, plus I was able to steal a conversation with the management to discuss bloggers and their contribution to the organic movement. It was very high society (i.e. I nodded my head and coughed out the most intelligence sounding answers as possible under the circumstances). This is how most of my first impressions went. Le sigh.

Madurai Chicken Salad with Kovalam Beach Slaw on Naan Bread

First, Nisrine of dinners + dreams introduced herself when I went hunting for the elusive Brie Cake everyone was talking about. It was three tiers of brie; delicious, but no flour involved. Nisrine and I have been talking on Twitter for some time now, so it was fabulous getting to meet her in person. She's such a sweetie!

Crème Brûlée Sugars

Then the lovely Aggie from Aggie's Kitchen introduced herself, as we've spoken on Twitter as well. She's very easy to talk to and we chatted it up with Julius from Droolius (yes, it rhymes). The three of us shared stories over the delicious crème brûlée made with fire right in front of us. I had the coffee and raspberry flavored sugars caramelized over the top - it was amazingly decadent.

My crème brûlée with raspberry and coffee sugars.

To my surprise Asha from Fork Spoon Knife parted her way through the crowd and introduced herself. I was freaking out, people! I had no idea she was coming all the way from New York City. I have drooled over her highly impressive photography skills for quite some time now, along with her fantastic recipes. I am a big fan of hers and we quickly formed a bond. She was so kind to me, even though I was sick, and we held many great conversations throughout the evening and weekend. Hopefully I can make it up to her neck of the woods one day soon.

Alas, the first evening came to a swift end over great food and kind company. I was thankful for the early evening though, so I could make my way back to the hotel and chug down a colossal amount of hot tea and doze off.

The next morning I ordered breakfast in bed since I was moving at a sloth's pace (note to self - enjoy breakfast in bed more often) and pulled myself together to check out and head on over to the official forum, held at the hospitality college of the University of Central Florida. It was a beautiful sunny day, not yet too warm either. Too bad we didn't have "class" outside since the meeting room was a bristling sixty degrees! I did proceed to hijack the complimentary hot tea before taking my seat. I think I left some hot water behind though, so it was fine.

Being back in a classroom really brought out my nostalgia for school, but I told myself to focus and began rifling through the goodie bag instead (more on that at the end). Jaden soon officially welcomed us to the forum and opened the floor to the event's first speakers: Jeff Houck, professional food writer of The Stew for The Tampa Tribune, and Heather McPherson, food blogger of The Dish, and food editor and restaurant reviewer for The Orlando Sentinel. They were two of my favorite speakers of the forum. Jeff was like John Goodman as a foodie - he commands the room with his humor and expertise. Heather was more soft spoken, but an expert in her field and unafraid to speak her mind.

They both provided insightful and helpful information during their on-the-spot hour, including taking questions from the crowd. Jeff and Heather spoke from a professional point of view to help those bloggers who are seeking a path to a career from their blog, instead of occasional upkeep as a hobby. In summation, the following are some of my favorite words of wisdom:

• Have a niche with something new and relevant for food editors to write about;
• Email a food editor to begin building a relationship, which may lead to collaboration events to help build your resume;
• & "Respect the sad." - Heather

Jeff & Heather work on a higher ethical level than many food bloggers, so the complication with giveaways and free products were discussed. While they are unable to participate in such events, food bloggers are approached and have more freedom to offer items to their readers; however, a food blogger will have more credibility and a more dedicated following of readers if they choose wisely. You want people coming and reading your blog for its unique content, not due to the fact you have free junk every week that dozens of other bloggers have. I could have kept listening to those two for the rest of the day, but alas their schedules remain quite packed and they had to be off.

After a short break, and more cups of hot tea to no avail as my voice slowly disappeared, it was Jaden's husband, Scott, who spoke next. Scott is a professional poker player (I'll have to take him up on a game one day) and web guru of Jaden's sites. He's also a good motivational speaker, and he shared tips on how to be successful in your passion. A tip he provided that really stuck with me was to write down your goals and routinely reevaluate them to ensure you keep moving forward. I am a big believer in "Lists". I write a list for everything, no matter how trivial. This habit has always proven useful and rewarding, and is a habit of some successful people. Hearing his emphasis on this trait was positive confirmation that I have a skill set already in place to ensure I achieve my dreams, no matter if they are personal or professional.

Scott and Jaden's personalities play well off of each other, and their humor was fun to see in action. Jaden spoke next and shared her tips on successful blogging techniques. She shared some hard questions bloggers should ask themselves and work towards maintaining your own brand or motto, such as what emotions do you want people to feel when they visit your blog? Being consistent and having useful content will go a long way for your readers, and you.

Up next was the lovely Lindsey of Love & Olive Oil. As a graphic designer, she was a great speaker and chock full of great advice for organizing your blog's content. Thankfully, I'm on track with her recommendations, so that was a relief.

And right before lunch, we were able to hear from Peter Scott who works for a social media marketing company. His key piece of instruction was the realization that what everyone else says about your brand, IS your brand; therefore, working your craft is important to ensure your message and content is clear and translatable.

Asha, Me, Aggie, & Helene

Lunch was prepared by students at the hospitality college, so we walked across the warm courtyard together, snapping photos of each other along the way. I was getting anxious since my favorite part was approaching - Helene of Tartelette. She was the kicker for my attendance.

Helene brought her styling kit and we were able to see her in action after her presentation. Her advice was priceless, and she is so open and welcoming to questions. She emphasized that the shooting method doesn't matter as long as your photos encourage people to want to eat the food. The worst thing that can happen, she states, is to have to erase your memory card and eat your delicious food. Continue to practice and try again another day. Genius! Her styling kit had some nifty tools in it, such as a straw to blow away crumbs from a specific area instead of risking messing up a large area of the food you're working with. She styled a salad and dip for us, to show how to work with difficult food items (salads wilt quickly and dips are often not camera friendly). Her advice will be with me a lifetime to help with not only food shots, but make me think more creatively any time I use a camera.

We headed back to our classroom to hear Dawn from Wicked Good Dinner speak next. She is such a spitfire! Dawn is soon to graduate as a chef, too, so congrats! She shared her experiences building her brand from the ground up, and how to grow as a food writer if you aspire to write for large companies. Basically, hard work pays off.

Lastly, Jaden closed out the event with her story of building her empire. More hard work and dedication! She answered many people's questions, such as how to diversify your income as a blogger and the importance of using social media to build contacts and a community to support your blog. All excellent advice that I've taken to heart for the future.

Asha and I paired up again to go change for the after party at McCormick & Schmick's in the Mall at Millenia. They really rolled out the red carpet treatment for us, and we even got to use the valet parking - score! M&S had a succulent display of food for us to enjoy - drinks, a sushi bar, sautéed Gulf shrimp over coconut rice cakes, kobe sliders, and Florida grouper over plantains & black beans. It was a classy atmosphere to relax with my fellow food bloggers and get to know them better. Helene and Jaden even sat down for a bit to share stories with Asha and me. Helene has talent as a storyteller from her travels which dares to rival her photography. Lindsey and her husband, Taylor, are also sweethearts and shared hilarious tales of their cats. Denise from Creative Kitchen finally found me at the end and we were able to chat a moment, but it was not nearly long enough. It's a shame we're all so spread out across the country, otherwise it would be a riot meeting every so often.

Alas, the forum came to an end, well over its scheduled time actually. The poor folks at M&S had to gently guide us to the door since we all just stood in the middle of their floor chatting and oblivious to the time. I am quite grateful to have met so many talented food bloggers and hope to get the chance to see them again soon. If you ever have the chance to attend a Food Blog Forum event, I highly suggest you do so.

Last, but not least, those of you who have made it this far will have a chance to be rewarded! You see, all throughout the day, Jaden was giving away a load of prizes from sponsors - and good ones. Full size mixers from KitchenAid, bakeware from Le Creuset, and dozens more. I was the lucky recipient of a copy of Jaden's book, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook. While grateful and excited to win a prize, I already own it! With Jaden's permission, I asked her to sign the cookbook for the purpose of hosting a giveaway on my blog. Once lucky reader will win a brand new copy of her signed cookbook!

 

Jaden's debut cookbook features simple, fast, and delicious Asian recipes that anyone can make for dinner. The cooking instructions are clear and easy to follow, along with beautiful step-by-step instructional photos for each recipe. Her comforting writing leads you not only through each recipe flawlessly, but also covers essential cooking tools and an in depth explanation of foreign ingredients you'll encounter. You can be cooking like Jaden in no time!

How to Enter:

To be officially entered for the chance win one cookbook, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook, signed by Jaden Hair, leave a comment in this post sharing your favorite recipe from her food blog, Steamy Kitchen. Anyone is welcome to enter, but to contact the winner to receive their prize, an email account and a continental United States shipping address is required. Your email and address will not be shown or shared with any other party for any reason, and will only be collected for the intent and purpose of receiving the cookbook, if so chosen.

Bonus:

You can receive one extra entry by subscribing to Le Grand Fromage. Remember to leave a comment to receive credit for this action. If you already subscribe to Le Grand Fromage via email, leave a comment to still receive credit!

The giveaway will end May 20, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. Any comments received after this time will not be included in the giveaway. The winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be selected on May 21, 2011 and will be contacted via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, otherwise another winner will be selected.

Good luck!

Disclaimer: Le Grand Fromage and Steamy Kitchen are in no way affiliated. The cookbook was a free prize with no obligations or attachments to Le Grand Fromage. The signature by Jaden Hair is authentic and received with Mrs. Hair's full permission, including the intent to host this free giveaway.

Chicken & Dumplings

For this month's International Incident Party by Jeroxie (with me as a co-host since it's my birthday month!) we're featuring dishes of nostalgia.

Abstract definitely fits with my personality, and since food is such a major part of my life, a dish immediately sprang to mind: Chicken & Dumplings.

If I could say one item from my life that has always brought with it happiness and fond memories, it is chicken & dumplings. From the time I was a child, until the present, this classic dish warms my stomach and soul every time I am able to savor a bite. It tends to appear when things are calm and peaceful, allowing me to appreciate the little things of the moment and reflect upon all the blessings I have in my life.

My siblings and I grew up on this dish, and it's one of the few I believe we have each mastered in our way. I prefer the strips of dumplings my middle sister is known for, to the common dumpling "balls" of dropping the dough into the soup. My youngest sister is known for her spice mixtures, and can turn any classic recipe into her own. And our brother is a master at eating this soup, although he can wield a spatula in his own right when he feels up to it (and he is healing from his surgery, albeit slowly).

Although chicken & dumplings are usually served with just onion, celery, and carrots, I love vegetables and add many more of my favorites that happen to be on hand. It helps individualize the soup and create a heartiness that can stand up to the thick dumplings. The soup is more satisfying and is a lovely personal touch to experiment with your favorite vegetable sampling. Enough recipes exist for practically every cook, with differences that range from how to cook the chicken, to which seasonings should accompany the dish. Chicken & dumplings is a classic for many people, so start experimenting and create new memories with potential nostalgia for your loved ones, too.

Chicken & Dumplings

Printable Recipe

Soup

3 lbs. farm-raised, organic, whole chicken (roasting instructions)

16 cups filtered water

1 large onion, medium chopped

6 large celery stalks, medium chopped

6 medium carrots, peeled and medium chopped

1 large leek, medium chopped

2 medium bell peppers, medium chopped

10 large crimini mushrooms, medium chopped

1/4 cup raw milk

2 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp black pepper

2 tbsp dried thyme

Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup raw milk

After roasting the chicken and removing it from the oven, allow it to rest while you prepare the water. In a very large soup pot, add 16 cups water and bring it to a low boil. While the water is heating, remove as much meat from the chicken bones as possible; set aside. Add the chicken bones and skin to the water and cook for 45 min.

During this time, prepare your vegetables and set aside in a large bowl. Once the simple stock is finished cooking, use tongs and a spider to remove all the chicken bones and skin. Then add the vegetables, as well as the raw milk through dried thyme. Cook over medium-high heat for 30 min.

Prepare your dumplings by mixing together the flour through raw milk in a medium bowl. Liberally flour your working surface and roll out the dumplings to cut into rectangles.

Add to the soup one at a time, ensuring none stick together. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 min. Serve with fresh parsley if desired.

~Yields 8-10 servings.

~Original by Brie.

Moussaka

These past two weeks, I'm beginning to feel like myself again. My pain is starting to subside, as I'm not uber cautious of any movement I make, unlike the first two months after the accident. My desire to cook has returned, although it's still slow going. My photos are blurry when I attempt to lean down towards the stove to get a photo of the food cooking, and I do not yet have the energy to set up a more beautiful final shot. I can tell I'm out of practice, but I wasn't in a rush to perfect being a food blogger just yet anyway.

My meals have consisted of sandwiches, raw fruits and vegetables, and hot meals from New Leaf Market mostly while I've been unable to cook. I snuck in a few meals from our new Chipotle restaurant a few times, since I had never eaten there before they opened a shop here. I've had to make do with what I could get my hands on since I'm at the mercy of people who are willing to give me a ride, whether it be to the doctor's office or grocery shopping. I've never been without a car, and Tallahassee is not set up to be a walking city - nor have I been in any condition to go perusing around on foot. It's nice, however, not having to worry about the gas crisis at the moment, but assuming I'll have a new vehicle within the next few months, the issue might be worse at that point. Maybe I can convert my new car to run off of vegetable oil, since powering a car is about the only thing that gunk is good for.

I made moussaka a few days ago, one of the first dishes I've successfully made since December with little effort. The casserole dish allowed most of the cooking to be done while I sat and waited, so not being on my feet for long was helpful. This recipe is a blend of Middle Eastern and Greek traditions, and the addition of cinnamon is what makes this dish seem exotic. I think one of my favorite aspects of this dish, besides the wonderful flavors, is the tradition of allowing it to reach room temperature before serving. I normally do this with nearly all of my foods just as a personal preference, so to see it recommended for a dish is a treat.

Moussaka a group of familiar palate tastes, just in a neater package.

Moussaka

Printable Recipe

olive oil

2 extra large russet potatoes

2 large cloves garlic, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

8 large mushrooms, medium sliced

1 lb ground beef or lamb

15oz tomato sauce

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup raw milk

2 eggs

Wash the potatoes thoroughly and dry. Use a mandoline on 1/4" setting, and slice each potato.

In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil and place 1/4 potato slices into the pan without overcrowding. Cook for 2 1/2 min on both sides. Remove from the pan, add more oil, and repeat until all potatoes are cooked. (Slice an extra potato to cook if you know you'll be snacking on the pieces - I did!)

Add the chopped garlic through mushrooms. Cook for 5-7 min, stirring occasionally, until translucent.

Next add the ground beef or lamb and cook for 10-12 min until fully cooked.

Add the tomato sauce through cinnamon, stir well, and turn off the heat.
 

Preheat the oven to 350*F. In an ungreased 13"x9" glass pan, add half the potato slices overlapping.

Next spoon in the cooked mixture and spread evenly.

Then add the remaining potato slices, also overlapping. Finally, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, then pour evenly over the casserole. Bake for 35 min. (Optional: After 30 min, remove the casserole and add 1 cup shredded cheese evenly, then finish baking.)

Remove from the oven and allow the moussaka to rest before serving, traditionally to room temperature. Optional toppings of Greek yogurt and fresh herbs, if desired.

~Yields 4-6 servings.

~Adapted from Cooking Light.

New Leaf Market: Fine Wine & Gourmet Food Sampler

This past Saturday, New Leaf Market hosted its first fine wine and food festival. The event was held not only showcase the variety of expertise of their chefs, but also benefit a local elementary school.

The evening began with raw appetizers. The first selection was a raw vegetable wrap.

Vegetable & Cheese Bruschetta

Raw Pesto on Toasted Bread

Soy-based Balsamic Vegetable Dip

Fresh Herb Couscous

Although New Leaf Market has been the area's best co-op for over 30 years, it has recently expanded its offerings to include a gourmet deli and catering branch, as well as refine their wine selection, among other helpful modernizations.

The Seafood Course: Alaskan Pollock with Capers & Fresh Lemon Wedges

Dill Crusted Salmon

Salmon Cakes - My 3rd favorite of the evening.

This rapid expansion may have been missed, even by its most dedicated of customers. The event, only $15 (with $5 of each ticket benefiting the local school), displayed the assortment of delectable dishes available from their creative chefs, as well as offer a generous wine tasting from their expanded selections.

The Pork Course: Marinated Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions

Savory Bacon & Onion Tarts

Southwestern Pulled Pork Shoulder - My favorite of the evening.

The market filled up quickly as the patrons were eager to get started. As soon as the clock struck 7:00pm, the food and wine started pouring - literally.

Chicken Salad Puff - My 2nd favorite.

The chefs were hardly able to make their way out of the kitchen before their trays of goodies were obliterated. Hands were reaching from every direction, as people were touching elbows from the mass of people in the organized chaos.

The Dessert Course: Candied Orange Rinds in Orange Marmalade on Shortbread Cookies with Whipped Cream. Not Photoed: Blackberry Reduction Over Shortbread Cookies with Whipped Cream.

Key Lime Pie Tarts

Chocolate Sandwich Shortbread Cookies

 

I attempted to get the best photos possible, but sometimes only three pieces were left on the trays by the time I moved the camera up to take a shot. One of the head chefs must have known what I was up to, as she snuck me back into the kitchen for a few nice shots of the trays before they brought them out. I think a few of the patrons thought I was attempting to sneak food when I came back out from the kitchen, but I pointed to my camera and they nodded in approval.

The Cheese Course: Sweet Grass Dairy Soft Cheeses

Highlight of the Event: Opening an 80 lb. wheel of Parmesan Reggiano from Italy.

One person holds the wheel, while the other wedges it open after slicing the rind.

Splitting it open.

Creamy perfection. The cheese had been aged since 2008.

If I was happy at seeing everyone enjoying the food and wine, New Leaf must have been ecstatic! I told them I needed to find an excuse the throw a party just so I could eat this much of their food again in one sitting.

One of my purchases from the event.

I chose to purchase an Italian sparkling wine by Mondoro and a German Riesling by blüfeld, the most popular of the evening. I also found two French Chardonnays and a Merlot to enjoy the next time I host book club.

Every morsel of food and each sip of wine was absolutely delicious. I am a very lucky person to have such a sophisticated organic market in a petite Southern town. Thank you to New Leaf Market for hosting such a lovely evening!