Wine and Cheese
Fridays are house wine-drinking days on the Homestretch, and since I was taking over traffic duties I was around to partake. Jeff, who is (sadly) retiring next week, always brings cheese; this week it was a wedge of Piave, a cow’s milk cheese made in the Piave River Valley region of Belluno, Italy, and a runny brie-like goat cheese from Salt Spring Island Cheese. They had to pin me down and pry the Swiss Army knife from my hands to keep me from finishing that Piave; it’s a little like a cross between Parmesan and aged Gouda, and it is divine. As was the goat cheese. I’m glad I didn’t have to choose and could devour them equally. We ate all of it in the studio between 6 and 7, after going off the air. (Both, by the way, can be found at Janice Beaton.) To wash it down, Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2007. Very grapey and drinkable. I’m not usually a white wine person, but I’d pick up another bottle.
As a vehicle, Raincoast Crisps. But the plain kind, which I have to admit I’ve never warmed up to. (Part of their problem: they are too loud. You can’t eat and listen at the same time. I kept having to stop chewing and say “WHAT?” Or, yes.. pardon me. W: “what?” Me: “pardon me.” W: “I said WHAT?”)
But it did remind me that I can make the rosemary-pecan kind my very own self, and I do believe I will whip up a batch for tomorrow night.
And once again, it’s Free Stuff Friday! Sarah, who fittingly lives in Seattle, got the Pike Place coffee and $25 Starbucks card last week. Yay Sarah! This week I have a 10 piece set of some of my favourite stuff – Pyrex. Honestly, Pyrex is brilliant. It never chips. It never seems to wear out. I have no idea how old my Pyrex bowls are, but they keep on going. You can even bake in them, if you ever want to make a domed birthday cake for any reason. This is a set of five (not quite domed) bowls that come with sealing lids, so you can cover them and pop them in the fridge if you like. Far better than plastic. Or as we use in our house, random yogurt containers.
I got a question by email yesterday that I thought I’d throw out there for you all to chew on – I’m sure between us we can come up with far more suggestions than I would on my own! Here’s your challenge, should you decide to accept it: Menu ideas for a drop in casual barbecue for 40-50. It would be nice to prep food ahead of time so as to stay out of the kitchen during the party. Suggestions?
One Year Ago: Chili
June 19 2009 | leftovers | 81 Comments »
