Welcome to Blog Day 2005. The idea behind blog day is to choose 5 new blogs and share them with your readers. If you're wondering why August 31st was chosen, look at how the date looks like the very word "blog". Here are my picks of newish food blogs both in our own backyard and far, far away:

1. In Praise of Sardines
Born in June, this local blog is a tasty melange of recipes, opinions, reports on produce, restaurants and more. I fell in love with the Barcelona posts and have frequented it ever since.

2. Bunnyfoot
Consider yourself lucky when you visit this local blog, you never know what treats are awaiting you--cookies, jams, infused vinegars, so much good stuff! Up and running since April this is a "mostly vegan" blog.

3. Delicious Days
This blog is based in Munich and is so beautiful--the design, the photographs, and the writing style is warm and conversational. Begun in March this is what food blogs aspire to be like when they grow up.

4. Beauty Joy Food
Another "Amy" blogger this one from Florida and her blog is Southern, fresh and juicy. Amy has been blogging since May and is one to keep your eyes on.

5. David Lebovitz
Ok, I admit it, I'm crazy about David. He's a pastry chef who shares Paris, shopping, cooking and dessert, all with his characteristic sense of humor and intelligence. My swoon started in April when the blog launched and both are going strong.

I hope you'll celebrate by visiting each one. If you'd like to see a round up of other new blogs, visit the technorati page, here.

Bueno greeted us outside. Apparently he knows just about everyone in these parts, and who can resist that broad grin and wagging tail. He was perched outside the newly refurbished 7-week-old butchery and eatery of Marin Sun Farms, on the edge of Point Reyes Station near Tomales Bay.

Marin Sun Farms is a small, local, family farm--owned by David Evans--that produces 100% all-natural grass-fed beef and organic chickens. Their farm is nestled in the rolling grassy hills of stunning Point Reyes National Seashore (lucky cows and chickens!). They sell their products at the new shop, various retail outlets, farmers' markets, and through many high-end restaurants. (I've been a fan of theirs for quite some time, first discovering them at the SF Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market.)

Two of our closest friends--Trey and Andrew--live up in Inverness on Tomales Bay, just around the corner from Point Reyes Station, and know of all the goings-on about town. So when we mentioned that my parents would be in town, they suggested we try the new Marin Sun Farms eatery for lunch. "But what about Andrew?" (He's a vegetarian. Well, really a "fish"-a-tarian. Trey assures me that there's going to be something on the menu for him. We are all skeptical.)

So there we were, on a gorgeous warm blue-sky day in Point Reyes Station, petting David's dog, Bueno, and admiring (from the outside at least) what David had already done with the place. Formerly a forgettable restaurant hidden by overgrown bushes, the new place was freshly painted, trimmed, and had a cow for a sign.

David greeted us himself at the counter, which displays cuts of beef and doubles as the place to order your meal.

A board above the counter lists the daily specials, and I was surprised to see just how many non-meat offerings there were: eggs with fresh vegetables, roasted halibut, fish and chips, and even a vegan soup. Andrew was happy. The rest of us, being the carnivores that we are, ordered an array of meaty sandwiches both from the specials board and the standard menu.

My dad and I went for the BBQ beef sandwich listed on the specials board: a soft, chewy bun piled high with seasoned pulled beef sauced with tangy, vinegary, slightly sweet BBQ sauce. The meat was intensely flavorful and just melted in your mouth. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it as I write this. Mine was served with a side of some of the best coleslaw I've ever had: light, crunchy, fresh, and with just enough mayonnaise-based sauce to keep it juicy. My dad opted for a side of their freshly made fries, which were also delicious, crisp and hot out of the fryer (although I had wished they were just slightly more golden in color, they still tasted fantastic).

My mom and Wendy gave the farm the true test by ordering the hamburgers. The restaurant offers a 1/3 lb burger (which is what my mom ordered) and a 1/2 lb butcher burger (what Wendy ordered). The burgers were simple, perfectly seasoned, made-to-order, and served with fresh lettuce, red onion, and slices of pink beets. The eatery offers a whole array of condiments at their condiment counter, everything from chipotle mayo to a variety of mustards, to ketchup. Trey went for the Point Reyes Cheese Steak, also listed on the standard menu along with the burgers. It was enormous, served on a long crusty roll and piled high with paper-thin slices of beef, caramelized onions, and melted cheese. Trey appeared to be in meat heaven.
Andrew was perfectly happy with his plate of fresh organic scrambled eggs, whole-grain toast, and sauteed organic broccoli and romano beans.

Stuffed full, we decided to head out to the Point Reyes lighthouse, about 30 minutes away through the grasslands of Point Reyes National Seashore. We'd never been there and managed to show up just in time for their lens tour (inside the old lighthouse, set 307 steps down the cliff). On our way back to Oakland, we passed through Point Reyes Station, and decided to stop and pick up some meat for dinner the next night. Two lbs of ground chuck and a seasonal dried beef-and-pork sausage later, we had David regaling us with the history of the Point Reyes National Seashore and its alphabetized ranches as well as giving us a bit of history of his own farm. It was this moment that reminded me of what I love about living in California, the passion and dedication to local, sustainable foods. We are truly lucky to live here amidst this bounty.

Marin Sun Farms Butcher Shop and Restaurant
10905 Shoreline Highway 1
Point Reyes Station, CA
415-663-8497

Open Friday thru Monday 10:30am-6:30pm

The Picasso of Pastry is none other than the inimitable French pastry chef Pierre Hermé as hailed by French Vogue, and anyone who walks into his jewelry store styled shops is stunned into submission.

André Soltner, the former chef at Lutèce in NYC and one of the deans at my cooking school, admonished us constantly that chefs are not artists, they are craftsmen. He continued that art is permanent; an artist can work on a creation as he pleases whereas a chef gets up every morning and "leaves it on the field" as they say on the gridiron. And you do it every day, day after long, greuling day, in his case for over 40 years. But...

...when it comes to Pierre Hermé and his patisseries, he is not only a dedicated chef producing the finest pastries day after day after day, he is undeniably an artist as his creations are not only visually stunning, they are structurally brilliant. By that I mean the combination of flavors, textures, colors, presentation, and there is always a surprise. In fact one of his pastries is indeed titled Surprise (soo-preeze), a delicate meringue cup filled with various delights.

I was fortunate enough to land an internship at Pierre Hermé Patisserie and it is like being in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory -- the old one, not the new creepy Tim Burton/Johnny Depp one. I worked in both the laboratoire (main kitchen) in the 15th and the store on rue Bonaparte in the 6th. I had to arrive at 6am. In the laboratoire, we made a few thousand macarons a day! When I worked in the store, my first project each morning was to make a few hundred ispahans, depending on the orders.

The store opens at 10am and on most days there was already a line waiting for a hot-out-of-the-oven almond croissant or hazelnut-truffle macarons or a sugar-coma-sweet rose ispahan filled with raspberries, lychees nuts and rose butter cream topped with a perfect rose petal or the hand-made chocolates flavored with beguiling bergamot or intoxicating passion fruit (my hands down favorite). The store closes at 7pm and most if not all the pastries have been snatched up, at a pretty penny I might add, and no doubt consumed within a few steps of leaving the store. Here is a sampling of the Picasso of Pastry's art:

café tart

surprise! (soo-preeze!)

chocolate yuzu tart

orange cheesecake (good but not as good as my grandmother's!)

petits fours

Pierre Hermé Patisserie
72, rue Bonaparte
(across from St Sulpice Church)
Paris 75006
+33 (0) 1 43 54 47 77

185, rue de Vaugirard
(at Metro: Pasteur)
75015 Paris

In case of a natural bread disaster, it's always good to have a place like Bread & Cie nearby. It's also a sumptuous place for lunch.

Famished from a day of hiking, merrymaking, and general carousing last weekend, we happily sank into some chairs around lunchtime, grabbed some delicious coffee, and refueled with a couple of sandwiches and a handful of pastries. My husband chomped through a California Mufeletta that was piled with genoa salami, roasted red peppers, provolone cheese, red onion, tomato, fresh basil, olive tapenade, dripping with Tuscan olive oil and balsamic vinegar and served on a house-baked Ciabatta. I ordered a Black Forest ham and swiss cheese sandwich with springy, fresh baby lettuces and slathered with pineapple salsa on their seedless rye bread.

Both sandwiches were quite tasty, but my husband was a little dismayed that they were so obviously chilled. I mean, I completely understand why a busy place like Bread & Cie needs to make sandwiches in bulk and keep them refrigerated until ordered, but next time I think we'll order and drive home before we chomp, thus getting the sandwiches to room temperature and improving their flavors. The eclair we ordered for dessert was roll-your-eyes-back-and-give-up-eating-anything-else-like-ever delicious.

In addition to their substantial list of sandwiches and large variety of tempting pastries, Bread & Cie's cafe also offers soups, salads, Focaccia pizza, cheese plates, and breakfast specials. I'm particularly interested in their "Picnic Lunch Box," which includes a specialty sandwich of your choice, Bread & Cie's seasoned bread chips, and a slice of lemon cake served in a carry-out picnic box. Sounds like a perfect addition to a coastal hike in Torrey Pines.

Fully digested, we headed out but not before grabbing a loaf of their just-baked bread. It was hard to decide between the bread of the day -- goat cheese and garlic -- or one of their other mouth-moistening flavors. Should it be Fig and Anise? What about a Lemon Sage Ciabatta? Oh, maybe Walnut Raisin for hearty breakfasts! No, it had better be Caramelized Onion. It's a sound choice.

Having blinked and missed the Fava bean season, I needed to do something to alleviate my craving for the garlicky-lemon purée -- especially since we now had this wonderful bread that was just crying out to be slathered with something. I decided to make my Faux Fava Bean Purée where instead of Fava beans, I would use a bag of frozen (shelled) edamame. Mind you, I hadn't made this thing yet, I had only dreamed about it. I mean, why not? They're both bean type things, they're both green, and they're both tasty. How could they not be improved by garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice? Plus, with the edamame you get all that healthy soy stuff.

Faux Fava Bean Purée

Approximate Preparation Time: 35 minutes

1 bag frozen shelled edamame
4 minced cloves garlic
3 large pinches Kosher salt, or to taste
2 large pinches freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup grated Fiore Sardo (a nice, salty aged sheep's cheese from Sardinia)
Juice from 2 lemons
1/4 cup - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Throw out the NOXIOUS SMOKED bread.

2. Prepare the frozen shelled edamame according to the bag's instructions and let cool.

3. Pour the cooked, cooled edamame into a food processor and pulse four or five times, each pulse lasting three seconds, until coarsely chopped. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, cheese, and lemon juice. Pulse until fully blended.

4. Pour the olive oil in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube until the purée is your desired consistency. I've found that edamame is a bit drier than Fava beans and might require more olive oil than less. It's a personal preference but more olive oil gives it a silkier texture and keeps it from drying out in the fridge or on the table.

5. Taste and adjust the seasonings. If the flavors seem dull or lackluster, add a bit more salt or lemon juice, pulse to fully blend, and taste again.

6. Slather over thick slices of bread and drizzle with a touch more olive oil before serving.

Enjoy.

Bread & Cie Bakery and Cafe
350 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103

Monday-Friday 7 AM-7 PM
Saturday 7 AM - 6 PM
Sunday 8 AM-6 PM

Title: Julia Child Curator of Food Arts at Copia, cooking teacher, chef, home cook, author of Cooking School Secrets for Real World Cooks
Hometown: Hartford CT, grew up in Medway Mass, in Bay Area since 1983

1. What are the secrets to being a really great cooking teacher?
Food writer Betty Fussell recently wrote that the difference between Julia Child and some of the TV chefs of today is that "she showed how, she didn't show off". That struck a cord with me; I really want people to know how to do it. I want them to have a benchmark for the flavor and the taste and be able to go home and do it.

Also sometimes you have to start at the very beginning and teach people how to taste, but also how to breathe, which affects how we taste. If I can teach someone the techniques but I can't teach them to season-to-taste, I haven't done my job. How to finesse things that don't go their way. How to use your senses, your smarts, your instincts, to honor the integrity of the food. Restraint, sometimes it's about what you don't add rather than what you do. You don't want to have too much going on. When in doubt, don't!

2.What's your approach to cooking?
I cook at home a lot. I approach cooking at home with the mindset of an Italian American family, with those roots, I can't get away from the fact that I have an Italian American palate. That's what I fall back on. The flavors come from my Italian grandmother, the seasoning is because of my Indian teacher and the technique is from my French chef instructors.

3. What are your favorite cookbooks?
I love Lidia's cookbooks, they resonate with me even though she learned to cook Italian American food and didn't grow up eating it. We have the same palate. I love David Lebovitz's dessert cookbook (Room for Dessert), his ginger cake is a real crowd pleaser. I love Janet Fletcher's Fresh From the Farmers' Market. I like the Chez Panisse books, I use them for inspiration. The Silver Palate books inspired me in writing my book proposal. I always felt that they had too many ingredients, they didn't know restraint, but I love their approachability.

4. What do you cook for yourself at home?
Simple stuff, fish, chops. I have an indoor gas grill that I use many nights a week. My favorite thing to do is, before I go to work to take a chop and spread it with olive oil sprinkle it with fennel seed and garlic powder and salt and pepper and cook it when I get home. Right now I'm cooking a lot with tomatoes--with mozzarella or with pasta. I make risotto, my husband likes it. It's romantic making something for the person you love, that you know they love. It's a sign of compassion and respect how you cook for someone.

5. What's the best thing about living in the Bay Area?
Salad. It's the one thing I missed so much on my book tour. I love fresh, flavorful salad ingredients and local restaurants seem to have a good understanding of how to put interesting salads together. For example they don't use tomatoes out of season. We are spoiled at Copia because we get the greens out of the garden. Do you know the gem lettuce you find at the farmers markets? I love that lettuce. A little good olive oil and vinegar and I'm happy.

Once again, another heavy summer meal but when in Rome...or Burgundy as the case may be. The Burgundian or Bourgogne culinary specialties include their world class wines that I mentioned last post, escargots (yes, snails! blech!)...

...and the ubiquitous Beef Bourguignonne—a fancy way of saying beef stew from Burgundy or beef stew cooked with Burgundy-grown wine.

"Stew" and it's many variations were very intimidating to me when I was first learning to cook. Actually most any recipe with more than 4 ingredients and 3 steps was intimidating but I digress. Now it's one of my favorites to make on a bone-chilling day and soup just won't cut it. There are a few basic steps for beef bourguignonne or any stew really. 1. brown meat, 2. sauté veggies, 3. add wine (or liquid), cover and cook. That's it.

Make it ahead of time and reheat over low heat and use decent wine or wine that you would actually drink. If you add bad wine, the stew will be bad. There's no hiding it. There are good, non-budget-breaking wines out there, you have to search a bit more in the states though. This recipe of course calls for Burgundy wine (which is made from pinot noir grapes) but a chewy cabernet sauvignon would be great here as well. The following recipe is closer to tradition however when we had it last week in Burgundy it included red and green peppers and zucchini. Technically that would make it more of a Provencal beef stew but it was freezing, we were sitting outside and it was starting to rain... Don't ask. Just eat.

Beef Bourguignonne

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
olive oil

2 potatoes, peeled, cut into 1" dice
1 basket button mushrooms
4 carrots, peeled, cut into 1" dice (keep the veggies the same size for even cooking)
2 onions, cut into 1" dice

1 zucchini, cut into 1" dice (optional)
1 red pepper, cut into 1" dice (optional) seeds removed
1 green pepper, cut into 1" dice (optional) seeds removed

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low sodium preferably (beef stock makes it too rich for me but you might like it)
2 cups red wine (such as a Burgundy or cabernet sauvignon)
3 sprigs fresh thyme

1. Salt and pepper the beef cubes and flour very lightly. Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.

2. Brown all sides of the beef cubes, letting each side turn a golden brown—that should take a few minutes. Don't overcrowd the pan, cook in batches if necessary. Set beef aside in a bowl as you cook them.

3. Deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine and pour into bowl with beef.

4. Add olive oil to pan and slightly brown the veggies.

5. Add the beef and juice back to pan, add the broth, wine, herbs and bring the liquid to a boil.

6. Turn down the heat until the liquid is simmering, cover and cook for approximately 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Check after 45 minutes for consistency and doneness of veggies. Cook until it has reached the consistency you like.

Serve with mashed potatoes or if you are looking for something a little different, soft polenta.

A little trick to make the sauce shiny and unctuous is to strain out the meat and veggies then heat up the remaining sauce and whisk in a few tablespoons of cold butter chunks. You can also thicken the sauce by stirring in a few tablespoons at a time of bread crumbs.

Bon Appetite de Bourgogne.

PS: In case you are wondering where exactly Burgundy is in France, here you go...

Being concert season and all (even though lately it feels like WINTER in the Bay Area), I've been going to quite a few shows recently. Last week's Dave Matthews Band concert was fun, but I probably wouldn't want to go see another concert at PacBell/SBC/Whatever Park. It was built for ballgames and not really anything else, the acoustics suck, and the food is just not that great.

Frankly, I'm just not a big fan of the uber-venues. I avoid them. I think the last time I actually attended a concert at a big venue was close to 6 years ago (with the exception of last week). So irony of ironies, I went to another big show last night. Coldplay. Now you have to understand, I'm a completely head-over-heels, smitten, verging on obsessive fan of Coldplay. I tried to get the tickets to the tiny show at the Fillmore, but no such luck. So when they announced their show at Shoreline, I didn't even think twice about how much I dislike the venue (more on that later), I just giddily purchased tickets.

I have a tiny little history with Shoreline. The last time I was there was probably 8 or 9 years ago and there was a corndog incident. It wasn't pretty, and no further details will be offered so I'll just leave you all to your imagination. Suffice it to say, besides the incident, Shoreline is just MASSIVE. It's a real cattle call. And my experience with it oh so long ago, was that it was just too overwhelming: the lines for everything were long, the parking lot was located in another state, the food there was terrible, the people who worked there were mean, and you could barely see the stage. But regardless of all that, this was Coldplay. I probably would have gone anywhere to see them. So we went to Shoreline.

Since it was Friday night, we hit the road early and sailed right in, quickly parked and joined the long queue to get in. Once they opened the doors, the line moved along quite quickly and then it was a mad rush to the lawn to set up camp. We staked out our territory, I decided to go check things out and see how they compared to the ballpark.

Shoreline has a good number of offerings, from the requisite Gilroy Garlic Fries (which looked a bit better than those at the ballpark) and assortment of roasted sausages and dogs, to an array of Mexican food (offered at the popular Rosita's Mexican), pizza (as I mentioned in the ballpark post, not a good idea), BBQ, and of course, corndogs. There was a small crowd gathered near Wild Bill's BBQ, so I ventured over and noticed they were pouring Fat Tire (always a good sign). Their menu listed classic choices, from tri-tip sandwiches to BBQ chicken sandwiches, dogs and burgers. I went for the BBQ chicken, a grilled breast slathered with KC-style sauce, served on a soft wheat roll with fresh lettuce, tomato, and red onions. Not too bad for $5.50 (again, like my brat-kraut the week before, a pretty good bargain). We also tried the regular fries at another stand (couldn't bring myself to eat the garlic-saturated potatoes for 2 weeks in a row) and they were hot, crisp, and delicious.

The really great thing about Shoreline is that you can bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages with you into the park (they do have a few rules as to what types of containers you can bring in so be sure to check that out before rolling your big cooler up to the front gate). We didn't really plan ahead, plus we wanted to check out the offerings at the park, but we did notice all kinds of great food around us, from Italian sandwiches to sushi to full plated meals.

Even though I still hold that Shoreline is a bit too massive, it was definitely redeemed last night. The folks who worked there were pleasant and helpful, the crowd was in great spirits, and the food was decent to boot. I don't think I'll be running back there anytime soon, but you can bet I'll be there the next time Coldplay shows up.

Last week I went to the Ferry Building for some Hog Island oysters and a stroll around. As you might expect, I happened in to the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant and browsed the aisles. Much to my delight, I came across a half-bottle of something most intriguing: Rutherglen Muscat by Chambers.
I vaguely recalled reading an article a couple of years ago describing the Rutherglen wine region in Victoria, Australia. Specializing in the Muscat grape and using the solera process to produce a rich, consistent non-vintage designated blend, the vintners in Rutherglen were trying to prevent the disappearance of the distinctively styled dessert wines in the face of general global disinterest in sweet wines. And here was a bottle of the very stuff! I quickly paid up and rushed home to find out what I could about the bottle.
With a modest amount of digging I unearthed the remembered article. For those who follow such things, the Wine Spectator said that this wine "...presents a tower of nut, coffee and black cherry flavors that keep building upon one another, culminating explosively with more cherry, caramel and coffee notes on the long finish." Okay, but what's the wine REALLY like? There's only one way to find out, so I pulled the cork and got my nose into the glass.
The color of the wine was a rich amber, suggesting the wine's years of repose in barrel oxidizing into decadent richness. Aromas of coffee, Brazil nut, apricot, clove, and grapefruit blossom danced around the glass. On the palate, the Muscat was rich and unctuous. Flavors of sweet raisin, caramel and apricot were, well, almost explosive, and the finish was majestically long. Mmmmm. I instantly felt remorse for not rallying to the cause of saving this style of wine sooner -- but fully intend to make up for lost time.
The back label of the bottle had quite a bit of information on it, and while I am not usually a fan of back label copy, a couple of things were of particular interest. First, it suggested that the Muscat could be enjoyed as a 'between dinner drink'. I'm not sure what exactly that is, but I intend to have one every time I dine from now on. Second, the label points out that, owing to the high alcohol content of the wine (18.5%), the half bottle I purchased could be re-corked and enjoyed over several months, much as a bottle of Port. As a little of this wonderful wine goes a long way, it's good to know that one needn't consume the entire half-bottle in one sitting lest it go bad.
Good on you, vintners of Rutherglen. Your Muscats are a little slice of sweet heaven.

Wine information:

Chambers
Muscat Rutherglen
Rosewood Vineyards
Non-Vintage
Alcohol 18.5%
$15 for a 375 ml half-bottle at Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant
And one final note: I'd recommend tasting this wine in a Port-style glass, or at least a wine glass without a very big bowl. Due to the higher degree of alcohol, a big balloon glass or brandy snifter might accentuate the alcohol over the wonderful aromatics and that wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

Last weekend we hacked our way through the lush back country that is Rancho Santa Fe -- passing by countless gated mansions, horses, polo clubs, and general wealth -- to get to Chino Farms. THE Chino Farms, venerated by Alice Waters, who states in Chez Panisse Vegetables, "The Chinos have made an art of farming. For two generations now, they have tended their land with an inexhaustible aesthetic curiosity, constantly searching out new and old varieties of dozens of fruits and vegetables from all over the world, and planting and harvesting year round." For us, this had always been a necessary San Diego pilgrimage and we weren't disappointed.

The makeshift parking lot was already packed with BMWs, Mercedes, SUVs of Unusual Size, and a few random Jaguars when we drove up in our dusty little Nissan around 10:30 AM. Given that we had a full day of sightseeing ahead of us and weren't sure if we'd be eating beyond lunch at Bread and Cie, I was there to eat simply with my eyes.

What a feast!

I was particularly enchanted by the way the fresh herbs were arranged in individual pewter pots on glossy wooden shelves. Each herb had a neatly handwritten card to label it and there wasn't a black leaf or spear in sight.

I stared long and hard at the glistening lettuces and wished I had a way of preventing them from wilting in our car as we drove around San Diego. Visions of bounteous plates piled with delicately dressed salads rose before my eyes and I finally had to bite my lip hard and turn away.

It seemed a tragedy to walk away empty handed but I know myself -- once I got going, I would have wanted to buy four of everything they had. Next time we visit, I'm emptying my fridge ahead of time and bringing a large shopping basket. And a suitcase.

Chino Farms Vegetable Stand
6123 Calzada del Bosque
Rancho Santa Fe (off Via de la Valle, S6), CA

Fall/Winter: Tuesday-Saturday 10-4; Sunday 10-1
Spring/Summer: Tuesday-Saturday 10-5;
Sunday 10-1
Closed Mondays.

Title: Cheesebuyer/cheesemonger at Rainbow Grocery
Hometown: Kentfield CA

1. What are Bay Area cheese consumers like?
New York, Chicago and the Bay Area are the hubs for cheese in the country. The cheese buying public is looking for new tastes, and is fairly sophisticated. People have been exposed to all sorts of cheeses for a lot longer time than in other parts of the country. There is a really strong desire to buy local cheeses as well as some of the fancier ones. We are incredibly lucky with the amount of local cheeses that are available here.

2.What are some popular cheeses for the Summer?
Because tomatoes are nice in the summer, fresh mozzarella or burrata are good. It's a great time of year for fresh or ripened goat cheeses. The Redwood Hill Camellia is great with fruit.

3. What are the most underrated cheeses?
The Hudson Valley Camembert is an amazing cheese, it's a sheep and cow blend. The texture and the flavor are great, the texture is almost chocolate truffle like. The Great Hill Blue from Massachusetts is a great blue cheese. It's assertive but not overly strong. There's a great sweetness to it, and it's very well-balanced. The 4 and 6 year Widmer's cheddars are orange and made in Wisconsin but are sharp and moist; I like them a lot.

4. What's the best way to store cheese?
On some level I think people stress about it too much. If you're going to use plastic don't use a zip lock bag, use a tight clean piece of plastic. But if you use cheap plastic you can change the texture of the outside of the cheese. Waxed paper will dry it out but you won't get any plastic flavor. If you can, only buy enough to eat for a week and take storing out of the equation. My advice? buy it and eat it quick!

5. What is a favorite condiment with cheese?
Dark honey. You can use it on fresh goat cheese and aged cheese. I recommend chopping parmigiano reggiano into "fingers" and dipping it into dark honey with a touch of truffle oil if you happen to have some.