Is Gluten Free Healthier for Everyone??

Yesterday I appeared on Paula Sands Live! and she asked me point blank should someone who doesn't have a gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease eat a gluten free diet. The short answer I gave her is no. The long answer requires a little more discussion. While eating a completely gluten free menu isn't going to harm you, if you don't need to eat gluten free, you shouldn't go out of your way to do so. The bottom line is that in recent years Gluten Free has become somewhat of a fad diet and many people are jumping on the band wagon without proper diagnosis, without a gluten sensitivity or intolerance and without considering the long term health benefits/detriments.

1 in approximately 133 individuals is affected with Celiac Disease. Celiac disease is defined as someone who cannot tolerate gluten. The gluten attacks the villi in their small intestine, which are the small hairlike protrusions that actually help to absorb nutrients, causing them to shrivel up and thus instigating a host of medical ailments ranging from gastro-intestinal problems to iron deficiencies to skin rashes to migraines. These individuals when taken off of a diet including gluten can regrow the villi and resume a normal life sans symptoms.

Wheat allergies, intolerances and sensitivities are not necessarily related to Celiac disease but are legitimate allergies nonetheless which also require an individual to remain on a gluten free diet. Symptoms again can range from mild skin irritations and stomach discomfort to full anaphylaxis. The bottom line is, the need to live gluten free exists. BUT, that being said, many believe that eating gluten free is somehow healthier for you. They equate gluten free with low fat, low carb, low glycemic or low sugar. This is often not the case. Many of the carbohydrates that are often included in a gluten free diet, i.e. rice, potatoes and corn, can often be higher in starches and sugars than flour and may in fact cause weight gain, not loss.

There is also a significant problem with many gluten free products that are being marketed to consumers. Gluten free is big business and many manufacturers see it as an opportunity to make money. While these products may be gluten free, they are not made with your overall health and wellness in mind. If you actively read labels you'll notice that often pre-packaged gluten free foods and snacks are actually quite high in fat, sugar, sodium and carbohydrates as well as a host of other ingredients that are included to create a certain mouth feel or texture people associate with like products with gluten in them. You might not get sick, but you may in fact create a myriad of other problems by eating these products like hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

I think the rule of thumb is that you should not self diagnose. You should consult a medical practitioner to determine if you have a legitimate allergy or Celiac disease before restricting anything from your diet. A simple blood test is needed to identify if you have a preponderance toward Celiac Disease, after which an endoscopy or biopsy may be performed to confirm the disease. One quick note: if you have already begun eating gluten free, you may test with a false negative even if you have it. You must be consuming gluten for the test to be accurate. As far as a wheat/gluten allergy, intolerance or sensitivity, there are various skin prick tests that can be performed to confirm such an allergy, but often a doctor will recommend you do an elimination diet to test your sensitivity to wheat or gluten.

Eating gluten free is not a diet plan. Case in point. Last year I attended a fairly well known Gluten Free Expo where a registered dietition was appearing as an expert in eating gluten free. The dietition was well over what I consider to be a healthy weight and if indeed she was practicing what she preaches, she was the poster child for the fact that consuming gluten free foods without need or without consideration of overall health and wellness will not make you lose weight. If you think you are doing something good for you by eating an entire bag of gluten free pretzels over the non gluten free ones because you think they won't make you gain weight, think again. Ultimately you have to read labels, know your body and know that there is no miracle short cut to losing weight, especially not a gluten free one. I always say, moderation is key, exercise is a must and knowledge about what you are putting into your body is necessary. Disappointing I know, but if it sounds too good to be true, it is, especially when it comes to losing weight.

Chef Monika is the author of "Let's Party: Gluten Free Entertaining for Everyone"

Messing with Mushrooms

Portabello mushrooms are one of my favorite vegetables. They can be stuffed, grilled, roasted, sauteed, you name it. They are incredibly versatile. I happen to love them in practically anything but they are particularly great as a meat substitute because of their uniquely robust umami flavor. Unfortunately I find that many people say they hate mushrooms. My theory on this is that they have never had them prepared properly. The biggest complaint tends to be texture and when they are treated with care, this mushy quality can easily be avoided.

First, take the mushroom and remove the stem. This is where most of the dirt resides and they are hard and woody anyway. If you happen to be making soup, clean them well with a damp cloth and you can use them in the stock for the soup. Otherwise, I simply discard them.

Next, peel the mushroom. As you can see there is a flap on the inside of the mushroom cap after the stem is removed that you can easily grab onto and pull the skin away. This step provides a double whammy. One, it removes the outer layer where there may be dirt and residue. Two, it helps to eliminate one layer of mush and leaves the mostly meaty layer of just the flesh of the mushroom. If you are still concerned about any remaining dirt, you can wipe the mushroom with a slightly damp cloth but DO NOT submerge the mushroom in water. Mushrooms become water logged very easily and then you really have mushy mushrooms. Note: This procedure applies to any mushroom. I always peel them.

Third step, scoop out the gills of the mushroom. This is mostly unique to portabellos and some larger mushrooms that have very pronounced gills. To me they have a distinct dirty taste and I just prefer them to be removed. I use a teaspoon and gently scoop away until most of the gills are gone and you have a clean surface to work with. I find this step particularly important when you are stuffing the mushrooms. The gills muddle the flavor of the stuffing you use and again, make the final product rather mushy.

That's it! You now have a clean, great textured mushroom to work with. From this point, grill, roast, saute, stuff, soup or whatever you'd like away! What I did with it this weekend was to grill it for a Vegetable Napoleon with Garlic Aioli, Capicola Crisp and Parmesan Tuile. Here's the Recipe:

While a Napoleon is historically a pastry filled with custard, I developed this recipe as a play on words. The grilled vegetables act as the pastry layers and the aioli as the custard. It is a wonderful salad course that you can use as an alternative to a caprese salad in the fall or winter when tomatoes aren’t exactly ripe. It also has spectacular stage presence. Just a lovely presentation that always impresses guests.  

Yields: 4 Servings

4 Portabella Mushrooms, stems removed, peeled and gills cleaned out

1 Large Red Bell Pepper, Seeds Removed and Cut Into 4 Slices

1 Small Red Onion, Cut into 4-1/4” thick slices

1 Small Eggplant, Cut into 4-1/2” thick slices

3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, for grilling

4 Slices Capicola or Sopressata

1 Head Garlic

1 Tbl extra virgin Olive Oil

½ cup Hellmann’s Mayonnaise

2 Tbl Whole Milk

Pinch Salt and Pepper

½ cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

For the balsamic reduction: Place balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered until the vinegar has reduced by 2/3. Cool.  

For the Capicola or Sopressata Crisps: Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven approx. 10 mins or until crispy like bacon. Cool.

  

For the Parmesan Tuiles: Divide parmesan into 4 equal piles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in a 350 degree oven for approx. 10-15 mins or until the parmesan has melted and become crispy. Cool. 

For the Roasted Garlic Aioli: Remove any of the outside paper of the garlic as possible. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Seal foil tightly and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approx. 1 hr. Cool. Squeeze all the roasted garlic out of the head into a bowl and combine with the mayonnaise, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Chill.  

For the veggies: Brush liberally with olive oil and place on either indoor or outdoor grill until grill marks form and the veggies are cooked just al dente.

To assemble napoleon: Place eggplant on the bottom, red onion next, portabella mushroom next and top with the grilled bell peppers. Top each napoleon with about a Tablespoon of the garlic aioli. Drizzle the balsamic reduction around the napoleon and garnish with one sopressata crisp and one parmesan tuile. Serve immediately.

Vacuums Suck

I say that with utmost respect for what they do assuming they are utilized in the proper fashion, but there have been numerous occasions where they simply did not do what they were supposed to. And did you know that while they may suck up dirt, they can also blow it around? I found that out the hard way. My first discovery of the dysfunction of the vacuum was on the occasion where 20 lbs of rice toppled onto the floor. Initially I tried the broom but found that there was so much of it that I just wasn’t getting anywhere. So, I decided to try the vacuum. Needless to say, all it did was push the rice around in circles and eventually just clogged the machine up. So much for that. Back to square one with the broom and dust pan. One would have thought that I learned my lesson regarding small grains the first time around, but when I dumped an entire bag of quinoa on the floor I decided to try the vacuum again. I have only one thing to say about that. Quinoa in its raw form is a lot like Styrofoam. It flies everywhere, sticks to everything and is so small you can’t see it half the time. In this particular case the dust pan wasn’t helping me much either so I had to resort to the mop. Once the little grains were wet, they stuck to the floor and then I could wipe them up with a damp cloth. This is a very major inconvenience when one is attempting to get dinner on the table by a specific time. I was only 15 minutes late that evening. I guess it could have been worse. With that in mind, you would have suspected I would have learned the lesson from the second time around, but no, third time is the charm. The culprit? Sugar. I curse sugar. I was baking scones one morning for breakfast and somehow knocked the bag over. Before I noticed the waterfall of sugar granules slowly filling into a pool on the floor, about half the bag had dumped out. This time expletives were uttered and I quickly ran for, you guessed it, the vacuum. Jeff, who is the usual duster and vacuumer in the house, happened to be out for the morning so I decided to tackle it myself. I poised the vacuum over the pool of sugar and turned it on. What happened next was like something out of a horror movie made for chefs. The sugar blew everywhere. When I say everywhere, I don’t just mean all over the floor. It was on every counter top, in the burners on the stove, in every cabinet, EVERYWHERE. The more I tried to suck up the sugar, the more it blew around until finally there was sugar in the butler’s pantry, the basement, the entryway and making its way into the dining room. I literally stopped and plopped myself down on the floor practically in tears. I didn’t know how to stop the spreading and settle the dust. Right about that time Jeff walked in the door and started laughing at me uncontrollably. He found my sugar debacle quite amusing. I didn’t think it was particularly funny so I told him to clean it up. We ended up mopping again and wiping the wet sugar up and off every surface of the kitchen. I think the floor was sticky for about a week, even with repeated mopping. So, like I say, vacuums suck. Use them wisely. For if they are used incorrectly, you may find yourself with a bigger mess on your hands than the one you were trying to clean up. Courtesy of the Bureau County Republican

These are a few of my favorite things: Wine

I'm a self proclaimed wine snob and proud of it. It has aided me not only in developing my skills as a chef but was the only reason I landed a job as a server at the Four Seasons in Newport Beach. Only my second job out ever waiting tables and let's just say my hubby who had waited tables for decades had never gotten an opportuntity like it in a fine dining establishment so he was a little miffed. But I digress. Wine isn't meant to be gulped. It isn't meant to be abused. It is meant to be sipped and enjoyed. Savored alone or as a complement with food. For me it rounds out a meal completely and is one of the true joys of life. I didn't start drinking wine until I was in my mid-20's. I began as most do with sweet wines. White zins, roses, rieslings, gewurtztraminers. Then I moved on to drier whites like chardonnays, sauvignon blancs and pinot grigios. It took me a while to make the leap to reds but once I did, let's just say there was no going back. The bolder and drier, the better. I'm particularly fond of Pinot Noirs, especially those from Oregon and Washington, Malbecs, Red Zinfandels, some Cabernet Sauvignons that aren't overly tannic and a variety of Meritages or blends that tend to be multi-faceted and very drinkable. As far as the rules go in terms of pairing wines with food, the general rule of thumb is whites with poultry and fish, reds with beef, lamb or pork. I don't know about you but I don't like rules so as far as I'm concerned, one should drink whatever one feels like drinking, rules be darned. So, with that in mind, I'll highlight some of my favorites and what I like to drink them with. And keep in mind, wine is very subjective. Everyones palatte is different so try the recommendations but don't be upset if they don't work for you. It is kind of an adventure to discover what particular tastes/flavors work for your individuality. That's all part of the fun. And one final note. Most people don't think of wine in terms of where it comes from. They usually approach wine in terms of the grape varietal they are drinking, i.e. Pinot, Cabernet, Chardonnay, etc. I feel that it is almost more important where the wine came from. In French this is termed "terroir" or the earth/soil that the grapes grew in. Grapes, and thus wine, absorb the flavors of the soil directly which can affect the final flavor tremendously. You can see this in other aspects of food as well. Cheese for example will taste like the milk that came from the animal which ate the grass that grew in a particular soil. That's why cheeses from all over taste so different even though the type of cheese is the same, i.e. cheddar, chevre, swiss, etc. Coffee is the same. It's no surprise that a brew from a bean from say Columbia is vastly different from the brew from a bean that came from say Ethiopia. Although with coffee the roasting technique has a lot to do with it too but we won't go into that here. Anyhow, with this idea of "terroir" in mind, I often will seek out a wine to pair with the region of food I'm consuming. In other words, say I'm having a plate of Ragu Bolognese, a dish from Bologna, Italy, which is located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The Bolognese are fiercly fond of their food and wine and the most well known of the wines heralding from this region is perhaps the slighty effervescent Lambrusco. So with that in mind, I would probably choose a nice Lambrusco to go with my meal, not because it is red and pairs well with beef and pork which are a part of a traditional Bolognese, but because that is the wine that belongs to that region. Now, for the wines. I'm a huge fan of sparkling wines and champagnes. They are the perfect celebratory beverage and the bubbles tend to pair incredibly well with delicate foods like pates, caviar, cheese, etc. Keep in mind that true champagnes must come from the Champagne region of France. Anything else is simply a sparkling wine made in the similar fashion to champagne. My favorite is of course the traditional Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin. Founded in 1772, Veuve Cliquot is one of the earliest producers of wines that are made in the methode champenoise. I had the distinct pleasure of visiting their champagne house in Reims, France while in France studying abroad in 1995. It was my first introduction to the world of champagne and I must say, it was all I needed to get hooked. Other sparklings of interest for me include those from the Schramsberg producer in Napa and those from the Roederer Estate in Northern California. Of the whites, I'm no longer a fan of overly sweet whites. They tend to taste too much like grape juice to me so I veer toward drier whites. I am also definitely not a fan of very oaky wines, i.e. chardonnays like Kendall Jackson. I find them almost intolerable to drink. They mask the flavor of most food for me and I feel like I am chewing on wood while drinking the wine. So, I generally lean toward dry whites that are also somewhat acidic. The acid being the operative characteristic with regards to pairing these wines with food. The acid tends to balance out not only foods that are spicy but also those that have a considerable amount of fat to them. Thus, I choose these when I am having say Indian or Moroccan food which tends to be either spicey heat wise or spicey in terms of a multitude of layers as far as spice is concerned. My personal favorites in this category are still Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. Of the Sauvignon Blancs I believe the best to come from New Zealand. Most of the ones I gravitate toward all come from there. They are usually reasonably priced, well balanced and have the perfect level of acidity without being over bearing. Pinot Grigio is a little tougher. Selecting an Italian one is a good start but not a guarantee as I have had several from Italy that I really didn't like too well. Overly acidic or overly sweet. My favorite is still the Santa Margherita. It isn't cheap, but it is great. On to the reds. For my money, when I'm searching for an overall red that will pair well with everything I'm eating, I select a pinot noir. I am particularly fond of those from Oregon and Washington because they are just a little bolder, drier and inkier for lack of a better description. (By inky, I mean it practically stains your lips after drinking). As far as a specific fave, I'm non-discriminatory in this category. Selecting just one would be like asking me to pick my favorite child and that is never a good idea. I pretty much like them all. The other wines that are for me a good bet in terms of all purpose drinking that pair with almost anything are Malbecs from Argentina, Red Zins particularly from Callifornia and many of the Meritages or blends which tend to take the best characteristics from each grape selected and pair them to create a nuanced and interesting combination. The new fad going around lately is the Apothic Red from Solano County, CA. I can understand why it has become kind of a cult favorite and is on practically every restaurant menu. It is easy to like and it is really quite a good buy. And finally, the great big cab. These can be troublesome. A great cab can be life altering but a not so great cab can be so tannic you feel like your jaw is going to pop right out of your face. I'm fiercely loyal to the Jordan Winery and their cabs. Their best to date was the 2003 but they are all fabulous. Not cheap, but also not overly expensive. This is a true special occasion wine that again pairs well with practically anything. Whatever your taste in wine is, remember, everyone is unique. And wine is an acquired taste. While you may still be early on in your journey of discovery, don't be afraid to branch out. Practice makes perfect so to speak and the more you experience different wines, the more refined and sophisticated your palatte will become. Oh and finally, as I once read on a bumper sticker and am fond of repeating, "I like to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food." Bien Boire.

These are a Few of My Favorite Things: Spices

The weekend after the Thanksgiving holiday, Yahoo posted a list of health benefits that various spices are purported to have. Everything from soothing an upset stomach to boosting metabolism to helping with arthritis. While this may be new news so to speak to some, particularly in this era of pharmaceuticals and treatment of symptoms rather than focusing on well being through food, it is certainly not news to many ancient cultures who long relied on spices for medicinal purposes. Having spent time in Morocco and in spice shops there, and having done quite a bit of research on the topic during my days in graduate school, I have long been an advocate of spices for both their health benefits as well as their culinary benefits. One of my favorite memories of our first trip to Morocco in 2002 was a trip to a spice shop in Fez where the shop keeper spent almost 3 hours with us discussing what each spice did both medicinally and culinarily. It was fascinating. What it taught me most was to not be scared of using spices and using a LOT of them. In my cooking classes I often use spices that are maybe somewhat foreign to people and I am always impressed by the gasps I get from people when I add them. I don't just throw a pinch in, I through a palmful in. So many people are afraid that they will over spice something when in reality, that is almost impossible to do. My rule of thumb is, if you think you are using too much, that's probably just enough. My favorite go to spices, besides Herbes de Provence which is a spice blend from France that I use in many things (thyme, savory, chervil, tarragon, lavendar and often marjoram and rosemary), are cinnamon, Hungarian Paprika (Sweet, Hot and Smoked), freshly ground nutmeg, saffron, ground ginger and cumin. All of these spices are uniquely beneficial to your health and have very specific uses in cooking that people often don't know about. Cinnamon, besides the obvious uses in desserts, is a fabulous addition to savory meat dishes. It is very common in north African and Middle Eastern cuisines to use cinnamon with meat and dried fruit. It is also purported to help with digestion and perhaps even regulate blood sugar. There are a number of different kinds of cinnamon but my personal favorite is the Vietnamese kind. It is pungent, spicy and has a powerful fragrance that makes my mouth water. Most people think paprika is only good for garnishing deviled eggs. However, I beg to differ. It is one of my favorite spices to use for general flavoring of soups, stews and meats. Hungarian paprika is not just one spice but a myriad of different varieties ranging from sweet/mild to smoky/hot. In my humble opinion Hungary produces the best quality paprika in the world, although Spanish paprika is also well known. Hungary has the following classifications for paprika: Kulonleges or unusual paprika which is often sweet and has a very dark red color Csípősmentes Csemege or slightly spicy but still ordinary paprika which is just a little stronger Csemegepaprika which is the most common varietal Csípős Csemege, Pikáns which is the spicy version of this basic paprika Rosza or rose colored paprika which is slightly milder Édesnemes or Sweet paprika which is probably the most exported varietal Feledes or half sweet which is a medium strong paprika Eros which is a strong paprika All of these can be smoked with varying results. Generally, if I am making a soup, I prefer slightly spicy/smoky types of paprika which give soups a great kick. When cooking vegetables or side dishes I use sweet paprika. When doing meats, you can go both ways, just depending upon how spicy you want your meat to be. Beef/pork often benefits from smoky varietals while chicken or fish generally taste better with sweeter varietals. From a health perspective, paprika is very high in vitamin C and research has shown that naturally occuring capsaicin in peppers is actually good for circulation. Nutmeg is one of my secret weapons when it comes to savory items which often comes as a surprise to those in attendance at my cooking classes. Most people perceive nutmeg to be a sweet spice, something used in desserts like pumpkin pie. AND, most people don't realize that the already ground stuff doesn't taste a whole lot like anything. Freshly grated however nutmeg is a revelation. Not a nut in the true sense as the name suggests, nutmeg is actually the seed of a specific kind of evergreen tree. The coating surrounding the seed is peeled away and ground into a spice called mace which is used a lot in Middle Eastern cooking. My favorite application of freshly grated nutmeg is with mushrooms and any green leafy vegetable such as spinach, chard, collard greens or mustard greens. It gives them a brightness of flavor and smell that is unique and really complement both. Therapeutic uses of nutmeg may include pain relief and gastrointestinal discomfort relief. The most expensive commodity by weight on the planet is saffron. This spice is actually the stamen of a specific kind of crocus flower and because these little strands have to be harvested delicately with tweezers by hand it takes an awful lot of effort to create just a small quanitity of the spice for culinary use. Saffron has a delicate floral flavor and it provides food with an incredible yellow/orange color. Perhaps its most famous use is in the traditional Spanish dish Paella. Saffron has no substitute, especially not turmeric, which has a completely different flavor and can be quite aggressive and overpowering. Also, beware of saffron powders. These are often not pure saffron but an imposter that attempts to lure you into thinking you can get the same bang for a lesser buck. I use saffron in soups and stews of all kinds and a little goes a long way so while it seems like you are spending a fortune for a little bottle of it, it will last you quite a while. The myriad of health benefits that saffron has been purported to posess are numerous, including anti-cancer, increased circulation, reduced inflammation, improved eyesight and anti-depression. Another spice that is often associated with sweet dishes is ginger. However in North Africa, the Middle East and in many Asian cultures, ginger in both its dried and fresh form is an essential spice utilized in savory preparations as well. Many soups, stews and even beverages are infused with ginger giving a gentle heat and spicy finish that is incomparable. At the Djemma el Fna food fair in Marrakech, the last stalls on the outskirts of the square were ginger stands, featuring ginger cakes and a ginger beverage designed to aid in digestion, which is one of the greatest health benefits ginger posesses. It can also help with allergies and colds by clearing your sinuses and soothing an aching throat. Really a jack of all trades in the spice world. Finally, cumin is a spice that most people associate with Mexican food and chili, but in actuality, it is very commonly used in North Africa, India and the Middle East. The varietal you find there is often less spicy or smoky and much milder and almost floral in nature. Cumin is often used in conjunction with paprika in flavoring savory soups and stews and is particularly good with meats such as beef and lamb. It is also one of the main ingredients in most curry powders. Cumin is another spice that is used frequently to treat gastrointestinal discomfort. I was told by the woman in the spice shop in Morocco that if I had a stomach ache I should mix a tablespoon of cumin with a little hot water and drink it and it would soothe my stomach better than pepto bismol. By George if it didn't work. I had a little stomach discomfort after a particularly heavy meal and it did the trick within minutes. So as you can see, spices can be both delicious and healthy. Why not incorporate them into your daily routine? The benefits both from a culinary and a health perspective are a win win situation. Make sure you rotate spices reguarly and don't keep them for longer than 6 months to a year. You can obtain high quality spices at a very reasonable price through www.zamourispices.com which is the purveyor I utlize the most. Eat well and feel well.

These are a Few of My Favorite Things: Cheese

And when I say favorite, I mean it's right up there with hummus and bacon for me. I LOVE CHEESE. I could be very happy living the rest of my days with a good brie, a nice creamy goat cheese and a beautiful salty parmesan. Cheese is the perfect food in so many ways. You can eat it straight up, you can cook with it, you can even use it for dessert. And what pairs better with wine?? Recently Jeff, myself and our friend Cathy took a little respite in Chicago and one of the stops on the trip was Bin 36. Bin 36 is a restaurant that specializes in wine and cheese flights. We were determined to experience as many cheeses as possible so we each picked a flight and then we decided on a 4th flight mutually. All told we sampled 19 different cheeses. It was AMAZING. First we did their No Need To Sing The Blues flight, which, as the name suggests, is a selection of 4 blue cheeses. First was a Cambozola from Germany which was like a cross between a brie and a blue cheese. Next, a domestic blue from Wisconson called Blue Paradise which is a double creme blue. Then, the Blue Di Bufalo from Italy which is a harder more crumbly blue. Finally, the Blue Mediterraneo from Sardinia, Italy, which was a sheeps milk blue. All of them were delightful although I must confess that the first one, the blue brie combo, was to die for and my favorite cheese of the night. I could easily polish off an entire truckful of it myself in one sitting. It is really best for a wine pairing but could certainly be used for cooking. A nice cheese and egg souffle comes to mind with a hint of truffle oil. Generally speaking I would say blues pair well with a crisp, acidic white that isn't too oaky but isn't too sweet either. A sauvignon blanc or a pinot grigio would be ideal. For our second flight we went with So You Think You Know Cheddar, which was Jeff's pick as he is a sucker for a good sharp cheddar. None disappointed but for my money it was the most mainstream of the flights. All the cheeses were great but there wasn't anything particularly exotic about any of them. The flight included: Chevre Noir from Canada, which is a goats milk cheddar, perhaps the most unique of the bunch; Mt. Sterling cheddar from Wisconson which was also a goats milk cheddar but not quite as pronounced in terms of its goat flavor; Keen's from the UK which was a classic British cheddar; and the 10 year Hook's cheddar from Wisconson which again was a traditional sharp cheddar akin to what you expect from Wisconson. Cheddars are also good for an appetizer tray but for my money I like them for cooking as they tend to melt well, particularly in a good beer and cheese soup. As far as wines go, I'd say cheddars can go with almost anything. A good oaky chardonnay would probably be my first choice but really the cheddar is quite forgiving in terms of wine pairings. Our third flight was my first choice and a top favorite of our friend Cathy as well. It was called Fat Cats. Again, as the name suggests, these were some of the richer, more fatty cheeses that are definitely more traditionally used on a cheese tray and not for cooking. The Burratta from Puglia, Italy was both our favorites of this flight although it was a close tie between this and the second cheese, the Pierre Robert triple creme from France. Talk about a decadent cheese that practically oozed it was so gooey and rich. Third was the Kunik from NY which was another triple creme but not quite as delicate a flavor as the Pierre Robert. And finally, the Gorgonzola Dolce from Lombardy, Italy, which, like all good gorgonzolas, was perhaps just a little more delicate than a blue cheese and certainly had a more unctuous rich texture. These cheeses in my estimation pair best with a sparkling wine or champagne. The high fat content almost begs for a little bubbly to chase it down. I happened to do a sparkling wine flight that evening to go along with the cheese flights and this was the perfect compliment to all four of the sparkling wines I had on the flight. The final flight of the evening was the Bin 36 Globetrotters, which they consider to be their top of the class cheeses. This flight included an Abbaye de Belloc from the Pyrenees of France, a cheese that is made of sheeps milk and is still made by Benedictine monks. Delightful and delicate, this one topped the list of the globetrotters for me. Barely Buzzed was the second cheese. It hails from Utah and is crusted with coffee grinds and lavendar. Certainly unique but not quite my favorite. It almost masked the flavors of the other cheeses for me. Although I suspect it would be delightful on a salad with some arugula and a blood orange vinaigrette. Next came the Ardrehan from Ireland which was kind of like a soft cheddar. Nice but nothing spectacular. Finally, the classic British Stilton, a legendary blue that is always a pleasure to have. Very strong in the blue category but really a marvelous cheese. All of these seemed to pair with different wines so I can't really offer a good suggestion that works for them all except to say that a mellow white always works, maybe even a dry riesling. The last three cheeses we had weren't actually on the menu. We asked our waiter what he perceived to be the strongest, most aggressive cheeses they had. He explained to us that in his estimation, the strongest smelling cheeses weren't necessarily the strongest tasting cheeses and vice versa. So he brought us 3 he thought illustrated this fact. I wish I had written them down but by this time we had eaten so many it was all kind of a blur. But suffice it to say that all three were delicious and I didn't think any of them were particularly strong smelling or strong tasting. Then again, I have eaten limburger and have spent some time in the fromageries in Paris where you almost have to plug your nose to even walk into the store. All in all, a great experience and for true cheese afficionados. I highly recommend you pay the place a visit. Or, you can simply create your own tasting by purchasing some of these cheeses and hosting your own wine and cheese night. A great resource for cheeses from all over the world is www.igourmet.com. I have often ordered from them and they ship in dry ice packets overnight so you don't have to worry about spoilage.

These are a few of my favorite things: Prosciutto

I thought it would be fun to start a new topic on my blog and feature a new ingredient each week that are amongst my favorite things in the kitchen both to cook with and to eat. It seems only apropos to begin with one of the most quintessential of all products that seems to find its way into almost every kitchen, the pig. I'm not talking about bacon, which I must confess is one of my guilty pleasures, but I find it to also be a culinary crutch. People add bacon to almost everything because it is guaranteed to make it taste good. I'm talking about its close Italian cousin, prosciutto.

Much more delicate than bacon, Prosciutto is a cured italian ham that comes from the central and northern regions of the country, most famously from Parma, which incidentally is the home to the famous Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Its flavor is slightly salty, gamey and oh so porky. I happen to love it both raw and cooked. It is the perfect addition to an antipasto platter and it can be a marvelous wrapping for vegetables or meats. It also has an amazing flavor and texture when it is allowed to bake in the oven, rendering some of its fat and crisping it up like a potato chip. This as a garnish on a salad or just about anything is as close to heaven as you can get.

When purchasing prosciutto, make sure to get it very thinly sliced and if you can, purchase it with layers of tissue paper between the slices to make it easier to separate. The high fat content sometimes makes the slices stick together and tear. I also prefer italian imported prosciutto to domestically produced ones although some small purveyors are popping up daily that do have a comparable product in terms of delicate flavor and fat content. One of the better domestic varietals is La Quercia which happens to be right in Iowa. They source only sustainable pork and use organic spices and cures wherever possible.

Here are just a couple of my favorite recipes:

Prosciutto Wrapped Artichoke Hearts with Pesto and Balsamic Reduction

Yields: Approx. 12 Servings

1 Batch Homemade Pesto (See recipe below)
2 Cans Artichoke Quarters (Not Marinated)
12 slices Prosciutto
12 balls fresh Mozzarella (Bocconcini, which are the smaller ones or you can slice a larger ball of fresh mozzarella and cut it into 24 pieces)
Balsamic Reduction to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice each piece of prosciutto in half vertically and each bocconcini in half. Wrap a half portion of prosciutto around a piece of mozzarella and a quarter piece of artichoke heart. Place on baking sheet. Continue wrapping all of the artichoke heart pieces and mozzarella until none remain. Bake for approx. 10 minutes or until the mozzarella begins to melt.

To serve, place a dollop of pesto over each wrap and drizzle with balsamic reduction.


Pesto

2 cups of fresh basil leaves
½ cup of toasted pine nuts
1 Tbl minced garlic
Pinch Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tbl lemon juice
¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
¼-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine ingredients in a food processor, except the olive oil. Puree. Begin adding the olive oil slowly so the mix begins to emulsify or becomes thick and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Prosciutto Wrapped Roasted Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce and Balsamic Reduction

Yields: Approx. 8 Servings

For the roasted asparagus:

1 lb asparagus, trimmed
2-3 tbl olive oil
Pinch salt and pepper

To trim the asparagus, take on stalk of asparagus and snap the end of it off, allowing it to snap where it naturally wants to separate. Trim remaining asparagus to this same spot. Place asparagus onto a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently toss the asparagus to coat evenly with the oil and seasoning. Place in a single layer on baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 20 mins or until the asparagus is lightly caramelized and tender. Remove and allow to cool.

For the balsamic reduction:

½ cup balsamic vinegar

Place vinegar into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until approximately half the vinegar has evaporated. Remove from heat and allow to cool. This can be stored indefinitely.

For the hollandaise sauce:

3 egg yolks
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into thirds
Pinch salt and pepper
1 Tbl lemon juice
1 Tbl water

Place egg yolks, water, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until lighter in color and slightly thickened. Melt butter and pour hot butter into egg yolk mixture, while pureeing in food processor until thickened and slightly bubbly.

To Serve:

12 slices of prosciutto, sliced in half vertically
Pinch of Paprika

Wrap 2-3 stalks of asparagus with one half slice of prosciutto until all the asparagus has been used up. Place two asparagus and prosciutto bundles on each plate. Drizzle with the hollandaise sauce. Garnish with a drizzle of the vinegar and a sprinkling of paprika. Serve immediately.