Cheese Essentials
Building a perfect cheese board is challenging. I'm not an expert, but because I eat it so often, I've figured out a few things through trial and error. Here are a some useful tips:
1) Cheeses should complement and not compete with each other. Thus, you never want to have two extremely mild cheeses or three very pungent cheeses. You should feature a range from mild to strong or stinky. You should also feature a range of textures from very soft to hard.
2) Stick with odd numbers -- 3 or 5 is a nice assortment.
3) Serve cheeses with complementary items such as honey, quince paste and dried fruit or nuts. Ask your local cheese monger for help with pairings. If you're trying to save a little money, definitely include accompaniments. Cheese can be pretty pricey. The addition of fruit and nuts can make your cheese go a little further.
4) Bring the cheese to room temperature before serving. The flavor of cheese comes out a lot more when it's at room temp (another money saver as more flavor = less cheese needed on a cracker or chip).
5) Each type of cheese should have its own knife so that they don't all end up tasting the same. There are special cheese knives that are perfect for cutting or spreading. These are sold at any kitchen supply store.
6) Serve with different textured breads/crackers that will enhance, not interfere with the flavor of the cheese. Stacy's Simply Naked or Multigrain Pita Chips are a great complement to many different cheeses.
7) Keep the board spare. Don't crowd your cheese board with too much. Remember that your guests will be maneuvering around the cheese and trying to cut, thus don't load the board excessively or put the wedges and wheels too close together. You can also serve cheeses on separate boards.
Got a tip? Please share yours with me here.
Next Up: Summer Cheese and Wine Party
I'm still recovering from the big Memorial Day fete, so to give myself a bit of a break, I'm going to stick to what I know and love: Cheese! In fact, rather than calling it a "Wine and Cheese" party, I'm going to give cheese top-billing by referring to this next gathering as a "Cheese and Wine" party. While the menu may seem pretty straightforward, what makes this one particularly difficult for me is narrowing down what to serve and what to pair each with. There are just so many delicious options! Here's just a selection of my favorites:
- Langres: From the Champagne region in France, this is a phenomenal cow's milk cheese that would be a fun option because there's a little well in the middle in which you're supposed to pour Champagne. This cheese has a strong, pungent aroma, a soft, spreadable texture and an edible orange rind.
- Taleggio: From Italy, this is a deliciously pungent cow's milk cheese. Texturally it is very soft and gooey-- but not runny. It's got a slightly fruity flavor and is highly addictive!
- Manchego: From Spain, this is a hard sheep's milk cheese with a pleasant, nutty flavor. It is a great-tasting crowd-pleaser that is especially good with fresh figs.
- Saint Andre: I once ordered a cheese plate and mistook Saint Andre for butter. It looks and tastes like butter, but even better (if possible). It's a triple-cream cow's milk cheese that is mild and delicious.
- Pecorino Tartufo: This cheese has truffles in it! Can it get any better? It's a hard sheep's milk cheese with a nutty, perhaps just slightly sweet, salty flavor.
Mmmm..this list could go on and on... Can't wait for the party!
A Fresh Take on Memorial Day
What a blast!The fresh approach was a huge success and definitely a delightful change from the hot dog and hamburger-filled event we had last year.
Luckily we had PERFECT weather.
Here are some pics from our amazing day.
The fresh salsa was the big favorite. It ended up going on everything we made including some simple grilled chicken.
I assumed people would be tentative about the apple-celery salad, so I didn't make that much, but boy was I wrong! This bowl lasted all of ten minutes. Very refreshing!
Friends: Alice, Paul, Tamyra and Sonja enjoying some Peach Fizz!
Essential Glassware
I will be serving a delicious white wine peach sangria this weekend. To make these extra special, I have invested in some new glassware. Since I know that I'll be throwing a lot of parties this summer, it's worth it. Here's my bare bones list of must-have glassware:
Lowball - Perfect for any cocktail, these can be casual or dressed up. They can also be used for straight-up spirits.
Highball - Another extremely versatile glass that works well for anything from a tall glass of sparkling juice to a mojito to a bloody mary.
Red Wine Glasses - A true essential, particularly for fall and winter but perfect for red summer sangria.
White Wine Glasses - Another essential that I promise you will get a ton of use out of in the summer months!
Champagne Flutes - Perfect for morning mimosas!
Martini Glasses - Not only great for martinis and cosmos, but also great for serving small appetizers like shrimp cocktail.
Quick Tip: Perfect Salsa
I'll be making a fresh salsa for my Memorial Day party. It tastes amazing, is a huge crowd-pleaser (apparently, it's the number 1 condiment in America), and looks beautiful. The thing about salsa is that it is often really watery when it's homemade. It tastes fine, but it just doesn't look as appetizing as it could, which is important when you're serving it to guests. A chef's tip that I learned awhile back was that you should always remove the seeds from tomatoes when adding them to a salsa or other raw dish -- even salads. If you haven't noticed, tomato seeds usually have a pocket of water surrounding them. I've tried this tip several times and it makes a huge difference, especially if you are serving your salsa over something like a corn tortilla where too much moisture will ruin the dish.
Quick Tip: Lemony Fresh
I've known this one for awhile, but thought I would share. To keep fruit from oxidizing (or turning brown) after it's been cut, all you need to do is squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over it! Apples, pears, anything that turns brown will stay just as it looks when it has first been cut. Works great for fruit salads or sliced fruit that isn't served immediately. Why is this important? Because it looks so much nicer when serving it to guests!
Kebabs 101
Since I'm thinking about making kebabs for my Memorial Day party, I've decided to do a little research. I haven't had a ton of skewered food in my lifetime, but the few times I've had kebabs, the meat is usually cooked through and the vegetables are still hard. Turns out, you can par-cook the veggies before skewering them. Ahhh, now why didn't I think of that? Other tips I've picked up: 1) Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so that they don't burn on the grill. 2) Marinate your meat -- it'll be more tender. 3) Use 2 parallel skewers for food that is larger than 1 1/2 inches wide. 4) If you want to save time, food can also be cooked, then skewered afterwards for a nice presentation.
Get Fresh
Every year for Memorial Day, we have a traditional BBQ. We serve the standard fare -- burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, cole slaw. But this year, I'm going for a fresh approach -- literally. I'm going to focus on dishes that reflect the freshness of the season! To me, that means focusing on fruit, veggies, herbs and lighter proteins like seafood, poultry and legumes.
Some recipes I'm considering are:
Fruit Salsa - The name of this recipe just sounds so spectacular and refreshing!
Summer Salsa served with Stacy's Parmesan Garlic & Herb Pita Chips - Nothing beats a fresh homemade salsa!
Apple Celery Salad - I've never made an apple-celery salad before but this unusual combination sounds unique and I'm intrigued!
Vegetable Kebabs - This looks so easy and will be a fun way for people to get their grilled veggies. I might modify this recipe by adding some seafood like shrimp or scallops!
Grilled Pizza Provecale - If you've never grilled pizza, this is the time to try it. There's a unique char flavor that infuses into the dough -- it's so nice and just delicious.
Fresh Peach Fizz with Mint - Totally refreshing and uses seasonal peaches. Can't wait to try this one!
Gimme Five!
The Cinco de Mayo party was great! It was abeautiful evening so we took the festivities outdoors. Here are some pics of the deliciousness...The guacamole was a big hit! I wish I had made more. It was the perfect starter. People commented on how good Stacy's Pita Chips were with it. Mmmm!
My friend Jen could not get enough of the white sangria! (Love you Jen!)
And here are the cilantro- lime chicken fajitas... The sauce was phenomenal. I ended up making double the amount of marinade and I am so glad I did because the chicken was so flavorful!
Here's a pic of the grilled skirt steak with parsley and oregano. I ended up letting this marinate overnight to let the flavor really infuse the meat. I also doubled the garlic as many users suggested and it was fantastic!
First Up: Cinco de Mayo
While commonly believed to be Mexican Independence day, Cinco de Mayo actually commemorates the day the Mexicans defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. In the region of Puebla and in many parts of the U.S., Cinco de Mayo is a day of celebration filled with traditional food, drink, and music. As it is this coming Tuesday, it's the perfect way to kick-start my summer of entertaining. Since it does fall on a "school night," however, I'm going to keep it pretty simple and stick with a couple of dishes and a classic Mexican cocktail for a cozy little group of friends. Here's what I'm thinking of serving:
Mexican Chopped Salad - Mmmm! I'm not sure if I'll be able to find jicama in my local grocery store, but I've heard that apples can be used as a substitute sometimes.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas: This recipe is super fast and so delicious! The lime and cilantro make it especially tasty. I like to serve it with sour cream, queso fresco and salsa.
Grilled Skirt Steak with Parsley and Oregano: Wow! This recipe looks really wonderful and will provide a nice option for the meat-lovers coming over!
Guacamole served with Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips - This guacamole recipe can't be beat and serving it with Stacy's Pita Chips will make this dip extra special.
Dulce de Leche Ice Cream with Mexican Chocolate Sauce - I love the idea of spiced chocolate! This recipe is so easy and I'm sure my friends will be impressed. To make it even more tempting, I'm going to crush some Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips over the ice cream. YUM.
White Sangria: Okay, sangria is actually a Spanish cocktail, but I think it'll go really nicely with the menu and this recipe sounds especially refreshing!
The Art of Basic
Inspiration hit me this weekend as I was enjoying a bag of Stacy's Pita Chips. I've figured out my strategy for improving my entertaining "game" and it's "The Art of Basic" -- just like Stacy's philosophy. I've realized that keeping it simple will be the key to unlocking entertaining success! Because it's not about coming up with complex menus and decorations, it's about improving the experience. Or, as they say at Stacy's "The art of taking things that are simple, uncluttered, uncomplicated, and making them better -- fresher, more contemporary, more beautiful, more delicious ... it's basic, elevated to an art form." That's exactly how I plan to approach my entertaining summer. So here goes!
An Entertaining Summer
My friend Caryn, is hands-down the most creative person I know when it comes to entertaining. Every party she throws is unlike the other. Whether it's a port-tasting get-together, a cupcake decorating afternoon or a salsa y salsa chip/dance off, every party she throws is unique and so much fun for all who attend. She is the inspiration for my quest to become a better entertainer and to break my ho-hum mold of the same food, drink, music and decor for every party. To help me stick to my goals, I (like Congress) have decided to adopt a stimulus package of sorts! Rather than writing fiscal policy, however, I'll be blogging about entertaining ideas for the summer -- from everyday occasions to special events. Like everyone else, I will need to be mindful of spending, but I hope to find ways to achieve a luxe feel within a limited budget. By the end of the summer, if all goes as planned, I'll become an Entertaining Artist (whose parties might even rival Caryn's)! So, please follow along as I take this journey...
Copyright ©2009 Stacy’s Pita Chip Company
My name is Emily (or Em). I'm a food fanatic and entertaining junkie. I've been playing host since before I can remember,
but lately I've realized
my party formula needs
some tinkering.
"An Entertaining Summer" is a blog about my quest to become a better entertainer -- not just for the big holiday blow-outs, but for everyday occasions too. It's the place where I'll be posting thoughts, ideas, menus, recipes, and pics documenting my progress. The hope is that by the end of the summer, I'll be able to call myself an Entertaining Artist!
