Spanish Rosé, Cured Meats and Baguette, Oh My! May 15, 2010

Thank you, beloved vegan husband, for your patience in this matter.

After an absolutely wonderful day yesterday, which ended in a midnight walk with my sweetie through our empty & sleepy streets, I am left grateful to be down from the intense caffeine and sugar high of yesterday and back to my normal pace of living.  So today, with respect to slow, I will nosh on some fresh baguette, cured meats, dried calimyrna and black mission figs, nuts & mahon cheese, which was inspired by this:

Mahon: The flavor of this Spanish cow’s milk cheese evokes the grassy Mediterranean hillsides and salty sea-kissed air on the island of Menorca where Mahon is made. It has a slightly sharp bite and creamy texture. Serve Mahon with a side of salami and a well-chilled Spanish rosé.

Alrighty then!  I’ve wanted to delve into the vast world of cured meats (thank you Anthony Bourdain), so this is the perfect occasion to start.

My favorite Rosé at the moment is Albero 2008 Bobal which is made from organically grown grapes and is crisp, juicy and refreshing. Guess where this can be found? Trader Joe’s!

Cured meats from City Market in NW Portland included: Molinari hot genoa salame, Venitian mild coppa, Fra’ Mani salame gentile and jamón ibérico de bellota (considered by some to be both the best ham in the world and ”as dangerous as various illicit drugs”)

noshnoshnosh.

Canapés galore April 28, 2010

Multi-seed baguette from Trader Joe’s,  broiled with olive oil and:

top left: black mission fig, walnut and shropshire blue cheese (yellow stilton)

top right: fresh pico de gallo topped with micro greens

middle left: homemade basil/walnut/garlic pesto, made chunky, topped with tomato

middle right: chunky garlic hummus, chive, cucumber

bottom: basil leaf, roasted garlic, olive oil/Herbes de Provence marinated mozzarella