The Cheese Plate

 

Vendor of the Month

Christine's Upper Crust Pies 

A Staff Favorite

So many brine mixes are available, but Oakland-based KL Keller is our favorite. A magical combination of dried herbs and spices combined with outstanding Spanish sea salt ensures a moist, tender roast.  

 

Their one pound pack is enough to brine a 14-18 pound turkey. The blend contains sage, coriander, bay, black pepper and a pinch of chili flakes-but don't worry, it's not spicy.

 

The folks at KL Keller are salt aficionados, and they make this mix with unprocessed sea salt. It leaves a clean, briny flavor that brings out the best in any roast. There are no anti-caking or flowing agents. No additives means a clean ocean flavor with small, quick-dissolving salt grains.
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The Big Cheese

Cheese is good. I have always been a big fan of cheese in many forms, though I DO draw the line at spray cheese. ( My sister, on the other hand...)And don't forget the Earthquake Velveta  buried in the back of my Mom's  pantry. Uh, no thanks. I would rather perish!

 

Around the holidays I find that I eat much more cheese than usual. (Of course I am eating a lot more than usual of a lot of things, but it's the holidays, who am I to fight tradition?)

 

Cheese is one of the easiest things to nibble on at parties, and since there are numerous parties during this time, the chances of finding oneself in front of a cheese plate or creamy baked brie are pretty good. In fact a cheese plate with an assortment of interesting and not your everyday cheeses is my easy,  go-to potluck contribution. (It's also a great way to get a conversation going, "This cheese is awesome!" "Oh, what is it?")

 

There are plenty of ways to incorporate some really good cheese into your holiday meals. Cheesy dips are a no-brainer and cheese balls are always festive. (The real ones. Not the neon orange things, and not your Uncle Bob.)

 

One of my favorite ways to enjoy a little cheesy decadence is in a salad. Most people add goat cheese, or feta, or even crumbled blue to their salads- which is great, but don't under estimate the power of a good, nutty Parrano Gouda or Emmenthaler. When cut into matchstick sized pieces and tossed into mixed greens with some dried cranberries or cherries, these hard cheeses are darn good.

 

A favorite salad with cheese is this Autumn Salad with Apples and Comte. The Cider vinaigrette alone is straw worthy. This dish would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving table or any other celebration.

 

Get the recipe for Autumn Salad with Apples, Comté, and Hazelnuts...