Spice Crispies

I love having friends who introduce me to new things and then teach me how to make them!  And ever since my dear friend over at The Single Gal’s Guide to Entertaining at Home turned me on to spice crispies, I knew I would be making them.  And finally, I got around to it!  (So what if it has been over a year?!)

The first challenge was trying to figure out where to get all of the ingredients.  I was pretty sure I wouldn’t find them at Kroger.  Fortunately, I know a little about where the aforementioned blog author shops from time to time, so I decided to swing by Taj Mahal Imports.

I walked into the grocery a little intimidated.  I honestly was not even sure what I was looking for, so I decided that since the store was not too large, I would just walk up and down the aisles.  Sure–I could have asked someone where to find my ingredients, but where is the adventure in that?!

Thankfully, I found every single thing I needed quickly, and it was not remotely difficult.  (Except for the amchoor powder, which I simply forgot.  I returned for it later, and the dear store owner gave it to me for free because I had no cash, and he did not want to run a credit card for $1.  Very kind of him–I will go back to pay him for it.  And you should go see him, too.  Very nice man.)

The Ingredients (Mostly)

I went home and got straight to work.

About thirty minutes later, I had a fabulous snack mix!  The only mistake I made was cutting the recipe in half.  I could easily take down the full recipe in a few days.  Oh well.  I suppose that gives me an excuse to make them again.  And I certainly have enough amchoor powder to do so!

Try this tasty snack!  If you like Indian spices, you won’t regret it.  It is the perfect blend of sweet and savory.  Spice crispies would be wonderful with a cold beer on a warm evening.  Let me know what you think!

So… I’ve been away…

OK… so I’ve been away.  I know, I know.  For months.

I have lots of excuses.  For example, I found out I was pregnant.  And I ate nothing but peanut butter for the entire first trimester.  That would have made for a pretty boring food blog.  (And yes–this does, in fact, mean that I have failed miserably at my New Year’s Resolution for this year!  There’s always next year!)

I also stopped being a cheesemonger and started a new career teaching social studies to middle school students.  I’m not eating as much cheese these days, and teaching has kept me too busy for cooking of late.

But hopefully, I’m about ready to ease back into the food world.  So, maybe I will try to drop a post here every now and then.

I hope you are all doing well!

Resolution Watch Week 9

The pimiento cheese obsession officially made it to the menu this week!  We started with pimiento cheeseburgers!

Believe it or not, this is actually a quarter pound burger–the buns are just very large!  We used Rachel Ray’s recipe for the actual burger.  We got the buns and the pimiento cheese from Alon’s (why mess with perfection?).  Then, we topped the burger with some Phickles Hotties.  We served sweet potato fries and Phickles Okies and Snaps on the side.  This was a truly fantastic dinner.  Would do it again anytime!  Win!

Then, we moved on to some pasta.  We picked up some of Alon’s fresh house made pasta, and whipped up this fantastic Fettuccine with Chicken, Mushrooms, Spinach and Orange Cream Sauce from Food and Wine:

Totally another winner.  Quick, easy, and full of flavor.  The recipe called for chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, and we think that made a big difference in the flavor.  This is a great after-work meal.

The third meal of the week was tacos!

Every time I have ever made tacos, I have simply browned some beef and added a packet of taco seasoning.  This time, I made my own seasoning!  Thanks to this recipe courtesy of Alton Brown.  Top with some Phickles Hotties, and dinner is served!  Yum!

Phickles Spears Are Here!

We have Phickles Spears!

Come and get ‘em!

Uma…Oma!

Yesterday, I got in a wheel of Oma!

Oma is made by the Von Trapps (yes, related to those Von Trapps, from the Sound of Music fame) in the Mad River Valley of Vermont.  Oma is a washed rind, raw cow’s milk cheese.

After the rind is washed, the cheese is aged at the Cellars of Jasper Hills.

The cheese has a smooth and silky texture.  The flavor is barnyardy and buttery.  This is a great cheese for someone who likes a more assertive taste.

Come to Alon’s and give it a try today!

We have Pithivier!

Pithivier is a customary sweet to celebrate Epiphany in France, and we have it for you at Alon’s!

This puff pastry is filled with almond cream.  It’s a traditional take on the King Cake.  Order yours today!

Alon’s Wheel Deal: Cabot Clothbound Cheddar!

Alon’s Wheel Deal
Cheese of the Week: Cabot Clothbound Cheddar

Skimming over each piece of cheese in Alon’s case can be quite overwhelming. We understand. The textures, the flavors, the origin, the milk – all contribute to the reason that cheese is one of the most revered products both here at Alon’s and throughout the world – it’s simply delicious!

Each week, Alon’s lead cheesemongers Angel Montero and Toni Weir, along with our expert team of cheese connoisseurs at both our Dunwoody and Virginia-Highland locations, will talk you through a particular cheese and invite you to come in and have a taste! Whether you are looking to expand your knowledge of all things cheesy, or you are just in search of the ideal ingredients to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich…read on.

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar
Made by Cabot Creamery and aged for 10 to 14 months at the Cellars of Jasper Hill, this clothbound cheddar won Best of Class at the 2010 World Championship Cheese Contest. Made one vat at a time, from the milk of purely Holstein cows, the result is a singular, Old World style cheddar.

Price: $12.00 per half pound and a 10 percent discount when you mention Alon’s Wheel Deal.

Tasting Notes: Carefully wrapping layers of cloth around the cheese and aging in a cave allows Cabot Clothbound Cheddar to release moisture and develop a concentration of sweet, fruity, savory, and nutty flavors.

Milk Type: Pasteurized cow milk

Geography: Jasper Hill Farm is nestled into the hills of Greensboro, the heart of Vermont’s beautiful Northeast Kingdom.

Fun Facts: Jasper Hill began farming and making cheese with a goal of creating a model to be replicated by other farmers in Vermont who wished to diversify their quickly disappearing farms into more workable options. The 22,000 square foot cheese-aging facility with seven underground cellars is the first of its kind in the United States. The purpose of creating the aging facility is to provide a place for cheesemakers to send their “green” cheeses to be ripened and marketed by a staff of trained affineurs (someone who ages cheese and purveys it). By reducing the initial investment and training needed by farms trying to diversify, the cellars provide opportunity to a greater number of those farms.

Recipes: Click here for the simple and delicious recipe for Warm Chanterelle and Berry Salad with Cheddar. Also click here to see the recipe for a flavorful side dish using Romanesco cauliflower and Cabot Clothbound Cheddar.

Alongside Alon’s Offerings: Spread The Virginia Chutney Co.’s Spicy Plum Chutney, available in our market, on Alon’s Country French Bread and place several slices of Cabot Clothbound Cheddar on top. Grill until the cheese is perfectly melted and enjoy! This cheddar also goes especially well with La Craie Vouvray wine and with red wines such as a Pinot Noir and Côtes du Rhône.

Meet the Mongers: We welcome you to Alon’s weekly Wheel Deal! Our goal is to familiarize you with our cheeses and to make the search for the ones that please your palate just a bit easier. Visit the Alon’s location nearest you and ask to speak with any one of our cheesemongers who are always there to help you choose the cheeses that please!

This Week’s Question: What is the best way to store cheese?
Wrap cheese in cheese paper, which maintains proper humidity and allows adequate oxygen exchange to keep cheese vibrant and delicious. We sell this at Alon’s so be sure to pick up a few sheets on your next visit. Then store the wrapped cheese in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator.

Do other lingering questions about cheese fill your head each night and hinder your sleep? Well, even if it’s not that intense, please send any and all queries tocheese@alons.com. Angel, Toni and our team of cheese lovers are happy to delve into your curd quandaries by answering a few each week in our Alon’s Wheel Deal newsletter.

The Cooking Continues–Week 8

Two months in, and this resolution is still going strong!

I decided to start letting the hubs pick a meal each week to help him get a little more excited about this adventure.  We started with his choice this week–chicken enchiladas:

OK–I know that picture is not the prettiest, but the enchiladas were very tasty.  Super easy to toss this one together after work.  The secret is in the homemade sauce!

For the next assignment of the week, I was going to make these shrimp salad sliders.  However, once I saw the price of the shrimp at my local grocer, I decided to substitute chicken.  So, we had chicken salad sliders!

The recipe worked just as well with chicken and yielded a chicken salad that was a little more tangy and herbed than usual.  I thought it was great.  We served it with some sweet potato fries (which I love to dip in mustard!).

The third meal of the week was my biggest challenge–my first slow-cooked pot roast:

I used this recipe from Food and Wine Magazine (they haven’t steered my wrong yet!).  I let that sucker slow cook for about eight hours.  The only modification we added to the recipe was to add teeny-tiny thumb-sized potatoes about two and a half hours before the roast was ready.  It was fantastic!  But I will admit, it was still not as good as my mom’s.

Extra Credit:

At the start of this week, I had half a container of cremini mushrooms and one rogue leek in my refrigerator.  The thought of tossing them made me cringe, so I decided to see what I could whip up.

I ended up picking up some fresh fettucine from Alon’s and made this tasty pasta dish!  Just browned some butter, tossed in my leek and mushrooms with some thyme, added the pasta and topped with parmigiano reggiano.  Delicious and super quick!  Proud of myself for coming up with tasty ways to use leftover veggies!

See you next week!

Its Cheesy Link Friday!

I only have one link to share today, and it’s to this great new blog I have started following.  Enjoy!

I’ll leave you with this great pic of the fabulous Blue Cheese Bacon Burger I had last week at Brockett Pub House and Grill.  Delicious.

Barely Buzzed at Alon’s!

We have a new cheese at Alon’s!  This one is fantastic–it’s called Barely Buzzed.

Barely Buzzed is made by the Beehive Cheese Company in Utah.  This recovering lawyer loves the Beehive Cheese Company, in part, because cheese was a second career for these guys, too.  Beehive Cheese Company was formed when brothers-in-law Tim Welsh and Pat Ford left their careers in real estate and software for the world of artisan cheese-making.

Barely Buzzed is one of Beehive Cheese Company’s signature cheeses.  It has been recognized numerous times by the American Cheese Society.  Barely Buzzed is made from pasteurized cow’s milk.  It is hand-rubbed with a Turkish Grind of Colorado Legacy Coffee Company’s Beehive Blend, which consists of South American, Central American, and Indonesian beans.  Lavender buds are mixed with the coffee, which is then diluted with oil.  Barely Buzzed has hints of caramel and butterscotch.

You can learn more about Barely Buzzed and Beehive Cheese Company at their website.  You can also find them on Facebook here and Twitter here.  This is definitely one of those cheeses that you will not want to miss!  Come by Alon’s to try it out today!