Vella Special Select Dry Jack

Photo depicts whole 8 lb. form of cheese.

Thought it would be a good idea to re post this blog since I mentioned this wonderful cheese in my blog about the Meyer Lemon Tapenade

Vella Cheese is an old timer in the world of making great American cheeses. Tom Vella began making cheese in 1931 in the Sonoma Valley of California. The company is now run by his son, Ig Vella, and is famous for its Jack cheeses. 

Jack cheese was created in the Gold Rush Days in Monterey, California by a Scotsman, named David Jacks. 

This Special Select Jack has all the same characteristics as Vella's regular Dry Jack, with its hard, pale yellow interior and sweet, nutty flavor. It is aged for a full year (as opposed to seven months) to develop an even harder texture and more intense flavor, making it similar to a Parmigiano Reggiano from Parma, Italy. 

This cheese goes well with fruit and wine and is excellent shaved over pasta.  Made from cultured cow's milk.  Suitable for vegetarians 

Vella Cheese company has received numerous awards such as:

Environmental Award for Solar Panels

Slow Foods Recognition

Lifetime Achievement Award from the esteemed

American Cheese Society in Portland, Or

History of Excellence Award 

Vella Special Select Dry Jack 8oz 

Visit Gourmet Goods To You Today 

MEYER LEMON TAPENADE

This may be the last of the O Olive Oil Tapenade Trio to introduce you to but certainly not the last time you will see me write about it.  I will be using this tapenade in new recipes to share all summer long.

 

 O love. O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil luxuriously soaking delicate chopped Picholine olives. Add a twist of zest and  O Citrus Champagne Vinegar and I'm sure you will add this to your lemony favorites. Citrus and savory with impeccable ingredients make this tapenade delicious. The essence of California and the South of France embrace in this beautiful dance of flavor. Party perfect for you and all your friends. 

• Party perfect with table crackers. Easy & fun.

• Sublime over goat cheese. Serve with crusty bread.

• Beautiful over angel hair pasta and freshly grated Vella Special Select Dry Jack.

• Delicious spread on grilled ahi

.

• Brush over grilled chicken & add cracked pepper.

Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Glaze

So far, I have shared the Lavender and Honey Grilling Sauce with a Cornish Game Hen recipe and a Citrus Grilling Sauce that can be paired with just about anything.  Now, today I wanted to introduce you to the Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Sauce.  When someone mentions a peppercorn sauce we all immediately think of steak right?  This made me decide to share a recipe for a less thought of use for this grilling glaze.  How about Grilled Peppers?

Just imagine a fusion of Sonoma balsamic vinegar and exotic ingredients, this peppery glaze imparts a harmony of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors when brushed on or tossed with grilled peppers, pork chops, tuna steaks, salmon fillets, eggplant, and zucchini while grilling.  

  

 This Restaurant LuLu grilling glaze is perfect for...

• brushing onto grilled skirt or flank steaks
• dipping grilled shrimp or scallops
• sauteing with mushrooms
  (morels, crimini, etc.)

.

 NET WT. 8.45 fl. oz. /250ml

Ingredients

Sugar, California Balsamic Vinegar (contains sulfites) natural rice vinegar, soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt), fish sauce (anchovy extract, salt, sugar & water), black pepper.

 Balsamic Peppercorn Grilled Bell Peppers

   

4 servings

Ingredients:
2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
1 tablespoon O Olive Oil Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoons LuLu Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Glaze
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Preparation: Heat grill to medium-high heat.  Place peppers in a large bowl and toss with extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons LuLu Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Glaze. Grill peppers for about 2 minutes on each of 4 sides until lightly browned all over.  Remove from grill.

To serve: arrange peppers in o serving bowl and drizzle with remaining LuLu Balsamic Peppercorn Grilling Glaze.  Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve warm or of room temperature

Jalapeno Lime Tapenade

This tapenade is 1 of our 5 tapenades we carry and is extremely popular during the summer months. The tang of sun dried tomatoes and the slow heat of the Jalapeno Lime Olive Oil in the tapenade is a great start to any summer meal. 

O has blended California sun-dried tomatoes with O Jalapeno-Lime Olive Oil, green olives & garlic into a stunning new flavor. Outrageously delicious. Appetizer nirvana. Possibly the easiest and most delicious way to enjoy table crackers and goat cheese at a party. Simple. Healthy & fun! Wow.


 • Wow. All you need are table crackers and a lot of friends.

• Beautiful over pasta. Such a surprise of flavors.

• Spread over smoked turkey sandwiches with baby spinach.

2 slices wheat bread

4 slices turkey breast

1/2 cup baby spinach

1/2 tomato

1/8 onion

1 tbsp light mayonnaise

1 tbsp Jalapeno-Lime and Sundried Tomato Tapenade

• Serve with goat cheese & sliced baguette. A perfect appetizer.

• Dip celery stalks into the jar & don’t tell anyone!

Meyer Lemon Caramel with Sea Salt

This is one of our most unique and tasty products but everyone is always asking "what do I do with it"?  We had this for sampling last week at Flavor of Nevada County  "a cooking school" and people fell in love with it.  We mentioned how great it is on ice cream, pound cake or fruit.  Some even wanted our blessings to just have it straight out of the jar.  One woman even said she was having "A Moment" while tasting it. 

As was searching for links for this post, I came upon another item I have to try this caramel on: Crepes.  

So, if crepes sound good how about pancakes, french toast or waffles.  Is your "sweet tooth" aching yet?

This Meyer Lemon Caramel with Sea Salt is all natural and comes in a 8oz jar.

The Last Fling of Spring and Fathers Day Weekend

It's the last weekend of Spring 2012 and also Fathers Day.  How are you spending the last days of Spring?  Does it still  feel like Spring for you or does it feel like summer already?  At the moment it is 96.6 here in Grass Valley CA so it doesn't feel much like Spring.

As far as Fathers Day goes the celebrating started yesterday. My gift to my sons father was not having to work yesterday afternoon but driving to Kings Beach on Lake Tahoe for a picnic.  Ok, so I have to admit the going to Lake Tahoe part was definitely for me but he was able to relax on the drive, nap on the beach, and I was the designated driver. 

Today the groceries were purchased for the Fathers Day feasting.  The decisions on what to have were not easy but one thing was a given.  Whatever we were feasting on, it would be GRILLED.  I'm not sure if we will be having the bbq chicken tonight but I wanted to get this idea out there as soon as possible.  

 I do know we will be basting the chicken breasts with this fabulous Citrus Grilling Sauce.   I'm sorry this idea is too late for Fathers Day but this grilling sauce is a staple all summer long and beyond.

With aromatic herbs and Provencal flavors ranging from tangy to sweet, each Grilling Sauce adds its unique essence to recipes prepared on the grill or roasted in the oven. Just brush onto meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables before cooking to assure a moist interior, caramelized coating and flavorful finish.

• A tangy combination of the zest and juice of 4 citrus fruits
• Meyer lemons, grapefruit, limes and oranges
• Blended with honey
• Perfect for chicken, fish and vegetables
• Easy to use - Simply brush onto foods before grilling or use for basting while roasting

 This Restaurant LuLu grilling sauce is perfect for ...

• brushing onto skewers of prawns and vegetables
• marinating sliced eggplant before grilling
• basting roast salmon or chicken

Flavor of Nevada County

 The Union presents  Flavor of Nevada County:
An Outdoor Cooking School

 from 5 to 9 p.m. today
at the Gold Miners Inn/Holiday Inn Express,
downtown Grass Valley.

Outdoor Cooking

— It’s not only for barbecue anymore! Area chefs, restaurants, grocery stores, wineries and kitchen gadget stores will come together to produce this fine, savory, outdoor cooking school, emceed by Rod Byers, wine writer and educator.

It's a half cup of cooking school mixed with equal parts of food, wine and gourmet product expo. Taste food from Nevada County restaurants and caterers, taste some local wines, attend a mini-specialty demo or two, then sit and relax while five local chefs prepare their recipes right in front of you!

Special chefs include: Jim Eckardt of Jim E's Catering and Club 141, Emily Moore of Diego's, Jesse Cohen and Chris McFadden of Smiley Guys SmokeHouse, Emily Scott-Arbaugh of Emily's Catering and Cakes. Rod Byers, wine writer and educator, will return as emcee for the evening.

Ol' Republic Brewery will be on hand for beer tastings, along with Double Oak Vineyards & Winery, Lucchesi Vineyards & Winery, Sierra Starr Vineyard and Solune Winegrowers.

VIP tickets are sold out, but there are still general admission tickets available at The Union office, 464 Sutton Way, Grass Valley, by calling Mary Anne Davis at (530) 477-4241, or online at www.theunion.com/flavor. Cost is $30 for subscribers; $35 for nonsubscribers.

Buy your tickets online,
by visiting The Union office

or by phone: 530 477-4241

Blood Oranges, Kalamata Olives, and Capers

Yesterday I welcomed in summertime being almost here with an introduction to our Lavender Grilling Sauce.  Today is all about Blood Orange Tapenade.  Have you ever had a tapenade before?  What about Blood Oranges or any type of Blood Orange products?


Blood Oranges are still most abundant in Italy and Spain but they have become more popular in the U.S. and they are being grown in California and Texas.   A typical Blood Orange season is from November to May depending on where they are being sourced from.

O Olive Oil's Blood Orange Tapenade is made with Kalamata Olive and Capers.  It is great  to rub, spread , serve, dip, and grill with.

• Rub over grilled chicken for savory flavor.

• Spread on turkey sandwiches with arugula.

• Serve with grilled pork medallions & wild rice.

• Dip crusty bread and serve with sliced apples.

• Beautiful over grilled halibut or tuna sandwiches.

WELCOME SUMMERTIME

Summertime is almost here as far as the calendar say's but like me many of you may already started grilling, dining al fresco, and picnicking.   This blog is the first in a series introducing you to all our great summertime products.

LAVENDER HONEY GRILLING SAUCE

With aromatic herbs and Provencal flavors(fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender) ranging from tangy to sweet, each Grilling Sauce adds its unique essence to recipes prepared on the grill or roasted in the oven. Just brush onto meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables before cooking to assure a moist interior, caramelized coating and flavorful finish.

• Made with LuLu's Lavender Honey, one of our top selling products
• Imparts the delicate aroma of lavender blossoms
• Creates a sweet, crisp, coating
• Use on chicken, duck, lamb and whole fish
• Easy to use - Simply brush onto foods before grilling or use for basting while roasting

This Restaurant LuLu grilling sauce is perfect for...

• brushing on pork tenderloin before grilling
• marinated fruit such as pineapple slices before grilling
• basting roast chicken or duck

NET WT. 8.45 fl. oz. / 250ml.

GRILLED CORNISH HENS WITH LAVENDER GRILLING SAUCE

Ingredients

• 6 Cornish hens, each 1 /12 pound, halved lengthwise, wings removed at second joint
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
• 1/2 cup LuLu Lavender Honey Grilling Sauce
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 

  
  

  Preparation

  1. Prepare a medium fire in a grill.
  2. Season the hens with salt and pepper and brush lightly with olive oil. Arrange the hens, skin side down, on the grill and grill until browned and crisp underneath, about 8 minutes, rotating the hens a quarter turn halfway through cooking to prevent the skin from burning. Turn the hens over, brush with some of the grilling sauce, and continue grilling until well browned underneath and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, registers 170ºF, about 10 minutes more.
  3. Turn the hens over and brush with more sauce. Continue grilling, turning the hens as needed to prevent burning, until the sauce is glazed and well browned, 2 to 3 minutes more.
  4. Transfer the hens to a warmed large platter and garnish with the lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
     

     Recipe courtesy of Williams and Sonoma.

Craziest Foods You Can Deep Fry

This post has 12 different recipes so I think I will break it down and get a conversation started.  Have you ever tried any of these items deep fried?  Do you have a recipe to add or an item that you think would be good but haven’t tried?

RECIPE 4.  Deep Fried Banana Dumplings 
I don't have dumpling wrappers left over or in my fridge for that matter.  I think I should start.  Do you have these in your fridge?  I want to try this one but guess I need to find another recipe that calls for wrappers also.  This could be a fun adventure.

Deep Fried Banana Dumpling by Sea Salt with Food