My friends and I love to cook and entertain. We get together once a month, and one is responsible for the main. The remainder of us bring a dish or dessert to accompany.
Last month, the featured entree was Shrimp scampi with orzo, arugula, and garlic bread. Yum, right?Â
Naturally, I brought a cheese board. As the connoisseur of the group, it's often requested. Typically, my style is to layer on the ingredients in proximity. But this time, I wanted to try something different. I drew inspiration from music. I play the piano and wanted the elements to feel rhythmic, where each ingredient carries its tune. A board with open pathways, not covered by nuts or olives, with each element individually appreciated. I found artichokes with their stem at my local olive bar and halved them for an elegant presentation. It reminded me of the flowers thrown at the end of a musical performance.
The cheese selections and ingredients were decidedly Italian.Â
Cheeses selected:
La Tur, an oozy mixed-milk (cow, goat, sheep) cheese with a thin yeasty rind and a texture of soft ice cream; Piave Mezzano, a DOP protected cow's milk semi-hard, with a buttery flavor and paste; my spin on marinated cheese - Bellwether Farms fresh sheep's log, sliced and coated with extra virgin olive oil, dried organic basil, fragrant Mexican oregano, and imported Cambodian white Kampot peppercorns
Meats: Cremenelli Finocchiona, a Tuscan course ground salami with organic fennel that is mild and aromatic
Accompaniments: Roasted grapes (brushed with balsamic and EVOO and roasted at 400° for 30 mins); Divina roasted red tomatoes, artichokes with their stems, roasted baby balsamic onions, basil garnish
+cheese signage =conversation starters. Please excuse the 'Vezzano' typo!