Mmm...beer

"Winos" is a catch all, really.

Fall Pizza

The Dough:

Put
1 3⁄4 cups warm water
1 tbsp traditional baking yeast
1⁄2 tsp sugar
in a bowl and let sit until foaming (5-10 minutes).

Add
spices (rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme, chili flakes, black pepper)
2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
and mix.

Then work in
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups unbleached flour
And knead for 5-10 minutes (add flour to keep from sticking).

Let rise until doubled (about 1 to 1/2 hours).

This is enough dough to make two pizzas. If you only want one, put half in a ziploc and throw it in the freezer (to thaw, just put in the fridge the night before, or the morning of, the day you'd like to make pizza; bring to room temp in the afternoon; proceed as usual...).

Caramelized Onion, Pear, and Cheese Topping:

Caramelize 4-6 onions, or so in some olive oil (this takes probably a good 45 mins to an hour if you really want the onions to get sweet...shorter if you cheat). Add a bit of salt when they're done. A good dose of black pepper is good, too. When they're almost done, start coring some pears.

Spread the onions on top of the shaped pizza dough.
Slice the pears and lay them on top, nice and pretty (you'll need about 3-5 pears).

Dab some gorgonzola on top (maybe 2-3 tbsp altogether).
Grate a smidgeon of mozzarella on top, if you like. Ditto for parm-reg, if you like. Sprinkle with a bit of oregano, if you like.

Bake at 450F for 15-30 mins, or until it looks done (especially the dough!).

Grape and Gorgonzola Topping:

In a small pot put
1/3 cup white (sweet) wine
2 tbsp sugar
Simmer/boil until reduced to syrup (a tbsp or two's worth).

Halve a bunch of grapes (2-3 cups, pre-halving).
Toss with the syrup.
Mix in about 2/3 cup or so of small (1cm) cubes of mozzarella or fontina (something mildish).

Spread this mixture on top of the shaped (raw) pizza dough.

Dabble about 3-5 tbsp of gorgonzola all over the pizza.

Bake at 450F til done (about 15-30 minutes).

Mushrooms

Overnight, very
Whitely, discreetly,
Very quietly

Our toes, our noses
Take hold on the loam,
Acquire the air.

Nobody sees us,
Stops us, betrays us;
The small grains make room.

Soft fists insist on
Heaving the needles,
The leafy bedding,

Even the paving.
Our hammers, our rams,
Earless and eyeless,

Perfectly voiceless,
Widen the crannies,
Shoulder through holes. We

Diet on water,
On crumbs of shadow,
Bland-mannered, asking

Little or nothing.
So many of us!
So many of us!

We are shelves, we are
Tables, we are meek,
We are edible,

Nudgers and shovers
In spite of ourselves.
Our kind multiplies:

We shall by morning
Inherit the earth.
Our foot's in the door.

- Sylvia Plath

Rubus idaeus

Did you know that a raspberry isn't actually a berry at all? --It is actually an aggregate fruit of drupelets that are all centered around a core (the little white bit that remains on the plant once you pick the fruit)? Who knew.

Now that fall is arriving in the northwest, the raspberries are enjoying their last hurrah before the frost turns them to mush. Me and the bears are trying to devour as many of them as possible (it's stiff competition). If I had an oven I'd be making a cinnamony pie with these succulent red jewels.

Fromage du Jour - Edel de Cleron

"Masterful"

"A welcome guest at any cheese party"

This cheese is a pasteurized version of another equally French cheese.

Pasteurizing the milk allows the cheesemaker to export the product to North America.

Who knew?

Bienvenue!

After, or during (can't remember!), a good night of wining and dining. Ryan shared a great idea with us at the dinner table: a wine and cheese blog! And, in the spirit of the evening, I discovered a new favourite cheese (of which I'll have to share with you).

Some of you may recall that I started up an email recipe exchange a while back but it seems to have flopped. So, in an effort to revitalise the (*ahem* good) idea, recipes, or just food ideas, should also be posted here, too...

This is a place to share your tastebuds, explore and explique how they feel: tastes and textures.

I'll set up the page so that anyone can post their new favourite cheese, vino, or food. Ryan is in charge of fonts though!