Cheese Tasting Courtesy of The Rhined

What Friday night is complete without a cheese tasting with homemade pickles, yummy bread, and a bourbon-laced beverage? Thanks to Stephanie of The Rhined, I was more than set to have a great evening with my cheese-loving fam.

There are no words for how delicious her house-made pimento cheese was on this awesome Blue Oven Bakery bread. No. Words. 

Check out the gorgeous flowers on the Alp flower cheese from Austria. 

And this goat cheese called the Wabash Cannonball (from Indiana) was fabulous. I had to stop my daughter from licking the cheese off of the knife before I had finished with the photos! We paired everything with some almonds (both smoked and blanched) and made up some totally amazing tartines with our family's favorite savory-sweet pickles piled all on top. 

Quick Cucumber Pickles with Shallot

 Adapted from Rachael Ray

Yields one medium jar of pickles

1 cucumber, preferably English

1 shallot

½ cup of apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of honey

¼ teaspoon of dried dill

pinch of red pepper flake

Slice the cucumber and shallot very thinly, preferably on a mandolin slicer, and place in a heat-proof jar or container. Add the apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, dill, and red pepper flake to a pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat and pour over the cucumbers and shallots. Let steep for several minutes and then refrigerate or serve. These never last the night in our house! 

To make the tartines, tear off some deliciously crusty bread. Spread with pimento cheese, goat cheese, or any cheese of your choice. Add your quick pickles and top with almonds. Enjoy. 

Caesar Salad

Although the Caesar Salad originated in Mexico, it's hard to think of a more quintessentially American steakhouse salad. My own family loves it and it's frequently on a weekly rotation here. It plays extremely well with Rye whiskey, too, if you are looking for a good pairing. (The amazing serving bowl is from--you guessed it--Branded Woodworks!) 

Caesar Salad

Adapted from a recipe provided by the Midwest Culinary Institute

Serves 2 comfortably

4 ounces of romaine lettuce, chopped

1 slice of white bread, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove of garlic

1 anchovy or more to taste

1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

1 egg yolk

4 ounces of avocado oil

½ lemon, juiced

1 ounce of parmesan cheese

Salt

Cracked black pepper

Wash and dry romaine. Heat skillet, add the tablespoon of olive oil and sauté your bread until it’s golden brown. Mash garlic and anchovy together in a bowl. Add egg yolk and Dijon mustard. Slowly add avocado oil while whisking vigorously, starting with one drop at a time and then progressing to a steady stream. Add the lemon juice to taste and adjust the seasoning. Use just enough dressing to coat lettuce and mix well. Top with parmesan, croutons, and cracked black pepper. 

Rye Whiskey Old-Fashioned

Adapted from The New York Times

2 ounces of Rye Whiskey

1 teaspoon of raw sugar

strip of orange peel

squeeze of orange juice

1-2 drops of Angostura bitters

Mix whiskey, sugar, orange juice, and bitters together. Pour over ice and add strip of orange peel. 

Quiche Lorraine

A quiche lorraine is a classic for a reason. With salty bacon, pungent Gruyère cheese, and a rich, flavorful custard, it can also be a bit heavy. However, if you pair it with heirloom tomatoes doused in balsamic vinegar, parsley, and sea salt to cut through all that fat, it makes a beautiful breakfast, lunch, or snack.

Quiche Lorraine

Adapted from On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals

Serves six generously

4 eggs

1 pint of milk

½ cup of heavy cream

2 ounces of Gruyère cheese, shredded

6 slices of bacon, baked and crumbled

1 par-baked pie crust

½ teaspoon of kosher salt

¼ teaspoon of nutmeg

pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bacon and cheese in the pie shell. Combine eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and pour the custard over the bacon and cheese. Bake until the custard is set and the top is golden and puffy. 

Fruit Salad with a Poppyseed Dressing

Salted cantaloupe with orange supremes and sliced strawberries, folded together with a poppyseed and honey vinaigrette, and topped with orange zest, basil chiffonade, and a basil pluche. Drizzled with honey before being chilled and served.

Fruit Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Adapted from On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals

Serves Two

Vinaigrette

2 teaspoons of honey

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon of neutral oil, like avocado oil

½ teaspoon of poppyseeds

pinch of dried mustard

pinch of salt

Salad

½ cantaloupe, in chunks

1 pint of strawberries, sliced

2 oranges, segmented and juiced

1 tablespoon of orange zest

honey, drizzled to taste

3 leaves of chiffonade basil

Salt the cantaloupe generously. Add the strawberries to the orange juice and segments (orange supremes) and toss to coat. Combine all the fruit and divide into two serving vessels. Drizzle with your vinaigrette and top with the orange zest, basil chiffonade, and drizzled honey. Serve cold. 

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

As the last of the heirloom tomatoes, sweet onions, and cucumbers fill the local markets, I find this cucumber tomato salad to be the perfect snack to showcase their flavor. 

Featured are my favorite Cherokee purple heirloom tomatoes, some heirloom grape tomatoes, and a red wine vinaigrette with a healthy sprinkling of black lava sea salt and parsley. The gorgeous cutting board is from Branded Woodworks (of course!) 

New

It's a new month, a new school year, and a new beginning for so many. How is September not the most beautiful time of year?