When the weather outside is frightful, gravad lax is so delightful

I follow a number of food blogs.  One of them is Edible Aria, which I admire for its approach to eating healthfully and in an economically feasible manner.  The blog promotes eating sustainable fresh whole foods.  The blogger, Ren, obviously knows what he is doing in the kitchen and posts not only imaginative recipes, but provides links and information to other websites and events promoting responsible food production and consumption.  But I hate to limit Ren with that description.  Visit his blog and find out what he is all about.  I think you'll be impressed. 

I love the whole idea of eating well and eating responsibly.  I try to buy whole foods as much as possible; processed foods will rarely sneak into the house and I have to banish them sternly, telling them in no uncertain terms that they are not welcome.  I also try to buy organic, locally grown fruits, vegetables and proteins as much as I can afford to.  I am fortunate to know many people who farm and raise their own grass-fed beef, chickens, bees, make their own goat cheese, and the like.  I love knowing where my food comes from and I especially love knowing that my food was grown and handled with care, integrity and respect.

Ren inspired me recently when he posted a recipe for gravad lax, a Nordic preparation of fresh salmon cured with dill, sugar and salt.  Quite coincidentally (or maybe because I am prescient) I had purchased a fillet of wild sockeye salmon, one of my favorite seafoods.  I came home that evening, opened my email browser and saw Ren's July 29th post for Dill Pollen Gravad Lax.

I knew what I must do.

Ridiculously easy to prepare, Ren's recipe is challenging only from the perspective that if you lack patience to wait for the curing process to occur, then you'll be a bit antsy while you wait to taste the finished product.  I was.  It was 107 degrees outside and I wanted my gravad lax NOW.  This isn't a spur-of-the-moment kind of food.  You have to plan ahead.  Which is what makes waiting for it so worthwhile.  If you've mastered delayed gratification, that is.

I didn't have the dill pollen called for in my pantry (which is a shame because I have fennel pollen, grains of paradise, kolonji, berbere spice, zatar and so many other obscure seasonings) so I used dill weed.  You can get dill pollen here.  I also used fine flake kosher salt because I had just received a large bag from Penzeys Spices.  And, incidentally, Penzeys is soon to open a new store in Austin and then I may have to grieve the loss of my almost 20-year mail-order relationship with that lovely company.  On second thought, maybe I'll keep ordering that way.  I love the personal notes on the invoices!

But I digress. The salinity of kosher salt is sometimes up to 50% less than other kinds of salt.  So you can adjust the amount to taste if you haven't any sea salt around as Ren calls for in his post.  I used Ren's proportions and got a delicately briny, silky product that seemed to melt in my mouth.  In my future renditions of gravad lax, I intend to experiment with various salts, but sea salt would of course be the most authentic.

I didn't trouble myself with removing pinbones before I cured the salmon fillet.  I wondered if I would regret that but they were so soft and flexible that there was no unpleasantness at all in the salmon's texture.  This has always been true for me when I have grilled or roasted wild salmon.

The heat index in Central Texas makes cooking and eating a chore right now.  But slicing into that cured salmon, its cool, moist, coral flesh falling gracefully from my knife, I was soon enjoying one of the most lovely and delightful summer suppers that I can remember in some time.

Here's how I ate the salmon:  I softened some organic cream cheese and added a little local wildflower honey and some orange zest.  I toasted some soft pumpernickle toast points.  I thinly sliced some red onion.  I opened a jar of nonpareil capers.  I layered everything on top of the toast points.  Heaven, if there is one, must have a little pearly sidewalk cafe that serves food like this.

Then I opened a bottle of Pierre Sparr Alsace One, an Alsatian white wine that is a crisp, dry lively blend of five different varietals.  Alsace One is very affordable; ask your wine guys at Spec's to steer you in the proper direction, or look for it near the French whites.  This wine is a lovely match with the salmon and its accompaniments.  Find another review of this wine here.  Alternatively, you could try the Pierre Sparr Pinot Gris, which is just a few bottles down the row on the same shelf.  It's dry but full of depth from the flavors of fruit and honey and a lot rounder than other renditions of this wine.  This grape varietal has been referred to as a "chameleon."  Bottled by the Italians as Pinot Grigio, it is light and fruity; by the French--particularly in Alsace--it has a flinty minerality and golden honey-kissed richness.  Find a review of the Pierre Sparr Pinot Gris here.  Expect to pay a little more for this wine, but it's still under $20.

In this heat, may your tastebuds recline on a chaise lounge and be indulged.  Oh, Cabana Boy?

Honey, please pass the cheese

I collect honey.  To those of you who have been in my company long enough, the fact that I collect things shouldn't surprise you.  But collecting honey is a little, well, different.  It's like collecting salt (which I also do).  Currently, I have 18 different varieties of honey (down from 22 because some were really good).  And those of you who know how to please me best bring me honey from your travels, which I really appreciate.  I have received honey from Spain, from Michigan, from Texas, from North Carolina, and from many other places. 

As I survey my collection of blended and monofloral honeys, I find that I favor the monoflorals.  Some of my favorites: lavender honey and thyme honey, both from Greece; Acacia honey from Hungary; Rata honey from New Zealand; Purple Sage Honey from New Mexico; Avocado Blossom Honey from California (a birthday gift from my friend Thrint); and of course, Tupelo honey from the northwest riverbanks of Florida (from my sister-in-law).  Tupelo is distinctive for its buttery, clean taste and it never crystalizes, which makes it ideal for keeping over a long period of time (like when you don't want to share).

There are two other monoflorals that I think deserve extra attention.  They are polar opposites in their attributes.  The first, Kiawe honey from Hawaii, is almost pure opague white, thick and extremely fragrant.  It melts on the tongue in an unctious, floral veil.  It is processed at very low temperatures to retain the bouquet.  When I received my first jar, I had to stop myself from consuming it all.  It is literally that luscious.  Its fragrance is incomparable.

The second honey, and the one I think is the most remarkable, is Tasmanian leatherwood honey.  It is dark and opaque (again, because of careful processing) and has a deep, woodsy, almost nutty taste.  It is, to me, the most unique honey I have ever tasted.  It reminds me in some ways of truffles that have been dipped in dulce de leche.

Honey is a lot like wine.  When different varietals are blended, you will get rounder, softer characteristics.  When only one varietal is present, it speaks for itself.  Honey and wine also both depend on terroir to lend them their distinctive characteristics.  For instance, a Pinot Noir from Oregon is very different than a pinot noir from France's Burgundy region.  In this same way, lavender honey from Greece is very different from lavender honey from the Texas Hill Country.  Yes, they're derived from the same or similar plant source, but the climate, soil, and differences in growing and harvesting techniques can yield completely different results.

One day, I plan to have my own beehives.  I've been studying and thinking about this for years.  Beekeeping is relatively easy and inexpensive.  It encourages pollination, increases the dangerously low bee population, and of course, hive products have multiple health benefits.  Currently, I'm raising several loquat trees, which are always covered in bees while they're in bloom.  I've never tasted loquat honey, but the sweet intensity when the trees are in bloom is a good indication of what I can expect.  I'm hoping I'm creating a good habitat for my future bee friends.

I've included some recipes and ideas for how to expand your experiences with honey beyond Souix Bee or that little plastic squeeze bottle shaped like a bear that you have in your pantry.  I hope you enjoy sampling different kinds of honey as much as I do.

What kind of wine to serve with cheese and honey?  Of course, it depends on your cheese, your honey, and your taste, but good bets are late harvest Riesling, Chenin Blanc, perhaps some older Vouvrays, and in some cases an orange muscat or a sweeter Moscato might be a good choice.  Or try an ice wine, a wine that has been made after the grapes have been exposed to frost or have frozen on the vine.  Other classic choices are Sauternes, tawny Port and Vin Santo.  I also think that some sherries with nutty tones, like an Amantillado, might be delicious.  In any event, when you've chosen your cheese and your honey, check with your wine guys at Spec's.  The general advice is that the wine must balance the honey.  Since the honey is intensely sweet in most cases, the wine must stand up to it.  A dessert wine that is exposed to botrytis (aka Noble Rot) is usually a good bet because of the sugar level.

May your tastebuds dance!

Blue Cheese Napoleons with Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey

The idea for this appetizer came from Lynne Rosetto Kasper's NPR radio program The Splendid Table and they are truly addictive for the blue cheese lover...

1 17 oz. pkg. frozen puff pastry (like Pepperidge Farm)
4 to 8 oz. of mild blue cheese (like Maytag), crumbled
1/2 to 1 cup shelled chopped pistachios
Tasmanian leatherwood honey, warmed (or substitute any honey, such as Avocado Blossom or Orange Blossom)

Thaw puff pastry according to package directions, cut into small squares about 1 ½  X 1 ½ ”, brush with butter and bake on a lightly greased backing sheet for about 10 to 12 minutes at 425 degrees.  Watch so squares don't burn.  Cool completely.

Assembly:  Split puff pastry squares in two layers, crumble blue cheese over the bottom layer, top with second layer, crumble more blue cheese, sprinkle with pistachios.  Drizzle with honey.

Makes about 60 appetizers.  Wine suggestion: a Hungarian Tokaji


Assorted Cheeses with Assorted Honeys

Cheese and honey make a great appetizer, just use a light hand when drizzling the honey.  Try these pairings:

Manchego with White Truffle Honey   (try this with Amantillado sherry)

Chevre, Montrachet, or Humboldt Fog with Lavender Honey  (try this with a late harvest Riesling)

Ricotta Salata with Orange Blossom Honey  (try this with a dry orange muscat)

Aged Cheddar, Gruyere or Grana Padano with Chestnut or Buckwheat Honey   (try this with a sweet Vin Santo)

Castelmagno with Acacia Honey  (try this with an ice wine)

Gorgonzola with Clover Honey   (try this with a white or tawny Port)



And one more appetizer to try:  Stuffed Figs with Honey Balsamic Syrup
          .....try this with a tawny port......

Link to:    http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/entertaining/easy-appetizer-recipe-stuffed-figs-with-honeybalsamic-syrup-098570