In all the hubbub, I didn’t get a chance to wish you a merry Christmas, or Hanukkah or kwanza, or a happy New Year. Which is not so much a reflection on how much I wish you all those things as a reflection of how quickly they all got by me.

So how about the next best thing – a post-holiday visit over a cup of (virtual) tea?

First, before it’s too late, a few new year-type things I wanted to share: this post full of brilliant food observations and tips from Cheryl Sternman Rule, this one from Charmian Christie about her 2012 culinary bucket list (doesn’t everyone have one?), and this one from the New York Times reviewing Tamar Adler’s “An Everlasting Meal.” I love how Tamar says that we’ve come to think that all food should be extraordinary – but what if all it needs to be is good and nourishing and enjoyable? Seems like a perfect question to take into the new year.

And second, speaking of good and nourishing and enjoyable, I wanted to share some news – I’ve started work on a new cookbook. No, it’s not yet a third one in my “100 Perfect Pairings” series – although the first, small plates book just went into a second printing! woohoo! – it’s a co-authorship about clean eating, full of good, nourishing, and enjoyable recipes designed to be both good for you and good for the planet. Details to come as soon as I get the okay to talk about them. Meanwhile, suffice to say that I’m reveling in spelt flour and leafy greens and you-never-heard-of-them-but-maybe-you-should natural sweeteners. This week’s recipes, for example, included a soulfully delicious Zucchini, Walnut, and Flaxseed Tea Bread (pictured with the tea above).

The book will keep me busy until mid-April, and between now and then, I’ll also be traveling to Idle Hour Winery in Oakhurst (California) to do a talk and book signing, Gervasi Vineyard in Ohio and Sorrel River Ranch in Utah to teach food and wine pairing classes, and New York to attend the International Association of Culinary Professionals’ annual conference. I’ve also got lots of classes and events happening closer to home.

You? How is your new year going? What’s on your 2012 culinary bucket list? What’s your take on good, nourishing, and enjoyable food?

Wishing you a delicious 2012, with plenty of opportunities to sit down with a cup of tea and reflect on the wonderful life you lead.

According to the National Pork Board, I’m not alone. Their recent “Holiday Table Trends” survey revealed that, while tradition is important, it’s continuing to take a back seat in holiday cooking. The survey went on to identify six food trends for the season – and not too coincidentally, they asked me to develop a recipe to celebrate each of them.

So, my holiday gift to you: six food trends, plus a porkalicious recipe for reveling in each. (If you’d prefer it all wrapped up in a pretty package, complete with bigger, more mouth-watering photos, wine pairing tips, and other goodies, check out “Pork’s Perfect Pairings: 2011 Guide to the Holiday Table.”)

DIY Home cooks are enjoying more and more do-it-yourself edibles, and the survey showed that most were interested in baked goods. You can partake via Bacon and Sweet Potato Biscuits with Smoky Honey Butter (right). Perfect for Christmas morning, New Year’s Day, or a holiday brunch. The smoky honey butter is To. Die. For.

Small Plates Mini- and handheld  foods continue to be popular – did I mention that my “100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates” book just went into a second printing?!? – particularly foods on a stick. Get in on the action with Buffalo Pork Skewers with Blue Cheese Sauce. Great as a holiday appetizer or for an all-small-plates New Years Eve.

Retro foods Nostalgic foods will always be part of the holidays but, perhaps thanks to “Mad Men,” everything old is truly new again. Case in point: this riff on deviled eggs, Sausage and Deviled Egg Salad Sliders (right). A little chile sauce, plus cilantro sprigs, send them over the top.

Global flavors Home cooks are increasingly interested in sprinkling other cuisines’ flavors into their holidays. So say buon Natale with an Italian-Herbed Crown Roast of Pork with Sausage and Parmesan Dressing (pictured, above left). Could any Christmas dinner be more impressive than a crown roast? I think not. And this one’s super easy, too.

Stepped-up sides Most agreed that side dishes needed a sprucing up, but none more so than green veggies like Brussels sprouts and broccoli. And how better to do that than by adding ham or bacon? As in Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Frizzled Ham (right). Serve them alongside the crown roast.

Brunch Brunch is hot and, perhaps not surprisingly, the way most like to enjoy it is with eggs. For that, try this Roast Pork Strata with Green Chiles and Goat Cheese. An amazing combination of flavors that’d be great on Christmas morning or New Year’s Day.

Tasty holidays to you and yours.

The idea is, to help celebrate and promote each others’ books (pictured above), we each write about another’s book, including a recipe and links to all the others’ posts. So you get to virtually experience a potluck of recipes and, perhaps, become inspired to add one (or more) of our books to your holiday gift list.

Cool, eh?

Although all the books are fantastic, natch, I was especially excited to swap books with Tara Mataraza Desmond and explore her and Joy Manning’s brilliant “Almost Meatless.”

I often resolve to eat more vegetables, but I also fully enjoy being a carnivore. And with this book, I don’t have to choose between the two – I can enjoy my meats, but just use less of them, making up the difference with vegetables and other goodies.

In other words, instead of having a whole chicken breast, I could have just a bit of one in a hearty, heart-warming, and wholly satisfying bowl of “Almost Meatless” Tortilla Soup (pictured top left, recipe below). Instead of an entire salmon fillet, I could have the book’s fruity, refreshing Roasted Salmon Citrus Salad. And instead of a hamburger, I could have The B4 (a beef, bulgur, and bean burger).

See? Brilliant.

Many of the recipes in the book are familiar staples of ethnic cuisines, the kind of dishes that are designed to use up leftovers and make a little go a long way—like Asian Lettuce Wraps, African Peanut Stew, and Shepherd’s Pie. Sort of oxymoronically, and probably because I’m so used to a piece of protein in the middle of my plate, the recipes also feel more creative, and like a welcome change.

All the dishes are relatively simple and easy to make, and the book is peppered with information about buying, choosing, and using various proteins.

More brilliance!

The upshot is that, in choosing to use less, “Almost Meatless” ends up celebrating the meat that’s there, combining it with ingredients, textures, and flavors that beautifully make the most of it, and turning it, ultimately, into food that tastes and feels a million times more nourishing and soulful.

Surely there’s someone on your gift list that’d appreciate that. Maybe even you.

As much as I recommend “Almost Meatless,” I also recommend the other books featured in this potluck. Peruse these links to find out more about it and them and to virtually sample their recipes (and be sure to scroll down for the fabulous Tortilla Soup recipe).

Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet
By Joy Manning & Tara Mataraza Desmond

Ideal for today’s conscientious carnivores, Almost Meatless is a timely new book featuring 60+ tasty recipes that go light on the meat.  Without compromising flavor or protein, these dishes maximize health benefits while minimizing the grocery bill and impact on the planet.

Tara Mataraza Desmond is a writer, cookbook author and recipe developer focused on food for health and wellness, pregnancy and parenthood. On Tara’s blog: Yogurt Chicken with Yogurt Chutney Sauce from my cookbook, “100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with Wines You Love.”

The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook: Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens
By Patricia Tanumihardja

Asian grandmothers—whether of Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, or Indian descent— are keepers of the cultural, and culinary, flame. Their mastery of delicious home-cooked dishes and comfort food makes them the ideal source for this cookbook. The 130 tantalizing dishes assembled in this tome comprise hearty food, brightly flavored, and equally good to look at and eat. Plus, all the recipes are translated to work in modern home kitchens.

Pat Tanumihardja is a food and travel writer currently based in the Washington, D.C. metro area and blogs at The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook. On Pat’s blog: Chickpea Curry with Tomato and Mango from Roz Cummin’s blog.

Brewed Awakening
By Joshua M. Bernstein

“Brewed Awakening” is Joshua M. Bernstein’s definitive take on the craft beer revolution. The book is the deeply reported story of the wild innovations and passions driving craft beer, focusing on the tales of the risk-taking brewers, bar owners and the dedicated beer drinkers across the globe. There’s a story in every pint glass, and “Brewed Awakening” gives voice to each one.

Josh Bernstein is a Brooklyn-based beer, spirits, food, travel and bicycling (phew!) journalist, as well as an occasional tour guide. On Josh’s blog: The Jucy Lucy Burger from “The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches.”

The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches
By Susan Russo

How do you keep a Dagwood from toppling over? How did the Hero get its name? And who invented the French Dip? Discover these answers and more in ”The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches”—a chunky little cookbook dedicated to everything between sliced bread. You’ll find recipes for every sandwich imaginable along with fascinating regional and historical trivia. From the humble Sloppy Joe to the chic Nutella sandwich, from the iconic Po ‘Boy to the fresh-faced donut sandwich, “The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches” will satiate sandwich connoisseurs everywhere.

Susan Russo is a San Diego-based cookbook author, blogger (Food Blogga), and freelance writer specializing in food and lifestyle. On Susan’s blog: Highlights from “Brewed Awakening.”

The I Love Trader Joe’s College Cookbook
By Andrea Lynn

The ultimate one-stop shopping guide, “The I Love Trader Joe’s College Cookbook” finally offers starving college students a welcome relief from fast food fiascos. Designed to help shoppers recognize the best finds and reap the fruits of Trader Joe’s smart buyers, many recipes utilize TJ’s signature products to create unique meals like olive focaccia, frito pie, pulled-pork sliders, and fish tacos, among other things.

Andrea Lynn is a NYC-based food writer and recipe developer who has tasted almost every product Trader Joe’s has to offer. On Andrea’s blog: Ravioli Lasagna and Baked Macaroni with Ricotta, Spinach and Mint from “Parents Need to Eat Too.”

Parents Need to Eat Too: Nap-Friendly Recipes, One-Handed Meals & Time-Saving Kitchen Tricks for New Parents
By Debbie Koenig

Give a new parent the gift of sanity! “Parents Need to Eat Too” makes it easy for new moms and dads to take care of themselves as well as they’re caring for baby. Every recipe has been tested by a group of more than 100 moms, and every recipe also includes instructions for turning that dish into baby food. The book goes on sale in February, but author Debbie Koenig has created a special holiday offer, available now: She’ll send a free signed, custom-made bookplate and holiday card to anyone who pre-orders the book as a gift.

Debbie Koenig is a Brooklyn-based food and parenting writer and blogs at Words to Eat By. On Debbie’s blog: Olive Focaccia from “The I Love Trader Joe’s College Cookbook.”

Golden Afternoons: The Official Handbook of the Society for the Preservation of Ladies’ Afternoon Tea
By Roz Cummins

Roz Cummins is a Boston-based food writer who specializes in sustainability. She also loves tea and baking. She has worked as an editor, a teacher, and an arts administrator. She is currently working on a book called “Golden Afternoons: The Official Handbook of the Society for the Preservation of Ladies’ Afternoon Tea.” On Roz’s blog: Steamed Meatballs with Tangerine Peel from “The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook.”

Tortilla Soup
From “Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet” by Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond (Ten Speed Press, 2009)

The recipe variations for Mexico’s renowned sopa de tortilla are as countless as riffs on Grandma’s chicken noodle soup. Its popularity, like Gram’s elixir, stems from a soul-satisfying mix of bold and subtle flavors. Our adaptation calls for a traditional pulpy base of pureed roasted vegetables adorned with bits of poached chicken, studs of creamy avocado, and shards of toasty corn tortillas. Its spicy kick comes from a duo of chiles: the fruity poblano and the fiery chipotle.

6 cups chicken stock
1 bone-in skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 small yellow onion, cut into large dice (about 1 cup)
1 pound plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, halved
2 poblano chiles, seeded and cut into large strips
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 corn tortillas, brushed with vegetable oil on each side and cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 dried chipotle
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 or 2 sprigs fresh oregano leaves, chopped (1 to 2 teaspoons)
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 avocado, diced
Sour cream

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

To prepare the chicken, bring the stock to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken, reduce to a simmer, cover, and poach for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and reserve the stock. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones and set aside.

To prepare the vegetables and the tortilla strips, combine the corn, onion, tomatoes, garlic, poblano chiles, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the oil in a large bowl, tossing to coat the vegetables with the oil and seasonings. Spread the vegetables on the prepared sheet.

Spread the tortilla strips on a separate baking sheet. Transfer both pans to the oven. Toast the strips for about 10 to 12 minutes, until they are golden brown. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes, just until they begin to brown at the edges.

While the vegetables are roasting, rehydrate the chipotle chile. Remove its stem, slice it in half, and discard the seeds. Soak the pepper in a small bowl of very hot water for 10 minutes.

To finish the soup, return the stock to a simmer and transfer the vegetables from the oven to the pot. Crumble half of the toasted tortilla strips into the stock and add the rehydrated chipotle, discarding the soaking water. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the cilantro and oregano. With a handheld blender, puree the vegetables, tortillas, and herbs into the stock (the chipotle will add significant heat to the soup, so for a milder batch, remove it before blending). (Note from Jill—I left the whole chile in and thought the heat was just perfect, warming but not necessarily spicy.) If you are using a regular blender, puree the soup in batches and take care to avoid hot splatters. Stir in the chicken and lime zest and juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the remaining tortilla strips, avocado, and sour cream.

My bad.

I don’t doubt, however, that brining will make a huge difference in your Thanksgiving turkey.

HUGE.

So I thought I’d ‘splain it again, but in a way that doesn’t take seven minutes of your time. Promise.

What is brining?

Brining is simply soaking food in a salt water solution. There’s brining for food production and preservation, like with olives or pickles, but there’s also brining to enhance the ultimate outcome of cooked proteins, like meat, fish, or poultry. That’s the kind of brining we’re talking about for turkey.

Why do it?

Brining helps make proteins more flavorful and juicy.

How does it work?

Through the magic of diffusion and osmosis, the salt solution gets into the meat, seasoning it, but also effecting the structure of the proteins such that they hold more liquid.

What should I brine?

Because brining helps make things flavorful and juicy, the best candidates are proteins that have a tendency to be bland and/or dry. Which means lean proteins and ones that require more thorough cooking. A chicken breast is a perfect example – its lack of fat means that it tends to be flavorless and dry. Chicken also needs to be cooked through, also making it tend to dry out. The same goes for some cuts of pork and leaner fishes.

What shouldn’t I brine?

I wouldn’t recommend brining beef or lamb. One, they tend to have more fat, which makes them inherently more flavorful. And two, we tend to enjoy them rarer, which means they’re less likely to dry out.

Anything else to think about when thinking about brining?

Just this – in addition to your protein, consider your cooking method. Cooking methods that tend to dry things out, like roasting and grilling, are good ones to pair with brining. With moist cooking methods, like braising or poaching, brining wouldn’t be worth the effort.

How do I make a brine?

Just whisk together salt and water.

How much?

My basic brine is 2 cups of water to 3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (half as much if you use finely ground salt). For a turkey, that’s 2 gallons of water to 3 cups coarse kosher salt.

That’s it?

If you like, enhance your brine with sugar, aromatics (like onions and garlic), herbs (like sprigs of rosemary, thyme, or oregano), and spices (like whole peppercorns, star anise, or juniper berries).

The most amazingly simple and delicious turkey I ever made was just salt and sugar.

How long do I brine?

12 to 24 hours for a whole turkey.

But don’t limit yourself to once-a-year-brining for Thanksgiving. Brine shrimp or fish filets for an hour or 2. Brine chops, chicken breasts, and pork tenderloins for 4 to 6 hours. Brine a turkey breast for 8 to 12 hours.

Then what?

Remove the meat from the brine (discard the brine), pat it dry, and proceed with your recipe. It’s that easy, and it makes such a difference.

One last bit of encouragement…

A few years ago, I was working on a magazine recipe for a stuffed pork loin. I got the recipe just like I wanted it, but had some time before the project was due. So I made the pork exactly the same again, but brined. The difference was dramatic, especially since I had back-to-back comparisons. The meat was juicy, flavorful, and also had a more pleasantly toothsome texture.

I became a briner.

Join the club.

And have a very, very happy Thanksgiving.

That popularity, however, has led some to look down on Chardonnay. I think the logic is that if it’s that popular, it couldn’t possibly be cool.

But I think Chardonnay is totally cool. Because I love Brie and roasted garlic and roast chicken and crab—and similarly rich and weighty foods. And a rich, weighty wine like Chardonnay is perfect for pairing with them.

That said, styles of Chardonnay can vary widely, from crisp and refreshing to buttery, sometimes oaky or toasty, and soft—plus everything in between.

When you pick up a bottle at the store, it’s hard to know which kind you might be holding in your hand. If you have something in mind, talk to your retailer.

But my experience is that as long as you match Chardonnay’s weight with richness in your food, it doesn’t matter what style of Chardonnay you serve. The buttery ones will complement creamy flavors while the crisper ones will provide contrast and help cleanse your palate between bites.

Cool.

Some recipes from my books (published on others’ web sites) designed to pair with Chardonnay:
Chanterelle and Gruyere Bread Pudding
Grilled Chicken with Marinated Peppers

Some recipes not from my books that’d also pair well with Chardonnay:
Michael Ruhlman’s Roast Chicken (read the post, which is awesome, then scroll down for the recipe)
Smitten Kitchen’s French Onion Soup
Simply Recipes’s Crab Dip
Gourmet’s Fettuccine Alfredo

To me, nothing says fall like pumpkin. And it’s good so many ways, from savory to sweet. Pumpkin also comes in several different forms, giving you plenty of opportunities to include it in your autumnal cooking.

Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, are particularly popular in Mexican cooking. With their white hull removed, the seeds have a medium-dark green color, a delicate flavor, and can be used just like other seeds or nuts.

Sprinkle pepitas onto a fall green salad, for example, with persimmon and blue cheese or green apple and shaved Parmesan. Use toasted pepitas to garnish a soup or stew – particularly one with either a Latin slant or one made with pumpkin or winter squash. Or stir them into a pumpkin bread or muffin recipe.

Pumpkin seed oil will also quickly and easily contribute seasonal flair. It has a dramatically dark green color that’s gorgeous swirled into a contrasting soup – like a carrot or butternut puree. You can use it to finish other dishes as well, like stew, pasta, or risotto, and even grilled meats, poultry, or fish.

Salad dressings, sauces and dips are also good places to enjoy pumpkin seed oil. But do so judiciously, as you would with walnut or sesame seed oil. Pumpkin seed oil can be strong stuff, so it’s often best combined with a neutral-flavored oil like sunflower or safflower.

Which brings us, of course, to pumpkin itself. Compared to butternut squash, pumpkin has a less creamy texture and a sweeter taste. It’s also a tad more watery, or you could say that its flesh, when cooked, is a little looser. That said, you can use it in pretty much any recipe that calls for butternut squash.

For a look at the qualities of different types of pumpkin, check out the October issue of Sunset magazine–unfortunately, the page I’m referring to doesn’t seem to be online, but here are a few pumpkin recipes from that issue. And here’s my recipe for Herbed Pumpkin Risotto with Aged Balsamic, a fall comfort food if there ever was one.

A couple of tips for tackling a whole pumpkin:

1. Use a sharp knife to cut it into quarters and a spoon to scrape the seeds out of each piece.
2. If the pumpkin is proving difficult to quarter, pierce it a few times, then microwave it for a couple of minutes, which will soften it up.
3. If it seems like the skin will be tough – like that of a butternut squash – use a vegetable peeler to remove it. If not, just cook the peel along with the flesh – it’s edible.

For more tasty ways to enjoy the great pumpkin, join me for A Harvest Celebration of Pumpkin, a hands-on cooking class at Ramekins in Sonoma, on November 16.

There’s a chill in the air. And the lighter, brighter foods of summer – salads, summer veggies, grilled chicken – are giving way to the heavier and more intense foods of fall – earthy vegetables, soups and stews, roasts and braises. You might even be starting to crave Thanksgiving dinner.

The wines that go best with fall foods will be heavier and more intense, too. Lighter whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio step aside for Chardonnay and reds. Think about it – doesn’t a glass of Pinot Noir sound nice right about now?

Here, then, are some favorite fall foods and the wines to enjoy with them.

Cheers.

FOOD: Mushrooms
WINE: Both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have enough heft to work with the meatiness of mushrooms, and also often have mushroomy nuances themselves. (For a perfect pairing with Pinot Noir, try my Mushroom Sherry Soup.) If your dish has actual meat as well – as in beef stroganoff – you could go for something heavier, like Merlot.

FOOD: Roast chicken
WINE: You can’t get much more classic than roast chicken and Chardonnay. For a change of pace, try Viognier or even Pinot Noir

FOOD: Game day chili
WINE: A fruity red, like Zinfandel or Syrah, plays well with chili’s intensity, and adding a splash of wine to your chili can help seal the deal. Watch out for anything with too much alcohol – if your chili is spicy, a high alcohol wine can exacerbate the burn.

FOOD: Thanksgiving dinner
WINE: The flavors here are all over the map – the turkey is savory, the cranberry sauce is sweet, the stuffing is earthy, the green beans are vernal. Relatively middle-of-the-road Pinot Noir is big enough to handle the gamut but light enough to work with poultry. Gewürztraminer is a good bet if there are a lot of sweeter dishes in the meal.

FOOD: Good old-fashioned pot roast
WINE: With big, beefy food, you need similarly big, beefy wine – like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Syrah. Make the combo really sing by adding a little soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, or Dijon mustard to the braising liquid.

I originally wrote this piece for Portland’s Mix magazine – it appears in their current (October) issue.

Last January, I was hired by Cooking Light magazine to help with their annual Taste Test Awards. My job was to nominate five artisanal food products from the northwest, Alaska, and Hawaii (others were doing other regions) in each of five categories – cheese; meats; beer, wine, and spirits; condiments; sweets; and a “wild card” category for things that didn’t fit the other categories. The nominees would then be tasted by the Cooking Light staff and winners would be featured in the October issue of the magazine (pictured and, not coincidentally, on newsstands now).

This basically meant that I got to contact the northwest’s best specialty food producers, ask them to send samples of their products, taste them, and pick my favorites.

How fun is that, right?

So that meant that every day for a couple of weeks, five to ten packages arrived – every day – each laden with even more amazing delicacies than the last.

Incredible small-batch liqueurs, scotch, and vodka (including the absolutely heavenly Napa Vodka, which makes an awesome martini, pictured with the magazine – details about Napa Vodka below)! All sizes and shapes of ooey, gooey cheeses! Mountains of cookies, candies, jams, pickles, and crackers! Bottles and bottles of artisan olive oils! And chocolate – ooh, the chocolate! Piles of it! Heaps!

It was Christmas in January.

I tasted my way through it all, then gave away lots of it, selfishly keeping only my most favorite goodies. Here, then, are my nominees, with Cooking Light’s winners noted. I highly recommend indulging in these treats – for Halloween or any time.

(If you want to see all the winners – not just the ones from my region – visit Cooking Light’s site or grab a copy of the October issue.)

Thank you to all the artisans who generously shared samples of their divine products and helped me with the job – I adored many more items than I could nominate. And a BIG thank you to Ivy Manning, cookbook author and all-around amazingly generous person, who recommended me for the gig.

CHEESES
Belfiore Cheese Company Burrata
Berkeley, California
Sometimes burrata – a ball of fresh mozzarella filled with fresh cream and fresh mozzarella curds – is better in concept than execution. But this one delivers on the promise – it’s creamy, sweet, oozy, and delicate.

*Cooking Light Winner*
Bellwether Farms Whole Milk Ricotta
Sonoma, California
This is a brand new cheese from Bellwether – it’s rich and creamy with a beautiful, sweet dairy flavor. It comes packaged in a little plastic ricotta mold, which is absolutely adorable, but it also means that you can overturn it onto a plate and it’ll keep the pretty basket design. You’ll wonder why you only use ricotta for lasagna.

Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Toma
Point Reyes Station, California
Point Reyes is most known for their blue cheese but Toma is different – a creamy, easy-to-like cow’s milk cheese with a complexity that kind of sneaks up on you, with both earthy and bright notes.

Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue Cheese
Central Point, Oregon
The smokiness isn’t just a gimmick – they do a cold smoke over Pacific Northwest hazelnut shells, which adds a subtly smoky caramel flavor that nicely enhances the salty/sour/creamy quality of the blue cheese.

Willapa Hills Farmstead Cheese
Doty, Washington
Absolutely amazing, kick-ass mostly blue cheeses. I tried three – Two-Faced Blue, a blend of cow and sheep’s milk that’s almost like a cross between a brie and a blue; Big Boy Blue, an in-your-face, super-creamy blue; and Pluvius, not a blue but a very intense and funky cheese. Nine months later, I’m still craving them all.

MEATS
Krave Jerky
Sonoma, California
Beef, pork, and turkey jerky in interesting and creative flavors, like chili lime and curry. One or two of them are a little sweet to me, but overall they’re good, and I especially like the texture – nicely chewy and not at all leathery.

Olympic Provisions Sausages
Portland, Oregon
I tasted their salami nola, saucisson d’Arles, saucisson d’Alsace, and saucisson sec and loved ‘em all. Besides nicely subtle yet complex flavors, the textures are deliciously creamy and chewy.

*Cooking Light Winner*
Gerard & Dominique Smoked Alaskan Scallops
Anacortes, Washington
Plump, sweet, and smoky, these scallops are really tasty and delightfully unusual. Nice in a salad or sautéed with a little olive oil and some veggies, they’re also delicious right out of the package, just add toothpicks. I ate the whole package standing at the kitchen counter!

The Smokery Smoked Salmon
Portland, Oregon
This is maybe the most delicious hot-smoked salmon I’ve ever had (they also do cold-smoked, but I didn’t try it). It’s only mildly smoky, not overly salty, and the salmon is pristine. I tasted several flavors – Maplewine, Old Irish, and White Salmon – and each is done with a deft hand, nuanced but subtle. The salmon is entirely sustainable, caught at sea with hook and line.

Sonoma Foie Gras Smoked Magret
Sonoma, California
Sonoma Foie Gras is a family-owned company that hand-crafts duck products in a French style. Their smoked magret (duck breast) is awesome, and makes you wonder why pork products are getting all the attention these days. Forget the salumi – bring the magret on your next wine country picnic!

WINE, BEER, AND SPIRITS
Clear Creek Distillery Liqueurs
Portland, Oregon
These liqueurs are really special. Intense and authentic fruit flavors without being intensely sweet, as is usually the case with liqueur. They’d be good as cocktail ingredients, as dessert sauces, or on their own, either over ice or in a brandy snifter.

*Cooking Light Winner*
Napa Vodka
Napa, California
This is very special stuff – a true vintage vodka, made each year from Sauvignon Blanc grapes harvested from a single vineyard. It has a wonderfully silky mouthfeel with lovely floral notes and an ever-so-slight grape flavor. Each bottle is hand numbered. Not inexpensive, but the hand-crafted quality is thoroughly evident.

Ninkasi Brewery Beers
Eugene, Oregon
Of course, there are a million great micro-breweries in the Northwest, so choosing one was a real challenge! Ninkasi, though, has been noticed by sources including Sunset and Men’s Journal magazines and Wired.com. These beers have big, bold flavors and lots of brightness – ideal for enjoying with big, bold foods.

Novy and Siduri Wines
Santa Rosa, California
These are sister wineries – Siduri makes only Pinot Noir, while Novy makes mostly Syrah, Grenache, Chardonnay, and Viognier. Each is a bargain for the money – these are really beautiful, well-crafted wines made by a small producer, and they’ve garnered accolades galore.

Volcano Vineyards Crater View Ranch Viognier
Bend, Oregon
Volcano Vineyards is a micro-winery that specializes in Rhone varietals. Their Viognier is superb, with flavors of pear and vanilla along with the traditional floral aromas and, nicely, few of the sometimes steely/mineral notes. (Scott Radcliff, the winemaker, is a family friend, so I may be slightly influenced, but only slightly.)

CONDIMENTS
Deluxe Foods Jams
Seattle, Washington
These jams are made in a classic French style, using peak-of-season and sustainable, locally-grown fruits. Their spiced plum jam particularly knocked me out, with its full-on plum flavor and complex mix of spices.

The Olive Press Olive Oils
Sonoma, California
I tasted about twelve different lines of olive oils and this was hands-down my favorite. Their oils have an intensity of flavor – not that they’re intense, although some are – but that the individual olive flavors (arbequena, ascolano, etc.) really come through. I’m also a big fan of citrus olive oils, and theirs are the absolute best, with lots of true citrus flavor and little of the bitterness that sometimes accompanies.

Pacifica Hawaii Salts
Kaunakakai, Hawaii
Their most basic salt, called White Coral, is beautifully sparkling crystals with a clean taste. Other “traditional” salts include Red Alaea and Black Lava, which has a pleasant mineral-y flavor. They also have a line of “blush” salts that are infused with wine, balsamic vinegar, and other flavors. All are absolutely pristine, made in Molokai, and dried by the Hawaiian sun.

Terra Sonoma Saba
Sonoma, California
Saba is basically cooked down wine must, so it’s a syrup with a flavor that’s a little like balsamic vinegar without the acidity – it’s like grown-up dessert sauce. I had it the other night over ice cream – it’d also be good made into a soda, stirred into a cocktail, over pancakes, over fruit, or stirred into salad dressings and marinades. Really unique, and really delicious.

*Cooking Light Winner*
Volcano Island Honey
Honokaa, Hawaii
First of all, it’s gorgeous – naturally pearlescent white, thick, and spreadable. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s also organic, unheated, and unfiltered, harvested from a single grove of kiawe trees on the Big Island. The original Organic White Honey has lovely floral notes, and they also have some flavored honeys that are wonderful.

SWEETS
Amy E’s Bakery Toffee
Moscow, Idaho
I like toffee, and I tasted a lot of it on behalf of this project. Of all of them, Amy’s was my favorite. It’s buttery, crisp, and it shatters in your mouth. Nice.

Erin Baker’s Breakfast Cookies
Bellingham, Washington
I vacillated a lot over this one, trying to decide if this healthy, wholesome, whole grain cookie has a place in a list of fancy specialty foods, at the expense of, for example, an amazing chocolatier. But ultimately, I think that, along with chocolates and caramels and toffees, sometimes in life you just want a satisfyingly healthy cookie. This is it.

Happy Goat Caramels
San Francisco, California
Caramels are so hot these days that there are a million to choose from. But these have that slight goaty flavor that makes them uniquely delicious – like dulce de leche in a candy wrapper. There are several flavors – I particularly like the vanilla bean caramels and the winter spice caramels. I also like their Scotch caramel sauce, which is wonderfully boozy.

Poco Dolce Chocolates
San Francisco, California
There are tons of chocolate products from this company – I tasted their bittersweet bars (many flavors to choose from), bittersweet tiles (also many flavors), and toffee squares. All were great. I particularly liked the olive oil bar with its soft, sexy texture, and could hardly stop eating the toffee tiles.

*Cooking Light Winner*
Rustic Bakery
Larkspur, California
Every single thing Rustic makes is exquisite – small, delicate cheese coins; thin, crisp, sweet/savory crostini; sandy shortbread cookies; vanilla pecan granola; and more. One of my favorites is the pan forte crostini – thin, crisped slices of what seem like nut breads, jam-packed with dried fruit and seeds, ideal for serving with cheese. Cooking Light featured their cacao nib shortbread, which is to die for.

WILD CARD
Oren’s Kitchen Artisan Nuts
El Cerrito, California
|There are four flavors – Wild Rosemary Almonds, Indian Ajwain Cashews, Smoked Paprika Pecans, and Coconut Chili Macadamias. Each is perfectly toasted for an ideal crunch, and perfectly spiced for complex yet subtle flavors.

Sugajules Artisan Granola
San Francisco, California
I make my own granola, and never, ever think that prepared granolas taste as good as mine. Until I tasted Sugajules. This is sweet, crunchy, flavorful granola, handmade in small batches, and jam-packed with goodies like dried fruit, toasted nuts, and teeny tiny little chocolate chips.

Tillen Farms Pickles
Sunnyside, Washington
Of all the pickled vegetables I’ve tasted – the category is very hot these days – these are my favorite. Mostly, they’re just pure, clean, and simple – not a lot of unusual or creative flavorings and easy on the vinegar. Their asparagus spears would make a great bloody Mary stirrers.

Unbound Pickling Beatnik Pickled Beets
Portland, Oregon
Unbound is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Tillen Farms. Here, there are creative flavorings galore. I particularly like their Beatnik Beets, with pomegranate and chai spices. Subtly different and great in a salad.

Vignette Wine Country Sodas
Berkeley, California
These are sodas flavored with varietal wine grape juice, and available in Pinot Noir, Rosé, and Chardonnay flavors. They’re light and refreshing, and not overly sweet – kind of like a spritzer, but lighter and non-alcoholic – making them a great, grown-up, any time beverage.

Truth is, I don’t do a very good job acknowledging any of the Jewish holidays. I grew up celebrating only the basic few and after my grandparents died, even that pretty much faded away.

Writing last week’s post about my grandmother’s pickled green tomatoes, though, combined with Rosh Hashanah items in the news and on some of my favorite blogs (like this one by my friend Jennie Schacht, author of “Farmers’ Market Desserts”) got me to thinking about holidays at Nana’s table.

Traditionally, the Rosh Hashanah menu is laden with sweets, in the hopes that eating them will bring a sweet year – recipes often include honey, fresh or dried fruits, and even sweet vegetables like carrots and yams. Dinner at Nana’s might’ve featured brisket braised with apricots or prunes, a sweet noodle casserole, or kugel, some kind of carrot and sweet potato gratin, and honey cake for dessert.

Most of those recipes, we never saw except for Rosh Hashanah. But honey cake – that was something Nana made year-round.

Perhaps she wanted to spread the sweetness throughout the year. Just as likely, she enjoyed having a homemade treat on hand, one that was easy to make and easy to get us to say yes to. Nana was a Jewish mother after all, and at her happiest when she successfully coaxed someone into eating something.

And so, better late than never, my Rosh Hashanah gift to you, this recipe for Nana’s honey cake.

A very sweet year to you and yours.

It’s no special trick. Cooks have been salting, curing, brining, fermenting, canning, jamming, freezing, and drying foods for eons. Home preserving sort of fell out of favor for a while there – mid-century cooks newly had people like Del Monte to can their tomatoes, so why not let them? – but today we know that no Del Monte tomato will ever taste as good as ones from your own back yard.

So preserving is back.

My grandmother used to make pickled green tomatoes. She served them as a side dish with meats, almost like a condiment. And really, the bright taste and crisp texture of a pickled green tomato was the perfect complement to a rich, earthy brisket. Or a veal chop. Or roast chicken.

I’d been missing them, those tart, garlicky pickled tomatoes from Nana’s kitchen. So last year, I made two big jars and gave one to Dad.

Big, big hit.

This year I made them again. The pictures in this post are the tomatoes in their brine. Aren’t they gorgeous? And they taste even better than they look. Here’s my recipe for pickled green tomatoes.

Tomato pickles don’t tickle your fancy? Here’s my recipe for oven-dried tomatoes.

Or perhaps you’d like to try your hand at canning. It’s really pretty easy, and having one of these canning tool kits makes it even more so. For a complete explanation of all the whys and wherefores of canning, join me on Saturday at Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma for Can Do: Beginners Canning Workshop. We’ll be making recipes I developed for a Bon Appétit story a couple of years ago – Fresh Tomato Sauce, Green Tomato and Red Onion Relish, Cinnamon Plum Chutney, Three-Apple Applesauce, and Caramel-Pear Butter.

But whether you come to the class or not, try one or more of the recipes. Or cure, ferment, dry, brine, or freeze something else that strikes your fancy this fall.

It’ll make for a little bit of summer the whole year through.