Last year I got a chance to visit a caseficio, or cheese maker where Parmigiano Reggiano is made. I had to go early in the morning so I could see the cheese being pulled from curds out of large copper vats. 

I also saw where the cheese rested, where it was bathed in a salty brine and the delicious smelling room where it was aged. And of course I got to try the cheese at various ages.

The main way to distinguish between different types of Parmigiano Reggiano is by age, 14-18 months, 24 months, which is most popular with Italian consumers and 36 months.

Generally speaking, 14-18 month Parmigiano is paler and fruitier, with notes of citrus and pineapple. 24 month Parmigiano is nuttier and more buttery. 36 month Parmigiano is drier and spicier. As it ages, the cheese develops more crunchy crystals and more intensity.

Here in the US we buy Parmigiano Reggiano grated or in chunks, but we don't usually pay much attention to the age, season it was produced or the types of cow's milk. In Parma I brought home Parmigiano Reggiano that was made from the milk of red cows or Vacche Rosse, and also some cheese made in the Summer from cows who graze at a high elevation. Recently I spoke with Nancy Radke, Director of the US information office for the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano about the different special varieties and how to best use the cheese for cooking, and here's what she told me:

If you've ever had a hard time getting Parmigiano Reggiano to melt, now you know why!

Last year Italy was still reeling from the effects of a massive earthquake that destroyed millions of dollars worth of cheese. So the first Parmigiano-Reggiano night was a national celebration of both the cheese, which is a national treasure, and to aid the cheese makers. 

This year marks the second annual Parmigiano Reggiano Night, and it falls on Saturday, November 30th. It's a celebration of the cheese and virtual dinner party the world over. It's also a great time to learn how to taste the cheese try some Parmigiano Reggiano recipes, and get to know and appreciate the cheese. 

Whenever I'm in London I end up eating at Leon. In a city with frightfully expensive food, Leon serves what they call "naturally fast food." It's healthy, quick and inspired by flavors from all around the world. They source ingredients responsibly and so it's food that makes you feel good and that you can feel good about. Truly a winning formula. The latest book from Leon (there are two others) is Leon Family & Friends. The book has lots of basic kinds of recipes for things like roast chicken and hummus but also amazing stuff like Anna Hansen's Pumpkin & MIso Cheesecake. There are also some Thai recipes and cool stuff like six ideas for "things on toast" hot chocolate five ways, four risottos and three different versions of salmon cooked in parchment. The recipes are generally easy and appealing and suit kids as well as adults. Bravo! It's a particularly great book for anyone just starting out on their own with or without kids. It's a keeper. 

The Monday Morning Cooking Club book is really my kind of book. It's written by a group of Jewish women a "sisterhood" in Sydney Australia. Their recipes are so homey and comforting. There are tinges of Eastern Europe but also intriguing Indian, Moroccan and Persian recipes too. I want in on this group that cooks and shares Israeli Couscous Soup (inspired by a recipe my dear friend Marlena Spieler), Peach Mascarpone and Raspberry Trifle, Beetroot and Chickpea Salad, Quinoa Tabbouleh, and Viennese Apricot or Plum Dumplings. Australia like the US is a country of immigrants and the book tells their stories. The only potential down side to the book is that some of the recipes use grams as a measurement, not a problem if you have a scale however. It's a keeper.

An American Family Cooks is written by James Beard Award winner Judith Choate and her family; it's the recipes her extended family cooks. "Fancy, some not-so-fancy, and some just plain everyday" is how she describes the 100 recipes. These are very solid recipes by a family of foodies. I mean, who else starts Thanksgiving with fried eggs showered in $500 worth of white truffles? The notes with each recipe are really instructive explaining lots of details about techniques or ingredients. There's lots of Americana here, but also some Mediterranean style recipes too, things like Paella, Mom's Potato Gnocchi and Pate de Campagne to go along with Nana's Chicken Pot Pie, Boston Brown Bread and Dungeness Crab as well as Soft-Shell Crab. It's a good book, but not exactly ground breaking. Keeper? Depends on your cookbook collection.

Sunday Dinners: Food, Family, and Faith from our Favorite Pastors is also a compilation of recipes, but from pastors some of whom rely on butter-flavored vegetable shortening, Velveeta and canned pie filling and others who don't. While there are three appealing Vietnamese dishes and lots of American favorites like Scalloped Potatoes and Sunday Pot Roast, many of the recipes like Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese and Strawberry Cake made with a cake mix, strawberry gelatin and frozen berries are frankly not my style. If you know someone who would be inspired by wonderfully written stories of pastors and how food plays a role in their life and their family, this might be a nice book for them. 

Thanksgiving cocktail
Ruby Sparkler

Recipes from the archive
Chutney Cheese Puffs

Brussels Aprouts with Brown Butter and Hazelnuts 

Brussels Sprouts Slaw with Apple & Walnuts

Grapefruit Radicchio Salad

Savory Roasted Pears

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Apple Crisp
Cranberry Coffeecake

Turkey help!
Turkey Talk-Line
1-800-BUTTERBALL (288-8372)
open from 6 am until 6 pm CST

What wines go with turkey?
Beaujolais Nouveau
Pinot Noir
Cotes du Rhone
Pinot Grigio
But really, drink whatever you like!

Learn about the holiday?
Laura Schenone's Thanksgiving timeline

Top 10 Thanksgiving leftover ideas

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The certified tea specialist and proprietor Christopher Coccagna made a number of wonderful drinks for Winter with tea and milk. Some of the drinks had alcohol in them and others didn't. Some used herbal teas and some used black teas. Some will definitely perk you up while others are perfect as a relaxing nightcap. There's really something for everyone, even kids and teetotalers. Check out the recipes for all kinds of luscious tea and milk drinks including Vanilla Mint Cambric, Lavender London Fog Latte and White Russian Caravan at GotMilk.

I'm not much of a bartender, but here's a recipe for a non-alchoholic cambric based drink I created, inspired by the event. I used puerh tea which has a very earthy flavor that is complemented by both vanilla and milk. The name is a play on "puerh" tea but also on the idea of milk making you purr like a cat! 

Serves 2

1/2 cup strongly brewed puerh tea (about 1 Tablespoon for 2 minutes)

In a small saucepan, whisk together the tea, milk, and the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean, split lengthwise. Heat over low heat until steamy. Remove from heat. Strain the tea into a tea pot, and stir in the honey. Pour into two cups and serve.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: My thanks to the California Milk Advisory Board for inviting me to the event. I was not paid to write this or any other post. 

Grocery shopping this time of year can be stressful but it's also a great time to save on lots of pantry items, especially in the baking department. Whether you are looking for an organic turkey, a full Thanksgiving meal or the perfect holiday recipes, here are some tips to help you get the best deals. 

1. Cooking, Baking & Holiday Staples
This is the best time of year to find good deals on sugar, flour and even nuts and chocolate chips. Many stores also have chicken broth on sale right around now, even Costco. Scour the ads before you shop. I recommend the Safeway iPhone app, it's much better than clipping coupons. You can search for discounts on items you need and save when you shop. This year Safeway is offering a lot of holiday Wilton baking items and decorating kits. See what you can find at out your local supermarket.

Look for house brands like the Whole Foods 365 line and bulk bins for good value, and don't forget about fresh cranberries! They can be frozen and used later in the year. Other seasonal items include fresh Brussels sprouts, canned pumpkin, butternut and sweet potato purees. Whole Foods also offers easy build-your-own-brie with rounds of cheese and various toppings sold by the ounce. 

2. Thanksgiving turkey
A lot of people like heritage and heirloom birds, one source is Diestel organic birds. You can find where they are sold locally.  But you do need to order them ahead. Either call your local store or order online from Whole Foods. Expect to pay about $3 per pound. 

3. Help!
Yes, stores offer that too. While every food magazine has a Thanksgiving guide, so too do grocery stores. Here are some good ones to check out for recipes, tips, turkey guides and more.

Safeway Holiday Tips & Recipes  lots of recipes including cocktails

Whole Foods Best Holiday Ever plenty of recipes, serving calculator and even decorating ideas

Fresh Market Holiday Turkey Tips and Tricks roasting, brining and stuffing recipes

Wegmans Turkey FAQ includes videos on roasting and carving 

4. Delivery
Facing the parking lot at a supermarket this time of year can be daunting. If you have a large order, delivery can be cost effective. Some stores like Safeway offer special deals this time of year, like free delivery and a free turkey with minimum purchase of $200. Check out Instacart, Google Shopping Express for more online shopping options.

5. Whole meals or prepared food
For those who don't want to cook, there is a much less expensive option than dining out. Many stores like Whole Foods offer the option of ordering a whole holiday meal. Whole Foods all have a holiday table in store where you can order and get advice for planning or "rounding out" a dinner. Whole Foods also offers both gluten free pies and pies made in house. I tried the Whole Foods brown butter walnut pie recently at a dinner and can definitely recommend it.

What are your best tips for holiday grocery shopping? Share them in the comments section. 

Recently I was invited to learn more about Idaho's  number one crop, potatoes. I've written about potatoes before, so this time I've decided share some tidbits I learned on the trip in a trivia quiz format so grab a pencil and paper (no Googling for the answers!). This quiz is just for fun. More giveaways soon, I promise. 

1. Potatoes originally came from

A. South America

B. North America

C. Ireland

2. At one time potatoes were appreciated by royals in Europe for their

A. blossoms

B. skins

C. nutritional value

3. School kids in Idaho get time off from school for

A. Potato planting in the Spring

B. National Potato Day in the Winter

C. Potato harvest in the Fall

4. In order to be affected by any allowable pesticide residue, in one sitting you would have to eat

A. 1300 pounds of potatoes 

B. 130 pounds of potatoes

C. 13 pounds of potatoes

5. In Idaho potato farming dates back to

A. Prehistoric times

B. the early 1800's

C. the early 1900's

6. Potatoes have more potassium than

A. Bananas

B. Oranges

C. Both bananas and oranges combined

7. In Idaho russet potatoes represent 

A. 94% of all potatoes grown commercially

B. 84% of all potatoes grown commercially

C. 74% of all potatoes grown commercially

8. Which of the following is not a russet variety of potato

A. Shepody

B. Burbank

C. Marquis

9. Baking potatoes in foil

A. Does not hasten cooking

B. Steams them instead of baking them

C. Both A and B

In addition to having a greater appreciation for the work that goes into farming potatoes, I also learned something very practical--the right way to fluff a potato! Apparently I'd been doing it all wrong. 

After baking (no foil!), give the potato a nice massage to break it up a bit, but don't rip the skin. Pierce the top of the potato using a fork in a zig zag pattern. Now gently press on the ends. Voila! A perfectly fluffed potato. 

Disclosure: My thanks to Idaho Potato Commission for inviting me to visit with Idaho potato farmers and processors. I was not paid to write this or any other post on Cooking with Amy.

Answers

The feast always starts off with sparkling wine, except for last year when I mixed up a sparkling cocktail, the Aperol Spritz instead. This year, in addition to cooking as I always do, I've settled on a cocktail with port. Fonseca Bin 27 is a lovely and inexpensive ruby port, lush and filled with lots of ripe dark berry flavors. To lighten it up, a fizzy not too sweet sparkling wine is perfect. You want something good and bubbly but not too sweet. 

Another nice reason to use Fonseca Bin 27 is that for the holidays they have released a bottle with a limited edition Artist Label which raises funds for Waterkeeper Alliance, a non-profit organization that promotes and protects clean waterways worldwide, this is an important cause for Fonseca as they are committed to sustainable viticulture with respect to the Douro Valley in Portugal. This year the label features the work of artist Barnaby Furnas, whose paintings are exhibited in the various museums including the Museum of Modern Art.  Based on one of Furnas� popular �rock star� paintings inspired by the music of The Velvet Underground, the painting�s vibrant hues are intended to echo the fruity intensity of BIN 27. No matter which bottle you choose, the port is sweet and luscious. It is also be lovely as an after dinner drink, especially with something chocolate.

This recipe originally was created by spirits writer David Wondrich, but I chose a slightly sweeter sparkling wine.  For more port cocktails visit PortCocktails.com

2 parts sparkling wine, something lightly sweet and fizzy such as Extra Dry Prosecco, chilled

1 part Fonseca Bin 27 ruby port, chilled 

Garnish of fresh berries or cranberries

Combine the sparkling wine and port in a Champagne flute, garnish and serve.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I was provided with samples of Fonseca Bin No.27. I was not paid to write this or any other post on Cooking with Amy. 

The Fall Chocolate Salon at Fort Mason in San Francisco offers a fantastic opportunity to try, buy and learn about chocolate in many forms from bars to confections to beverages. I've participated many times as a judge for the awards and moderating panels and discussions by some chocolate luminaries including people like Art Amano of Amano Artisan Chocolate and Gary Guittard of Guittard Chocolate Company. 

It's fun to see what some of my favorite chocolatiers are creating and and to discover new treats. 

Here are some of my top picks:

Amano Artisan Chocolates for their exquisite bars and luscious hot chocolate

Clarine's Florentines for the best florentine cookies ever

Charles Chocolate for his toasted nutty chocolate bars

Feve Artisan Chocolatier for their delicate confections like their award winning chocolate covered rosemary caramel

Neo Cocoa for delicate but intense truffle squares in flavors like zested lime and warm ginger root

Nuttyness for their chocolate covered marzipan bars 

New confections to try this his year include bourbon truffles from Charles Chocolates and pumpkin spice truffles from Neo Cocoa.

If you'd like to join me the Fall Chocolate Salon is offering two pairs of free tickets to the event this Sunday November 10th at Fort Mason open from 10 am until 5 pm. Just leave a comment telling me about your favorite chocolate. I will choose winners (2 winners will each receive a pair of tickets) this Thursday and your tickets will be held at the door. One entry per person. Be sure to enter your email address so I can contact you, no one will see it except me. Please only enter if you are available to attend. Good luck! Tickets are available for $20.

Amy

There are plenty of macaroni and cheese cookbooks, and some of them are quite good. So do we need another one? That was my question when I heard about both of these new books, The Mac + Cheese Cookbook and Melt. Coincidentally both books are from renowned Northern California food bloggers. 

Out first and in a small format is The Mac + Cheese Cookbook, 50 Simple Recipes from HOMEROOM, America's Favorite Mac and Cheese Restaurant. The subtitle really tells it all. These are recipes from Allison Arevalo (her blog Local Lemons is no longer being updated) and Erin Wade's darling restaurant in Oakland. While the recipes are creative, they are straightforward, uncomplicated and fairly simple really. The ingredients are good quality but not particularly expensive or exotic. The book rounds out the mac and cheese recipes with side dishes and desserts. 

It's not a traditional restaurant cookbook, but rather very practical. Some of my favorite recipes in this book are actually not mac and cheese but the Brussels sprouts with bacon and apple cider vinaigrette and the peanut butter pie. 

It's not a ground breaking cookbook, but a good choice for mac and cheese fans and beginning cooks. Want to find a vegan mac and cheese recipe? A version of mac and cheese with blue cheese and walnuts? Or a "trailer" version with hot dogs and crushed potato chips? This is your book. Visit their restaurant Homeroom in Oakland.

Melt The Art of Macaroni and Cheese was written by two food bloggers I know and adore, Stephanie Stiavetti, The Culinary Life blogger and Garrett Cord the blogger behind Vanilla Garlic. So I was particularly concerned when I heard about the book.  But that was before I got a chance to see it. It is groundbreaking. If The Mac + Cheese Cookbook is a lifestyle book akin to the brand Target--think a little retro in style, mainstream and accessible--then Melt is practically the opposite--it's extremely innovative, sexy, and exotic. Frankly, it's a game changer. It redefines macaroni and cheese through the use of artisanal cheeses, many generally relegated to cheese plates, to wild combinations and new categories like salads, soups and desserts composed of noodles and cheese.