Make a Date to Pair Up

   

There's a lot of fine cheese being produced all around Ohio. Using cow, sheep and goat milk, small mom-and-pop operations are crafting American original versions of Euro-style classics and turning out fresh and aged, hard and soft varieties from funky blues to creamy boucheron and brie. Some have taken home prizes in national competitions. These artisans recently banded together as the Ohio Cheese Guild to promote their products. To that end, and in celebration of other local makers, the guild is hosting The Great Cheese Challenge Nov. 15.

 
A panel consisting of Sam McNulty, proprietor of Market Garden Brewery and more; Ed Thompkins, wine expert with Heinen’s; and Shannon Welsh, ACS-certified cheese professional from Heinen’s, are running the show. Their task is to guide the audience in a tasting to tease out the best combinations of six Ohio wines, beers and cheeses. Once everyone has found their favorites, there will be hot-out-the-oven-pizza for all along with plenty to drink.

It's happening in Cleveland at Miceli's Dairy on East 90th. This is a fundraiser for the organization and tickets for non-members are $75 per person.

Desserts are a Piece of Cake

This is entertainingest time of year. There are parties, dinners, and spontaneous gatherings. Desserts are needed, sometimes on short notice. I’m all for spending half a day baking something wonderful but I don’t always have the time to actually do it. However, I like to wow everyone at my table as much as the next person or be the guest who impresses with my fabulous and of course homemade contribution to the meal. In fact, because I’m a food writer people kind of expect me to do it. Luckily I now have a fantastic solution, actually two solutions, courtesy of the folks at Miceli’s Dairy, a three generation family owned Cleveland company. Working on an assignment, I got a pair of recipes from them for fast, easy, no-cook chocolate desserts that are turning out to be real lifesavers. Stock your fridge and pantry with the necessary ingredients and you are just 10 minutes away from deliciousness. In the seasonal spirit of giving, I’m sharing the recipes tweaked with my own variations and suggestions. Let’s just hope we don’t turn up at the same potluck.

Chocolate Creams
1/2-cup lowfat ricotta cheese

2 tbsp mild flavored honey

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Scoop into small dessert dishes or martini glasses and serve. Makes 2 servings

Cannoli Cups
1 1/2 cups Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, well drained
3 Tbs. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped dark or milk chocolate (4 to 5 small bars)
Maraschino cherries chopped up for garnish

Chocolate cups

Set aside 1/4 cup chopped chocolate. In another bowl, combine all the filling ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. To assemble, fill pastry bag with mixture and pipe into cups. No pastry bag? No worries- just spoon it in. Sprinkle with remaining chopped chocolate and top with cherry pieces. Note: Chocolate cups may be purchased at any specialty chocolate store. Pre-baked tartlet shells or filo dough cups can be substituted. Serves 4-6