New Years Day Cheesescape (plus a few entertaining extras)

Let's face it, starting those healthy New Years resolutions the morning after you have been up super later drinking champagne and singing Auld Lang Syne. My personal recommendation for this morning?  Invite your friends over for a few New Years Day nibbles!  For me, a cheesescape is an easy last minute party spread that I can whip together in no time.  Below are some ideas for how to go about putting together your New Years Day cheesescape.  

Cheesescape Details

• Cheeses: Humbolt Fog by Cypress Grove, Midnight Moon by Cypress Grove, Vermont Creamery's Roasted Red Pepper Spreadable Goat Cheese, Jasper Hill Creamery's Alpha Tolman
• Preserves: Dalmatia Fig Spread
• Fruits: Dried (Apple Juice Infused) Cranberries, Fresh Blackberries, Fresh Comice Pear Slices
• Herbs: Fresh Oregano and Lime Leaves
• Crackers/Crisps: 34 Degrees Natural and Poppy Seed Crisps, Whole Foods Rosemary Crostini
• Cured Meat: Sliced Chorizo (each slice cut in half and rolled) 
• Nuts: Gourmet Marcona Almonds

When I was a kid, my parents (like many) would go out on New Years Eve. To help make New Years special for my siblings and me, they would get an assortment of hats and noise makers to surprise us with in the morning on New Years Day.  This was always one of my favorite traditions during this time of year.  

Since we are ringing in the start of 2016 (and I am clearly still a kid at heart), I would recommend incorporating a few festive decor items that aid in creating a celebratory vibe while serving up this cheesescape. 

A Few Extras

• Meri Meri "Snap Bang Pop" Party Poppers
• Meri Meri "Happy New Year" DIY Banner

As you can see, I am not perfect and my "Happy New Year" banner is still a work in progress.  Luckily, I have a bit of time to get my act together before my guests arrive.  I hope you all had a wonderful New Years Eve.  I know I did and I can't tell you how much i'm looking forward to sharing another fun and delicious year with you all on Redefining Domestics.  Happy 2016 Everyone!!!!

Cheesescaping in San Francisco

This week I am in San Francisco with my husband, visiting my sister and brother-in-law for my 30th birthday.  The trip so far has been beyond fun and packed with plenty of activities (see my instagram page for additional updates), including a cheesescape!  Creating a cheesescape in a new city was fantastic because not only did it yield a tasty cocktail hour for the evening, but it forced me to explore the area in order to come up with a scape that was both representative of the area but also interesting and of course delicious. 

First Stop

Prior to this trip I had done a little research on places (restaurants, cheese shops, etc.) that I wanted to visit at some point over the course of our stay in San Francisco.  In addition to my own research I also made it a point to ask a local (my sister) what places she would recommend that I visit.  One of the places she recommended that I visit was Mission Cheese Shop.  

Upon arrival, I knew immediately that my sister had given be a great recommendation because the store was packed.   I managed to make it up to the cheese bar where I was able to talk with one of the store's cheese associates about the types of cheeses they offered and what I was looking for.  The cheese associate graciously let me sample a number of cheeses and did an excellent job of selecting 4 cheeses that fit the flavor profiles I had been in search of.  After my visit to Mission Cheese, I headed to the closest Whole Foods Market for a few additional cheesescape essentials and then I was on my way back to the house to get to work.

Cheeses

• Mt. Tam by Cow Girl Creamery (CA)- cow's milk, triple cream.  Flavors include: cultured butter with hints of white mushroom. 
• Sofia by Capriole Dairy (IN)- goat's milk, soft.  Character: silky to the tongue, marbled with ash, delicate and sweet.  
• Classico Reserve by Tumalo Farm (OR)-goat's milk, hard.  Flavors include: slightly sweet brown butter, nutty flavor and has a hint of honeysuckle in the finish.  **Recommend not pairing this cheese with any crackers or fruits.
• Clothbound Cheddar by Cabot Jasper Hill (VT)- cow's milk, semi-hard.  Flavors include: deeply savory and slightly tangy with a caramel sweetness to finish. 
• Mimolette (Boule de Lille) (FR)- cow's milk, semi-hard.  Flavors include: buttery, caramel, nutty and salty.

Cheesescape Accoutrements

• Pig & Squirrel's Dried Apricot and Shallot Compote
• Dried Tart Cherries
• Fresh, Thinly Sliced Granny Smith Apple
• Fig and Almond Cake
• 34 degree's Rosemary Crisps and Carr's Original Water Crackers
• Fresh Savory Herbs
• Board Garnishes: Edible Flowers and Fresh Lemon Leaves from the lemon tree in my sister's backyard (only in California!)
• All served on this Nambe Cheeseblock with Knife and Spreader

Cheesescaping in a new city was so much fun!  I learned about a fabulous local cheese shop, had the opportunity to try a variety of new cheeses and it gave me a chance to give back to our very generous host and hostess.  While I am totally envious of my sister's lemon trees, there are still so many new cheesescape ideas and additional accessories that I am looking forward to incorporating in future boards when I return to DC.