The Epicurean Connection

February 26, 2012 Winter Artisan Cheese Fair

Sheana — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:50:19 +0000

Here is the list of Chefe, Brewers, Cheesemakers & More~

Sunday February 26, 2012

1:00-4:00

$40.00 per person

Tickets available at The Epicurean Connection

707-935-7960

2nd Annual Cheese Rolling!

Chefs:

Depot Hotel

Jimtown

Meritage

Kendall Jackson

The Epicurean Connection

The Red Grape

Wild Thyme

Zazu

Wines

Chandelle Vineyards

Claypool Cellars

Dutton Estate

Eric Ross

Hamel Family Wines

Idell Family Vineyards

Leveroni Vineyards

Highway 12 Vineyards and Winery

Kendall Jackson

Sixteen 600

Spann Vineyards

Beers

Marin Brewing Company

Moonlight Brewing

Moylan’s

Rogue Ales

Uncommon Brewers

Cheese:

Bi Rite Market & Creamery

Bleating Heart Cheese

Canyon Market

Cheese Plus

Carr Valley Cheese Company

Laura Chenel Chevre

Mc Clellands

Nicasio Valley Cheese Company

Oliver’s Market

Organic Valley

Rainbow Grocery Coop

Redwood Hill Farm

Roelli Cheese Haus

Point Reyes Farmstead

Vermont Butter & Cheese

Weirauch Creamery

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board

Non Profits:

California Artisan Cheese Guild

League for Historic Preservation

Sonoma Valley Girl Scouts

The Ninth Annual Sonoma Valley Cheese Conference thanks this year’s sponsors: Bi Rite Market & Creamery, Canyon Market, California Artisan Cheese Guild, Carr Valley Cheese Company, Cheese Market News, Cheese Plus, Cheese Underground, Culture, Delice de la Vallee, Food Matters Again, Laura Chenel Chevre, Oliver’s Market, Organic Valley, Roelli Cheese, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery, Rogue Ales, The Epicurean Connection, Tony’s Fine Foods, Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Wisconsin Cheese Originals and Zingerman’s Family of Businesses.

Ninth Annual Sonoma Valley Cheese Conference

Sheana — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:34:02 +0000

Ninth Annual Sonoma Valley Cheese Conference

Agenda

Monday, Feb. 27

9:00-10:00 a.m.

Welcome & Opening Speakers

Glenda Humiston, USDA Rural Development State Director; Valerie Brown, Sonoma Supervisor; and Laurie Gallian, Sonoma Past Mayor

10:15-11:30 a.m.

Panel: The Leading Ladies of Chevre

Allison Hooper, Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery and Jennifer Bice, Redwood Hill Farm, moderated by Jacquelyn Buchannan, Laura Chenel Chevre

11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

Protecting Your Company Name and Identity

Attorneys Richard Idell & Elizabeth Rest

12:30-1:15 p.m.

Lunch

1:45-2:15 p.m.

Open Forum: “Talking Chevre”

Moderated by Jeanne Carpenter, Writer and Founder, Wisconsin Cheese Originals

2:15-3:00 p.m.

Panel: Making Cheese Without a Farm

Seana Doughty, Bleating Heart Cheese and Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection, moderated by Gordon Edgar, Rainbow Grocery Cooperative

3:15-4:15 p.m.

Panel: Dairy Daughters

Jana Mc Clelland, McClelland’s Dairy; Vivien Straus, Straus Farm; and Karen Bianchi Moreda, Valley Ford; moderated by Judy Creighton, Cheese Consultant

4:15-5:30 p.m.

Panel: The Trends of Mixed Milk Cheeses

Sid Cook, Carr Valley Cheese; Rebecca King, Garden Variety Cheese; moderated by Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection & Joel Weirauch, Wierauch Creamery

5:30 p.m.

Beer & Cheese Reception
Tuesday, Feb. 28

9:00-10:00 a.m.

Panel: Cultivating Relationships in the Cheese Business

Jeanne Carpenter, Wisconsin Cheese Originals; Gordon Edgar, Rainbow Grocery Cooperative; Brad Dube, Food Matters Again; Chris Roelli, Roelli Cheese; Rick Lafranchi, Nicasio Valley Cheese; moderated by Anna Wolfe, Gourmet Retailer

10:15-11:30 a.m.

Panel: Controlling Your Production, Direction and Destination including Store Front, Retail, Culinary Schools & Cheesemakers

Lynn Stray, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese; Dee Harley, Harley Farms Goat Dairy; Chris Roelli, Roelli Cheese; Sid Cook, Carr Valley Cheese

11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

Panel: A look at Successful Cheese Departments

Colette Hatch, Oliver’s; James Ayers, Sunshine Foods; Thalassa Skinner, Oxbow Market; Keith IdleV. Sattui, Sattui Winery; Anthea Stoltz, Bi Rite Market; moderated by Gordon Edgar, Rainbow Grocery Cooperative

1:30-2:30 p.m.

Panel: Press and Marketing: Doing it Right

David Bice, Redwood Hill Farm; Allison Hooper, Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery; Aubrey Thomason, Zingerman’s Creamery; Brad Dube, Food Matters Again; Tom Scott, Oliver’s Market; moderated by Janet Fletcher, author and cheese writer

2:45-3:30 p.m.

Cheese Community Discussion With Ari Weinzweig

4 p.m.

Close with Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection

Cheesemaking Dates

Sheana — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:12:01 +0000

Home Cheesemaking Classes

Hosted by Sheana Davis

The Epicurean Connection

January 8, 2012

Home Cheesemaking Class

February 12, 2012

Home Cheesemaking & Chocolate Tasting

March 11, 2012

Home Cheesemaking & Spring Torta’s

Class times 1:00-3:00

$45.00 per person

Please RSVP to The Epicurean Connection

707-935-7960 or sheana@vom.com

All classes hosted at The Sonoma Valley Inn.
Sonoma Valley Inn is offering “Cheesemaking Class” rates for out of town guests. For lodging, please call 707-938-9200.

(Thank you to Sonoma Valley Inn for sponsoring our class venue)

www.sheanadavis.com

Sweet Summer Corn Pudding

Sheana — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:15:38 +0000

This Sweet Corn Puddding is inspired by my drives through the rural countryside of Wisconsin, after looking at all of the amazing family farms who farm, Corn, make butter and make cheese! I even saw hops to I added in a brew to serve up too!

Sweet Summer Corn Pudding

Created by Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection

Yields 6 cups

4 tablespoons sweet butter, melted

1 teaspoon fresh garlic, crushed

1/2 cup fresh green onions

2 cup fresh white corn kernels

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup white wine

2 cups whipping cream

4 whole eggs

1/2 cup Carr Valley Mellange, grated fine

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare a 6 cup baking pan, brush with 2 tablespoons metled sweet butter.

In a bowl, whisk together cream, eggs and cheese, set aside while preparing recipe.

In a heavy bottom skillet, over medium flame, melt butter, add in garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add in green onions, corn kernels, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes, until corn is plump, add in wine and saute for 2 minutes until wine is reduced. Remove from heat, pour into separate bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Fold into milk mixture, pour into baking pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until pudding is firm. Remove from heat, serve with a green salad, glass of Honey Wheat or Pilsner and Enjoy!

Honey Blackberry Flan

Sheana — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:15:10 +0000

Honey Blackberry Flan

Created by Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection

Yields 6 flans

6 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

3/4 cup fresh Honey

4 cups whipping cream

1 cup fresh blackberries

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare ramekins by pouring 1 teaspoon honey in 6 each 6-8 ounce ramekin.

Place ramekins in a baking pan, 2 inches deep, add in 1/4 inch water.

In a large bowl, whisk together whole eggs, yolks and 1/2 cup honey.

Over low flame, in a heavy bottom pan, heat half and half and salt. Heat to 160 and gently ladle and whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture into ramekins and place in oven to bake for 45 minutes or until custard is set.

Remove from oven, and place on cooling rack. Arrange blckberries on top while warm, gently pressing into flan. Allow to rest and cool for 2-4 hours until firm. To serve, using a pairing knife, gently cut around edges of flan and gently flip out onto serving plate or serve in ramekins. Serve with fresh blackberries, glass of Amber Ale and Enjoy!

Thanks for the Wisconsin Trip!

Sheana — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:14:47 +0000

Thank you Jeanne Carpenter for the great blog!

http://cheeseunderground.blogspot.comhttp://cheeseunderground.blogspot.com/

Summertime Newsletter!

Sheana — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:31:11 +0000

Summer Green Goddess

Sheana — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:30:30 +0000

Summer Green Goddess
Created by Sheana Davis
Inspired by MFK Fisher
Yields 4 cups

8-12 Anchovy Fillets, chopped fine
1/2 cup sweet summer red onion, grated
1/4 cup fresh Parsley leaves, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh Tarragon leaves, chopped fine
2 cups Mayonnaise (fresh or prepared)
2 tablespoons Tarragon Vinegar
1/4 cup fresh Chives, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped fine
1/2 teaspoons each salt and fresh ground black pepper

Place all prepared ingredients in small bowl and whisk together. Taste, adjust seasoning. Place in Mason Jar and refrigerate for minimum 4 hours.
Serve with fresh Summer Greens & Heirloom Tomatoes or a medley of grilled zucchini, onions.
Prepare a day ahead to allow flavors to blend.
Store for up to two weeks.
Enjoy!

Black Eyed Peas with Collard Greens

Sheana — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 20:39:47 +0000

Black Eyed Peas with Collard Greens

Created by Sheana Davis The Epicurean Connection

1 pound dry black-eyed peas
1 cup chopped cooked ham (Optional)
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped
1 cup white onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 cups can or fresh tomato puree
6 cups stock, vegetable, chicken, beef or water
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
2 cups collard greens, cut into 1 inch strips

In a heavy bottom soup pot, place ham, garlic, onions, celery and carrots in the pot over medium flame and saute for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, chili flakes and oregano. Add in black eyed peas, continuing to saute for 5 minutes. Add in tomato puree, stock, reduce flame and simmer for approximately 90 minutes or until beans are tender. When beans are tender, add in collard greens, cook until greens are tender and serve~ Enjoy!
Optional to remove ham from recipe to make a vegetarian recipe.
Serve with fresh baked cornbread and an ale~ Happy New Year!~

Davis Family Ginger Snaps

Sheana — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 20:35:37 +0000

December 21, 2010, “Press Democrate Bite Club” by Heather Irwin

Sheana Davis is a ringer…as a professional caterer, I knew these would be amazing, but hands down, these are the best ginger snaps I’ve made to date. The mix of butter and shortening makes for a rich, soft cookie. The fresh ginger adds a special zing you just can’t get in powdered ginger.

Davis Family Ginger Snaps
Submitted by Sheana Davis

1/2 c. Sonoma County butter, room temperature
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. dark molasses
2 whole farm fresh eggs
3 1/2 to 4 c. flour, sifter
2 1/4 t. baking soda, sifted
1/2 t. salt
2 t. fresh ginger, grated fine
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add in molasses and eggs, thoroughly mixing. Fold and them mix the dry ingredients a cup at a time, mixing as you go. Roll dough into 1″ balls and then roll balls in a bowl of sugar. Bake on a non stick pan or parchment paper Place balls two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8- 10 minutes, careful not to over-bake. Enjoy fresh an hot out of the oven! Store cookies by storing them in an air tight container.
Yields approximately 3-4 dozen cookies.
*Dough may be made up to 24 hours in advance, formed into balls and then baked off when ready to enjoy!~