Kathleen Hill: Chocolate crickets, cheese and beer-making classes and more
Vella Cheese makes 'New York Times'
Congratulations to Vella Cheese for making Florence Fabricant's 'Front Burner' column in the Jan. 9 Food Section of the New York Times.
Vella's Dry Jack and Cypress Grove's Lamb Chopper cheeses will be served at the 92nd Street Y with top cabernets sauvignon and zinfandels from Sonoma and Napa counties on Thursday, Jan. 31 in case you might be in New York then. The 92nd Street Y was founded as a Jewish community center of learning.
Cheese expert Martin Johnson and wine distributor Michael Whidden will give a talk called 'California Dreamin.'' What an original title! 93nd Street Y is on 1352 Lexington Ave. 92Y.org.
President Trump shares fast food with Clemson team
President Donald Trump tweeted this week, 'Great being with the National Champion Clemson Tigers last night at the White House. Because of the shutdown I served them massive amounts of fast food (I paid) over 1,000 hamberders (sic) etc. Within one hour, it was all gone. Great guys and big eaters!'
According to the Washington Post, Trump spent about $3,000 on burgers and fries from McDonald's Big Macs, Wendy's, Burger King Whoppers, and pizza from Domino's, all of which he proclaimed as 'American companies' and therefore good. The football players, dressed properly in suits and ties for a White House visit and luncheon, looked a little surprised by the common fast food, including White House paper cups loaded with French fries.
A widely circulated cartoon featured two football players saying, 'I wonder what second place got.'
The president also said he could have had 'the first lady and the second lady make salads,' but that he didn't think these were salad guys, with the implications that real men don't eat salads.
Trump rolls back healthy school lunch requirements
In keeping with his penchant for eating and serving fast food, President Trump's administration has rolled back Obama-era initiatives for healthier school lunches, giving the dairy industry a bigger presence in American cafeterias, according to CBS News.
The Obama administration pushed for more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, lower sodium levels and fat-free chocolate milk, or no chocolate milk at all, which reportedly led to lower sales of milk, supposedly hurting the dairy industry.
On behalf of the dairy industry, the Trump administration relays that kids don't drink unflavored milk.
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, who was once a consultant to milk producers, announced the relaxation of the rules. Higher-fat chocolate milk is back nationally, along with more white breads and pizza.
The changes are considered a victory for food companies that count on schools as a steady source of revenue and an opportunity to shape the buying habits of future consumers. Lobbyists rule.
Cody Williams, food service manager of Sonoma Valley Unified School District, says that as a result of the relaxation of nutrition requirements, he will be 'reintroducing Basque Boulangerie sourdough rolls, regular Homegrown bagels instead of whole wheat bagels, and occasional white rice instead of brown rice.'
Suite D's 'Road Trip' dinner series
Suite D is taking us on a culinary road trip around the United States without having to leave home. Saves lots of packing and airfare, for sure.
Dinners will bring famous specialties from San Francisco, New Orleans, New Mexico, Texas, the Pacific Northwest, Kansas City and New England, for starters.
The series kicks off after proprietor Sondra Bernstein's New Year Open house with wine and nibbles Jan. 17 to 19 at the Rhône Room on Broadway.
Suite D's first culinary outing brings us to San Francisco for a crab feast on Saturday, Jan. 26 featuring crab bisque shooters and petite crab cakes; a papaya, crab and avocado salad, San Francisco-style cioppino with garlic bread, and a lemon curd tart. $55 or $46.75 for Suite D wine or social club members. 5:30 p.m.
Injected into the series is Suite D's next Sunday Supper on Friday, Feb 1. (Yes, Sunday Supper on Friday.) Expect an iceberg wedge salad with blue cheese, fried chicken with cole slaw and biscuits and banana cream pie. $38. Go after Martini Madness, which starts at 5 p.m. Fried chicken at 7 p.m. 21800 Schellville Road, Sonoma. Suite D reservations can be made at therhoneroom.com.
February brings a Mushroom and Wine Pairing dinner on Saturday, Feb. 9, and another Sunday Supper of antipasti salad, lasagna, garlic bread and tiramisu on Friday, Feb. 15. Tickets at therhoneroom.com
Highwayman wine and cheese celebration
Paul Giusto and Curt John celebrate the release of their 2017 Highwayman Reserve Chardonnay from local Sangiacomo Vineyards Home Ranch and Kiser Ranch, with sheep's milk cheese pairings on Fridays and Saturdays through January. They only made 180 cases, all new French barrel fermented.
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