Point Reyes Toma Mac-n-Cheese

During our cooking class at The Fork this past Saturday, we tasted some amazing cheese from the Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company...my favorite was the Toma cheese.

Here's a recipe that I am dying to try: Crispy Point Reyes Toma Mac-n-Cheese
(Serves 6-8)
2 cups whole milk
1 bay leaf
1 medium shallot
1 clove
5 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 pound cavatappi or elbow past- cooked al dente and cooled
1 cup Point Reyes Toma cheese, grated
1 cup fontina cheese, grated
Panko break crumbs

  1. Cook the pasta and set aside
  2. Put a pot on medium heat and melt 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour gradually to make a roux. Continue stirring until flour/butter mixture is golden brown.
  3. Add the milk, bay leaf, clove and shallot. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes- stirring often.
  4. Strain the sauce to remove the bay leaf, clove and shallot
  5. While the sauce is still hote add both the Toma and Fontina cheeses- stir until cheese melts.
  6. Add cooked pasta. Stir until pasta is well coated in sauce. Place mixture in 8 x 8 pan to create a 2" deep cake of pasta and cheese
  7. Refrigerate until the pasta mixture is firm.
  8. Remove from the fridge and cut in to 2" x 2" squares
  9. Coat the top and bottom of each square with Panko breadcrumbs and set aside.
  10. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter in a nonstick pan. Add the pasta/cheese squares, cook on medium heat until browned and crispy on both sides.

Chianti Wines

While in Chianti, we tasted some really good wines (surprise!)...two of my favorites that I am definitely going to buy now that I am back home are Volpaia and Castello di Gabbiano. We loved visiting both wineries and were lucky to have such gorgeous weather!

My favorite Volpaia wine was the 2007 Coltassala



My favorite Gabbiano is the 2007 Riserva...the wine maker told us to avoid most Chianti Classicos from 2002 and 2003...and that 2007 and 2006 are some of the best production years!


Malted Milk Ball Ice Cream Pie

It's slowly to feel like summer around here...although sadly summer in SF means lots of fog soaked days and chilly nights. Luckily we spend loads of time in the summer in sunny Marin and I can't wait to make this dessert that I just found in this month's Sunset magazine. John and I lately have been eating lots of malt candy (random- I know) and this pie looks just perfect for a summer bbq! Here's the recipe: Malted Milk Ball Ice Cream Pie


The Fork at Point Reyes

We spent this past weekend out in Inverness with Courtney & Ira and took a cooking class on Saturday at The Fork...such a blast! The day started with a tour of the farm and then a fabulous cooking class with Cate Confit. The new building is gorgeous and is the perfect setting for a very relaxing afternoon...yummy wine and amazing cheese...West Marin at it's best! There are some fun looking cooking classes on the calendar...I can't wait to go back.



Florence Hotel

Traveling with your mom has a lot of benefits...one big one is not having to pick up the hotel bill! I lived in Florence my junior year of college and definitely was staying at some different accommodations than where I stayed this trip with my mom.

If you are ever traveling to Florence, I HIGHLY recommend you stay at Antica Torre di via Tournabouni. I almost fell over when I opened the windows to our hotel room and saw the view of the Arno and Ponte Vecchio. You are in the heart of Florence and can take in everything at this hotel. My favorite part of the hotel was the rooftop terrace...perfect spot for morning cappucinos and afternoon wine. Heaven!


view from our room

we were a bit obsessed with the terrace.

Florence Cooking Class

While in Florence, my mom and I went to a cooking class up in the hills above the city...what I thought was going to be a dreamy afternoon of cooking ended up being a bit of a disaster (ahh the joys of travel)...but what I did take out of the class were some fabulous recipes that I can't wait to try out at home.

We made homemade raviolis which were then served with a butter and sage sauce...amazing. A ton of the pastas at the Florence restaurants had this sage sauce...I don't see it a ton at home (although I have never honestly looked), but it's fabulous...and you can save yourself money and do this right at home!





When in Rome...

When in you go to Rome, you must go to Ristorante Maccheroni. My mom and I ended our Italian adventures in Rome and had the perfect evening before heading back home...our dinner at Maccheroni was truly one of the best of the whole trips (I think you'll be hearing me say this a lot as every meal was pretty much spectacular).

In between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, we were in heaven at Maccheroni. My mom and I sat outside and savored every last bit of Italy! If you go- you've got to try the Truffle Pasta and the carbonara.
disregard the scaffolding in the back...you've got to try this spot!
not maccheroni- but loving piazza navona
open kitchen at maccheroni...LOTS of plates of carbonara!
ciiaaao roma!

Petersham Nursery: London

Please promise me that you put a meal at Petersham Nurseries on your life's bucket list...nestled in a stunning nursery right next to the Thames is the most incredible restaurant. Sterling & Eddy were the sweetest hosts and showed me all of their favorite London spots. Whoever said that London didn't have good food is definitely nuts...I couldn't have been more impressed by every bit and bite of London!

The restaurant just received a Michelin star and is a definite must if you are ever in London. I am still dreaming of Petersham!!

hooray for wills & kate!

petersham nurseries
perfection.

one of the top meals of the trip. hands down...fresh tomatoes, rocket salad, and this incredible feta spead...sounds simple, but was fabulous!!

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