My favorite cheese that I've ever tasted is Humbolt Fog. The producer has a cheese that is similar, but truffle infused- it's not new, but new to me. Truffle isn't so unusual any more, but is something I adore. I found it at our food co-op, where I sometimes can buy Humbolt Fog. But it's a co-op in the literal sense and run mostly by volunteers, so you never know what you'll find there. If there were a Whole Foods nearby, I might be able to have a dependable source. But going to the co-op in search of your favorite things can be like a treasure hunt. Very high quality stuff, all nicely organized, but I think the ordering end of things is iffy sometimes. One of my friends commented many years ago that they run out of cinnamon EVERY holiday season. Wouldn't you think they would anticipate that there will be a high demand for cinnamon and order extra in December? Nope!

Truffle tremor

WholeFoods has their 12 days of Christmas cheeses. Ends Sunday. Humbolt fog, top of my list as well, is on the '12' list. 35%off. Also an excellent truffle infused cheese on the list. In the past only one on sale each 12 days. Now all 12 have been on sale every day.

Harbison by JasperHillFarms in Vermont is another favorite we had for the first time last holiday. I have two this year. One for Christmas day and one for NewYearsEve. Wrapped in birch bark from their farm. This is from Misfits. They also have some CypressGrove cheeses.

Murray'sCheeseShop in Manhattan has a listing of all the US cheeses they carry. Murray's link.

Not suggesting you mail order as that will empty your wallet. If i'm in the neighborhood, i will pick up a few, 2-3, 1/4 lb slivers for a treat.

IGourmet mail order has a nice blue cheese 'flight'. Ordered during covid.

My favorite cheese monger helped me with a selection of cheeses for a party we hosted....5-6 years ago. He was the one that suggested to get a previously sliced wedge of Humbolt Fog, and a freshly sliced wedge. A cheese that changes as it ages.

Shortly after i asked for a Humbolt-like imposter for every-day-ish. We tasted all the gorgonzolas. Settled on a dolche, a young one and creamy, not too 'blue'. Such a nice guy but that favorite market went bankrupt. Closed 2018(?).

I was out of town at the time so no idea where his next employment would be. Bummer. I would have followed.

I then found one during lock-down i ordered in a full 3.5 pound full wheel. About 40$. Once cut i sliced in 1/4 pounds and froze in food saver bags. Freezes great. Ordered twice from a local restaurant supply. They also had the best paté ever. 3 pound loaf but also frooze great in slices. (a cross between country style and smooth duck liver style). yum

Made in Quebec, Canada..

So, a friend brought me a fudgy boulder yesterday. It was one of those concatenations of irreproducible ingreients, but I persuaded her to describe what she did. I, of course, can't replicate it, but something similar can be achieved, I'm sure. One of the ingredients was bad gift basket fudge. I assume good fudge would work—perhaps made with meh cocoa powder to be less domineering. It also had fresh calamansi, but I think it would be fine with kumquats. And I think I might add some seeds for extra texture. I wasn't moved to make Ricky's Jamaican boulders, but the concept stuck with me. These are decadently rich, and sound really fun to make.

For me, chimichurri sauce. As a nibble with a drink : slice of filet steak in a crispy leaf with some of that over it. Peerhaps you all know it but it is new to me this year!

Chimichurri has been stylish here for a number of years. Before that, it was around, but mostly where there were Argentines. So glad it found you! It's dead easy to make. I like the sound of your nibble, and love the idea of something so healthy to go with a drink. I may have to copy that!

Chimichurri is a favorite here as well. Good Argentinian restaurants.

How about pickled chick peas, haha. Making some this morning for a neighbor who shares my love of all things pickled. A recipe in one of my pickle books. The India chapter. Also making apples with mustard and mint. Same section. (having rack of lamb tomorrow)

amazon link

Also making meyer lemon balls. Last night made her chocolate cherry balls. So i have a back-up gift if the chick peas are a bust. RECIPES I don't stock coconut but have lots of other choices. Something white would be nice. I have red and green .(matcha and beet root powder) I do have puffed quinoa i could crush up. She has a dozen different energy bite recipes. I need to keep dairy, gluten, allergen free. Seeds and some nuts are fine.

Yesterday I made Pati Jinich's recipe for Black Bean Tamales with Pibil Pork. I did substitute chicken thighs for the pork, and I used fresh masa instead of dried because that's what they had at Cárdenas Market. I also doubled the amount of cilantro in the masa, and I think that was a good idea.

I've made plenty of tamales before, but I had never made them with black beans and cilantro in the masa, and everyone liked them.

DS has discovered the joys of slathering inoffensive cheeses with jalapeño marmalade. Does that count? Yes, it tastes horrid.

Yeah, it counts for your son at least. I'd probably like it. :)

Another new item, though maybe not what one would classify as a treat, also from the farm: Salt and Savor (brand) Organic Red Cabbage and Ginger Sauerkraut. I HATE regular sauerkraut, though can occasionally bear it in a particularly good reuben. But I like kimchi, so it's not the pickled cabbage I dislike, but specifically regular ol' sauerkraut. I do put Wildbrine probiotic kimchi in sandwiches. It has a bunch of good things in it, but it's a bit strong and needs balance with the other ingredients. Ginger sounded good to me, and lo! it is! My first sample on opening the jar was "eww sauerkraut", and I was ready to give it away, but told myself it wasn't a fair chance, so I put some in a taco. Perfect! Crunchy and gingery and none of that "feet" sensation of regular sauerkraut. It has flavor but doesn't take over. I don't make enough sandwiches anymore to keep lettuce and the like, so pickled cabbage, whether kimchi or ginger kraut, which can hang around in the fridge is a nice thing to have.

Not too new, but in the cheese vein, I stumbled across the combo of Meyer lemon chevre from Cypress Grove with miel de garrigues (an intense wild scrub honey -- from scrub consisting of thyme, rosemary, lavendar, savory, etc).

I also just made some amaretti for the first time. I've only ever eaten them premade, including from bakeries in Italy. They were so simple to make and oh so good.

I'm on the fence about jams and such with cheeses. I usually put one or two on the platter with various cured meats and pickles and fresh fruits, dried fruits, olives, bla bla. Hot honey is ok. DH won't touch any of the sweet. (in small ramikens so no commitment...peoples choice)

Great recipe Lars. Not made tamales yet. I've got a dozen chicken thighs in the sous vide at the moment. If i don't try to make so many i should get to it by NewYearsEve. I need a vegetarian one. So far nothing sounds good.

A neighbor brought over a rustic challah bread pudding. A shallow version. Top and bottom. No'deep-dish soggy pudding that we don't care for. Like that it is a tear-apart 'sweet'. Not too sweet. Perfect for just the two of us. She has been sharing 'holiday breads' all Fall. I need to find out if this is her next book project. The last one was a very moist spiced bread. Using mini loaf pans. But only half full...cute. She has been using all natural ingredients like maple syrup, seeds, dates, dried fruit. A chocolate swirl loaf with dried cherries....almond flour.

I see a trend making more shallow versions of deep dish desserts. My pecan pie this past Thanksgiving was a shallow version in a smaller one inch tall tart pan. No corn syrup goo. Will never go back. Not much interest in dessert with my crowd.. But it had been warming in the oven, so i cut just one inch sliver slices.....loved and no plate/fork needed.

The boys that stayed up late with scotch and various cocktails nibbled tripple until gone.

Ooh! I've never liked pecan pie, but a goo-less pecan tart sounds really good! Perhaps even with fruit, perhaps dried, as spacers, or cut into fingers (thinking square pan) or your slivers to keep the nut-OD at bay. Maybe spicy, You're inspired me!

Maple syrup and dates.

Early every November i pull out my Food&Wine Nov issues from 88'-91'. Full of post-its and holds shopping lists. Bourbon pecan pie quickly became tradition. I started lowering the sugar and adding more pecans run through the cuisinart. Then chocolate all along the crust edge for a nice surprise at the end of the slice.

This year i found a couple recipes using maple syrup and dates instead of the corn syrup. Then watched Claire Saffitz NYTimes video making her family Thanksgiving meal. Over a million views in just a month. Her pecan slab pie went viral. She mentions frangipane, the Frence tarts.

Makes sense!

I was going to use my square brownie pan but went with my traditional tart pan. Like Claire, i will never look back.

Her slab pie starts around minute 37.

I'd thought frangipane, too, yesterday, but thought it would be too much nut. I use frangipane with stone fruits. I'll watch the video when I have a quiet interlude. Your date and maple sounds so much better than the traditional! I mean, I get it. If one is trying to capture the food value of the zillions of pecans messing up the front yard and Karo is cheap and easy, and the kids will eat any kind of sugar pie... But I can afford dates and maple syrup, and have to buy pecans... I may try that. Thanks!

An easy one my hairdresser mentioned I should try. We thought they were tasty.

I miss having pecan pie. My parents had a large pecan orchard and always had tons of pecans, and so I always got them for free. I was shocked when I went to buy some at the grocery stores here.

I have a recipe for pecan pie from my sister in law, but I haven't made it yet, although I love it when she makes it.

I need to get some relatives to send me some more free pecans! They tend to have huge crops on alternate years, for some reason, and I don't know what last year was.

Gooster, could you share the amaretti cookie recipe? It is my favorite cookie and I just realized that I never even considered making them. I always like to buy cookies from Italy as a holiday treat. Homemade must be awesome.

I tried a Gingerbread gooey butter cake this year but I clearly over baked it. I don’t have much experience with gooey cakes. Mine looked nothing like the website version. My cake was about 3/4 inch high with a small layer of cream cheese goo.

I ate it anyway so it is probably good when cooked less?

Gingerbread gooey butter cake

@JoanM Here is the recipe I used... all of them are pretty basically the same

https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2018/12/soft-amaretti-cookies.html

Some use cream of tartar, some no stabilizer, and some add vanilla. I found 1/2 tsp of almond extract was enough to intensify the flavor without overpowering it. Some may prefer less. I've seen some other variations, including a chocolate one that I am making next. .