Our friends at the Rogue Creamery in southern Oregon have done it again!

The Gourmet Retailer magazine announced that, “At the 27th Annual American Cheese Society (ACS) Judging and Competition in Montreal, Rogue Creamery’s Rogue River Blue was crowned Best in Show, beating out 1675 other entries. The ACS is the largest cheese competition in North America and often is referred to as the ‘Academy Awards of Cheese.'”

The Rogue Creamery and its luscious recipe for Broccoli and Oregonzola Soup is featured in Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining.

Heartiest congratulations to owners David Gremmels and Cary Bryant for keeping up their impressive winning streak!

This is the second time in three years that Rogue Creamery and its signature blue cheese, Rogue River Blue, have won this prestigious award. The creamery is owned by Cary Bryant and David Gremmels and located in Central Point, Oregon.

“We are honored by this recognition of Rogue River Blue, an American blue that represents the flavors of our region,” says Co–owner and Cheesemaker Bryant. “We enter the ACS Competition and Judging annually for the score sheets. Both technical and aesthetic cheese judges from around the world participate in this competition and provide invaluable feedback on the cheeses they score. The Best of Show for us not only celebrates Rogue River Blue as the finest cheese in North America, but it showcases our teams’ dedication to quality from the dairy, to the make room, aging caves and packaging.”

Co-owner and Cheesemaker Gremmels adds, “It takes a lot of hard work, planning and passion to make Rogue River the most distinctive blue cheese in the world. The recognition from ACS affirms this effort put forth to achieve the distinguishing flavor character, texture and quality inherent in a raw milk cheese.”

Rogue River Blue is handmade using autumnal equinox milk from Brown Swiss and Holstein cows’ milk, certified sustainable by Food Alliance. The cows graze in 1,650-foot elevation pastures along the Rogue River and in 5,000-foot elevation pastures along the Klamath River, where they eat a variety of grasses, wild herbs, and wild flowers supplemented with grass hay, alfalfa and grain grown on the ranch. The 5-pound (2.2-kg) wheels are made by hand and aged in specially constructed caves. The cheese ripens from naturally occurring molds found in the Rogue River Valley and, therefore, reflects a deep connection to the land. After maturation, the cheese is wrapped in Syrah grape leaves from Carpenter Hill Vineyard, which have been macerated in Clear Creek Pear Brandy and tied to the wheel with raffia. The cheese is released annually starting in September.

Rogue River Blue was honored as World’s Best Blue at the 16th World Cheese Awards in London, beating out entries from all over the world. That was the first time that an American blue cheese has won the title. The creamery also made history in 2007 by becoming the first American exporter of raw milk cheese to the European Union; its cheese is carried in Whole Foods Market, Neal’s Yard Dairy, London and Fromagerie Laurent Dubois, Paris.

Rogue Creamery was founded in 1928. The Vella family from Sonoma, Calif., acquired it from a co-op in Southern Oregon in 1935. In the 1950s, it began making some of the country’s best blue cheese. In 2002, Ig Vella selected Cary Bryant and David Gremmels as the new owners, and it now produces a variety of award-winning cheeses. It offer the only vertically integrated third-party certified sustainable cheese in the U.S. Its local dairy, Rogue View, and creamery, Rogue Creamery, both are certified sustainable by Food Alliance and Steritech, and certified organic by Oregon Tilth.

Source: Rogue Creamery

Last week we spent a few days on the Oregon Coast in Lincoln City, then two days in Astoria, a charming maritime-based town on the border between Oregon and Washington.

It was a good, if rather hectic, trip.

Last Monday  in our hotel room in Astoria, I woke up with two insect bites on my left forearm. We’d slept with our balcony door propped open, and I figured a hungry mosquito had made a midnight feast of me.

The “mosquito bites” itched like crazy and got very red and raised over the next two days. From the outset Spencer, who’s deathly afraid of spiders, said he thought they were not “mosquito bites,” but spider bites.

By the time we arrived home on Tuesday night, they were looking pretty angry. By noon Wednesday, there was a pink ring radiating out from the two bites and moving up and down my arm.

Spencer insisted I call our doctor. I did better and sent the iPhone photo (above).

Christy, the nurse, called back quickly with a bevy of questions and a concerned/worried tone in her voice.

Our doctor called a few minutes later and slapped me on antibiotics and Benadryl Anti-Itch Cream to fight sepsis!!!

As much as I hate taking medicine, almost instantly, I began to feel better.

Over the next several days, the puffiness and pink circle went away. I was so relieved. Thanks heavens for penicillin!

It’s been a tough couple of months for the left side of my body, between my run in with the tape dispenser in March, and now, a venomous spider in August!

Let’s hope these incidents don’t come in series of threes.

A recent press release from the good folks at Wine Yakima Valley touted their new “Grown to Greatness: Wine and Food Summer Escape.”

This self-paced, eight-week event highlights the four Yakima Valley growing and wine-producing communities in two-week successions throughout July and August: Zillah, Yakima, Red Mountain and Prosser.

Visitors can take part by visiting the tasting rooms for special offers, enjoying two community events, or by taking the bounty home with them in the form of recipe decks.

“Food and wine go hand-in-hand ,” the press release says. “And along with this taste tour comes culinary experiences and take-home recipe cards you won’t find elsewhere.”

Guests can purchase a recipe deck complete with over 30 original recipes paired with featured wines from Wine Yakima Valley wineries. The deck is available for $15 and comes stocked with winery cards detailing features of each wine community, location, wines, hours, etc.

Ambitious wine lovers can visit all of the wineries over the eight-week promotion to taste their featured wines and get their recipe deck stamped.

Those who get at least 15 wineries to stamp their deck from July-August will be entered to win a VIP pass that gains them access to all 2012 events including Red Wine & Chocolate, Spring Barrel Tasting, Wine & Summer Food Escape, and Catch the Crush.

Those who present their recipe deck in hand will also receive special offers from the featured community wineries during their corresponding two weeks, including special reserve tastings, case discounts, or additional food pairings.

During their featured weeks each winery will also offer a local Yakima Valley-grown or -produced food item paired with their wines.

Yakima Valley’s extensive local bounty includes some of the best items in the state such as peppers, peaches, cherries, cheeses, and beef.

Food-and-wine pairings include: Peach Habanero Chutney with Riesling at Mercer Estates and Fries Family Apple Cake with Riesling from Desert Wind Winery.

Schedule of Events

July 1-15, Zillah

Named after the daughter of the town founder, Zillah is 18 miles south of Yakima on the north end of the Yakima Valley. This agricultural ‘bread-basket’ has been recognized as a producer of high-value, award-winning wines.

Grown to Greatness event: Zillah’s Chuck Wagon Party. Saturday, July 9, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Mosey over to the Knight Hill Winery barn for a chuck wagon-style dinner from Longhorn Cattle Co. which brings its 1870’s chuck wagon to the party with beef brisket, cowboy beans, salad, sourdough biscuits and wild mountain mixed berry cobbler with crunch top. This highly unique, multi-course, Dutch oven dinner is $90 per person and includes wine pairings from Agate Field Vineyard, Claar Cellars, Cultura Wine, Knight Hill Winery, Severino Cellars, Two Mountain Winery and Wineglass Cellars. After dinner enjoy music and try your hand at line dancing.

July 16-31, Yakima

Most wineries here are small family operations where unpretentious hospitality is the norm. Many are located within a rural countryside with unparalleled beauty. Enjoy a glass of wine while gazing at the beautiful snow capped Mt. Adams or overlook the diverse agricultural abundance of the Yakima Valley.

Grown to Greatness event: Yakima Barrel Cave Dinner. Friday, July 29, 7 p.m. Dinner with Chef Chris Peterson of Kirkland’s Milagro Cantina at the Cave at Gilbert Cellars. This cocktail party and wine pairing dinner at one long communal table in the Cave features Yakima’s own bounty of produce, meat and fish. Each of the five-courses is paired with a different Yakima winery, including AntoLin Cellars, Gilbert Cellars, Kana Winery, Naches Heights Vineyard, Southard Winery, Treveri Sparkling Wines and Wilridge Vineyard. $75 per person.

Concerts: Hey Marseille will perform on July 28 at Gilbert Cellars and Portland-based Blitzen Trapper will perform on July 30 providing additional entertainment during the two-week Yakima promotion.

Aug. 1-14, Red Mountain and Community

Located between Benton City and Richland, the Red Mountain American Viticultural Area, a subset of the Yakima Valley AVA, is the smallest in the state. The reputation of the wines produced in this appellation–Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Syrah–has brought the Red Mountain AVA worldwide acclaim.

Aug. 15-31, Prosser

Prosser offers one of the fastest growing wine villages in the lower Yakima Valley. It boasts many of Washington’s well known labels and has become a destination for wine lovers. It is also one of the more agriculturally diverse areas in the state.

Yakima and Zillah event tickets can be purchased online.

A couple of weeks ago, over Mother’s Day weekend, with 400 e-mails staring me in the face, I told Spencer I needed to get away, even if just for one single Saturday night.

Unsure of where to go, we settled upon Semiahmoo Resort, on the north edge of Washington State. It’s so close to the Canadian border you can see White Rock, British Columbia, across Semiahmoo Bay.

Since it was a few weeks before Memorial Day, when the resort’s “high” season begins, it was easy to secure a reasonable overnight room rate complete with dining voucher, part of a bed-and-dining package.

The fine-dining restaurant, Stars, wasn’t yet open, so we ate lunch in Packers Lounge and Oyster Bar and dinner at Pierside Restaurant. Funny thing was, both places featured the same menu–simple items such as fish-and-chips, salads, and grilled fish and meats–and that was just fine.

For once, I wouldn’t have to think about everything sip and sup I put into my mouth!

Here are the lovely Flame-Grilled Oysters that I spotted while we had a pre-dinner drink in the bar, then later ordered in the dining room as my starter course.

Perfectly broiled so the oysters were still tender and moist, but the garlic butter and Parmesan cheese topping was hot and bubbly, these beauties were eclipsed only by the view of Semiahmoo Bay outside.

Grilled Oysters à la Semiahmoo before. . .

Grilled Oysters à la Semiahmoo adieu!

Every now and then, a meal’s setting and the meal itself sync so perfectly that they form an unforgettable dining experience.

That happened to us recently at The Oyster Bar on the Chuckanut Drive, about a two hours drive from downtown Seattle.

With views like the one above, it’s hard not to be inspired. . .

But when dishes such as a lovely this Belgian Endive/Gorgonzola Salad begin to arrive. . .

Along with Nettle Wild Nettle and Artichoke Soup, made with a base of vegetarian consommé and locally gathered nettles, Yukon gold potatoes, fresh artichokes, and hint of dry Vermouth, this food writer’s heart leaps up!

California Red Abalone, farm-raised along California’s Central Coast, is seldom seen on menus in the Northwest.

So although pricey (at $65 per serving), we ordered it and weren’t disappointed.

Flash-sautéed doré-style and drizzled with hazelnut lime butter, The Oyster Bar’s rendition was more tender, flavorful, and downright delectable than ones we’ve had while visiting our neighbor to the south. (I took the shells home as souvenirs!)

Spring sturgeon from nearby Willapa Bay was fresh and clean tasting, not muddy as oftentime (lamentably) happens with this fish.

The dish was lavishly sauced with blueberries and topped with fresh raspberries, and encircled by reduced balsamic vinegar and basil oil. Yum!

We enjoyed our last sips of wine and morsels of food. . .and mentally prepared ourselves for the long journey home. . .the sun set. . .

And finally dove behind the distant mountains.

I count myself among the luckiest people on earth because I live in the Pacific Northwest.

Apparently, even The New York Times agrees, since recently it listed the San Juan Islands as the #2 place to see in its list of “41 Places To Go in 2011.”

And this spring and fall, Friday Harbor House invites guests to the island for a new series of cooking-class getaways that take advantage of the culinary bounty of San Juan Islands–both by land and by sea.

The Couples Kitchen Mixers (designed for two) will be held at The Bluff Restaurant/Bar/Terrace and led by Chef Kyle Nicholson.

Each two-night getaway includes a cooking class hosted by Chef Kyle, a special welcome amenity from The Bluff, and lunch for two with wine featuring the ingredient or technique learned in class.

The culinary adventure begins on Friday evening with a relaxing overnight stay, followed by a signature continental breakfast on Saturday morning. The kitchen gets mixing at 11:00 a.m. when Chef Kyle introduces the recipes and begins the hands-on instruction. At 2 p.m. students will toast to their hard work with wine and a specially prepared lunch featuring the ingredient or technique learned in class.

Upcoming classes are as follows:

June 10-11, 2011--Chef Kyle will guide the class through “Handling Fin Fish Swimmingly,” instructing on topics ranging from buying to butchering and storing seafood with a professional touch. Students will learn how to fillet like a pro with techniques and tools that aid preparation such as fish spatulas, needle nose pliers, sharp and flexible knives, and more.

September 9-10, 2011–The “Spring into Late Summer Salads” class will have students whipping up light, yet filling, entrée salads bursting with seasonal delights such as heirloom tomatoes, pole beans, huckleberries, gooseberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Discover easy tips on creating the perfect dressings and garnishes to highlight the fresh, seasonal ingredients discovered and discussed.

October 7-8, 2011–During “Entertaining Autumn Cuisine,” Chef Kyle teaches how to entertain with ingredients such as eggplant, chanterelle mushrooms, red torpedo onions, and a variety of peppers such as sweet, banana. and bell guaranteed to make guests swoon.

November 10-11, 2011–Celebrate “A True Fall Harvest” with a tutorial on the freshest harvest items from the islands and beyond, using ingredients such as hedgehog mushrooms, golden and red beets, Hubbard squash, leeks, kale. and potatoes.

Friday Harbor House is located at 130 West Street, Friday Harbor, Washington 98250. Phone 866.722.7356 for reservations.

Soft Tail Spirits, which I wrote about for The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine, has some exciting news: the opening of its second location.

Within the Woodinville Tourist District, Soft Tail is located on the south roundabout, across from the popular Brian Carter Cellars tasting room.

Visitors to Woodinville are invited to come by and sample award-winning spirits, as well as their new creations, while checking out Soft Tail’s Tasting Room and Distillery.

Reportedly, the second location boasts a little more room than the first location, with two decks, tables and chairs, and a fire pit for when it gets chilly.

Both locations will be open normal hours 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, with plans to have later hours in the summer months.

Since its launch in 2007, Pacific Rim has been extolling Riesling’s virtues–versatility, purity of vineyard expression, and the varietal’s ability to inspire all manner of culinary exploration.

Since Monday, May 16, the winery has passed the torch to its 12,000-plus Facebook fans and a nation of passionate Riesling zealots. Pacific Rim fans and all lovers of this most noble of wine varietals have enjoyed the opportunity to lead the Riesling conversation by sharing their personal “Riesling for Being” on the Pacific Rim Facebook page.

www.facebook.com/pacificrimwine

www.twitter.com/rieslingrules

Each week until July 24, fans will vote to award $1,000 to the author of the most popular weekly submission. Entries are limited to 20 words or less and will be accepted from Monday through Friday.

Voting will occur on Saturday and Sunday. The contest is open to United States residents aged 21 and older in all states except California. Riesling fans can learn more and enter by visiting Pacific Rim’s Facebook page.

Brand Development Director and Co-Founder, Shawn Barvaresco, explains: “We want to inspire our fans to openly express their love for this glorious grape through personal connections and passionate proverbs. We’ve been singing Riesling’s praises for nearly five years… It’s now time for our fans to voice their love of Riesling. All personal anecdotes, creative puns and jokes are welcome–as long as the submissions are relatively tasteful and pertain to Riesling.”

Pacific Rim has over 12,000 Facebook fans. The brand’s fan base of Riesling loyalists was built through several innovative social-media programs launched in the past few years, including the RIESLING RULES BOOK and SAVE WATER/DRINK RIESLING sustainability program (a conservation awareness program promoting the preservation of wild salmon ecosystems). To date, Pacific Rim has distributed over 40,000 complimentary copies of its RIESLING RULES BOOK, which is also available online.

Pacific Rim makes 10 different Rieslings in 10 different styles (from bone-dry to medium-sweet to dessert sweet… and everything in between).

www.rieslingrules.com |

The good folks at Tourism British Columbia sent us word about a cool new travel service–604pulse–for tourists planning a visit to Vancouver:

If a spring journey to Vancouver, Coast, and Mountains proves a burning agenda item, be sure to check out 604pulse.

A one-stop shop for insider information, this new site highlights the best of the region’s offerings–the who, what, where, when, and why–alongside online tips and insights from the locals.

Looking for tasty B.C. menus? Tune in for the tweets.

Eager to seek out that one-of-a-kind find crafted by a local designer? It’s all sewn up, courtesy of some savvy B.C. bloggers.

Indeed, 604pulse provides the skinny on what visitors can see and do in the region.

And, with new info online each and every day, your options are limitless.

After all, these guys have their finger on the pulse.

A press release from our friends at Watershed Communications in Portland, including Lota LaMontagne and Portland Indie Wine & Food Festival (PIWFF) founder Lisa Donoughe, shared the following news:

“At this year’s Portland Indie Wine & Food Festival (PIWFF) where the Grand Tasting takes place Saturday, May 14, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at The Bison Building (419 NE 10th Ave, Portland), Indie winemaker alumni are taking center stage and pouring their wines, including Oregon’s highly lauded 2008 vintage.

“Returning winemakers will be joined by new wineries (some releasing their first-ever vintages at the festival) that are selected at a blind tasting organized in collaboration with Cole Danehower, author of “Essential Wines and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest,” published by Timber Press.

“Now in its seventh year, PIWFF 2011 will feature an all-star line-up of wineries that participated in the festival from 2005 – 2010, mixed with officially selected new wineries, set alongside Portland’s top chefs in a cool industrial space.

“PIWFF is a once-a-year opportunity to mingle with wineries that have been integral in building the craft winemaking movement in Oregon… and more importantly, to taste and buy their hard-to-find wines direct in one stop. Think of a quality-controlled, winemaker farmers market.

“Since the competition and festival began in 2005, we’ve seen many of our undiscovered wineries earn top scores from major wine media and grow into some of Oregon’s most talked about wine brands,” Donoughe said. “With Oregon’s 2008 vintage being touted as one of the state’s best ever, we thought it would be valuable to invite all alumni back (first-come, first-served!) to show off their best stuff.”

“Past PIWFF chef partners have included local chef luminaries such as James Beard nominated chef Cathy Whims of Nostrana and chef/butcher Adam Sappington of The Country Cat Dinnerhouse & Bar. Just as the winemakers are on site to pour their wines, so too are the chefs to prepare and serve their food.”

Details:

The PIWFF Grand Tasting takes place Saturday, May 14, 2011 from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at The Bison Building (419 NE 10th Ave, Portland).

Tickets are on sale now for $75, and $125 for VIP early entry (1 p.m.). General-admission tickets include a commemorative festival tasting glass, pours from all wineries, and food from top Oregon chefs who share the same craftsmanship and values as the artisan wineries.

A complete list of participating wineries and chefs is now online.