Banon à la Feuille, one of the most delicious cheeses I've ever tasted, is being celebrated at la Fête du fromage à Banon this weekend in Provence.


© jurvetson


Banon is a goat's milk cheese that is wrapped in chestnut leaves, dipped in marc de Provence or eau de vie, tied up with raffia and left to mature for a few weeks. It can be eaten young, while the leaves are still green and the cheese is crumbly and tart, or aged, when the leaves have turned brown, causing the crust to darken a bit. The flavor of an aged Banon à la Feuille has fruity and woodsy flavors with hints of the alcohol, which tickle your tongue. Truly delicious!

This cheese has been produced near the village of Banon since the Roman times and it was granted AOC status in 2003.
Pour yourself a glass of Chenin Blanc or a big red from Bordeaux to enjoy when tasting Banon.

To order Banon, try igourmet.com or fromages.com.

About a month ago I was looking for a light dessert recipe to follow a heavy main course of homemade gumbo that I was making for our French friends. They always appreciate it when I make dishes from Louisiana, which seem so exotic to them.

Local strawberries had just appeared at the market and I couldn't resist the idea of a sweet strawberry dessert.


© jon gos

The Food Network popped up with a Strawberry Soup recipe that looked like just the thing!

Here is my version of the recipe:

Strawberry Soup
serves 4

2 cups hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup orange juice
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry sorbet - about 1/3 cup for each bowl
Fresh mint sprigs, optional

In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the sorbet and mint, and process until smooth.
Chill soup for at least an hour.
Ladle the soup into bowls and place a small scoop of strawberry sorbet in the middle.
Garnish with mint, if desired.

This dessert is packed with fresh flavor, yet so simple. I can't imagine anyone not loving it!

Do you have a budding actor or actress growing up in your home? If so, this contest is for you!

The National Mango Board has a cooking video contest running for young chefs. The Rising Mango Star Video Contest is asking talented cooks, age 8-14, to show off their original, mouth-watering mango creations.


© visualdensity

Lights, camera, mangos! The National Mango Board is pleased to announce the launch of the Rising Mango Star Video Contest - a cooking contest for aspiring chefs ages 8-14 to create their own signature mango recipe. Once their delicious recipe has been created, kids will then complete a video demonstration of their dish and submit via YouTube for a chance to win a trip to New York City to be on television's video magazine Health & Home Report with Simply Delicioso star Ingrid Hoffmann!

Three tips for your video: Be creative, be imaginative and most importantly - have fun!

Some of this weekend's Food and Drink Festival highlights around the globe:

Two weeks of culinary and gastronomic pleasures are yours to enjoy at the Cape Good Food and Wine Show. There are many events to tickle your taste buds; celebrity and Michelin-star chefs offering demonstrations, a 'Spirits of Africa' event, a wine arena and workshop, and stands exhibiting everything from farm produce to haute cuisine.


© Christina Snyder

Owensboro, Kentucky is hosting their International Bar-B-Q Festival this weekend.

Every second weekend in May, Owensboro springs to life with the wonderful smells and sounds of the International Bar-B-Q Festival. Smoke from hickory-stoked fires blends with the aromas of sizzling chicken, bubbling burgoo and roasting mutton to complete the festival atmosphere.

Whiskey lovers need to head to Canada this weekend! The annual Spirit of Toronto Whiskey Gala takes place this Saturday in Toronto, Ontario. More than 100 single malt whiskies are on offer at the Grand Tasting Event along with live jazz, gourmet food to enjoy and a Masterclass Series featuring rare and unique whiskies.

The Charlotte Wine and Food Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina offers educational wine seminars, vintner's dinners, wine tasting events and a live auction.

May 8, 9 and 10 brings the St. Louis Brewer's Heritage Festival to St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to the kick-off evening's Ultimate Beer Dinner featuring a 5-course gourmet meal hosted by a celebrity chef from The Food Network, the event offers more than 60 styles of beer to taste, live music and educational seminars with local brewmasters.

A few others to check out:

Taste Addison in Addison, Texas
The 2nd Annual Spring Town Point Virginia Wine Festival in Norfolk, Virginia
Northeastern Ohio Chocolate Festival in Cleveland Heights, Ohio

The Farmer's Markets are bursting with color this month!





Different varieties of red, sweet strawberries are on offer almost everywhere, as is tangy rhubarb. Stone fruits such as apricots and peaches are beginning to appear and cherries and raspberries are making their debut.

Asparagus is in full swing in May and although we've had fava beans here for several weeks now, they are just starting to show up in many places. All sorts of lettuces are coming into season as are ramps, green beans and new potatoes.

Some of my favorites are starting to wind down: radishes, chard, kale, spring onions, spinach and cabbage. Enjoy them while you still can!

The Grilling Season is upon us!

Here are some great items that will make your outdoor cooking experience a little easier and more comfortable.

Here's a brilliant idea; A Jalapeño Roaster! Just stuff the jalapeños and roast them to smoky perfection in this little gadget.




Forged Stainless Steel Skewers are rust resistant and have a square blade to keep the food from spinning around when you rotate it.




Corn on the cob is one of those perfect BBQ side dishes. Here's a Corn Grilling Cage to make the job easier. Pass the butter!




A cute set of Blue and White Checked Placemats & Napkins will complete the look.




This Mesh Grill-Top Fry Pan is a great idea.

In Spain's picturesque Basque hill country, restaurant chefs use mesh frying pans to sauté vegetables on an outdoor grill - a technique that infuses the food with a delicious smoky tang.

An elegant looking Italian Ceramic Wine Bottle Cooler will keep up to six bottles fresh and cool.