Do You Know Where Your Renaissance Fairs And Festivals Are?

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Here are most of the Renaissance Fairs and Festivals Web Sites in the United States of America. This is provided to you so that you may show-off all the wares that you purchase from my Market place. Have fun and frolic at these Fairs, but do not forget to curtsey or bow to the King and Queen. Always, keep in mind, it tastes better "on a stick". So enjoy the Renaissance Fairs and Festivals as I do each spring, and don't forget to 'Dress in Your Best' for the occasion. Ha'zar!!!

Do You Know Where to Find your Renaissance Fairs and Festivals? By all means, be ready to stop and stare. All the information that you will find on these pages, be sure to watch the shows, be it on the grounds and on the stages.

Alabama Renaissance Fairs and Festivals Arizona Renaissance Festival Big Bear City, California Renaissance Festival San Francisco, California Renaissance Festival San Luis Obispo, California Renaissance Festival Carolina Renaissance Festival Colorado Renaissance Festival Florida Renaissance Festival Georgia Renaissance Festival Indiana Renaissance Festival Iowa Renaissance Festival Kansas City Renaissance Festival Kentucky Renaissance Festival Louisiana Renaissance Festival Maryland Renaissance Festival Michigan Renaissance Festival Michigan Renaissance Festival Minnesota Renaissance Festival Las Vegas, Nevada Renaissance Festival Ohio Renaissance Festival Pennsylvania Renaissance Festival Tennessee Renaissance Festival Scarborough,Texas Renaissance Festival Texas Renaissance Festival Utah Renaissance Festival Wisconsin Renaissance Festival

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How to Select Genuine Artisanal Cheese

Take a stroll down the aisles of your local supermarket or gourmet food store and you may notice that many foods are labeled “artisan” or “artisanal”. You’ll find products such as bread, chocolate, cookies, crackers, coffee, flour, gourmet cheese, granola, oils, pasta, salami, salt, spices, and vinegar described as “artisan(al)”. And this term is not just reserved for specialty foods, mass grocery brands are employing them as well. Sargento Artisan Cheese Blends and Wheat Thins Artisan Cheese Crackers are perfect examples. How are shoppers to know whether this is just a savvy marketing term or if their product selection is truly “artisan(al)”? The main issue with the term “artisan(al)” is that it is not regulated by the FDA like other food label terms such as “low-fat”, which have strict usage guidelines . “Artisan(al)” also bears different meanings across different food categories. Artisan coffee implies the beans are roasted in small batches while Italian artisan balsamic vinegar is produced according to strict regulations regarding recipe, process and region. Essentially, the common denominator for the term “artisan(al)” is to suggest associations of high-quality and to differentiate it the product from mass produced foods. When it comes to gourmet cheese in the United States, the origin of production plays a major role in how it’s labeled. The countries of the European Union (EU) have long recognized how food and wine is not only a way of life and a symbol of cultural and national pride but also an important tradition worthy of preservation and continuation. In an effort to protect these types of foods, to ensure a high-quality product and to minimize consumer confusion of similar products, the EU has developed the “Protected Designation of Origin”– a culinary copyright, if you will. Only foods with PDO status are the authentic version. Strict rules govern production particular to the protected food and wine such as region, recipe and method. The countries of France, Italy and Spain have greater quantities of foods and wines that benefit from this labeling system and each have a different acronym reflecting the translation into their respective languages – AOC, DOP and DO respectively. To make matters confusing, a PDO labeled food does not necessarily guarantee an artisanal product, as there are mass producers adhering to these stringent rules. And conversely, there are plenty of high-quality European foods made by hand in small batches that do not benefit from PDO status. According to The American Cheese Society, an organization supporting American artisanal and specialty cheeses, for American cheeses to be labeled artisanal, the focus is on the process (and not the region, like in the EU). American artisanal cheeses are typically made by hand in a traditional manor and in small batches. This allows for the cheese maker to have greater control over the quality, flavor and craftsmanship. To feel confident that the gourmet cheese you are selecting is indeed artisanal, take a look at the label or ask the cheese monger. Is it made by a small company or a large corporation? Does the packaging offer details about the production process and the cheese maker? Regardless of the “artisan(al)” term, what matters most when selecting gourmet cheese is the taste. High-quality will always be reflected in the flavor.

Ew, What's That Smell: How Can Stinky Cheese Taste So Good?

To some it smells like feet, to others it reeks of dirty socks. We are not talking about the locker room but the aroma of some of the world’s most delectable foods – gourmet cheese. One step into a cheese shop and it’s easy to be overwhelmed with the odor. To some it’s offensive and to others it’s heavenly. With most foods, the sense of smell is directly related to the taste but this is not always the case with cheese. If the scent wasn’t enough to keep you from sampling these culinary delights then perhaps the production process will. Certainly adding to the gross-out factor is the use of molds and bacteria in the cheese production process to yield a desired rind color, flavor profile and scent. For the adventurous foodie, there are many renowned gourmet cheeses considered to have an unsavory bouquet that are definitely worth a taste. Most gourmet cheeses known to be odiferous have something in common. They fall into a category known as washed-rind cheeses. During the aging process, these cheeses are washed with a brine typically of salt water, brandy, beer or other spirits. Sounds perfectly harmless, right? Turns out this washing method allows the cheese to become hospitable to a beneficial bacterium responsible for the brightly hued rinds, robust flavor and pungent odor. A few times per week, the cheeses are bathed in these liquids until they are perfectly aged. While it may seem like washed-rind cheeses would be an acquired taste, chances are you may have already savored a few. Gruyere is a popular washed-rind cheese commonly enjoyed as a table cheese, used in fondues and is traditionally melted atop French onion soup. Made by both the Swiss and the French, Gruyere is produced from cow’s milk and washed with a salt-water brine. Gruyere can be identified by having small holes and is characteristically sweet, nutty and slightly salty. As it ages, the flavor becomes more full-bodied and the texture hardens with crystalline crunchies. This is one of the few washed-rind cheeses with a mild scent. As we all know, the French love their gourmet cheese. No other country produces so many types of cheese (over 500!). There is one so foul-smelling it was once banned from Le Metro (the Parisian subway system) – Epoisses de Bourgogne. But don’t let this stop you from enjoying one of the most incredible washed-rind cheeses. With its edible rind the color of worn rust, Epoisses (as it’s commonly known) has a gooey, creamy center and a distinct, pronounced flavor. Made from unpasteurized cow’s milk, it is washed with the local brandy. Look for Epoisses in a small round wooden box at your local cheese shop. An equally sumptuous washed-rind gourmet cheese worthy of your attention is Taleggio. This square-shaped cheese from the Lombardy region of Italy has been made in the same manner for centuries. Made from cow’s milk and doused with a salt-water bath, Taleggio has an edible, rose colored rind. When perfectly ripe, it is a moist, semi-soft cheese with a buttery (some say meaty) taste. And let’s not forget the unforgettable odor. With one taste of these epicurean treasures, it’s easy to forget the strong smell. Simply grab a bottle of wine and a loaf of crusty bread. But just make sure you are not on Le Metro.

BTW, What Do These Cheese Acronyms Mean?

If you email or chat online with any frequency, you may have noticed a proliferation of acronyms being used. BTW (by the way), LOL (laugh out loud), OMG (oh my goodness) and WTF (what the f***) have found their way into our daily electronic communication. There is another set of acronyms you may want to become familiar with when shopping for gourmet cheese and fine wines – AOC, DPO and DO. And while it’s important to know what they mean, you will likely never need to say the words in their non-abbreviated form - unless of course, you want to show off your newfound foodie knowledge. As discussed in the previous post, the European Union (EU) has developed the “Protected Designation of Origin”– a culinary copyright, if you will. Only foods with PDO status are the authentic version. Strict rules govern production particular to the protected food and wine such as region, recipe and method. The countries of France, Italy and Spain have greater quantities of foods and wines that benefit from this labeling system and each have a different acronym reflecting the translation into their respective languages. Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) is the French version of the EU’s PDO laws and governs foods such as gourmet cheese, chicken, lentils, honey, butter and fine wine. The genesis of the French food labeling structure stemmed from Roquefort in the 15th century when production was regulated by the French parliament. A few hundred years and gourmet cheeses later, only 40 cheeses are protected by the AOC label including our favorites - Brie de Meaux, Camembert de Normandie, Comte, Epoisses, and of course, Roquefort . To illustrate just how stringent these laws are, Roquefort can only be named as such provided that milk from particular herds of sheep is used, the cheese is aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, France and must be injected with Penicillium roqueforti molds produced in the same cave. To make matters confusing, Italy utilizes two acronyms to protect food and wine. Italian wines primarily use the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) assignment while gourmet foods such as prosciutto de Parma, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, gourmet cheese and even San Marzano tomatoes use Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP). Gorgonzola, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano and Fontina are just a few of the cheeses from assigned DOP status. Spain regulates wine and food such as olive oil, jamon serrano (cured hams), sherry vinegar, gourmet cheese using Denominación de Origen (DO). A few Spanish DO cheeses you may be familiar with include Cabrales blue cheese, Manchego and Zamorano. Knowing the PDO acronyms and in their respective languages could be challenging. Just knowing they exist and keeping an eye out for them may be enough to help you discover wonderful and exciting examples of traditional food and wine from these European countries. When shopping for gourmet foods and wines, look for these acronyms somewhere on the label. If they are not there, they are not protected products. Whether you find the acronyms on gourmet cheese, fine wine or other specialty foods, you’ll feel confident knowing you are selecting a taste of quality, heritage, a sense of place and a sense of people. Like taking a trip without leaving home.

Have A Great Story About The Renaissance?

Do you have a great story about a Renaissance Faire or Festival experiece you have had through the years? Share it!