Stephanie made Jarlsberg cheese two months ago, and we finally cut it open last week. It had holes, and lots of them! Of all the hard cheeses we’ve made, this one is by far the best.

Last night, Kyle brought us an unexpected gift: his homemade, almond-wood smoked bacon. We’ve previously enjoyed the fruits of his smoker in the form of hot-smoked salmon (not to mention ribs on multiple occasions). Now the word on the street is that he’ll soon have some air-cured salami in the works. Apparently we have Michael Ruhlman to thank for his bounty.

This morning I took the slab out of its vacuum-sealed package, sliced it, fried it, and enjoyed it with scrambled eggs and english muffins. Compared to other bacon I’ve had, Kyle’s was meatier, and tasted like really good barbecue. Too bad it’s all gone.

I really love the new HDR image adorning the recently renamed Gott’s Roadside “Tray Gourmet” (nee Taylor’s Automatic Refresher). It almost looks like a Norman Rockwell painting.

Claudine threw a birthday party for Danny over at St. George Spirits in Alameda this weekend. If you know your spirits, you might be familiar with their Hanger One Vodka or Absinthe Verte, the first American-made absinthe on the market after it was re-legalized in the US.

We got a very informative and amusing tour of the distillery, and then had a private “Cocktail Education” in their Pilot’s Lounge. Using a variety of St. George Spirits’ spirits, they showed us how to make “Tasty Like Cheesecake” with their pear liqueur and kirsch eau de vie, “Thai Me Up” with their kaffir lime vodka, “Pear Side Car” with their single malt whiskey and pear liqueur, “The Enlightened Cosmo” with their unusual white tea liqueur, and “The Root of All Evil” with their absinthe.

It was a very cool time, and definitely a reminder (as if I needed reminding) of the amazing things being produced within a stone’s throw from where we live.