[1] An anchovy pizza with Picholine olives (photo © Gordon Ramsay Group).

[2] A top-quality anchovy is plump and jarred in real olive oil (photo © Vital Choice).

[3] This anchovy pizza is also topped with Picholine olives and banana peppers. Here’s the recipe (photo © DeLallo).

[4] A white pizza with anchovies. Here’s the recipe (photo © Craft Beering)

November 12th is National Pizza With Everything (Except Anchovies) Day. To some, it’s a reason to celebrate all of the classic pizza toppings (except anchovies): bell peppers, meatballs, mushrooms, olives, onions, pepperoni, sausage, and of course, extra cheese*.

Others, lovers of anchovies, disdain the holiday and celebrate by being contrarian: ordering a pie with anchovies.

According to Stagwell Global, a marketing firm, 50% of Americans dislike anchovies†.

 
But anchovies are a better-for-you food, and if one can try top-quality anchovies (as opposed to the cheap brands that we describe as cat food), the haters may cease to hate.

Additionally, anchovies contain body-beneficial vitamins and minerals that can help our bodies: calcium, iron, selenium, and vitamin A.

A good brand will use olive oil, not safflower oil, and keep the salt levels down (although most people would not consume enough anchovies per meal to make salt a huge deal).

As a fatty fish‡‡, anchovies are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, very beneficial in terms of healthy joints, mental health, and maintaining good cholesterol levels.

That’s the end of the rant, but consider starting with a jar of Ortiz anchovies, one of the better supermarket brands.

If you find them to be OK, treat yourself to the premium Spanish Cantabrian anchovies, fished sustainably in the Bay of Biscay in the Cantabrian Sea, along the northern coast of Spain.

Cantabrian anchovies are renowned for being the best: meaty, flavorsome, and firm textured.

The best of the best might be Don Bocarte, but it’s very pricey.

We’ve listed them all, below, so mark your calendars.
 
 
IT’S PIZZA TIME!

We started out by announcing that it’s National Pizza With Everything (Except Anchovies) Day. Continuing along the theme, we have the year in pizza holidays in the next section. But first:

> 40 ways to top your slice.

> 50 pizza recipes.

> Pizza trends.

> The history of pizza.

> The top pizza toppings in the U.S., the top pizza-eating states, and most pizza-per-capita countries.
 
 
THE YEAR IN PIZZA HOLIDAYS

According to CNET, “Roughly 3 billion pizza pies are sold in the US each year, equal to about 350 slices a second.” So dig in!

Whether you get takeout pizza or make your own, mark your calendars for:

*Feel free to add your favorites to the list. Others include arugula, bacon, basil, bbq chicken, broccoli, ham, jalapeño, pesto, pineapple, spinach, tomatoes (fresh or sundried), and on and on. As for additional ingredients, one of our favorite pies is a white pizza topped with sliced potato, smoked salmon, salmon caviar, and red onion.

†Next on the hated foods list are black licorice (45%) and oysters are at the top, according to the Stagwell Harris Poll survey with Instacart. Black licorice is most disliked by young people (48% among those 18 to 54 versus 37% for those ages 65 and older) and women (54% versus 35% for men). Rounding out the top 10: beets, blue cheese, okra, capers, Brussels sprouts, fennel, and olives.

‡A calzone is a pocket pizza; the toppings are used as a filling inside a hand-held crust.

‡‡Fatty fish include anchovies, black cod, bluefin tuna, cobia, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, striped bass, and whitefish.
 
 

[1] Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin (photos © Empress Gin).

[2] The gin turns any gin cocktail into a prettier one. Here, a Gin & Tonic.

Almost a year ago we wrote about Empress 1908 Indigo Gin, a bright blue-purple color achieved with the flavorless extract of the butterfly pea flower.

We recommended it as a stunning holiday gift, and we purchased a number of bottles for that purpose.

This year, Empress 1908 has given Indigo Gin a sibling: Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin, a lovely rose color that makes a welcome gift for a gin lover and counting ahead, something special for Valentine’s Day.

The small-batch gin is distilled in the seaside town of Sidney, British Columbia, Canada (part of metropolitan Victoria).

The gin has a bright floral bouquet from nine all-natural ingredients including red rose petals, elderflower, and lavender. The color is derived from rose petals plus black carrots.

The understated floral palate is complemented by citrus and spice notes and a hint of sweetness.

You can sip the gin straight, but it makes beautifully-hued cocktails, including a stunning rose-colored Gin and Tonic. Just add tonic water and a squeeze of lime.

There are more cocktails on the brand’s website, EmpressGin.com.
 
 
> The history of gin.

> The different types of gin.
 
 
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Chianti fans may be aware that the main grape in this classic wine is Tempranillo. But Spain has another great Tempranillo growing region, Ribera del Duero, a D.O.P. (Denominación de Origen Protegida) viticulture area in Spain’s northern plateau.

The name translates to “riverbanks of the Duero [River].”

The area, a plateau ranging from 2,200 to 2,800 feet in altitude, hosts as many as 30 different soil types—though mostly limestone, chalk, and sand, all of which contribute to the distinctive nature of Tempranillo, the region’s dominant grape.

On International Tempranillo Day, the second Thursday in November, how about trying a bottle or two? Some connoisseurs argue that Ribera del Duero makes the world’s finest expression of Tempranillo.

Tempranillo wines from Ribera del Duero are medium- to full-bodied reds with hints of dark fruit and spices. Here are the differences between Spain’s main Tempranillo regions:

 
Ribera del Duero wines are known for their elegance and complexity. After you get to know Tempranillo, invest in some bottles with good aging potential. These are labeled Reserva and Gran Reserva. Ask your wine store’s staff for suggestions.

Good basic bottles of Ribera del Duero Tempranillo can be found for $15, and here are Sir James Suckling’s recommendations in the $35-and-under range.

Bring some bottles for Thanksgiving and as holiday gifts for your red wine-loving friends.

> The history of Tempranillo wine is below.

> Here’s more about the wines of Ribera del Duero.
 
 
PAIRING TEMPRANILLO & FOOD

A very versatile food wine, Tempranillo pairs wonderfully with:

 
Party Idea: Have a “curated” potluck party—perhaps on “Tempranillo Tuesday.” Everyone brings a bottle of Tempranillo and a dish of tapas. You “curate” by making sure no one brings the same food.

Ideally, no one will bring the same producer and vintage of Tempranillo, either—but people can bring a Tempranillo made anywhere, and different years of the same producer are fine.
 
 
TEMPRANILLO TRIVIA

 
 
THE HISTORY OF TEMPRANILLO

The Tempranillo grape is native to the Iberian Peninsula and is the flagship variety grown in Spain and Portugal.

The cultivation in Spain of Vitis vinifera, the common ancestor of almost all grape vines in existence today, began with Phoenician settlements in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, as far back as 1100 B.C.E. [source].

Based on mosaics in Ribera del Duero that show wine-making, the practice dates back 2,600 years.

Later, according to the Roman writer Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella (40 C.E. to 70 C.E.), wines were grown all over Spain. However, there are only scattered references to the name “Tempranillo.”

In 1982, Ribera del Duero was officially granted its D.O. status (Denominación de Origen, designation of origin), which determines where the wine was produced.

Prior to then, most growers sold their grapes to co-ops that vinified them and sold the wine in bulk.

But since becoming an official D.O., the region’s Tempranillo-based wines have gained international recognition, and some very fine wines are being produced by a “new wave” of Spanish growers and vintners who showed that it was possible to produce wines of great character and quality in areas outside of the Rioja region [source].

Thanks to the acclaim, during the 1990s, Tempranillo expanded in wine production worldwide. The grape is now planted in France as well as the areas noted above, making the Tempranillo grape the third most widely planted wine grape in the world (following Cabernet and Merlot [source].

Almost 90% of production worldwide takes place in Spain.
 
 
__________________

*Along with Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cao, Touriga Franca, and Touriga Nacional.

[1] Invite friends for a glass or two of Tempranillo (photos #1 through #5 © Ribera y Rueda Wine).

[2] Just pull the cork and enjoy.

[3] Pair Tempranillo with aged cheeses.

[4] Have a tapas party.

[5] If you like a glass of wine with your chocolate, consider Tempranillo (check out pairing wine with chocolate).

[6] A cluster of Tempranillo grapes on the vine at harvest time, when the leaves turn a brilliant scarlet (photo © Medium).

[1] This beauty is spoonable, and when super-ripe, it becomes pourable (all photos © Jasper Hill Farm).

[2] When on the younger side, the bark can be peeled away for sliced portioning. If the paste is gooey and the bark has fused with it, then leave the bark intact, cut away a portion of the top or all of it (save it for eating), and spoon out cheese from the top.

[4] The top neatly cut away for scooping.

[5] Cheeses aging in the vault.

[6] For you or for gifting: five of Jasper Hill Farm’s memorable cheeses.

One of our favorite fine cheeses has just taken home the coveted Super Gold medal at last week’s World Cheese Awards, held in Trondheim, Norway.

It also won the trophy for Best American Cheese.

This is a magnificent cheese for a cheese connoisseur or for someone who wants to become one.

Harbison is a soft-ripened cheese with a rustic, bloomy rind. The pasteurized cow’s milk cheese has a bloomy rind (like Brie) and is bark-wrapped.

Young cheeses are wrapped in strips of spruce cambium, the tree’s inner bark layer, harvested from the woodlands of Jasper Hill in Greensboro, Vermont.

The spoonable texture begins to develop in Jasper Hill Farm’s vaults, and the paste (the interior) continues to soften on the way to market.

The texture is voluptuous, the aroma scintillating. On the palate, the oh-so-creamy cheese yields notes of button mushroom, mustard, raspberry, sweet cream, and a woodsy flavor from the bloomy rind.
 
 
PAIRING HARBISON WITH OTHER FOODS

Harbison is a great excuse to gather a few friends and scoop into a special treat.

For drinking, pair it with an oaky white wine like Chardonnay, or barrel-aged sour beer.

Serve it with crusty bread or plain crostini and for a cheese condiment, a fruit mostarda.

One cheese writer suggests serving it with French fries sprinkled with fresh thyme, which complements the woodsy flavors.

> Check out our guide to cheese condiments.
 
 
GET YOUR HARBISON CHEESE

Blue cheese lovers: Jasper Hill Farm’s Bayley Hazen Blue also took home a gold medal in the blue cheese category, and Willoughby picked up a gold medal in the washed rind cheese category.

In a field of more than 4,000 entries from around the world, Jasper Hill Farms won five medals. Great work, team!

In addition to Harbison, Bayley Hazen Blue, and Willoughby, there are gift boxes of simply splendid cheeses. Everything from Jasper Hill Farm is special.

> Head to JasperHillFarm.com.

> The history of cheese.

> The different types of cheese: a glossary.

 
 
THE HISTORY OF HARBISON & BARK-WRAPPED CHEESE

The cheese is named for Anne Harbison, affectionately known as the grandmother of Greensboro, Vermont. She contributed to the creation of this divine cheese in 2011.

Harbison was a mistake—like chimichangas, chocolate chip cookies, Coca-Cola, corn flakes, fudge, ganache, ice cream cones, Nashville hot chicken, Popsicles, potato chips, Tarte, Worcestershire sauce, and even yogurt, among other necessities.

The team was making Moses Sleeper, a straightforward Brie-style cheese, and was adjusting the moisture on a batch.

They added too much moisture and could tell early on that the cheeses would ooze. Cheesemaker Mateo Kehler, Jasper Farms’ co-owner with his brother Andy, wrapped the rounds of cheese in bark to salvage the batch.

There was a bonus benefit:

In addition to girdling the oozing cheese, the bark imparted a “magical cacophony” of resinous, piney, smokey, and meaty flavors to the cheese [source].
 
 
The History Of Bark-Wrapped Cheese

Legend has it that the first bark-wrapped cheeses were made in the French and Swiss Alps during the winter months—out of necessity.

These regions are known for their large format (big wheels) cow’s milk cheeses: Comté on the French side and Gruyére on the Swiss side.

In the summer, the cows grazed high up in the Alpine meadows, where their milk was collected. The curds were formed and pressed into large wheels.

But in the autumn, when the cows returned to their villages in the valleys, the change in diet (dry hay and a bit of grain versus grazing on the pasture’s bounty) and the lack of exercise (staying warm in the barn versus free range in the Alpine pastures) meant that the composition and character of the milk changed dramatically.

This “winter milk,” made from cows who are indoors eating sweet hay and grain, is richer and more full of fat. It’s perfect for crafting soft, gooey cheese

In a centuries-old tradition of making cheese that fits the season, local cheesemakers began to make small, soft cheeses wrapped in spruce bark for their families and to sell at local markets.

These delicate wheels ripened to the point of being custardy and as they aged, scoopable. They were a hit, and bark-wrapped cheeses entered the history books [source].

Rovagnati, a venerable Italian producer of salume, has brought its premium cold cuts to the U.S.—and they’re nitrate-free.

Rovagnati uses an innovative and exclusive technology that removes nitrates and nitrites, providing a healthier option. That makes the brand better for you, worthy of your family and your guests.

Rovagnati, which remains a family business, was begun in 1943 in Milan, Italy. Paolo Rovagnati’s vision was to create inventive meat products that raised the quality of salume in Italy.

His vision has certainly come to pass! We’re so pleased with the two different trios we purchased for entertaining:

 
Plus, there are individual packages of:

 
There’s more about these below, but suffice it to say that our guests have not been shy about devouring them to the last slice.

We’ve come to love them so much that we now regularly enjoy them for lunch on homemade hero sandwiches.

Check in your local market for the products, or head to the company website for more information.
 
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CURED & UNCURED MEATS

A word about nitrates and nitrates:

Cured meats (bacon, ham, hot dogs, sausage, etc.) contain the chemical preservatives sodium nitrate and/or sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrate is added to preserve and enhance a meat’s flavors and shelf life (it protects against the growth of bacteria).

When nitrates break down through cooking, digestion, or other means, they form nitrites, which are potential carcinogens.

Manufacturers and the USDA claim that the level of nitrates/nitrites is too low to cause problems. But there is enough of a controversy that it makes some people wary of ingesting nitrates and nitrates. They’ve given up hot dogs and other cured meats.

Some brands have created products that are free of nitrates and nitrates. We’re fans of Berkshire ham, for example.

Rovagnati has you covered in the salume department, with Genoa salami, prosciutto, and soppressata that are hormone-free.
 
 
SALUME, SALUMI, & SALAMI: THE DIFFERENCE

Salume refers to artisan craft meats. It’s a broad category similar to the French term, charcuterie.

Salumi refers specifically to cured or preserved pork products.

Salami, the word most familiar to Americans, is a cured meat product that is made up of ground pork and shaped in a casing.

There are many different types of salami, but they all start out the same way:

The meat is minced, seasoned to the salumiere’s (the salami maker’s) style, and packed into a casing. It is then cured over time to develop and mature its flavors.

Salami is produced with different flavor profiles, depending on the seasonings that are mixed in before curing. There are numerous regional varieties. Just a few:

[1] One package makes a nice board for four, and two packages serve eight people (photos #1 through #4 © Rovagnati S.p.A).

[2] Ready for guests!

[3] A light lunch.

[4] Salumi with Gorgonzola cheese and a drizzle of honey. Gorgonzola is also a product of the greater Milan area.

[5] We can pile an entire package onto a crusty hero roll (photo © St. Pierre USA | Facebook).

*Prosciutto is the Italian word for ham. Prosciutto crudo is cured, normally in salt for a few weeks. The salt draws out blood and moisture, which prevents bacteria from entering the meat. It is then air-dried and aged. Cotto means cooked. Prosciutto cotto is a ham that has been brined and steamed.