Michael L. Parks

It’s been awhile. I made the mistake of starting a blog at the end of summer. As a youth minister, this was a bad idea. I’ve been trying to start back again, actually beginning several posts but never finishing.

But I am determined to start back up again and keep it going. I have debated for quite some time as to what the focus of this blog should be: ministry, Christian Living, food. I decided to focus on the things I love, which is all three and then some.

Recently, I started getting into photography. My friends Chase and Jaime of Chase + Jaime Photography invited me to assist them at a few weddings. Eventually, they put a camera in my hands and let me go at it. Earlier this month I attended PartnerCon, a photography conference in New Orleans, where my knowledge increased dramatically. Then this last week I broke down and bought a Nikon d300. I have been bitten by the photography bug!

This week is Thanksgiving, of course, and I am responsible for taking appetizers to my family’s Thanksgiving feast. So today I did a little shopping (okay, more than a little). When I got home, I just had to take pictures of my finds.

I love cheese, if you can’t tell from the picture. I thought a nice cheese platter would be a wonderful start to a Thanksgiving meal.

I thought I would start with The Drunken Goat. I first found this cheese at Whole Foods Market in Tulsa. It is a Spanish cheese made from goat’s milk and immersed in red wine. The combination of flavors is magical.

Sticking with Spanish cheeses, I had to go with Manchego. The first place I tried this cheese was at Bolero in Bricktown, OKC. For this one, I will be drizzling it with a warm honey-butter sauce and serving it with crostini. If you have never tried Manchego, what are you waiting for? Go grab some right now!

Since my mom’s side of the family is Italian, I had to pick some Italian cheeses. When most people think Italian cheese, they often think of Parmesan. Unfortunately, most people think of the dry, boring powder served at pizza joints. Real Parmesan cheese is anything but boring. It has a slightly nutty taste, which adds umami to any dish. Parmesan is one of my favorite cheeses.

This Parmesan is soaked in Merlot. I have never tried this one, but if it’s anything like Drunken Goat, it will be incredible!

Next, I spotted an Asiago, another delicious Italian cheese. This one is spiced up with olive oil and basil!

I decided that there may be some at our family Thanksgiving who may be a little leery about trying these cheeses, so I also picked up a smoked cheddar. Who doesn’t like smoked cheddar? It is definitely one of my favorite cheeses. I prefer sharp cheddar, but I could not find one. However, I am confident this one will be quite delicious!

What goes well with delicious cheeses? Delicious cured meats! How about some pancetta, prosciutto, and salami?! The salami is made with Pinot Grigio. Why not?

Finally, I have Mascarpone cheese (an Italian cream cheese), olives & peppadew, and red & orange bell peppers. I’m not sure exactly what I am going to do with these, but I can’t wait to experiment!

I can’t wait to be with family and enjoy some amazing food! So what is everyone else preparing for Thanksgiving?