While every so often I might wish I lived in a large metropolitan area so as to benefit from all the culture, shopping and diversity available in such a place, most of the time I am perfectly happy in my comparatively small town bordering on orchards, rangeland, farms, vineyards and wilderness. With plenty of music venues, galleries and an award-winning regional theater (Oregon Shakespeare Festival) nearby, we’re certainly not in a cultural wasteland, and the agricultural bounty in this part of the country ensures that a fantastic range of delicious food can be found both at the market and at a number of restaurants in the area. While most of the wineries in this part of the state are much younger than those in the Willamette Valley which have been producing scrumptious Pinot Noir and other varietals for decades, they are already crafting some wonderful wines as well. After all, who says you need to be in the middle of a big city in order to produce something garnering international recognition? Two cases in point can be found literally next door to each other, less than three miles from my front door. I’ve written before about the Rogue Creamery, which has been producing handcrafted cheeses in Central Point since 1935. Known especially for its several varieties of blue cheeses, the creamery this year won “Best in Show” for its Rogue River Blue over 1,326 other entries at the 26th annual American Cheese Society competition in Austin, Texas. This was the cheese which in 2005 was named “World’s Best Blue” at the World Cheese Awards in London, the first American cheese to win that title. The creamery prides itself in being the first American exporter of raw milk cheeses to the EU and emphasizes sustainable practices. All I know is that they make delicious cheese that we and our friends enjoy whenever possible. Whole Foods markets carry Rogue Creamery cheeses, or you can order it online if you’d like to give it a try yourself. Rogue Creamery’s next-door neighbor is Lillie Belle Farms‘ store, where one can buy some of the most beautiful and delicious confections I’ve ever tasted. Chocolatier Jeff Shepherd was just named one of the top 10 North American Chocolatiers by Dessert Professional magazine, and he’ll be honored along with the other winners at the end of this month at the New York Chocolate Show. His local farm produces the berries which are featured in many of his truffles and bon bons, but his production isn’t limited to those mouth-watering morsels. Walk into the shop and you’ll see examples of his chocolate painting — 6-inch by 4-inch white chocolate canvases framed in dark chocolate and executed with cocoa butter paint.  The bright colors swirl and flow, and in this case they not only look but really are good enough to eat (and he’ll paint on commission, too!). His artistry extends to three-dimensional chocolate sculpture as well, and I’m not just talking Easter eggs and bunnies, either. Recently, Harry stopped in to pick up some truffles as a special treat for our daughters. (Did I mention that each  variety features a unique shape, garnish and/or hand-painted finish? I’d never be able to choose, so it’s best that he makes those decisions without me!) There’s always something to sample, and that day they were offering a try of the “Do Not Eat This Chocolate Bar.” Winner of the “Best Chocolate” category in the recent 2010 Zest Fest in Fort Worth, Texas, the name is not an idle warning or use of reverse psychology to draw chocoholics in. The ingredients include the so-called “ghost chili” from northern India (where its Sanskrit name, naga jolokia, means “king cobra” — deadly!), which has been identified as the world’s hottest chili. Now, Harry relishes hot and spicy food, and he felt up to the challenge of trying a small sliver of the chocolate. Popping the rice-grain-sized morsel in his mouth, he enjoyed the flavor of the rich, dark chocolate, followed by a rapidly increasing rise in heat. Peaking in intensity after about a minute but lasting for at least ten, the burn was powerful, and Harry couldn’t imagine the damage that could have been done if he’d taken a portion any larger than the tiny bit he had. Okay, that’s an experience I guess I’ll pass up, but I could wholeheartedly endorse anything else Lillie Belle produces (and you can order from them online, too). Yes, when I look around me and see just how much my little corner of the world has to offer, I realize I wouldn’t ever want to change it for the bright lights of the big city. — Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader