Julie and Julia

Hmmph...leaving the movie theatre after seeing Julie and Julia, I felt a large wave of inspiration to cook everything in sight. A little guilt too for abandoning my blog for so long. So I am officially back! Even if it's not entirely about cheese, and there are a few restaurant and recipe reviews snuck in there, I will be sure to give all news, food news. Check back soon!

A Divine Pairing

Planes, trains and automobiles were all methods of transportation in my recent trip to Brooklyn’s Bedford Cheese Shop. Well, exclude the plane and add in a very strange and smelly white van. While there I picked up a few cheeses I had never had before, Tomme Crayeuse, Tomme du Berger and Garrotxa. Not being crazy about French wines and almost being certifiable over Spanish wines I decided to attempt a divine pairing with the Garrrotxa from northern Spain’s, Catalonia. This cheese is made with goats milk and has a milky and delicate flavor. There are very vague hints of rosemary, nuts, grass and straw. An aged rind protects this newer cheese and makes it an absolute delight. I paired this cheese with Red Guitar Old Vine Tempranillo Garnacha. Its raspberry and blackberry notes have a long, smooth and soft finish that does not overpower the Garrotxa. I had to hide the bottle in order not to drink it all and thankfully there aren’t too many hiding places in my small one bedroom apartment. Salute!

I Want to North Fork on the Table

It’s always nice to get away from reality for the night, especially when dozens of vineyards and a quaint and charming cheese shop are involved. This weekend we went to the North Fork of Long Island to have a private tour of Lenz Winery and see how their production of wine has been progressing. First we needed to fill our bellies before we started the day of drinking and stopped off at The Village Cheese Shop in Mattituck. Appropriately, this cheese shop/ café is located on Love Lane. And it was true love when I first walked in and saw the large selection of cheeses they had and found out they were serving wine in the café. Their featured cheese was Hooligan which I’ve had before and remembered loving. Hooligan is a raw cow’s cheese that is aged in underground caves for over sixty days. It is left with a semisoft pate, and has an easy start with a very long finish. We then sat down for smoked salmon, charcutterie, fondue and a glass of their local white wine.

I surveyed the selection of cheeses in order to know what I wanted to pick up on our way out of town the following morning. The Stinky Bishop, which I have read is one cheese to use to impress your friends, was there. By the next morning they were sold out of it. That didn’t stop me from buying some other cheeses. I picked up Lamb Chopper, Langres and the Drunk Monk.
Lamb Chopper is made from sheep’s milk. Adverstised as coming from Cypress Grove in California, this cheese is actually made in the Netherlands and imported to Cypress Grove. It’s mild, custardy and buttery flavor lingers in your mouth for the perfect amount of time, giving off an almost sweet taste. This cheese is recommended as using for cooking. I’ll keep it on the table, thank you. Langres is a French cow’s milk that is produced in the Champagne- Ardenne region. It manages to be a soft and creamy but still have a crumbly texture to it. The yellowish rind is made with penicillium candidum. I don’t know what the hell that is, but sounds as bad as the ingredients listed on a can old diet coke. Good thing I can easily ignore this when I am schmearing it on a flax seed and honey flatbread. Yum!
The third cheese is the Drunk Monk hailing from Connecticut. Always falling for those witty names of cheeses and pretty wine labels, I decided to try it. I found out later that Drunk Monk was Hooligan after it’s been given a rub down in brown ale from the Willmantic CT Brewing Co. No wonder it tastes so good. I know some people who need this treatment. The cheese is very pungent with a hint of peanut butter.

A fun and relaxing time had by all, we are planning another trip for the fall.

Restaurant Review II- Blue Hill at Stone Barns

There are few experiences one has in their life, which can spiritually, physically and emotionally shape them. For me, they are usually centered on food. Sunday brunch at Blue Hill at Stone Barns was one of these experiences. Chef Dan Barber uses local ingredients to create gastronomical and artistic wonders. Everything from the homemade butter to the environmentally friendly cardboard straw has been carefully and flawlessly thought out. For two and a half hours we tasted seasonal food that could not be forgotten.
The menu is very unusual, where you see all of the ingredients Chef Barber may use in your meal. The participants at the table let the waiter know if there are any allergies or dislikes, such as liver or brain (which we excluded) from our repertoire. Let the eating begin!

Unsure if this was our first course, the waiters casually brought over four amuse bouche. First was homemade white bread, made on the premises, still warm and exactly what I was craving after three painful weeks on a no-carb diet. Next, were beet chips. Paper thin, the chips practically melted on your tongue after giving it a lightly salted jolt. Keeping with the winter root vegetable, beets, were mini beet burgers. Between two moist corn bread-like disks was a compote of beet and raspberry. A micro-green playing as the lettuce, I wish there were twenty more to shoot down. Venison sausage (my dads favorite) and sunchoke soup were part of this pre-first course.

Next a young lady came to our table presenting five brown eggs in a hand blown glass hollowed bowl stuffed with the makings of a nest. She gave us a shpeal about how many eggs the farm produces in the winter months. Ten minutes later we were presented with what had me up thinking about for days later. The soft-boiled egg is lightly deep-fried in an almond panko crisp breading and presented with a green house salad with pistachios and a schmear of herb dressing. Days later I was lying in bed when Barbers method still had me stumped, “After being boiled, peeled and fried, the yolk was still perfectly runny. How the hell did he do it?”

Second course was poached halibut in a spinach broth with baby shrimp and clams. The waiter caught us starting the meal with a fork when he rushed over and recommended using the spoon in order to get the broth evenly distributed over the piece of fish. He knew what he was talking about. The fish absorbed the broth, changing the color and flavor. Absolutely delish.

Thirdly was roasted venison and venison sausage with carrots. We understood it as though the venison came from a nearby deer farm. Not knowing that was either legal or available in Westchester we were open to this new experience and embraced it to the last bite and lick of the plate. The carrots had the right amount of sweetness and al dente, also grown on the farm.

The cheese lovers that we all are, we decided to insert the cheese plate into our menu. A little disappointed with the options that they had, we definitely felt we could put together a much better cheese plate. They had us comparing and contrasting two blues and two cheddars. I was hoping for a little more originality, especially since the previous three courses. I think we all felt a little upsold. None of that stopped us from finishing all of the cheese in our preparation for dessert.

Two different desserts were divided between the five of us. I got an apple strudel pancake with vanilla maple goose egg ice cream. Not usually being one for desserts, I couldn't get enough of the ice cream off of the plate. I was looking for more bread to soak it up with. A great end to a fantastic meal. One that I will never forget.

Blue Hill at Stone Barns

630 Bedford Road

Pocantico Hills, NY

914.366.9600

http://www.bluehillatstonebarns.com/

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Restaurant Review 1- Morgans Fish House

When my favorite cheese, Pecorino Tartufo makes a cameo on a dish in a restaurant, I automatically hold a special place in my cheesy heart for this restaurant and have to tell everyone I know about it. Last Friday I had lunch at Morgans Fish House in Rye, New York. The place was completely desolate, making us question the food we were about to eat. Trusting the recommendations we’ve been given on this restaurant, we soon relaxed with a nice cold glass of Prosecco. I started off with a terrine of tuna tartare served with avocado salad and cucumber. The tuna tasted very fresh but it was a little too cold, as if it was left over from the night before. The presentation was absolutely exquisite. I also let the waiter choose half a dozen oysters for me to try. Again, the freshness couldn’t be compared. For my entrée, I had the baby arugula salad with pecorino tartufo (Hallelujah!), crispy pancetta, golden apples and toasted pecans. The light vinaigrette they tossed the salad in did not overpower any of its superb components. Morgans on a Friday night seems like a great place to come with a large group of people. It’s bright, loud and fun. Note: My birthday is coming up soon!

Morgans Fish House
22 Elm Place
Rye, NY 10580
914.921.8190

http://www.morganfishhouse.net/

Organic and Biodynamic Wines

This past Monday, my friend Sarah and I attended an organic and biodynamic wine tasting at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea. Having no idea what biodynamic wines were, we looked at it as an afternoon of catching up, boozing for free and maybe learning a couple of things or two. Owning a liquor store, she gets invited to these events all the time and as her favorite wino friend who doesn’t have a day job, I get invited. I tease her that after seventeen years of friendship, it is all starting to pay off. Of course that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Our first two assumptions about organic wines were that they do not cellar, meaning you can’t keep it in your basement for twenty years and open it and have an extremely better wine then you had twenty years prior, like a Brunello. FALSE. Second, that on the average they cost much more then other wines because of the labor intensity that is involved in their creation. FALSE. The majority of the wines we tasted were in the $12-$25 range. Very reasonable. We also learned that biodynamic farming means treating the farm and all of its living organisms as one entity. It works on a self-nourishing system so whatever you are taking out of the ground is then put back into it. Biodynamic farming also has to do with the moon patterns. Picking and cultivating is only done at certain times depending on the position of the moon.

Three of my favorites were Podere Concori’s 2006 Toscana. The vines are grown on land of pebbles, boulders and standstone, giving it a very interesting and smooth finish. It is why I like Italian wines so much. This vineyard also had a white Melograno which was a fresh palate cleansing wine. Full of acidity, it could easily be drank as an aperitif in the summer months. They work very hard to make these wines organic and biodynamic.

Second was an Austrian wine named Meinklang. Angela and Werner Michlits (who are my age) run this family wine estate. They age the wine in ceramic barrels in their basement and you can definitely taste the love and passion that they put into it. All of their wines were delish but in particular was this sparkling Pinot Noir. It had no label and was in a bottle like the one my mom makes her lethal limoncello in. Just when you thought the bubbles were coming, they would cut off. We stayed at this table for awhile. Meinklang is an organic and biodynamic winery.

Lastly, was a higher end wine from Rutherford, Napa Valley called Frogs Leap. Their 2006 Merlot was full of everything: currants, cherry, tobacco, herbs and plum. They use all of the fruits from around their vineyard. They have been practicing organic, sustainable and dry farming since 1988 which makes it well worth the big bucks.
What would be wine without cheese? France’s Comte (con-TAY) made a special appearance along with cheese from the nearby Hawthorne Valley Farm in Ghent, NY. Both cheeses were very tasty, firm, strong and organic. They were a nice change from the dozens of wines we were refusing to spit.

Before the wine tasting we grabbed a bite to eat at a small trattoria, le Zie where we indulged in a little charcutterie. Here is a photo of the cutting board. The small yellow and white squares were grilled polenta. The sopresetta and prosciutto were where it was at. Another wonderful day of fancy food and drink.

My Future tis of Cheese, Sweet Land of Liberty

So it’s 2009 and we have an extremely handsome, intelligent, cool and charismatic man as our President and some really handsome and cool cheeses to go along with it. A couple of Sundays ago was themed Cheeses of the USA. Purchasing all of them at Whole Foods, each one had extremely interesting and unique characteristics.

First (left to right in photo) was Nancy’s Camembert from Old Chatham, New York. This buttery, soft and moist cheese is everything you wouldn’t expect from a New Yorker. A mix of cow and sheep milk, the bloomy rind has a barnyardy and lingering tanginess that reminds you of why you like cheese so much. This cheese is a great excuse for city dwellers to take a break and travel upstate for the weekend to meet Benoit Maillol and Brian Booth, the cheesemakers of this tasty one. Pair this cheese with a Sauvignon Blanc and you have yourself a pawty (pronounced with NY accent).
http://www.blacksheepcheese.com/
The second cheese was one in its own. Truffle Tremor will make you tremble. Produced in Humboldt County, California, this pasteurized goat cheese appears to be the mixing of two cheeses together. Mary Keehen is responsible for this velvety, creamy and runny cheese. Filled with specks of truffles, this cheese is one of the newer cheeses of Cypress Grove Creamery. With all due respect, I still favor the Pecorino Tartufo in regards to truffle cheeses. This cheese should be paired with a buttery California Chardonnay.
http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/
Third was Haystack Mountain’s Red Cloud. This raw goat’s milk cheese is washed in brine which gives it a stinky aroma. Surprisingly, it has a very clean and balanced flavor that can be enjoyed with a Riesling or Gewürztraminer. It seems that all of their cheeses are given names related to nature. It’s is like a haiku in your mouth. http://www.haystackgoatcheese.com/
Lastly was my definite favorite of the four. Constant Bliss (which it surely was) is a small white mountain of bloomy raw cheese made from the lovely cows in Greensboro, Vermont. It was assertive, fluffy, moist, springy and clean. It simply, made me happy. The story behind the name of the cheese is told as, “We named Constant Bliss after a revolutionary war scout killed in Greensboro by native Americans in 1781. He was guarding the Bayley Hazen Military Road with his compatriot Moses Sleeper, who died with him.” They continued with this tradition and named another one of their cheeses Bayley Hazen. I must hunt this one down. War has never tasted so good.
http://www.jasperhillfarm.com/
Tasting cheeses that have something in common whether its animal, country, cheese type or raw versus pasteurized allows one to have a better understanding of what you are tasting and gives you something to compare it to. For me, I like themes because I think you can be much more concentrated and can learn a lot more from it. So, what will be my next theme???

Up on Cripple Sprout Creek Farm

The Jersey and Guernsey cows have done me well at Sprout Creek Farm in Poughkeepsie, New York. They seem to do just about everything there from their wonderful creamery to their camp for children on local and sustainable farming. These grass-fed cows produce really tasty and very different cheeses.

Waking up early on a Sunday morning (something I almost never do) I was proudly the first at the door of the White Plains County Center indoor farmer’s market. I shoot right over to the Sprout Creek table where the woman is feeling chatty and extremely generous with her slices of cheese. Ignoring the Colgate fresh mint toothpaste that is still lingering in my mouth I try one of each of the seven cheeses she has…..and then repeat a few. I end up buying Barat which is a raw, hard cow’s milk cheese that is full of nut flavors. The white, cratered and flakey rind is aged and protects the cheese so that it can last for awhile. On the drier side, Barat would be good to shave over pasta or even better, polenta.

The second cheese was Batch 35. It was named due to the 35 tries it took for the cheese to get where the Cheese Makers thought it was closest to perfection. Aged for 60 days, this cow’s milk coppery colored cheese has an earthy and pungent taste. Balanced and still complex, the smoothness and softness makes it easy to eat this cheese anywhere and at anytime.
Raw cheeses seem to be the way to go. Buying locally, it is much easier to get cheeses that have not had added hormones or preservatives. No matter how inexperienced ones palate is, the freshness and authenticity of the cheese is obvious in unpasteurized cheeses. During the summer, Sprout Creek Farm gives classes on making cheese. I think it would be a really important learning experience for me and one that I am excited to partake in.

The next farmer’s market is March 15th. You can also visit the creamery market Wednesday thru Sunday.

http://www.sproutcreekfarm.org/

Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary is a symbol of loyalty, friendship and fidelity. It is also my favorite herb, one that reminds me of the Mediterranean. I love rosemary on just about anything from steak to fish to chicken and especially, cheese! So it is no surprise that I have found true love with this cheese, known as, Cabra al Romero. A firm goat milk cheese, Cabra al Romero is smothered in rosemary giving the paste a well balanced herbaceous flavor with a lemon finish. The texture is smooth, soft and almost clay like, making it really hard to have just one small piece. It is reminiscent of the Murica al Vino and with good reason. Cabra al Romero is made in La Mancha, Spain by Lorenzo, the same maker of the Murica al Vino. This relatively new cheese should be enjoyed with a lighter red wine, such as a Pinot Noir. I have definitely found a new friend that I plan on staying true and loyal to.

Gettin’ Edubacated

Monday night I went to a class, Cheese 101- Pairing Wine and Cheese at Artisanal Premium Cheese Center in Manhattan. Taught by the cheese man himself, Max McCalman gave us new ways to pair cheese with wine. When we got there, there was a spread of artisanal cheeses, fondue and Cava. We spent the first half hour drinking and eating while the staff prepared the classroom. When we finally entered the classroom a place setting was set up for each of us containing three different wines and seven different cheeses.

The three wines (left to right) were a 2007 Trimbach Alsace Riesling from France, a 2005 Menguante Carinena Garnacha from Spain and a French Merlot/ Cabernet 2006 Bordeaux Chateau Peychaud Cotes de Bourg (say that ten times fast, or even once). The pairing method was that first we tasted all of the wines. Then, we started with the cheese at 6 o’clock (moving clockwise) tasted it alone first and then with each wine, then moved on to the next cheese tasted it alone and then with each wine and so on and so on. The idea was to see which pair was harmonious and which were flops. Here are the cheeses that we ate in order:

1.) Queso de Aracena- This Spanish goat milk is raw with clay like texture. When you first bring it to your nose, the smell is much different then the initial taste or finish. I enjoyed it most with the Bordeaux. I think it will be hard to find this cheese since it is rarely exported.
2.) Queijo Serra da Estrela- It’s a little ironic that the Spanish word for, “I want” (Quiero) is very close to the name of this cheese because after one small bite I wanted more and more and more. Extremely oily, this cheese has a custardy texture and with a soft finish. For once I didn’t need any wine. The cheese stands alone!
3.) Robiola Rocchetta- Oh how I wish I were living in Piedmont, Italy so I could eat Robiola straight from the vat or hide in the caves and spoon it out while nobody is looking. This bloomy mixed milk cheese is absolutely exquisite. By the end I was licking it straight off the knife. I didn’t care who was looking.
4.) Tomme de Savoie- One of France’s oldest and most known cow milk cheese is the Tomme de Savoie. Made in the French Alps, the nutty flavor melts in your mouth and lingers for what you would wish would be eternity. This cheese needs a wine that can keep to its grandness which I didn’t think was provided at this particular tasting.
5.) Idiazabal- If I could swap my boyfriends cologne for the smell of the Idiazabal, I would. Extremely smoky, this cheese is lightly smoked over beechwood or cherry for 10 days. Because it is made from sheep’s milk and has a grainy texture, you are getting more nutrients and protein from this cheese. Hallelujah! Screw you protein shake!
6.) Prattigauer Beermat- This cheese from Switzerland (not Swiss cheese) comes in a range of colors with a very nutty flavor. The woman sitting next to me had a piece that was a beautiful orange, while mine was more yellow or cream colored. The Bordeaux was big enough for the cheese and maybe my favorite it terms of pairing.
7.) Fourme d’Ambert- This French blue cheese has a much more intense smell then taste. When I first gave it a whiff, my nose hairs screamed, but when tasting it, its earthy and smooth paste definitely reminded me of why my motto is “the bluer the better.” There were no wines that harmonized with this cheese. It needed a Sauterne or Moscato.

All in all, the class was a lot of fun and I learned many new things about tasting cheese and pairing cheese with wine. I will definitely go back for some more classes with Max. I also bought two of his books that he personalized and signed for me. I am now indefinitely entering the world of cheese.

Tapas Tapas Ta-Pas

The long awaited tapas party has come and gone. A sure success, we filled a small house with small plates of delicious traditional Spanish plates along with not so small wheels of traditional Spanish cheeses. After weeks of preparation and research, two cheese plates were made with some of the oldest and well-known cheeses of Spain.

First, was from the Manchega sheep, known as, Villajos Manchego. Hailing from La Mancha, Spain this firm cheese definitely has the gamey and grassy taste that sheep milk tends to lend us, but its sharpness is not at all overpowering. Alone, you can keep it, but paired with the infamous, Membrillo, a sticky quince paste and a Martinez Lacuesta Rioja turns out to be a Spanish pairing orgasm or as the Spaniards like to call it orgasmo.

Next, was a cheese that had one of the most wearable packaging I’ve seen yet. Torta de la Serena comes wrapped in a cotton cloth, that after a couple sips of Cava we were wearing around our heads. This unpasteurized semisoft sheep’s milk cheese comes from the Merino sheep in the region of La Serena. Eaten with a piece of chorizo and a sip of the wonderful Pado Florentino Tempranillo, you will be hollering, “Vive al queso!”

Taramundi Asturin is a cheese that was easy to forget. This mixed milk of cow and goat has a buttery texture and is ideal for melting or sauces. Fondue anyone??? It should be paired with a crisp white wine.

If I had to use one word to describe the Queso Cabrales it would be STRONG! Made from cow, sheep and goat milk, this ménagetuois of a cheese, lingers in every part of your mouth. The sweetness and acidity of a Moscatel and the fierceness of the Cabrales creates a smoothness of that of the tango.

Here are cheese and olive skewers I made. The olives are stuffed with lemon, hence the halved lemons used to hold them. Goya makes these and you can buy them at any grocery store in the Spanish aisle. They also make olives stuffed with anchovies. They are unbelievable. The cheese is a Spanish Murcia al Vino. I’ve talked about this cheese in previous blogs. Its soft and smooth texture complements the mild and sweet paste.

Due to the sweat, tears and hundreds of phone calls between my mother and I, I am forced to mention the other wonderful tapas that we created for this party.

Deviled eggs, which is where the sweat and tears came from. A lot of work, but well worth it. They not only look really good, but taste even better.

Like any good Spanish family, we had Jamón and plenty of it. For a long time I was truly scared of it. I’m not sure what I thought was going to happen, but I did have a few nightmares where it came alive. Now that has passed and I have embraced the Jamón as if it was one of my own.

All of the cheeses were purchased at http://www.latienda.com/ , an online market that sells specialty Spanish cheeses and other Spanish gourmet items. It is a great resource to learn about cheese and one that I visit quite often.

The Menu

Squid with Caramelized Onion
Traditional Catalan Flatbread
Baked Clams with Chorizo
Artichokes with Jamón
Deviled Eggs with Capers
Onion Confit Tartlets
Empanadas
Potato and Onion Tortilla
Meatballs in a Saffron Sauce
Shrimp in a Green Mayonnaise
Shrimp with Garlic
Cumin Carrot Salad
Pimento Cauliflower Salad
Chicken Thighs with Honey Sauce

Wine and Cheese Garden aka "The Macon”

Some of my friends might complain that I try to “teach” them things too often. But when it comes to “teaching” them about wine and cheese pairings they are most eager to learn. Visiting my dear friend Stephanie, I decided to bring a cheese plate with appropriate pairings. My friend Macon would also be there who had given me a brilliant idea a few weeks prior. Create a “Wine and Cheese Garden.”

The history behind it is that the three of us went to college together and used to love to go the Gilded Otter in New Paltz, NY to get the “Beer Garden.” We would sit there, each ordering a beer garden (or 2) and each drinking it in a different way. Stephanie, finishing an entire taste of one type of beer before going on to the next and Macon taking a small sip out of each and going around the circle as many times possible. What we all did the same was stumble out, full of giggles. Whenever we go back to visit, we always make a stop at the Gilded Otter for their “Beer Garden.” So now it was time to make a “WaCG.”

I wanted to travel the world with this garden and introduce them to wine and cheese they had never experienced before. We started off (left to right in photo) with a fresh Mozzarella from Casa Della Mozzarella in the Bronx. They are world renowned for their mozzarella and it is obvious why. Wet, clean, fresh and light, this mozzarella is what all mozzarellas should be like. I paired it with a clean fresh Prosecco, which turned out to be the groups least favorite pairing. After one bite of the mozzarella they became very bias towards the wine. Me, I liked it.

Next was the Bocconcino di Pura Capra (bocconcino means “little mouth” in Italian). From Piedmont, this small white disc, made from goats milk has a bloomy rind, with a buttery and melting pate. This was one was a big hit especially when tried with the 2004 Langhe Arneis white wine (also from Piedmont) that it was paired with.

Third was an aged Mahon from Spain. At this point people started really getting the hang of this and were giving a lot of feedback. Jonas stated, “My palate has been touched!” which sent the crowd rolling. A tad bit crumbly, dry and grainy, the Mahon left notes of sharp butterscotch. This cheese we had with a Campo Viejo Tempranillo. Absolutely mouth-watering! I am considering writing to Willy Wonka and telling him to get a Tempranillo river and to screw the chocolate one.

Last, but certainly not least in any way was the Roquefort. Covered in blue mold, this aged cheese was extremely creamy and potent. The strength of the cheese alarmed Dave, which put him off of it immediately. Definitely not the groups favorite cheese, however it did show a clear progression of milk types. This was paired with a sweet French Sauterne which balanced out the strength of the cheese.

This was a really great way to educate myself and my friends about cheeses. A fantastic time was had by all and we are planning the next one for the near future.

Eat Your Fruit!

With all the wine and cheese I consume it is important to make sure I get my fruit intake.

For anyone who enjoys cheese and wine then I have found the olive for you! Castelvetrano olives are an Italian olive from Sicily. Their beautiful bright green skin gives a fresh look, while their darker green flesh is meaty, soft with the perfect amount of saltiness. My favorite place to buy them is at Teitel Brothers on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. They scoop and scoop and scoop into a plastic bag until you say, “Stop!” My co-workers and I then rip the bag open, while everyone fights to get their hands on the “last olive” while moaning about how good they are (as if it’s the first time they’ve had them). The price is never too expensive and the olives are consistently luscious.

Gewürztraminer. (Or are you just happy to see me?)

So it seems that in the cheese world, Gewürztraminer is a popular pairing wine. Never having had it, I decided it was time to change that and so I went to Westchester Wine Warehouse and picked up a bottle of the Duckwalk’s Aphrodite Late Harvest Gewürztraminer. Typically from Germany, this Gewürztraminer is from none other than Long Island, NY. Keeping it local and getting to try this wine makes me very happy.

After work, I went home opened the bottle and put on Top Chef. As soon as I opened the bottle, the strong smell of honeysuckle created intense nostalgia of being a children and putting the small flower under our chins to see whether one liked butter or not. Sweet but not too sweet, this wine should be drank with dessert or cheeses (or in my case alone).

* The bottle is also very beautiful. When I am finished I am looking forward to making it a one bud vase.
** Suggestive cheeses to pair with this wine are: Munster Gerome, Great Hill Blue, Jasper Hill Winnimere, Appenzeller and Vacherin Mont d’Or.

"The Munsters"

I can't deny that whenever I find myself at the deli counter at the nearest Stop and Shop I always choose Munster to go with my Turkey and whole wheat sandwiches. The yellow painted border surrounding the perfect square of shiny white reminds me of my favorite Power Point template. When the woman behind the cheese counter recommended this new Munster Géromé I had to take her professional (and always wonderful) recommendation.

Munster Géromé (zay-ROW-May) is one of France's oldest cheeses. It also smells like one of France's oldest cheeses. The yellow rind on this cheese is not sprayed on, like the one made by Boars Head, but washed with brine, creating a very sticky surface. It has a meaty and robust flavor with a slight lemon tang. Made from the Alsace and Vosgiennes cows milk, Munster Géromé has a high protein content. I wish I knew that when I was six years old and would have substitute it for the large glass of milk my parents made me drink with dinner.

In reading about this cheese, it is said that it should be enjoyed with cumin seeds and a sweeter more floral white wine. I found myself drinking this with a 2005 William Randell Shiraz. I should have probably stuck with a Riesling or Gewürztraminer, but this was definitely one wine that should be drank before dying. The wine, cheese and company were so pleasant, the small mistake in the pairing didn't cause the slightest problem.

So, after this cheese tasting, I conclude that the Munster in the supermarket still has its place on my turkey sandwiches, but the Munster Géromé is a cheese not to be reckoned with.

Local, Check. Artisanal, Check. Delish, Check.

It feels great to support anything local. This Sundays cheese plate consisted of two cheeses from right here on the east coast.

The first was Hooligan from Colchester, Connecticut. This wash-rind cow cheese is bathed twice a week in brine giving it a pungent aroma and a bright orange rind. It's a little stinky but absolutely delicious. The cheese is also free of hormones, antibiotics and the cows are allowed to graze freely with a rich diet of fresh grass. Lucky cows. Is there an extra room at the Cato Corner Farms?

The next was one of the best Chevre's I had in a long time. Coming from the Seal Cove Farm in Lamoine, Maine this fluffy, creamy cheese was good enough to be eaten off a finger (or two). Rolled in dill and garlic and schmeared on a mini rosemary and fig flatbread, you have yourself a wonderful end to the week. This short tour of some great cheeses inspires me to take a cheese trail in the Connecticut/ Vermont area as soon as the weather gets better. Can anyone reccomend a farm in that area?

Opa!

For me, cheese is always memorable and when it comes to the Saganaki at Niko's Greek Taverna in White Plains, the experience is truly unforgettable. The Greek cheese known as Kasseri is sliced thin, layered and boiled to near perfection. When scorching hot, brandy is poured on top and lit on fire. On a good day, "Opa!" is hollered and cheered throughout this quaint and charming family-owned taverna.

The Saganaki is then distinguished with a lemon and ready to be enjoyed (or in my case devoured). This salty and aromatic pile of goodness must be eaten right away to maintain its soft texture. For only $9, you get a hot meal of CHEESE, warm grilled pita bread and marinated black olives. Thank God for the Greeks.

I like to drink a Moschofilero, Boutari with Saganaki. It is very well-balanced and has melon and citrus undertones. A wonderful every day white wine and a great buy.


Niko' Greek Taverna
287 Central Avenue
White Plains, NY
http://www.nikostaverna.com/

Buzzed On Cheese

There's nothing better than when cheese and spirits meet and become one. Today for lunch I am enjoying a cheese that has a washed rind, meaning, during its aging period, it is washed with brine (salt water), beer, wine or spirits. This cheese is named Chimay, after the beer that it is washed with. Chimay, Belgium and its monasteries are known to be the origin of most washed rinds and where Chimay cheese and beer are made (gotta love those monks). Their motto is "A beer brewed with knowledge is tasted with wisdom." I'm sure the same applies to the cheese. The stinkiness of this cheese is matched by an intense full-flavor and pungent aroma. Crack open bottle of Chimay and let the wisdom seep in. It's a whole lot better than going to church.

Pretty Pretty Cheese Plate, Please!

At one time I only used to scout out restaurants that had french onion soup (for the Gruyere) or Cobb salads (for the Gorgonzola). Now I search high and low for restaurants with cheese plates. More and more are adding them to their menu for either a first course or dessert. Wherever they are or for any course, I order. Last night I went to Peniche in White Plains, knowing that they have a cheese plate and again researching for this tapas party. Oh, and it was my boyfriends' birthday. We decided to try three of the cheeses. We started with the Roncal which was a little nutty with a semifirm texture. Extremely similar to a Pecorino Toscano, it was nothing to go crazy for. Pass the Porron. Next was the Los Beyos cheese from Spain. To the eye it seemed dry, crumbly and chalky, but after trying it, this cows milk cheese is tangy and becomes more and more creamy as it almost dissolves in your mouth. Pass the Porron. Lastly was the Afuega'l Pitu. When it came out on plate I thought to myself, "I thought I left the Velveeta at college!" I couldn't have been any more mistaken. Made from Frisian cows, this semisoft, bright orange cheese is given a good rub down with paprika, leaving a "Zing!" in the back of your throat. It should be drank with a bold red, which is never too far away from me and a pass of the Porron. Good thing we don't live too far.

The Porron

Peniche Tapas Restaurant
175 Main Street
White Plains NY




www.penichetapas.com

It's Gorgonzola. It's Cabrales. No...It's Queso Clara.

Some people bring a nice apple pie or a sweet chocolate cake when invited to someones house for dinner. I, bring cheese. On my way to my parents house last night for a nice dinner, I stopped by Whole Foods to "see" what new cheeses they had. In preparation for a future tapas party, I have been obsessed with Spanish cheeses, trying as many as possible to see which are mucho delicioso. I bought a small piece of Queso Clara from Leon, Spain. Coming from the same type of goat (Murciana goats) as Murcia al Vino a.k.a. The Drunken Goat, I was surprised at the difference between the two and how similar it was to a Cabrales or Gorgonzola. Being someone who used to say I wished I could bathe in blue cheese dressing, I was a little disappointed in the Queso Clara. The '98 Tempranillo Riserva was a nice complement to the tangy and saltiness of the cheese, but could have been drank alone or with just about anything.

The Last Cheese

On my way to see Cirque du Soleil, I stopped off at Artisanal Fromagerie-Bistro-Wine Bar for a wonderful dinner. While looking at the menu and enjoying a smooth, rich glass of a Tempranillo Rioja we ordered the cheese plate. Starting off with the bloomy, buttery and fluffy Fougeros (pronounced FOO-zher-roo), the rest of the dinner had a hard time keeping up with the cheeses complexity and aromatic flavors. The restaurant sells all of the cheeses they have on their menu, so of course, I had to buy a piece to share with the people I love. The second time I had it, I enjoyed it with a glass of sparkling Cuvee. I think the Cuvee was a better choice with the Fougeros, complementing and not overpowering the richness of both. Keeping with tradition, a piece of fern is placed on every wheel of cheese. Yum!

FIGuring It Out

I recently enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Nessa in Port Chester, NY. It was the holiday season and the restaurant was one of the most festive (in a tasteful way) that I have seen. Nessa focuses on small plates, including bruschettas, tramzezzini and panini. We decided to do a little of everything. Our waiter recommended the fig with prosciutto and fresh ricotta. It was sooo yummy I wanted to share it with everyone. So Christmas Eve, I made my own rendition of it with Calabrian figs (which I caramalized) that I picked up at the Bedford Cheese Shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and fresh ricotta and prosciutto from Dante's Deli in White Plains. Definitely a crowd pleaser.