Cheeselog http://cheesetique.com/blog/ en jill@cheesetique.com Copyright 2010 2010-03-09T14:01:48+00:00 New Wine Event this Month http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/new_wine_event_this_month/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/new_wine_event_this_month/ March is “Misunderstood Wines” month. Check out the details of our class on the “Events” tab above.

]]> 2010-03-09T14:01:48+00:00 Am I blue… http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/am_i_blue/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/am_i_blue/ In our cheese classes, I often speak of the magic and wonderment of blue cheese. The blue mold, mixed into the milk or curd before pressing, proliferates throughout the cheese (often assisted by piercing the cheese with steel needles). However, what many people don’t realize is that the “blue” part of blue cheese is really not very blue until it is exposed to a flush of oxygen when it is cut. This morning, we were able to capture this phenomenon. The first photo is a piece of Maytag Blue after just being cut in half. Notice the veins are yellowy-green.

A mere 10 minutes later, the same piece of cheese has exploded in color. Its mold, once lying sort-of-dormant, is now a sea of blues and grays. Even more color will develop as more time passes.

 

Amazing what a breath of fresh air can do!

]]> 2010-02-25T21:27:30+00:00 Menu Changes at Cheesetique http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/menu_changes_at_cheesetique/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/menu_changes_at_cheesetique/ There are some new and exciting changes on the menu:

1. Back by SUPER-POPULAR demand: Truffle Mac ‘n Cheese! Rejoice!
2. The full menu is available ALL DAY on Saturdays. Order any item all day long (11am-10pm)!
3. We carefully paired each item with the perfect wine and listed it on the menu so ordering is simple (and delicious).

We hope you enjoy the additions!

]]> 2010-02-23T15:38:46+00:00 Sustainable Fun at PASA! http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/sustainable_fun_at_pasa/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/sustainable_fun_at_pasa/ On Thursday, February 4, I was lucky enough to attend a portion of the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture conference in State College, Pennsylvania. I was asked to attend so I could offer feedback to cheese makers about the quality, presentation, and price of their products. First, let me say that the cheese makers I had the pleasure of meeting were some of the most entrepreneurial, experimental, hard-working people I’ve ever come across. I was proud - and honored - to share a room with them. And to think - they were asking my opinion.

All in all, I and my co-judge Jenny Harris of Tria in Philadelphia, tasted about 30 cheeses. Arduous, huh? We tried new products from established and newbie cheese makers alike. Of all of the cheeses I tried, most would have a welcome spot on our shelves. In fact, you can watch for a number of them to be arriving soon. Of course, there were some cheeses that needed work. What amazed me was that these artists (and scientists) wanted honest feedback. They were incredibly eager to make their cheeses tastier, more attractive, and more approachable price-wise.

One of my favorite cheeses overall was from … read more »]]> 2010-02-12T21:04:51+00:00 Sunday Afternoon Musings (Pre-Class) http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/sunday_afternoon_musings_pre-class/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/sunday_afternoon_musings_pre-class/ Ah…. the sloth of a Sunday afternoon. Except Not. Today I prepared for a private cheese class for the Northwestern University Alumni Association. While researching Northwestern I learned that their mascot is a Wildcat named Willie. However, their original mascot was Furpaw, a bear cub. Obviously, someone realized that a bear cub was not in fact very ferocious and pushed for a new mascot to be adopted. Cause really - when you want to intimidate your opponent, the last thing you want to be is a bear cub, whose only tactics are to: A) snuggle; or B) sic my momma on you. So, go Wildcats! Certainly better than my school’s mascot (what the heck is a Maroon anyway?!?!?!)

After prepping for the cheese class, I attended my first ever preschool open house. I’ve waited in lines for Metallica tickets that were more touchy feely. I sure hope we get into this school because it’s the only place I want to send my daughter. And I can’t go to another open house. Please.

So, back to tonight’s cheese class. It’s always fun to prepare for one of these because even though the basic topic is one I have taught many times, the … read more »]]> 2010-01-31T21:15:55+00:00 Alexandria Restaurant Week and This Month’s Wine Event http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/alexandria_restaurant_week_and_this_months_wine_event/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/alexandria_restaurant_week_and_this_months_wine_event/ Join us for Alexandria Restaurant Week January 15-24, 2010. Cheesetique will offer Dinner for Two for $35. It includes a Dressed to the Tens cheese/meat board (you select your cheeses and meats), two glasses of wine (red or white), and a chocolate mousse to share. It’s a great way to try our wares and save a buck or two.

This month’s wine event is An Evening in Uruguay. Check out details on our Events page! Sign up quickly…

]]> 2010-01-15T14:43:15+00:00 New Year’s Eve Dinner at Cheesetique http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/new_years_eve_dinner_at_cheesetique/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/new_years_eve_dinner_at_cheesetique/ Want to keep things local? Don’t want to be on the road at midnight? Hoping for a truly special, intimate evening celebration? Have we got an idea for you! 

Cheesetique will be hosting a special New Year’s Eve dinner party this December 31st. We are featuring a special menu of decadent small-plate delights. In addition to our usual wine list, we will also have “guest star” selections available that evening only.

There are two seatings: 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Reservations are required. Please email to reserve your spots.

A few notes about New Year’s at Cheesetique:

  • Seating is available at our upscale bar or at tables. We will try our best to accommodate special requests, but seating is limited, so please be flexible.
  • We ask those of you in the 6:00 seating to please be sensitive to those diners who will be joining us at 8:00.
  • A credit card is required for all reservations. Unfulfilled reservations will incur a $50/person charge.

Again, check out the special menu here.

]]> 2009-12-15T21:12:33+00:00 And the Winners Are… http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/and_the_winners_are/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/and_the_winners_are/ It’s time for the winners! We received over 40 emails, each with a number of recommendations of places to hit while in New York. Naturally, we could not visit them all, but that didn’t stop us from trying! I had hoped to select three finalists and one winner, but I coudn’t narrow it down, so we have four finalists instead.

Finalists (each gets a $25 gift certificate to a great little cheese shop I know):
Finalist #1: B. Kyle, who ardently recommended Doughnut Plant. Good call!
Finalist #2: E. Grossman, who sent me to the best breakfast place ever, Norma’s.
Finalist #3: A. Massey, who pushed for Veritas, source of one of our excellent dinners.
Finalist #4: A. Kim, who promoted both Pickle Guys and Doughnut Plant for snack-time.

The Winner (this lucky person will receive a $25 gift certificate and dinner for two at the Cheese & Wine Bar):
A. Massey, step right up!!! Your recommended experience was our favorite of all. Veritas was a beautiful restaurant with a massive wine list and a warm, outgoing staff. Thank you for sending us there - we’re still talking about our dinner!

I want to send a … read more »]]> 2009-12-09T20:11:47+00:00 Keep on Rockin’: Installment 6 http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/keep_on_rockin_installment_6/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/keep_on_rockin_installment_6/ Our last day was spent back in Manhattan. We had seen so many places, but I still felt like my job was unfinished. We badly needed breakfast, so we walked (in the bitter cold, mind you) to Landmarc in the Time Warner building. Eggs Benedict were delicious. Fresh juices. Yummy coffee. Super-nice service. The perfect recover-from-last-night breakfast.

Then we walked some more.

We ended up at Obika Mozzarella Bar down the street (yes, I realize we had just eaten, but I couldn’t pass this up). The place is in the lobby of a big office building and feels a little oddly placed. They serve a few types of mozzarella. The name means something in a southern-Italian dialect, but if you didn’t know better, you would swear it was Asian. The outfits look Asian. The writng looks Asian. It was a really weird culture clash thing. Anyway, the mozz was tasty, but for a place that’s a self-professed mozzarella bar, I would have like to see more mozzarella.

I love me some French fries. So what better place to grab a snack than Pommes Frites in the East Village? Much … read more »]]> 2009-12-09T01:39:38+00:00 Keep on Rockin’: Installment 5 http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/keep_on_rockin_installment_5/ http://cheesetique.com/blog/entry/keep_on_rockin_installment_5/ Man, we visited so many places in Brooklyn, they had to stretch over two installaments.

After our visit at Mast Brothers Chocolate, we moved onto Marlow and Daughters butcher shop. This chock-full-o-tasty meat shop was just the right size. The front display cases had all sorts of beautifully displayed cuts. The back of the shop had a huge butchering table where the butchers were doing a heck of a lot of butchering. In particular, they were taking apart a new cow they had just received. The butcher with whom we spoke marveled at the dark, almost-purple flesh. He said the steaks were so earthy and attributed it to that darkness of flesh. I couldn’t help but gawk at the display, but that’s all before he invited us into his walk-in. OH MY LORD! Every shelf was covered with cuts of meat, many in various stages of dry aging. Additionally, there were entire half-pigs hanging from hooks (see photo).

The most amazing thing, however, is that with all this gooey meat lying around, you could have eaten dinner off of the floor, it was SO clean. Not a drop of blood or a piece … read more »]]> 2009-12-09T01:04:32+00:00