Mid-Week Laugh...

Thought I would share this with you guys, enjoy!

Girl meets cheese, a love story...

The cheese that turned me, think vampire but tyrophile, was Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove. I randomly walked into a cheese shop, not expecting anything, and got walloped with a huge surprise. It was much like Nightmare Before Christmas, when Jack Skellington discovered the holiday trees in the forest, only my uncovering was much more complicated and notably aromatic. What a site, I never knew that there was such a thing as a cheese boutique!



With so many colorful options surrounding me, my eyes were darting back and forth like a music conductor’s baton. I stood in the shop and tried to look for something familiar or see if anything called to me, after a few minutes I saw the one. I made an instant beeline and was completely enamored by its frosty white brilliance. It glistened against a matte chalky rind, encompassing an ancient beauty. What stood out the most was a mysterious black ash line that ran across the inner body, like a crack on a perfect Greek statue. I introduce to you, Humboldt Fog. 

The cheese monger was friendly and after discussing a few details about the cheese and where it came from, he was ready to have me sample it. I watched as it crumbled into my hand like snow flurries and remember closing my eyes when I tasted it, I couldn’t even help it. It was chalky, yet creamy, biting but sweet. I never thought of a cheese as “tart” before but this one was; to the point that I had a tightening in my jaw. What a cheese. 


That day drove me to research more about cheese and has made me appreciate the art form that it is.  Next time you're in a cheese shop, try seeing if a cheese calls out to you and give it a go.  You may be surprised to find that sometimes the cheese may be shopping for you; cheese is alive after all. 

Humboldt Fog was my first curd love. What’s yours?

Grilled Cheese Invitational-An American Classic

Earlier this year I came upon The Grilled Cheese Invitational, totally by accident. Who doesn't love grilled cheese and more over, who wouldn't be ecstatic to attend such an event?! By the time I explained this commemorate occasion to my boyfriend, he practically catapulted me into the car and off we went! When we arrived we were pretty stunned, tons of cheese, tons of people and I'm pretty sure I got a contact high from the grilled butter. Did I mention tons more cheese? On the down side, many of the vendors had run out of food and the line for the famous grilled cheese truck seemed infinite and we had to pass. 

See all the people to the right? That was only part of the line, it wraps up and around! 

Here are some fun pics of our day...

Nobody likes to say goodbye...

Though it was disheartening to part ways, we knew that there would always be next year! Make sure to keep tabs on this regale;  you don't want to miss out, we promise. 

There was a happy ending to the departure. Since the location was close to The Grove , we didn't end the merrymaking at Tilamook. We had an after party at the farmers market and walked off some of that cheesy deliciousness. Only to find that there was still more cheese to be eaten. At the end of the night, we were a little bit "feta" but a lot a bit happier...

                                

                                                                 

It's Alive!!!

I use to commit the sin of all sins-improperly storing good cheese. I never realized the importance until I had so many slices of good cheese die on me. That’s right, DIED….because cheese is actually alive. I don’t want to get into details but when I first stored my cheese I’ll use the words: tupperware, foil and sandwich bags…blasphemy. 

 I started to make progress when I left my cheese in the paper it came in from the shop but  it still wasn’t keeping my cheese fresh over time.  I decided to turn to google and that’s when I found Formaticum. Latin for cheese, this company answered many questions and put an end to my cheese mortality rate. Phew. 

They sell a two-ply cheese paper that high end cheese boutiques would use, vs the plastic wrap-body-bag-suffocation-cheese-killing type. Where you spend slightly more on investing in cheese paper, you actually save on the preservation of your cheese. The two-ply paper also maintains humidity and allows for oxygen exchange to keep your cheese from deteriorating quickly. (I got that from the website, I wish I wrote that fancy)

Formaticum has some other awesome products and best of all, a grade school biology lesson! Here's a preview: 

I ordered the cheese paper that comes with the journal and it's been really helpful with my blog. The journal helps track all of my favorites and maybe the ones I didn't care for, just as a reference. Lately I've been bringing it along to my tastings so I can take notes on the spot, super convienent for you fellow curd-nerds out there. 

I once was lost but now I’m found, thank you Formaticum, I'm no longer a cheese murderer! 

Roves des Garrigues

The saying “you are what you eat”, was stated perfectly by my cheesemonger when I recently attended a tasting. So I guess I'm a goat then? Yes, yes you are. After trying Roves de Garrigues, a sui generis fresh goat cheese, I am proud to call myself one. The goats graze on a plethora of herbs: citronella, fennel, thyme and lavender; allowing the herbaceous oils to infuse the milk-insert dramatic heavenly orchestra music here. The cheese tastes so incredible I could almost shed a tear.

On a warm day there is nothing better than fresh goat cheese.  It has a cooling factor and it's also a lighter cheese so it won't make you feel heavy, perfect for summer. 


For those of you out there who are anti-goat, don’t hide I know who are, this is your chance. The herbs and citrus are the more prominent flavors and there isn't any “goatiness” to be found. Give it a chance, for me?


I found my summer love and his name is Roves; it had to be you…

Wait a Minuet....

Tonight was pretty warm and I had a strong craving for a chunk of my cooling Minuet that has been calling me since the day I picked it up. Minuet is one of many amazing cheeses from Andante. Its a goat milk based triple cream; it's also a slice of pure heaven.  Andante Dairy  cheese is an art form and once you try one, you will be humming the same tune. 


Soyoung Scanlan is the cheesemaker and she names all her cheeses after musical terms for example: Minuet, Acapella, Figaro and the list goes on. She did this to represent her love and personified image of cheese with music-her other passion. What a woman. 


Getting back to my story. I drove to Henry's on the way home from work and picked up a few necessary items for my cheese feast: bosc pears, organic figs and fresh baguette, amen. I couldn't get through the check out line fast enough! 

 The Minuet has been sitting in my chiller for a good week now and it's become more lively with each passing day. I sliced some crusty bread, grabbed the honey jar and moved with a quickness that I've only seen during Black Friday sales. Who is this mad woman? 

Waiting for my Minuet to get to room temperature was challenging but I managed and boy was it worth it! After a bite I was light headed and appreciated the menial minutes of agitation that I had to endure to make sure my cheese was perfect for eating. 

                                                              Pure deliciousness...worth every minuet. 

National Goat Cheese Month!

There is quite a bit of mystery with this “holiday”…in that, I was unable to find anything about it! None the less, I’m fine with paying homage, as goat cheese is one of my favorites. Which is why I can’t help but get slightly offended when people say that they love most cheese but hate goat. People, do you know how many types of goat cheeses there are?! 


Celebrate this fantasmagorical month by eating a new goat cheese and appreciating these remarkable and biblically noted herbivores. 

If you are not a big goat lover try Humboldt Fog, it's super light and doesn't have a full bodied goat song to it.  Also, if you don't want to commit to a whole slice, try searching for tastings.


Do it!