Crazy Good

So . . . do you have any cash left for one last splurge? Just arrived from a secret source . . . is a three year organic parmesan. It's just crazy good, with a pricetag to match. But wait - you get a turnip twaddler with it! No just kidding, but you DO get a great recipe book, recipe cards and a nice parmesan knife. There are a few hours left in boxing day . . . . and for the New Year's Eve host/ess who have everything? You can never have too much extrordinary cheese! Here's what the producers have to say:




36-Month Stravecchio• Parmigiano Reggiano
With a cheese tradition dating back 700 years, Organic Stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano is the crown jewel of the Reggio-Emilia region. It is handcrafted in limited quantities and rarely available in the US. Relying on 3 simple ingredients of extraordinary quality (organic milk from local alfalfa-fed cows that graze select hillside pastures, rennet and salt) a master cheesemaker crafts 6 wheels each day. Less than half of these go on to be quality aged for 36-months, certified organic, stamped D.O.P symbol and honored as Stravecchio (meaning extra aged.)

New Cheese & Gourmet - Shop Local

Let's face it, big box stores have the money behind them to load up the cases. Smaller stores like Dilly Cafe Wines & Gourmet have to find a niche. Ours is higher end, harder to find cheeses with someone who knows each intimately. That'd be me because I buy, cut, wrap and display almost every piece in our cheese cases! As my T-shirt says "I cut the cheese!" Hey - it has its advantages.

Here are a few new additions this week:

Garrotxa (a harder to find creamy goat cheese from the Catalan region of Spain with hints of nuts)

Roaring Forties Blue (a customer favorite that has been hard to find - and surprise! The price has actually come down a few dollars a pound this time!

French Muenster - the smelly, incredibly wonderful gem from Alsace. Great with beer or wine.

Mousse Truffe pate (youve asked for it, it's in stock!)

Capriole Mont St. Francis - which the cheesemaker describes as:
"Intense, beefy, earthy--all describe this 2-3 lb. wheel with a reddish, washed rind and the typical pungent odor to match. Named for a nearby monastery, Mont St. Francis is a hearty, stinky, cheese, semi-hard and rich. We love it but it's not for the faint of heart! One of our customers has described it as "a cheese you would not want to eat on a first date, but maybe on the 2nd if the first one went well." Because it is extreme, it pairs well with bourbon or fruity, fortified wines and sweet condiments. Also excellent with bitter beers.

Because we have such an incredible selection of artisan washed rind cheeses in stock, this week's cheese selection will be an array of washed rinds - a great chance to try different styles. With beer . . . or say . . . a nice gwertztramainer!

RRR

Enquirer and Cheese

Have you checked out today's Cincinnati Enquirer? There's a big article about cheese in the Life section. It focuses on a big box competitor - but hey there's lots of good information in there and Murray's Cheese shop (NY) is involved, and you can't beat their selection.

The article lists two suggested cheese courses, and guess what - we already carry most of the recommended cheeses:

Beginner Selection:

Fromager Affinois - one of our favorites. A brie-like bloomy rind cheese, mild with
floral notes. This is a great cheese for beginners because its friendly and interesting without being plain, boring mass produced brie.

Manchego (LaMancha, Spain). Made only from the milk of the Manchega sheep. We carry a 12+ month aged specimin that is nutty and rich. They recommend membrillo, which is delicious, but almond fig cake or Dalmatia fig preserve will do nicely too.

Grafton Sharp Cheddar - a delicious Vermont cheddar - we carry it in the four ounce waxed format, the perfect size for a cheese plate.

Aged Holland Gouda - They recommend Rembrant - which is delicious. It also comes in enormous wheels and to keep our stock fresh, we have to make a bit of a change. Beemster is another aged Holland Gouda, which we get in smaller amounts.

Gorgonzola Dulce - or sweet Gorgonzola. Even if you "don't like blue cheese" this is a must try. It's mild, almost spreadable and . . . well, sweet!


"Advanced Cheese Selection"

Epoisses - an earthy Burgundian cheese. Salty, strong, barnyardy - it's washed with eau de vie and can get quite pungent. The price can be a little scary too. If you're putting this out at a party one wheel will go a long way. It doesn't cut well, as the interior usually is runny - trim the top and scoop out the middle. Another possible substitution is a true Alsatian Munster - another pungent washed rind cheese that is less expensive and still delicious.

Garrotxa - "a semi-firm goat cheese with a moist, cakey texture." Difficult to find - but we have it here.

Uplands Cheese Co. Pleasant Ridge Reserve. Mike Gingrich does one thing only - he makes one cheese from grass-fed cows. We've had this as a staple cheese for several years. I'll put it up against any French Comte out there. Think stinky Swiss, Comte, gruyere. Mike has won multiple awards with this beauty and we just scored an extra aged version only available a few months out of the year. When I need more, I call the farm, and Mike usually answers the phone.

Blue - they recommend Roquefort. I certainly agree that Roquefort is an exceptional blue. It has been a tough sell here. We have about eight blue cheeses in stock, and can help you select another full flavored blue to round out this selection.

As far as accompanyments - we have marcona almonds, olives, date almond cake, fig cake, fig spreads and lots of other interesting condiments.

Caring for and serving your cheese? We have cheese paper, a variety of cheese knife sets, spreaders and condiment spoons and cute gift totes to wrap it all up.


Crackers? Keep it simple is my rule of thumb, especially if you have a selection. the crackers shouldn't compete with the cheese. Some of our favorites are Neva Bettas, Carrs and Bremners - which may sound bland but really help the cheese shine. We also have Fine Cheese Co. crackers made to go with specific kinds of cheese.