Friday, April 17, 2009

Second Pairing

In honor of Krista and Charuth's visit we are doing a special pairing in their honor. We're adding the Lancaster Duet to the mix this weekend. The harmony between Krista's cows and Charuth's goats make for one delicious cheese! Try it with Prosecco, our weekend wine spotlight and some white fig spread. Delicious!


Those of you near our downtown store are lucky. You get to take home the herbed fresh goat cheese from Charuth at Dutch Girl Creamery tonight. For those of you in North Chicago, come by tomorrow starting at 1pm and you'll get your opportunity to taste, and meet the cheesemaker as well!



-Agela

Weekend Pairings for 4/17

This weekend we are pairing a triple creme with Prosecco. Our cheese is Trio from Andante Dairy in California.

If you don't know how scientific the cheesemaking process is, ask our friend and cheesemaker Soyoung Scanlan. She's been a biochemist and dairy scientist. Using that knowledge she came to cheesemaking and has been making lovely, delicious well crafted cheeses for years.

If you notice, all of her cheeses have musical connections. Picolo, Minuet, Rondo and this week's Trio. Trio is a blend of cow's milk, goat's milk and creme fraiche. What's best with a rich, creamy triple creme? Why a sparkler of course!

This week we go to Italy. N.V. Pizzolato Prosecco from Veneto, Italy is an organic sparkler.I think Cesar might have had influence on the choice seeing how he just came back from a two week top to bottom trip in Italy. The off dry bubbles cleanse your palate after each taste of cheese, and encourage you to have more!


If you would like to get to know this mystery cheese come in to the Loop store this afternoon between4-630p or come up to Lakeview tomorrow from 1-4p. Meet the maker of this new addition to our cheese case.


-Agela

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Meet the Maker

What do you get when you add one plus one? You get ridiculously good cheese. This weekend come to our Loop store on Friday 4-6:30pm or our Lakeview store on Saturday from 1-4pm and meet the cheesemakers behind our favorite cheese from Nebraska, Lancaster Duet. Sold under the Farmstead First label this cheese is a collaboration of Charuth Loth from Dutch Girl Creamery and Krista Pittman of Branched Oak Farm.

Duet is not only in reference to these two friends coming together, but also to the milk blend of cow and goat that create this unique cheese that is similar to a Gouda, but with a bit more bite. Lancaster Duet is a farmstead cheese. What this means is that the animals are raised and milked on the same land where their milk is turned into cheese. Making cheese this way gives the cheesemaker an advantage. They know exactly how their animals are raised, what they're eating and how they're treated. They can control every aspect of their cheeesemaking. Not every cheesemaker is able to do this.

Come in this weekend, meet Krista and Charuth and find out for yourself why this cheese became an instant staff favorite!

As an added bonus Jan has promised to find us the perfect wine pairing for us to taste alongside the cheese. Tasting wine, eating cheese and speaking directly with the cheesemakers? This is a great weekend!

Krista and Charuth prove that being neighborly has it's rewards. It's yummy cheesy rewards.


Charuth loves goats. Goats love Charuth. Sometimes it's just that simple.


-Agela