Weekly Pairing & Saturday Events

This coming Saturday we've got two great events going on. At our Broadway store from 1-3pm we have a special event with Mike and Carol Gingrich of Uplands Cheese Company in Dodgeville, WI.

Then, later that same night we have our Oktoberfest Tasting from 6:30-8pm at the Lake St. store featuring local beers and cheeses. If you saw our bit on "1st look" you know that beer and cheese are very good friends indeed.

Speaking of local beer, Avalon Spiced Ale is one half of our new pairing. From Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, IL. The spices and apple flavor contribute to the aroma, but upon sipping don't overwhelm the smooth flavors of the beer. This is sure to be a fall and winter favorite!

For cheese we're pairing the Brie de Meaux from France, one of the most well-known cheese in the world. This might look like a mild and demure cheese, but that's far from the truth. This cheese is earthy with mushroom and onion qualities to it making it one of the bigger cheeses in the bloomy rind part of our cheese case. A cheese like this does very well with the tart, spiced nature of the Avalon.

Meet the Maker Event-Masters edition

So Thursday we had an event featuring Allison Hooper of Vermont Butter & Cheese, one of the pioneers in bringing goat cheese to the American cheese board. This coming Saturday we are continuing what I'm now calling our "Meet the Maker-Masters edition".

This time around it's Mike and Carol Gingrich two of the owners and cheesemakers of Uplands Cheese Company-makers of Pleasant Ridge Reserve in Dodgeville, WI.

Pleasant Ridge Reserve is a raw, cow's milk, farmstead, artisan cheese made from seasonal milk. Made in the style of Alpine cheeses like Gruyere and Comte this is a unique and original cheese from right here in the Midwest.

Winners of numerous awards, including the title of "Best In Show" from the ACS not once, but twice. Come by Broadway on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 1-3pm and meet Mike and Carol and taste one of our favorite cheeses and meet some more Masters from the cheese world.

-Agela