Using the Taleggio-styled Grayson with the Rhone berry nuanced Plume Bleue is a pairing that will take your taste buds on a fantastic journey through both the Old and New Worlds.
Washed-rind, seasonally-made and ACS award-winning Grayson from Meadow Creek Dairy is one of our staff and customer favorite cheeses.
Meadow Creek Diary is a family farm in the mountains of southwest Virginia. At an elevation of 2800ft. the combination of pure water, clean air and deep soils produce an ideal environment for growing diverse, mineral-rich pastures.
Since 1980 the Feete family has focused on farming and working closely with their herd of Jersey cows, giving them the best care, and developing a herd that is best adapted to their farm. By practicing sustainable farming and treating their cows naturally, they produce milk of the highest quality which in turn translates to healthy, full-flavored, ecologically friendly cheese.
We'd like to welcome Jill Pienta as our new wine buyer replacing Jamie Kluz who is moving on to work at the Penninsula hotel here in Chicago.
Jills' suggestion for this week is the 2007 Laurence Feraud Selection's Plume Bleue.
Plume Bleue is a negociant wine (grapes are sourced from outside the estate) created by Laurence Feraud of Daomaine du Pegau, a very reputable estate in Chateauneuf du Pape. Laurence Feraud is one of France's young progressive winemakers. wine making is a family affair with her father helping with the wine-making process and her mother manning the administrative end. Laurence uses the family estate to created traditional Rhone style wines in addition to experimenting with negociant labels to work around AOC rules.
Wanting to create a Vin de Pays d'Oc, Laurence sought out top quality fruit from the surrounding Rhone area to create this 50/50 blend ofGrenache and Syrah. This charming wine offers vibrant red fruit character with hints of pepper and toasted herb. Medium-bodied with subtle tannins, this wine is perfect with grilled meats, charcuterie and of course washed-rind cheeses.
-Cesar & Jill
Showing posts with label Meadow Creek Dairy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meadow Creek Dairy. Show all posts
Friday, August 6, 2010
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Weekly Pairing 6/26
The event on Wednesday with Daphne Zepos and Giorgio Cravero was awesome! Cheesemonger extraordinaire Marty opened up a huge wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano with his lovely assistant Adam. More on that coming up this week complete with video and photos.
For the present it's time to get into this weeks Perfect Picnic Pairing. Grayson, Demolition, and Pineapple.
First up is the cheese. Grayson is a washed rind cows milk cheese from Meadow Creek Dairy in Virginia. This cheese won second place in the ACS competition last year and is a staff favorite. The great thing about this cheese is that it truly is seasonal. The cows at the dairy are pasture fed giving this cheese's paste a bright yellow hue. The milking starts in the spring with the first wheels from that coming out in June. The wheels we have now are buttery, creamy, and mild compared to wheels we get as the seasons progress. Later in the season when you try this cheese again you'll be tasting a beefy, fruity and definitely stinkier cheese.
So you've got the cheese, but what are you going to drink with it? Our suggestion is Demolition from Goose Island right here in Chicago. Demolition is a dry Belgian style ale with grassy notes that enhance the flavors found in the cheese.
If you're looking for a spread we recommend the pineapple penja pepper confit from L'Epicurien. The penja pepper is a white pepper originating in Cameroon and has a delicate aroma to it along with a strong flavor. The assertiveness of the pepper, combined with the sweetness of the pineapple make for one complex confit. Sweet without being cloying, spicy without being hot. A great addition to any cheese plate (we even have it as an ingredient on a new sandwich.)
In other news, this Sunday is the pride parade here in Chicago which runs right down Broadway and past our Lakeview shop. We will be open our regular Sunday hours which are from 11am-6pm. Our advice is to call ahead for your picnic, leave the car at home and enjoy a fun and free I might add event complete with a box full of Pastoral goodies!
-Agela
For the present it's time to get into this weeks Perfect Picnic Pairing. Grayson, Demolition, and Pineapple.
First up is the cheese. Grayson is a washed rind cows milk cheese from Meadow Creek Dairy in Virginia. This cheese won second place in the ACS competition last year and is a staff favorite. The great thing about this cheese is that it truly is seasonal. The cows at the dairy are pasture fed giving this cheese's paste a bright yellow hue. The milking starts in the spring with the first wheels from that coming out in June. The wheels we have now are buttery, creamy, and mild compared to wheels we get as the seasons progress. Later in the season when you try this cheese again you'll be tasting a beefy, fruity and definitely stinkier cheese.
So you've got the cheese, but what are you going to drink with it? Our suggestion is Demolition from Goose Island right here in Chicago. Demolition is a dry Belgian style ale with grassy notes that enhance the flavors found in the cheese.
If you're looking for a spread we recommend the pineapple penja pepper confit from L'Epicurien. The penja pepper is a white pepper originating in Cameroon and has a delicate aroma to it along with a strong flavor. The assertiveness of the pepper, combined with the sweetness of the pineapple make for one complex confit. Sweet without being cloying, spicy without being hot. A great addition to any cheese plate (we even have it as an ingredient on a new sandwich.)
In other news, this Sunday is the pride parade here in Chicago which runs right down Broadway and past our Lakeview shop. We will be open our regular Sunday hours which are from 11am-6pm. Our advice is to call ahead for your picnic, leave the car at home and enjoy a fun and free I might add event complete with a box full of Pastoral goodies!
-Agela
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