Sunday is Father's Day and we've got a pairing perfect for all the dads and beer lovers out there.
The cheese is Coolea. The current cheesemaker is Dicky Willems whose parents, originally from Holland moved to Coolea, Ireland back in the 1970's and started making a fantastic cheese that highlights the best of two cultures. The flavor of the Irish countryside, lush grass and sweet milk in a cheese made in the style of a Dutch Gouda. The resulting cheese is a complex one with the aroma of caramel and brown butter and a flavor of butterscotch and hazelnuts. This is one of our most beloved cheeses in the case. If you love the two and five year Goudas we carry you will adore this aged beauty.
Our beer buyer, Xian suggests our craft beer four pack as the perfect compliment to this complex cheese. The first is the Anchor Summer from Anchor Brewing in San Francisco. This was the very first American-style wheat beer, paving the way for beers like Three Floyds Gumballhead. Crisp and refreshing this beer with the Coolea gives you the flavor of orange blossoms.
Second beer is the seasonally made Golden Cap Saison from New Holland Brewing Company out of Michigan. Brewed with spelt, this beer has a wonderful spiciness and is the most complex beer in the four-pack. When this beer is paired with the Coolea it's an umami effect and adds depth to the Coolea.
Next up is the Allagash White from Allagash Brewing Company in Maine. This is the best and most well-known wit beer brewed int he country. Wits are Belgian or Belgian-style beers that have a hazy white appearance due tot he unfiltered wheat. Gently spiced, typically with coriander. This beer adds a bit of a funky earthiness to the Coolea.
Last but not least is Two Brothers Ebel's Weiss from Two Brothers Brewery in the Chicago suburbs. This German-style wheat is a smooth drinker with notes of clove and bananas. When paired with the Coolea this combination was like brown butter and buttered popcorn. Rich, smooth and delicious.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Perfect Pairings, Portfolio Pours and Pie.
I fibbed. There is no pie.
We are continuing our "Perfect Pairing" special through June. Today, and every Thursday in June at our Broadway location when you buy cheese and wine (or beer) together on one receipt you will get 10% off your total purchase.
This coming Saturday at our Lake Street location we are hosting our quarterly portfolio wine tasting. This quarter we're focusing on summer and picnic wines. $5 gets you entry into the tasting where you will have the chance to sip on 16 different wines. White, rose, red and sparklers are all going to be in attendance. Any purchase you make that night will not only get you 15% off, but your entrance fee is applied as a credit on your purchase. It's a wine-win!
Our pairing this weekend all about celebrating summer. For the cheese we're going to Ann Arbor and the fantastic Zingerman's Creamery for Detroit Street Brick. This ACS award-winning, soft-ripened goat cheese is studded throughout with crushed green peppercorns which add a delicate spice to the lemony, goaty goodness.
It can be tricky to pair wine with flavored cheeses but never fear, Jamie's got the answer. Go pink! Domaine de Figueirasse "Gris de "Gris" is a fantastic rose new to our shelves. Made from three different varieties of Grenache this wine from the south of France is a "must have" for your dinner table or picnic. The aromas of wild strawberries, cherries, rose petals and minerality make this a great goat cheese companion.
We are continuing our "Perfect Pairing" special through June. Today, and every Thursday in June at our Broadway location when you buy cheese and wine (or beer) together on one receipt you will get 10% off your total purchase.
This coming Saturday at our Lake Street location we are hosting our quarterly portfolio wine tasting. This quarter we're focusing on summer and picnic wines. $5 gets you entry into the tasting where you will have the chance to sip on 16 different wines. White, rose, red and sparklers are all going to be in attendance. Any purchase you make that night will not only get you 15% off, but your entrance fee is applied as a credit on your purchase. It's a wine-win!
Our pairing this weekend all about celebrating summer. For the cheese we're going to Ann Arbor and the fantastic Zingerman's Creamery for Detroit Street Brick. This ACS award-winning, soft-ripened goat cheese is studded throughout with crushed green peppercorns which add a delicate spice to the lemony, goaty goodness.
It can be tricky to pair wine with flavored cheeses but never fear, Jamie's got the answer. Go pink! Domaine de Figueirasse "Gris de "Gris" is a fantastic rose new to our shelves. Made from three different varieties of Grenache this wine from the south of France is a "must have" for your dinner table or picnic. The aromas of wild strawberries, cherries, rose petals and minerality make this a great goat cheese companion.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
It's Summer Portfolio Time!
The first week of the month means free wine tastings at Pastoral. Our location at the French Market is having theirs as I type. Don't worry if you missed out, tomorrow we've got a free wine tasting at our Lake St. location from 5-7. Letizia from Colterenzio will be pouring a red and a white for your delight.
Next Saturday is our quarterly wine portfolio. Our theme this time around is "Summer and Picnic Wines". There will be multiple distributors pouring whites and rose and even a few reds. Admission is $5.00 which you can use towards your same night purchase. Did I mention that you'll also get 15% off of any purchase that night? A fantastically delicious deal! Purchase in advance on our website or take your chances and purchase at the door.
This week we're combining our love of wine and cheese into a pairing with a wine washed cheese. Montastio Vino Rosso is a cow's milk cheese from Italy that has been bathed in Cabernet and Merlot grapes. Aged up to 10 months this cheese has notes of fruit and jam on the nose which is what you might expect from a red wine washed cheese. The paste is a bit more mellow and subtle. Nutty, and earthy with a spicy finish this cheese is approachable and delicious on any cheese board. We are very proud to be the only people in Chicago to carry this tasty Italian cheese.
For the wine you might think of going with a Cabernet or Merlot. Just to think "outside the bottle", Jamie suggests a soft Tempranillo from Spain. Verasol Tinto is one of our full-bodied wines that like Idiazabal comes from the Navarra region of Spain (in the north). This wine has aromas of dark cherries, blueberries and herbs. This wine has soft tannins and while it has a lot of body to it, when paired with the cheese it will be a beautiful partnership.
Next Saturday is our quarterly wine portfolio. Our theme this time around is "Summer and Picnic Wines". There will be multiple distributors pouring whites and rose and even a few reds. Admission is $5.00 which you can use towards your same night purchase. Did I mention that you'll also get 15% off of any purchase that night? A fantastically delicious deal! Purchase in advance on our website or take your chances and purchase at the door.
This week we're combining our love of wine and cheese into a pairing with a wine washed cheese. Montastio Vino Rosso is a cow's milk cheese from Italy that has been bathed in Cabernet and Merlot grapes. Aged up to 10 months this cheese has notes of fruit and jam on the nose which is what you might expect from a red wine washed cheese. The paste is a bit more mellow and subtle. Nutty, and earthy with a spicy finish this cheese is approachable and delicious on any cheese board. We are very proud to be the only people in Chicago to carry this tasty Italian cheese.
For the wine you might think of going with a Cabernet or Merlot. Just to think "outside the bottle", Jamie suggests a soft Tempranillo from Spain. Verasol Tinto is one of our full-bodied wines that like Idiazabal comes from the Navarra region of Spain (in the north). This wine has aromas of dark cherries, blueberries and herbs. This wine has soft tannins and while it has a lot of body to it, when paired with the cheese it will be a beautiful partnership.
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