Day 908 : American Cheese Month at Casellula

For American Cheese Month, Casellula has a focus on American artisanal cheeses on their extensive cheese menu -- little known and showcased cheeses from Washington State to Texas, Tennessee, New York and much much more. So what cheeses did we sample?

From their Bloomy and Soft Ripened section we had Dinah’s hailing from Kurtwood Farms in Vashon Island, Washington.  This decadent bloomy pasteurized cow cheese was full of unctuous, round buttery notes. Infused with the local terroir and the scent of ocean breezes - this is an elegant cheese perfect for a glass of bubbles. Paired with Casellula's Sweet Cardamom popcorn, I think the cheese got lost but on its own, it was spectacular!

From their Washed Ripened section we had Dancing Fern hailing from Sequatchie Cove Farm in Sequatchie, Tennessee. This washed cow's milk cheese was earthy, piercing, meaty, and rustic with a down home sort of bent. Classic round cow notes abounded here, perfection with a nice Ommegang Abbey Ale perhaps. Casellula served it with pickled quail eggs and although I love anything pickled and I love quail eggs, I thought the cheese got lost when paired with the pickled eggs.

From their Cooked and Pressed Section we had one of my absolute Vermonter favorites -- Consider Bardwell's Manchester. This firm raw goat's milk cheese is all sleek rustic elegance with an earthy barnyardy bent and a grassy ctirusy twang. Great with a nice medium bodied white or an earthy smooth red. Casellula paired it with Oregano roasted tomatoes which brought out the cheese's herbaceous aromatic notes in a beautiful manner.

Lastly from their Blue section we had their Two-Faced Blue from Willapa Hills Farm in Doty, Washington. This semi-firm mixed cow and sheep's milk cheese was the perfect balance of spicy, salty, piquance and round, buttery, creaminess. A dynamic blue that appealed to the novice blue cheese lover and the more advanced blue cheese aficionado. Paired with their Macadamia, Cashew nut brittle, the final pairing almost became like dessert.

Overall a really fun salute to American Cheese Month at Casellula! I look forward to going back to trying a variety of their other selections.

Casellula
401 West 52nd Street
NYC

Day 881 : Cider TGIF pairing

Last night I had a pint of Doc's Pear Hard Cider that got me thinking about a different TGIF pairing concept, why not do a local cider?  It is perfect as a late summer early evening beverage -- light and sparkling with a bright crisp fruitiness yet not too sweet. Refreshing yet satisfying -- an excellent happy hour drink!

Crafted by Warwick Winery and Brewery in the Hudson Valley, this is a classic pear cider crafted from a melange of New York State apples and pears.

So what cheese did I choose to go with our pear cider?

How about Consider Bardwell's aged goat's milk masterpiece Manchester?

A firm washed rind raw goat's milk cheese that's been aged for approximately two to three months, this is  bright, milky and lactic with citrusy and grassy notes and a fabulous rustic barnyardy finish. The bright crispness of the cheese will find its home with the same notes in the cider and the aromatic fruitiness of the cider will complement the washed rind rustic notes of the cheese.

The perfect end of summer local pairing for the beginning of a lovely weekend.