Over the past summer, Artisanal has spearheaded a crowd funded project to stimulate the availability of and interest in small production American cheeses -- a campaign that is right up Fromagical's alley. The goal is to source small production cheeses from over 500 cheese makers providing each and everyone the opportunity to have a market to sell to. Pretty cool right? I think so!
There are eight different levels of crowd fund involvement ranging from as little as $35 up to $5,000 and with each level you receive a variety of cheese-tastic rewards!
So check it out and be a part of something great! There are only four days left to be a part of the fun so don't miss out!
http://www.rockethub.com/projects/9260-the-great-american-cheese-project
Showing posts with label Artisanal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Artisanal. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Day 860 : Knock your socks off blue...
As a surprise with my three American artisanal cheeses, I got two extra cheeses from Artisanal this past Friday and I just had to talk briefly about the surprise blue hailing from the Leon region of Spain which would be a perfect rainy afternoon cheese perhaps with a nice medium bodied red or even a bitter and tangy IPA.
Valdeon - a mixed cow and goat's milk blue wrapped and aged in a sycamore leaf. This is an "in your face" sort of cheese -- spicy, piquant and biting but nutty, rustic, earthy and fabulous. This is the sort of cheese that awakens your taste buds and does the most fantastic dance on your palate. It surely isn't for the faint of heart though -- if Stilton is too strong for you, then Valdeon will definitely knock your socks off. But for those of you blue cheese fans, this is just fantastic!
Thanks guys for the surprise!
Valdeon - a mixed cow and goat's milk blue wrapped and aged in a sycamore leaf. This is an "in your face" sort of cheese -- spicy, piquant and biting but nutty, rustic, earthy and fabulous. This is the sort of cheese that awakens your taste buds and does the most fantastic dance on your palate. It surely isn't for the faint of heart though -- if Stilton is too strong for you, then Valdeon will definitely knock your socks off. But for those of you blue cheese fans, this is just fantastic!
Image courtesy of www.artisanalcheese.com
Thanks guys for the surprise!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Day 859: Beach time cheese
What to bring to a friend's house for a weekend at the beach?
Cheese of course! American artisanal cheeses definitely! In planning the selection of three cheeses to bring, I thought why not tap into the newly developed American artisanal focused cheese program rolled out by Artisanal. So what did I choose based on the knowledge I had about the taste preferences for my audience?
First off was Grassias hailing from Paula Lambert's Mozzarella Company in Texas. A mixed cow and goat's milk cheese wrapped in lemon grass leaves - it is light and flavorful yet aromatic, tangy and earthy. The perfect young fresh creamy cheese for a summertime get together.
Then there was Tarentaise crafted by Thistle Hill Farm in Vermont. A firm aged organic cow's milk cheese modeled on the classic French alpine style cheeses like Abondance. Tarentaise is nutty, buttery, butterscotchy, caramelly, rustic, earthy, and grassy -- an excellent partner for a glass of Cotes du Rhone or even an IPA. Tarentaise is that sort of cheese that is warm and comforting yet light and flavorful -- perfect in winter or summer months.
And lastly there was Old Chatham Shepherding Company's Ewe's Blue. Made in the traditional style with sheep's milk, this local upstate New York blue is creamy and spicy but piquant and rustic -- it can appeal to the blue cheese amateur or the blue cheese lover alike. Ewe's Blue is truly infused with its local terroir and is definitely one of the best local blue cheeses I have had.
Overall an excellent selection of American artisanal cheeses for a great beach weekend! I look forward to trying the full offerings in Artisanal's new American plan.
Cheese of course! American artisanal cheeses definitely! In planning the selection of three cheeses to bring, I thought why not tap into the newly developed American artisanal focused cheese program rolled out by Artisanal. So what did I choose based on the knowledge I had about the taste preferences for my audience?
First off was Grassias hailing from Paula Lambert's Mozzarella Company in Texas. A mixed cow and goat's milk cheese wrapped in lemon grass leaves - it is light and flavorful yet aromatic, tangy and earthy. The perfect young fresh creamy cheese for a summertime get together.
Then there was Tarentaise crafted by Thistle Hill Farm in Vermont. A firm aged organic cow's milk cheese modeled on the classic French alpine style cheeses like Abondance. Tarentaise is nutty, buttery, butterscotchy, caramelly, rustic, earthy, and grassy -- an excellent partner for a glass of Cotes du Rhone or even an IPA. Tarentaise is that sort of cheese that is warm and comforting yet light and flavorful -- perfect in winter or summer months.
And lastly there was Old Chatham Shepherding Company's Ewe's Blue. Made in the traditional style with sheep's milk, this local upstate New York blue is creamy and spicy but piquant and rustic -- it can appeal to the blue cheese amateur or the blue cheese lover alike. Ewe's Blue is truly infused with its local terroir and is definitely one of the best local blue cheeses I have had.
Overall an excellent selection of American artisanal cheeses for a great beach weekend! I look forward to trying the full offerings in Artisanal's new American plan.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Day 848 : A Recap of Artisanal's Red, White, and Bleu Tasting Event
Yesterday, Artisanal hosted a tasting to showcase the beginning of their campaign and roll-out focusing on small production American artisanal cheeses. With one hundred and fifty cheeses on display for tasting yesterday from six different regions, this was only just the beginning. Artisanal aims to eventually be THE place for retail sale and promotion of American cheeses.
As you tasted around the room, you moved from New England to the Mid-Atlantic to the South to the Upper Midwest to the Mountain Region and finally finished in the Pacific Rim with a central stop with in house homemade mozzarella. So what stood out to me?
Before we get there - let me preface by saying that I strictly tried cheeses I had never had before so as to discover some new American Artisanal goodies rather than sticking with my favorites...
Lets take a photo tour around the room starting in New England!
As you tasted around the room, you moved from New England to the Mid-Atlantic to the South to the Upper Midwest to the Mountain Region and finally finished in the Pacific Rim with a central stop with in house homemade mozzarella. So what stood out to me?
Before we get there - let me preface by saying that I strictly tried cheeses I had never had before so as to discover some new American Artisanal goodies rather than sticking with my favorites...
Lets take a photo tour around the room starting in New England!
A new discovery that just wowed me - Black Madonna from Vermont. This ash ripened goat's milk cheese was rustic, mushroomy, and farmsteady yet tangy, crisp, citrusy and light. It is the perfect summertime cheese. Enjoy with a crisp white!
My other New England highlight was Tobasi - a washed rind stinker inspired by the infamous Taleggio but this Massachusetts superstar is more delicate with meaty, briny, hay notes and a buttery, milky round finish. Great with an IPA.
More shots from the New England cutting boards
Moving on to the Mid-Atlantic -
A board full bloomy rind and soft creamy cheeses - perfect pairing partners with a glass of bubbly!
The Simply Sheep was smooth, crisp, milky, clean and round. Another great summertime choice!
More highlights from the Mid-Atlantic!
Moving on to the South....
Front and center is my beloved Grassias from Texas but more exciting or shall we say eye opening were the five cheeses surrounding Grassias. Why you might ask?
Well that's because they are from Puerto Rico!
I had never had a cheese from Puerto Rico and actually quite enjoyed the one in the middle back row -- Queso Cabachuelas. Think Mimolette but farm-ier and more rustic with an enhanced aged crystallized crunch.
Moving onto the Upper Midwest...
Even though I did not try them because I adore them, I have to highlight TeaHive from the Upper Midwest, it is one of my absolute favorite cheeses!
Moving onto the Mountain Region...
With two washed rind hockey puck sized disks of briny, stinky, barnyardy yet bright, citrusy, and crisp goat's milk cheeses -- Red Cloud and Sunlight!
More Mountain goodies....
And our last stop was the Pacific Rim
By far the most interesting selections if you ask me -- there was True Love hailing from Oregon with rose petals coating the cheese giving off an aromatic herbaceous bent to the milky, crispness of the interior paste. Also of note was Puck, a washed rind, bark wrapped, semi-firm banryardy stinker.
Red Adler was an ash ripened cow's milk cheese with a smoked paprika center adding a fantastic kick! Chalky and milky, this reminds me of Capriole Farm's Sofia turned inside out. I love cheeses infused with paprika so this was an instant favorite in my book.
And how could you leave the Pacific Rim without plenty of Oregon Blues?
Overall an excellent selection of true American artisanal greats! How wonderful to see them all available through Artisanal. It sure is time that someone spent the time to highlight the small production American farmers and dairies.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Day 775 : Event Alert Deal!
In our current day and age we are constantly surrounded with digital opportunities to save in one way or another -- get these deal for five yoga classes for the price of three or that deal for a free appetizer and a glass of sparkling wine at your local restaurant, you name it, there seems to always be an opportunity to get more bang for your buck.
Today I came across one such deal that if you are interested in taking a cheese and wine pairing class I think this is an awesome opportunity!
For $75, instead of $125 you get a ticket to a two hour Italian Wine and Cheese class on April 24th led by Max McCalman (one of the city and country's top cheese experts) and Nicole Niebisch (the head wine curator at the awesome online wine site, Lot18) along with a sparkling wine and fondue reception upon arrival and a $20 gift certificate to buy cheese after the fact on www.artisanalcheese.com. The class will feature seven different cheeses and four different wines. You'll even leave with two cheeses to take home that night!
Sign up here: http://local.amazon.com/nyc-upper-west-side/B007OWUIDG
Or perhaps you want to participate in a Meat and Cheese CSA deal?
Fret not, through UrbanDaddy's Perks today you can sign up for a full or half share of a summertime Meat & Cheese CSA direct to your apartment from the hills of Pennsylvania through Greystone Farms.
A half share includes four deliveries totaling twenty five pounds of meat and four pounds of cheese for $350.
A full share includes four deliveries totaling fifty pounds of meat and eight pounds of cheese for $660.
Why not support a local farm and have yummy goods delivered to your doorstep all summer? Great for BBQs, picnics in the park, you name it!
Today I came across one such deal that if you are interested in taking a cheese and wine pairing class I think this is an awesome opportunity!
For $75, instead of $125 you get a ticket to a two hour Italian Wine and Cheese class on April 24th led by Max McCalman (one of the city and country's top cheese experts) and Nicole Niebisch (the head wine curator at the awesome online wine site, Lot18) along with a sparkling wine and fondue reception upon arrival and a $20 gift certificate to buy cheese after the fact on www.artisanalcheese.com. The class will feature seven different cheeses and four different wines. You'll even leave with two cheeses to take home that night!
Sign up here: http://local.amazon.com/nyc-upper-west-side/B007OWUIDG
Or perhaps you want to participate in a Meat and Cheese CSA deal?
Fret not, through UrbanDaddy's Perks today you can sign up for a full or half share of a summertime Meat & Cheese CSA direct to your apartment from the hills of Pennsylvania through Greystone Farms.
A half share includes four deliveries totaling twenty five pounds of meat and four pounds of cheese for $350.
A full share includes four deliveries totaling fifty pounds of meat and eight pounds of cheese for $660.
Why not support a local farm and have yummy goods delivered to your doorstep all summer? Great for BBQs, picnics in the park, you name it!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Day 745 : Giving Back and Receiving All in One?
Then I have the perfect thing for you!
"Say Cheese, Share a Smile," Artisanal Cheese's Monthly Cheese Club's new initiative.
What does it entail?
Sign up for a year's worth of Artisanal's Cheese of the Month Club and they will donate $250 to Smile Train! Each month you will receive four cheeses totaling two pounds of cheese and the $250 that is donated to Smile Train will help cure one child born with a cleft palate. Each year over 165,000 children are born with cleft palates some so bad that they cannot speak or eat. By joining Artisanal's Cheese of the Month club, you can help a child live a full and happy life by curing them of their cleft palate.
The details can be found here: http://www.artisanalcheese.com/saycheese/
"Say Cheese, Share a Smile," Artisanal Cheese's Monthly Cheese Club's new initiative.
What does it entail?
Sign up for a year's worth of Artisanal's Cheese of the Month Club and they will donate $250 to Smile Train! Each month you will receive four cheeses totaling two pounds of cheese and the $250 that is donated to Smile Train will help cure one child born with a cleft palate. Each year over 165,000 children are born with cleft palates some so bad that they cannot speak or eat. By joining Artisanal's Cheese of the Month club, you can help a child live a full and happy life by curing them of their cleft palate.
The details can be found here: http://www.artisanalcheese.com/saycheese/
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