Connie has found a cheese I think the entire staff has described as "really good." Because we like to keep things simple around here, we're calling this the best cheese of 2010 (so far). Truly, this Val d'Aosta raw cow's milk cheese is fantastic. Toma di Gressoney is slightly washed in brine and has a semi-soft pate. The cheese gives a slightly salty and beef broth flavor. We're trying it right now with a Pinot Nero from the Val d'Aosta. Aren't we pretentious?! Connie's on a roll. She's been looking for a Scamorza from Calabria that reminds her of the Scamorza of her childhood. She thinks she's found it. I'm not going to elaborate too much on this cheese other than giving you the name and the description from the producer's literature: "Scamorza the Plain: The Scamorza is a spun paste cheese made with raw milk, pasteurized whole cow, also available smoked." You might have a few questions after reading this so allow me to interpret. The cheese is not smoked and is made with pasteurized cow's milk -similar to mozzarella. It will remind you of grandpa if grandpa was from Italy.

There's more new cheese....
Saint-Maure may be somewhat familiar to regulars of the shop. We have carried the French version many times in the past. We proudly tell you of a new and different version from Belgium: Sainte-Maure Belgique Cendrée. This is a beautiful goat, ripened with vegetable ash. The ash lends a slightly peppery note to the cheese. The pate is classically French goat: dense and peanut butter-esque. We have the 3 pound logs of this cheese (as opposed to the 7oz log you are familiar with).

Finally, we have Chimay Gran Cru. This Belgian cow's milk cheese is washed in Chimay beer and boasts a pleasant pungency. Wash it all down with Chimay Beer (available upstairs in our wine department).

Perigord Black Truffles are here! We have 10 available this week. The last order we received was great and exceeded our expectations so we're buying more. First come - first served.

Black Garlic is new. Boy is it new. Black garlic is fermented for three weeks - under strictly controlled conditions. The best way to use this garlic is at the very last minute. Heat reduces the sweetness and flavor of black garlic so add it at the end of your cream sauce or with butter over pasta. Roasted vegetables love this garlic - toss it in when you take it out of the oven - just before serving.

Steven Smith knows about tea. He created Stash Tea, grew the business then sold it. He created Tazo Tea, grew the business then sold it. Tired of hanging out in France, he decided to head back to the states (Oregon, to be precise) and start again. His eponymously named teas are clear, crisp, honest examples of a craft perfected over decades. Oh, and we carry them now. Check them out.

Maybe you'll be buying a Champagne in the near future. If you do, look for two little letters on the label: RM. RM stands for "récoltant manipulants" and it simply means the folks who made the Champagne also grew the grapes. Big deal, right? Well, yes, it is a big deal. As is the case with farmstead cheese, control and care matters and you can taste the differences. Grower Champagnes are the life's work of the producer. They see the bottle of bubbly as a child. They've given birth to it, nurtured it, bottled it and put their name proudly on it. The knock on grower champagnes is that they can be inconsistent from vintage to vintage. But as they say over there: "vive la différence". You can buy a Veuve Cliquot or Moet et Chandon. These wines are fine and never change. But why not celebrate the seasonal changes in perfectly made champagne by buying a grower Champagne? You'll be supporting a family in France (and a couple of families over here) and delighting in your decision.

Upcoming Wine Tastings
Every Saturday from 2-4pm upstairs in our wine department. They're always free and always expertly paired with cheese from our deli. Mark them on your calendar - a real no brainer.

30 January
Looking for value. Staff picks from around the world.

6 February
More budget minded wines. This time from the Northwest.

12 February (FRIDAY!)
An artificially big day is coming. Let's pre-func! A special Friday tasting with ideas for Valentine's Day.

13 February
More thoughts for Valentine's Day....like bubbles.

 

Michele (my wife), makes this very rarely. We can't figure why because it's really quite delicious and easy. Perhaps because it can be messy. Fear not! Dive in and go at it.