As my dad would say: "You need another pasta like a moose needs a hat rack." Well, this moose has a lot of hats! Poschiavo Pasta is new for us and while it comes in a cool package, it truly is outstanding dry, long-cut pasta. With a full array including Vermicelli, Spaghetti and Ternetta (neat triangle-shaped noodle), you're sure to find a cut to stick perfectly to your sauce. Maybe the most unusual thing about this pasta is that it comes from the Poschiavo Valley - just north of Valtellina, Italy - in Switzerland!

When you come in next, you'll see an amazing new selection of local, domestic and imported beers upstairs. Nate is scouring the planet for the latest fermented hops and frankly, we're quite proud of our growing selection. Add this to our unparalleled Bitters selection (including the Fee Brothers Whisky Barrel Aged Bitter and their new Gin Barrel Aged Orange Bitter), our extensive wine offering boasting over twenty new Rose' wines alone, and you really have found adult beverage nirvana.

While we're on the subject of wine, check out the new Syncline Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine. It's brand new (to the public - been on winery and mailing list only for a short time)! We have several of Syncline's other wines, too. The weather is improving so our white wine selection is growing, too. In particular, check out our German Rieslings and Italian whites - so good with fish, antipasti and cooler dishes.

We have an extensive Wine and Beer Tasting Schedule to present so dump this next bit into your smart phone so you will have it at the ready:

• 12 May - Italian Whites from Noble Wines (our proud Cheese Festival sponsor for the month). 2pm-4pm.
• 19 May - Two-a-days during the Cheese Festival
  12pm - 2pm: Dalla Terra Wines (Italian) with Carrie Omegna
  2pm -4pm: Winebow Wines (Italian) with Amy Morris
• 20 May - Two more on Sunday
  12pm -2pm: Dan Gordon of Novelty Hill (Woodinville)
  2pm - 4pm: Erin Riccolo of Small Vineyards (more Italian!)
• 25 May - FRIDAY BEER TASTING with Reinier of Click: 3pm - 5pm
• 26 May - Michael Florentino Wines from right here in Washington (truly great Cab Franc, Tempranillo and blends). 2pm-4pm.

Finally, check out some of these new beers:

Russian River Santification (Sour Blonde Ale). This guy is made with Brettanomyces Yeast - the bane of winemakers but the holy grail to brewers. Once you make beer with this yeast, your equipment is committed to it for life. Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu is made using one of the oldest beer recipes known. It's 9,000 years old! Nate's Favorite new beer right now: Pelican Brewing Kiwanda Cream Ale. This will go down smooth during the warmer weather!

So many new things to share so let's get started. The Olympic Provisions salamis from Portland are simply delicious. Perfect for a picnic or to have on the ready when friends show up, they are traditional, hard 'cacciatorini". Also in this category are the salamis form Olli and Creminelli. In flavors ranging from Calabrese (hot) to Barolo (made with noble wine) Olli and Creminelli salamis are intensely flavorful and rewarding. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention our very own Rosmarino Salami from Salumi. You have seen it before but remember how good it is? Made with organic, fresh rosemary, it should be in your fridge constantly.

Rosmarino

How does a nice, soft, spreadable little goat ball hand-rolled in garlic and parsley and drenched in sunflower oil sound? Sounded good to us. They call them Gotes Catalan and their made by A. Josef. To go with your harder cheeses and blues, try our new, handmade Pear and Plum Pastes made by Mitica. You can also try their new Orange Blossom Honey from Murcia, Spain - drizzled on fresh ricotta. Lastly, Connie brought in a new Gruyere that's so unique that they just gave it a number - 1655. Here's the story... "The origin of the cheese name Gruyere dates back to the year 1655 when gruiere was designated to the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland where the cheese is made. In honor of that year and the pursuit of the best Gruyere, the leading affineur of Gruyere in Switzerland called Fromage Gruyere SA, created the concept of 1655 to highlight their best dairies. Currently only three dairies qualify to even be considered for 1655. Out of the approximately twenty wheels produced collectively daily by these three dairies, a master affineur personally selects which wheels receive the 1655 label, based on four criteria: Taste, Texture, Consistency and Form/Condition. Now wait until you taste it!

We acknowledge this year's Mac-n-Cheese recipe contest winner with the inclusion of her recipe in our humble newsletter.  We tested lots of interpretations of this comfort food classic and Susan Neel's was the clear winner.  We're suckers for earthiness and goat cheese so it's no wonder this took the hardware.  A little note: you can control the moisture of the finished product by controlling how much you reduce the half and half.