Erin Go Braugh!

March 2008

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Greetings!

Saint Patricks day cheeses have arrived from the Emerald Isle.

Coolea (pictured at right) is a farmhouse cheese handmade by Dick and Sinead Willems in Co. Cork. Originally developed from a Dutch Gouda recipe this treat delivers a satisfyingly chewy bite with sweet flavors reminiscent of toffee. Ours arrives to us after being aged for 20 months by Neal's Yard in London.

Cashel & Crozier blues come to us from Tipperary. The acclaimed Cashel is a delightful cow's milk blue handmade by Jane and Louis Grubb, while the Crozier is made from sheep's milk produced by the nephews of the Grubbs, Henry and Louis Clifton Browne. Cashel is mellow and sweet with a salty blue tang, while Crozier features a tart textured mouthful.

Whiskey & Porter Cheddar - Leave it to the Irish. The mild cheddar curds of this perennially popular pair are marbled with malt whiskey and Irish porter. The Whiskey Cheddar offers a pleasingly full flavor of its namesake and the Porter Cheddar presents a stunning appearance showcasing the curds among a deep chocolaty background.

Attention wine lovers! On March 10th our friends at Fools Onion will be offering a dinner with winemaker Don Corson featuring selections from Camaraderie Cellars. To view the menu or make reservations, visit http://www.foolsonion.com/events.html.

See you at the shop,
Rachel & the Quel Fromage crew

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Buratta Baby!

Cheeses so fresh you'll wanna slap 'em.

As the weather grows warmer and tomato season draws near, our thoughts inevitably turn to Burrata- the creamy dreamy cousin of Mozzarella. Burrata consists of a shell of mozzarella containing a creamy soft lava like interior which once released will ooze slowly and irresistibly onto your plate.

Sprinkle with truffle salt or for a rich caprese salad, drizzle with olive oil and serve over tomato.

Burrata may have it's roots in Italy, but this cow's milk version is handmade by Vita Girardi in California who learned his craft from his grandfather in Italy. The Girardi family will overnight the cheese to us the very day it is made, as it is best enjoyed within 5 days. Our first batch will be available this Tuesday March 4th. Call the shop to reserve your 1 lb. piece. Soon we will offer weekly availability by pre-order.

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Cheese Quiz

What is a 'name protected cheese' ?

The governments of the EU have extended legal protection to certain products to ensure that only those items genuinely originating in a specific region can be labeled for sale as such. A widely known example is that true Champagne can only be produced in a specific region of France. With these standards in place consumers can be certain that the product that they purchase is inextricably linked to its terroir.

The law can also regulate details of production. Roquefort cheese, for instance, must be made near the town of Roquefort in Aveyron, France, using a certain type of sheep's milk, starter culture, mold etc. Parmigiano-Reggiano can only be produced in the Italian provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna and Mantua according to strict guidelines.