Chicago Shops, Nebraskan Farms, Exotic Animals

For our first week of World According to Cheese on the Road, we find ourselves in the beautiful city of Chicago, known for its ocean-like lake and fatty foods. I had no doubt I would come across great cheese, but the experience I had at the downtown 
Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread and Wine surpassed my expectations: I was greeted by a huge selection of both international and regional cheeses, and a master cheesemonger named Adrienne who knew cheese better than the back of her hand. 

chicagonow.com

I know I've come across a true cheese fanatic when her face lights up while describing cheeses, employing her own creative adjectives such as "toothsome" and "pillowy". She shared stories of Pastoral field trips to nearby farms and her meetings with the makers of the various cheeses, making me wish that I too was an employee at Pastoral. I highly suggest a stop at this shop the next time you're in Chicago- You will be truly satisfied by the delicious cheese selection and fantastic education from the staff.

I chose to feature a small, unassuming cheese that Adrienne introduced as a rarity: a cheese hailing from a small town in Nebraska, rarely sold outside the state. It is produced by a lady named Charuth Loth, who began her cheesemaking at Dutch Girl Creamery a few years ago and now milks 70 goats on her family farm. 

Fun Fact: Charuth names all of her french-style goat cheeses female names, because she has three sons and therefore has deemed her cheeses her "daughters". This cheese is named Natalie, appearing as delicate and feminine as the name her mother gave her. She weighs practically nothing, and tastes both sweet, tart, and creamy: a delightful mixture.

Oh Natalie, I hereby crown ye Cheese of the Week.
*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*


Here's to a week filled with cheese and stories that are dreamy and delightful, but filled with a toothsome and molten interface.

Msnbc Photoblog

Dreamy:
Adrienne described the rind of this cheese as "pillowy"- it seems so soft that you could fall asleep on the surface and begin a great dream. The dream of this billionaire is to give us the gift of space vacations, and it seems now that this dream may be close to reality (if you can pay the hefty price).

Branson and NM Officials Dedicate Space Terminal (BusinessWeek)

Delightful:

I am simply delighted by the story of a small town farmer like Charuth Loth making it big in the cheese world. Rivaling the level of delight is this story of a laugh-for-peace that took place at a clown conference in Mexico this week.

Mexican Clown Convention Holds 'laugh for peace' 
(Seattle Pi)

Toothsome: The flavor of this cheese is reminiscent of the small animal-filled farm where it is made, complete with the snarly bite of the animals that roam the pastures. We heard a story this week of a farm full of much less fortunate animals, whose toothy nature led to their sad demise. It's hard to find a positive spin in the story of these exotic animals' release, but at least a few were saved and transported to a nearby zoo.

Rescued Animals from Ohio Farm at Columbus Zoo (Msnbc Photoblog)

Molten Interface: 

The word molten, assigned to this cheese by  the people at Pastoral, brings to mind a volcano billowing with smoke. The viral video that made its rounds this week is also reminiscent of a volcano: a seemingly out-of-this-world image of an object hovering in space, shedding layers of steam in its wake.     Superconducting Magnet Floats in Place (Gadget Review)

Now go out and eat some cheese.

Affinois and Affinage

Every argument has a counter-argument, particularly when it comes to cheese. Last week I included the NyTimes article on affinage and featured Ewephoria, a prime example of a cheese produced under the watchful eye of experts practicing this art. There is also another school of thought that believes affinage is just a method of making money, not better cheese.

Ricecreams.com

     Steven Jenkins, lead cheesemonger at 
     Fairway   Market and author of 
    "Cheese Primer", is one expert who
     holds this opinion.

Among his many claims to fame, Mr. Jenkins was the first American cheesemonger inducted into France’s elite Guilde des Fromagers in 1976, and was recently elevated to “Prud’homme”, the guild’s highest status. These labels and his countless awards seem to suggest that Mr. Jenkins knows 
what he's talking about and that his opinion must not be ignored.

So to test out Jenkin's theory I visited Fairway and picked out one of the cheeses that appeared least cared for: It was smushed, chopped into pieces haphazardly, and barely resembled a cheese at all. This style of presentation seemed to be the norm among the brie-like varieties. Quite the opposite of those that have been treated through the process of affinage.

realsimple.com

Fromager d'Affinois is a pioneer among cheeses: the first to ever be made through a special process called ultrafiltration, which removes the water from the pasteurized milk and concentrates all the other ingredients. The process only takes 2 weeks to complete, as opposed to the normal 8 weeks. The product is a rich and unctuous brie, containing more vitamins, proteins, and fat than your average cheese. 

Oh Fromager d'Affinois, I hereby crown ye Cheese of the Week.

 *Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*

Here's to a week filled with stories and cheese that are vitamin filled, positively unctuous, and pioneers of movements that are accomplished in an unremarkable time.

                                                              

   Vitamin Filled:

To be a superhero, you need to get your fill of vitamins and protein. Phoenix Jones, self-proclaimed superhero, might want to improve his hero skills by filling up on some of this cheese.

Seattle police arrest 'superhero' Phoenix Jones in assault investigation (Seattle Pi)  

   
Pioneered: 

Fromagerie Guilloteau, The makers of Fromager Affinois, are pioneers of ultrafiltration. Franklin Kameny, who passed away this week, was an even greater pioneer for the gay civil rights movement. 

Franklin Kameny, Gay Rights Pioneer, Dies at 86 (NYTimes) 

Unctuous: 

I can't think of anything more greasy than a family of bigfoots- they live in the wild, don't shower, and unfortunately can't find any shoes to fit their smelly feet. Next time this woman feeds them she should include some fromager d'affinois cheese on the bagels...I'm sure the bigfoots would enjoy a little added unction.

    'I Fed Bigfoot Blueberry Bagels,' Michigan Woman Says        (Fox News)                                                                  

Unremarkable Time:

Its not important how long it takes to make this cheese- the short time is quite unimpressive when compared to the years-old goudas and cheddars we often encounter. What is remarkable about this cheese is the finished product: its taste and consistency make it truly special. For Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner, it wasn't important how long it took him to run his marathon. What was impressive was that he completed the race at the ripe age of 100.

Fauja Singh, 100-year-old Marathoner, Finishes Race & Earns Spot In Guinness World Records (Huffington Post)

Now go out and eat some cheese.

Ewephoria for the Tastebuds

If you google "best cheese in NYC", Murray's is at the top of the list. I've read many an article on the company and its been recommended to me time and again. Murray's has found the secret recipe for a successful cheese shop: They don't just buy and sell cheese, they add the Murray's special touch. In cellars dug into the belly of Manhattan, they cave age each cheese to perfection. This is an entire art unto itself known as "affinage".

They have an incredibly knowledgeable staff, who will explain the differences between the cheeses, give you samples galore, share their own opinions, and suggest pairings for each cheese.

At the height of rush hour in Grand Central Station, my fellow cheeser Maddie and I were drawn into a calmer and cheesier world as soon as we stopped at the Murray's counter. A cheeser named Stanley assisted us in tasting about ten cheeses, before we settled on three.

nytimes.com

To learn more about Murray's, their caves (you can take a tour) and their cheeses (you can take a class), check out:

Murray's Cheese, a New York City landmark since 1940.

And to learn more about the interesting art of affinage (refining- the same word is used for metals) read this great NY Times article:

Cheese: A Coming of Age Story (NY Times)

I decided to feature one of Stanley's personal favorites this week. The name, the flavor, and the buying experience were a winning combination. The cheese is called Ewephoria, a pun only comprehensible to an English-speaking ear. Murray's explains that this cheese was made to suit American tastebuds. It has a candy finish, like you just ate a sweet pastry. I didn't even know that was possible, but I learned from Ewephoria.

The cheese comes from North Holland, and is described as "hard", "dry", and "caramelly" by Murray's. It starts out like an ordinary cheese, but quickly morphs into something extraordinary- part cheese, part dessert. The name says it all- this cheese launches the tastebuds into a state of euphoria.

Oh Ewephoria, 

I hereby crown ye Cheese of the Week.

*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*

Here's to a week filled with stories and cheese that are not only sweet but smart shelled too, dry as a dead whale but excitement-inducing all the same.

Sweet:  

I was quite surprised by the sweet, candy-like finish of this cheese. It was unexpected, but completely welcome. This 85 year old Spanish duchess must have shocked the crowds when she began to dance the flamenco for her new (60 year old) husband- but they roared with approval at her sweet performance.

Rich Spanish duchess weds for third time at age 85 (MSNBC)

Smart Shelled: 

As I learned from the article on affinage (see above), even the rind of a cheese contributes to the taste. In Japan they've decided to take a cue from cheese and pay more attention to the outside of their smartphones: Now the cases are smart too. They can monitor your body weight, tell you if you've been exposed to radiation, and, most importantly for a cheeser- check to see if you have bad breath.

Smart phone cases monitor health, test for bad breath (Tech Radar)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Dry: 

There's nothing drier than a fish out of water... except maybe a whale in a field. Although experts claim that this dead whale washed up 1/2 mile inland in East Yorkshire last week was carried in by a high tide, I'm skeptical. It seems pretty clear that she just wanted a tour of the countryside.

Beached Whale Lands In Yorkshire Countryside, Half A Mile Inland (Huffington Post)

Excitement Inducing: 

Upon tasting Ewephoria, I couldn't help but exclaim out loud how great it was. The cheese's name indicates that this is a common reaction. Steve Jobs was responsible for inducing countless "oohs" and "ahhs" with his innovative products. He will be missed dearly. 

In Memory of Steve Jobs (Wall Street Journal)

http://en.nolapeles.com

Now go out and eat some cheese.

Seattle's Best in NYC

I have never been to Seattle. I know that Frasier had a talk show there, it rains a lot, and my good friend Leah hails from that part of Washington. I had no idea that they would have such great cheese. Then I read an article about Beecher's Cheese in the New York Times (Found Here). Beechers is a family company, founded in Seattle's Pike Place and dedicated to the art of American cheesemaking. 

www.community.foodandwine.com

At 6:30pm on a Wednesday, The Cellar at Beecher's was on a 45 minute wait. Luckily they had a pear maple cocktail that made the time fly by.


For the best and cheesiest meal you'll ever eat in a basement, complete with a shop full of scrumptious American cheeses made on premise, head  over to Beecher's at 900 Broadway in the Flatiron District: 
Beecher's Handmade Cheese!

On Beecher's exclusive cheese plate, each cheese was paired with a sauce or morsel that provided an often surprising compliment to the cheese itself. The cheeses varied from a spicy Jack to an aged cheddar. The pairings varied from honey to thai chili peppers to nuts. One cheese, a variation of Beecher's signature Flagship cheese with the addition of sheep's milk, stood out from the rest. 

Oh Beecher's Flagsheep, 

I hereby crown ye Cheese of the Week.

*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*Clap*

Here's to a week filled with stories and cheese that are daring, dangerous, and age defiant,  all fused together in an unexpected harmony.

msnbc photoblog

Daring: Most of us spend the work day at a desk. Others spend it rappelling down national monuments. After our earthquake scare, we watched in fear this week as a "difficult access team" of specialists scaled the sides of the Washington monument in the pouring rain. Their act was almost as daring as feeding a new cheese recipe to voracious New Yorkers.

Daredevil Washington Monument inspection starts (boston.com)

Dangerous:
The greater the danger, the greater the reward. That must be what base jumpers believe, and cheesemakers too. The guys at Beecher's took the dangerous step of adding another animal's milk to their perfect cheddar recipe in order to reap the reward of yet another incredible cheese.

Base jumper Jean-Philippe Teffaud from Grenoble, France, leaps off the Kuala Lumpur Tower in Malaysia (telegraph.co.uk)

Age Defiant:
The flagsheep, while appearing to be of a ripe old age, still possesses the vigor of a younger cheese. This California man did too: at the age of 68, he survived for six days eating leaves and drinking water from a creek after his car fell off a ravine. 


California man, 68, found alive by his children, nearly a week after plunge off mountain road (washingtonpost.com)




Fused Together:
Flagsheep is a fusion of cow and sheep's milk, a combination that brings out a surprisingly normal flavor. This Massachusetts cat was born with two faces and lives a surprising normal life. It broke a record this week when it turned 12 years old. Happy birthday, Frank and Louie. Your owner is a brave soul.  


House Cat With 2 Faces Lives 12 Years, Sets Record (foxnews.com)

Now go out and eat some cheese.