A Mold, a Marriage, and John Lennon's Tooth

  Lucy's Whey is by far the smallest cheese shop I've ever visited. It is also one of the most impressive. Nestled in the center of NYC's famous 
Chelsea Market, Lucy's boasts a surprisingly wide selection of cheeses and other specialty goods for such a small space. Ruthie, single-handedly working the counter, was a great source of information on all the cheeses in the shop, as well as general cheesey knowledge. If you're ever in Chelsea                                                             Market or NY's East Hampton (where founder Lucy Kazickas opened her 
                                                    first shop), visit Lucy's for a mini-in-size, but huge-in-taste experience!

After many samplings, Ruthie introduced me to a cheese that she referred to as a "cult classic" among American cheesers. A true example of American ingenuity, Dunbarton Blue is a cheddar-blue hybrid, created by Roelli Cheese in Wisconsin. The Roelli folks created this particular combination by puncturing the cheese a few times during the aging process, then adding a culture to the holes. The result is a cheese that maintains its cheddar identity but offers an after-hint of blue. At first bite, there is simply sharp, delicious cheddar, but after a few seconds an entirely new, subtly blue flavor steps in to perfectly compliment an already delicious taste. You'll be initiated as a member of the Dunbarton Blue Cheese cult after only one morsel.

  

Oh Dunbarton Blue, 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 a small batch of cheese and stories cured on farms and shelves, surprisingly humid and punctured with culture.
                    

Small Batch:

Because it's only produced in small batches, Dunbarton Blue remains in high demand at cheese shops across the country. The same could be said for John Lennon's teeth, since only a small batch of about 30 ever existed. Luckily, there's probably only a small number of people trying to buy these chompers with an auction price of $31,000.

John Lennon's Tooth Sells for More Than $31,000 at Auction (rollingstone.com)

Cured:
This cheese, as well as these people and animals, have all experienced a cure on a farm. Dunbarton Blue spends time on a shelf, departing with a unique flavor and consistency. Humans and animals spend time at the Gentle Barn to overcome emotional and physical challenges, departing with a new set of friends and strong sense of hope.
In the Company of Animals, Healing for Humans (nytimes.com)

Humid:

Conditions must be perfect for both a great cheese and a great wedding. For Dunbarton   Blue, the perfect cave is filled with 90% humidity. For this runner-couple, the perfect marriage location was at the very sweaty 22nd mile of the NYC Marathon.

Couple runs into married life as they tie the knot during New York City marathon (dailymail.co.uk)

Punctured:

Dunbarton Blue is punctured with culture for flavor's sake, and this rhino was punctured with a tranquilizer for safety's sake: he was sedated for his helicopter flight away from the threat of poachers. If only he were awake to enjoy the view.

Rhinos get upside-down helicopter ride to safety (msnbc.com)

Now go out and eat some cheese.

The Dawning of the Grilled Cheese Era

The beauty of cheese doesn't only come from its individual flavors and textures. The combinations we create, through pairings and mixings and stackings, often result in a fantastic dishes much greater than the sum of their parts.


The most classic example of a winning cheese compilation is the Grilled Cheese- a perfect combination of two of humankind's favorite foods: bread and cheese. Throughout history, in various cultures across the globe, both of these foods are staples in society.


I cannot tell you how to make the perfect grilled cheese, as there exist millions of perfect combinations. But for inspiration, here are some helpful guides:


For a truly mouth-watering read, check out Food & Wine's slideshow of the 25 best grilled cheeses in America. Each sandwich defies the norm with unexpected tastes from a variety of ingredients added to the two classic constants.
 Best Grilled Cheese in the U.S. (foodandwine.com)






Find even more suggestions of places to visit here:
"Grilled" News for Cheese Lovers (iledefrancecheese.com)



And if you don't want to travel for your grilled cheese, just head on over to your local stovetop. For something new that you can make at home, try one of these epic recipes:

40 Amazing Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipes (buzzfeed.com)

Finally, when you have created your masterpiece, you can enter it in the official grilled cheese competition:

The Grilled Cheese Invitational.

Now go out and eat some (grilled) cheese.

A Cowgirl, A Plateau, and a Pair of Bionic Legs

For our second week of World According to Cheese on the Road, we find ourselves in America's Capital,Washington D.C. Here, wandering with my childhood friends Francesca and Mia among the presidents and  "malls" where you can't shop, I was surprised to come across the famous Cowgirl Creamery, which I believed only to exist in the Bay Area of California! Once in the shop, I learned that the location was thoughtfully chosen by Cowgirl Creamery's founders, Sue Conley and Peggy Smith, both originally from the D.C. area. 

cowgirlcreamery.com

The Cowgirl folks were quick to share this fact with me, as well as their own opinions of and experiences with the cheeses. I always enjoy this tell-all quality in professional cheesers. After all, I'm not just visiting the shop to buy cheese, I want to learn something while I'm there! When I finally left, I had in tow an unassuming cheese named Cumberland and a smile on my face.

sequatchiecovefarm.com

This cheese is a simple tomme, a general word referring French and Swiss cheeses that use skim milk or milk left over from making richer cheeses. It is produced at Sequatchie Cove Farm in Tennessee, (although the cows come from Maryland), and is named after the plateau surrounding the farm. The cheese, though simple, packs quite a punch. When I first bit in, I feared that the farmy taste would be too strong for my liking. But the flavor stopped right at the edge of too farmy, creating a delightfully unique experience.

Oh Cumberland, 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 inspired with flavor, firm with a hint of wild, while remaining very simple.

Inspired:

Cumberland is inspired by the famous French tomme de Savoie.  Just as Cumberland was inspired by a great cheese that came before it,  this week hundreds of Indian girls chose names inspired by Bollywood idols and Hindu goddesses to replace their negative birth names.

The Indian girls called 'Unwanted': Children branded by their families chose new names for fresh start (dailymail.co.uk) 

Firm:

Cumberland boasts a firm interior as a result of its 90 day aging. And now individuals who couldn't walk before can stand firm too, as a result of the new bionic exoskeleton introduced by Ekso Bionics this week. 

Bionic exoskeleton helps wheelchair users walk (sina.com)

Wild:

Producing a scary haunted house becomes quite a challenge as people become desensitized to scare tactics. At Universal Orlando, employees spend months developing new ideas for Halloween- making it more wild every year. Cumberland fits perfectly with this spooky theme- some of the organisms contained in the cheese aren't inoculated, meaning they're wild!

The Real Scare Is Not Being Scary (nytimes.com)

Simple: This cheese has a no frills type flavor that is intriguing in its simplicity. I was similarly intrigued by the stories these young adults chose to tell, simplifying the complicated lives of their subjects through striking photographs and captions.

Bright Young Things: Andrea Morales Wins TIME’s Next Generation Photography Contest (lightbox.time.com)

Brad Vest- Second Runner Up

Now go out and eat some cheese.

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.