Wisconsin Smoked Gouda

A few days ago, I received my first cheese from a fan with a note asking me to sample and review it. It was sent to me by Gary, The Man’s BFF of more than 50 years… now that’s a best friend… who is NOT in the cheese industry; but a fan of Smoked Gouda and one of his life’s quests is the search for a perfect Smoked Gouda. Between you and me, I am pretty sure it is the journey that interests him and not the destination…so many Smoked Goudas and so few meals to enjoy it…

The wedge Gary sent was wrapped in a plastic wrap and outer wrapped in a parchment paper. The only tag on it was a Rogue Creamery tag (Gary was in the Rogue Valley for his grandson’s high School graduation) that had the weight and the price and the following information, “Smoked Gouda, Pasteurized, Wisconsin, Cow”. I was not able to learn who the cheesemaker is; but I am almost certain it was not the Rogue Creamery. Most cheese shops at creameries sell cheeses other than their own. The Lady brought home several cheeses from Wisconsin which she bought at the Roth Kase Cheese Shop. Some were from other creameries.

Comment received from Tom, Rogue Creamery Cheese Shop:

“The smoked gouda you ate was made by Master Cheesemaker Jeff Wideman’s team at the Maple Leaf Cheese Co. of Monroe Wisconsin. Rogue Creamery would have wrapped the cut piece in Formaticum cheese paper (wax paper lined with a layer of pourous plastic).”

When The Lady opened the package, the pleasant smell of the smoke escaped and filled the air. So far; so good.

The Lady then did the unspeakable…she made The Man and me wait a half hour while the cheese warmed to room temperature. In case you don’t know, this Feline Foodie has a real problem with that delayed gratification thing…it’s highly over-rated…

She explained that the flavors will be much more intense and enjoyable if the cheese is served at room temperature…yea, yea, yea…feed me…

After warming, she cut small cubes for The Man and me to taste. It had a slightly oily surface from sitting out and the smoked smell was even more intense. This cheese was mild and creamy with the smoke taste being quite intense; maybe a little too intense for my tastes. There was a slight bitter after taste; which I found interesting and not unacceptable.

The cheese was a pale creamy yellow color and the rind was a tan and appeared to have been bandage wrapped; but that’s a guess on my part. It did not have a waxed wrapping. The top was not smooth with a rough finish that resembled cloth; another reason I think it was bandage wrapped.

I understand that Gary likes Smoked Gouda in omelets and this Feline Foodie thinks that would be a good match.

I give this Smoked Gouda 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Omelets and other egg dishes. It would be a nice addition for au gratins such as broccoli or potatoes, especially if mixed with another cheese such as Beecher’s Flagship.

Wine Pairings: Adelsheim Vineyard 2007 Pinot Blanc from Oregon’s Willamette Valley; McMenamin’s Edgefield Winery 2006 Black Rabbit Red (68% Washington State Grapes and 32% Oregon grapes)

Beer Pairings: Geist Bock from Golden Valley Brewery

Source: Cow’s Milk from Wisconsin

It’s A Tillamook Cheese Kind of Sunday at the Manse

The Lady slept in today (which for her was 6am) because the US Open coverage was starting at 8am…but it was rain delayed…again.

It gave her extra time to come up with ways to spoil The Man and her favorite Feline Foodie (that would be moi) and so far she has done a darn fine job.

She made fresh guacamole to go with a brunch pizza that was topped with Tillamook Sharp and the precious Tillamook 100^th Anniversary Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar (aged 3 years instead of the traditional 2 years). The recipe is posted over on my sister blog and you can read The Lady’s creation by clicking here.

Later today she plans to make pimento cheese spread; again she’ll use the Tillamook Sharp and 100^th Anniversary Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar.

She shared the Anniversary wheel with me this morning so that I could review it.

Tillamook 100th Anniversary Wheel

This limited edition two-pound wheel was a gift from her friend, Cindy, from Action West. A special shoutout to Cindy for bringing more joy into this feline foodie’s life…thanks; you’re the best!!

What can I say?

Well, for starters I thought the two-year Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar could not be topped by any other cheddar… I was wrong. This three-year baby took this Feline Foodie’s breath away and curled my whiskers. It’s that good!!

The Lady let it sit out for an hour and made me wait…I was not pleased to delay gratification; but as it turns out, the taste was worth the wait. This cheese is crumbly and has those little crunchy flavor crystals that drive me crazy…far more effective than catnip and much better tasting as well.

I could go on and on; but let me add just one thing…The Man thought the brunch pizza with this cheese on top was the best pizza The Lady has ever made and according to The Man, The Lady knows how to make great pizza.

He loves living with the Lady and she says, “Right back atcha.”

This Feline Foodie gives the Special Edition 100^th Anniversary Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar Wheel from Tillamook all 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got) and a few curled whiskers to boot – this is seriously good cheese.

You can order your own wheel from Tillamook’s website. And you’d better do it now cause when it’s gone…it’s gone…

Serving Suggestions: The list is absolutely endless: pizza, mac n cheese, on a cheese platter with nuts and fruit (especially pears and green grapes), sautéed Columba livia f. domestica, use your own imagination.

Wine Pairings: Steven Kent Winery, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon – Home Ranch, Livermore Valley – only 5 barrels were deemed fine enough to become the Single Vineyard Series wine. Again, get it now cause when it’s gone, it’s gone…

Beer Pairings: Big Time Brewing Company’s Prime Time Pale Ale (Seattle, Washington)

Source: Cows’ Milk

Long Clawson Dairy Lemon Zest Stilton

Vegetarian – Suitable Cheese

The Lady brought home a wedge of another dessert cheese created by the same cheesemakers, UK’s Long Clawson Dairy, which made the Blueberry Fayre I reviewed recently. You can read that review by clicking here.

The basis of this cheese is the white creamy and crumbly stilton that is used to make the world-renowned Stilton Blue Cheese. This white cheese is similar to a farmhouse Cheshire with a buttery texture. It is mild and with the addition of the candied lemon zest, it’s a cheese you won’t soon forget.

The Man is not known for his culinary talents and one of the downsides to him of having The Lady working in the cheese mines is he has to fix his own lunch each day. Sandwiches are a popular fare for him; but earlier this week he created his own mini-cheese platter. He cut mini-wedges of Comte, Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar, Emmenthal, Cantalet and Lemon Zest. He and I had not had the Lemon Zest before…wow…on a 34° Degree Sesame Crispbread Cracker, this cheese will knock your socks off…what a retro thing to say…

When The Lady got home from the cheese mines, The Man went on and on about how much he liked this cheese and I added a few meows to the chorus.

Tonight The Lady made a salad and added Lemon Zest cheese. I thought The Man was going to weep. They both agreed it was one of the best salads they had had in quite a while. You can read the recipe for The Lady’s Lemon Zest Salad at our recipe sister blog.

I give Long Clawson Dairy Lemon Zest 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: As part of a dessert cheese plate with 34° Crackers, salted nuts and candied fruits. You can kick your salads up more than a bit with Lemon Zest. Long Clawson has several recipe suggestions on their website.

Wine Pairings: I would suggest a glass of Sophia Sparkling Wine.

Beer Pairings: Portland’s Own Widmer Hefeweizen – winner of the 2008 Gold Medal Beer Cup

Source: Pasteurized Cow’s Milk

 

Up next: A fan sent me a wedge of Smoked Gouda he bought at the Rogue Creamery Cheese Shop asking me to sample it and pass along my review…which I will do later today. My humble thanks for both the cheese and your trust in my response.

Beemster Hot Air Balloon Ride

The Lady and I are both friends with Michael from Beemster Cheese. He’s the friend who sent me the three Beemster mice that I spend endless hours playing with and enjoying. His cheese brings endless hours of pleasure to The Lady, The Man and especially me. Imagine my surprise when The Lady got a phone call from Michael last night inviting her (not me) to ride with him and DuRyan, a DJ from “jammin’” 107.5 radio and member of their popular “Playhouse” , in the Beemster Hot air balloon, leaving this feline foodie and the three Beemster mice behind…

And to add insult to injury, when she returned, she told The Man that cheese was served during the ride…now that’s just wrong, wrong, wrong…why does The Lady get to do all the fun stuff and I have to do all the work reporting her various cheese antics???

Here’s the 411 on how the ride went…she arrived at Cook Park in Tigard at 430am. In her excitement, she locked her keys in the car…teehee…

The Lady was required to sign two release forms that warned that hot air ballooning was a dangerous sport and might result in bodily harm and/or death (the second form was a bit more subtle and used the word “fatality” instead of “death”). The Lady signed both and became an “official card-carrying” Crew member on the Beemster Hot Air Balloon. Kelly, from Food Match which imports most of the items The Lady sells at the Olive Bar, offered to take custody of me in case that “death thing” occurred…like I would ever leave The Man…but Kelly, I appreciate the offer and the sentiment that accompanies such a kind gesture.

First, the crew prepared the balloon for launch by unrolling and blowing cold air into it to inflate it:

That's The Lady on the right...

After filling with hot air, attaching the gondola and climbing in, Michael who turned out to also be the pilot, DuRyan and The Lady were off:

The ride took them over the area around Tigard and DuRyan broadcast from the balloon via his Blackberry. The in-studio had a trivia contest and The Lady answered two questions correctly: 1.) Who is Heather Mills’ ex-husband???  (How would The Lady not know that…) and 2.) What was Sally Ride the first woman to do?

It was overcast but the ride was fun and The Lady was only nervous once when the tops of the trees came a little too close for her comfort as they began their descent.

You can view more pictures of her adventure by clicking here.

The Lady thanks Michael and the Beemster Balloon for including her on this adventure…and the cheese snack as well…maybe next time this feline foodie will get to ride along as well…Michael, consider that a hint…after all, how often do you get to fly around with a cat in the gondola???

Tillamook Ice Cream

So…I know I’m wandering off the reservation with this review…and I place every bit of the blame right smack dab at the feet of The Lady…when The Lady decided to un-retire and return to the 9 to 5 (yea…right) life, she made a deal with The Man. The deal was that she would bring home the proverbial bacon and The Man would clean the house. The Lady prefers a housekeeper but The Man doesn’t like “strangers” in his house ( this ”position” by The Man greatly amuses The Brain and The Mothership in general…but I digress).

As it turned out…and I could have gone to Vegas and laid down this bet; but no sports book in town would have taken this bet…The Lady is not satisfied with the quality of The Man’s housekeeping. I believe I speak for everyone who knows The Lady even a little when I say, “What a surprise.” 

In order to not offend The Man and to get the house cleaned to her satisfaction, The Lady has taken to throwing dinner parties every few weeks. Part of the “prep work” for dinner includes a more “thorough” house cleaning than The Man provides. Last night she threw one of her dinner parties and that is how I came to taste and thus review Tillamook Ice Cream…perhaps a too long explanation; but that is part of my charm…

After a dinner of fresh field greens (aka “weeds” according to The Man) from their CSA Farm Share with fresh, raw asparagus and fresh bell peppers tossed with Modena Balsamic Vinegar and EVOO, a mixed grill of Pork Loin Chops and Wild Caught and Sustainable Copper River Salmon (both grilled) with fresh CSA Farm beet slaw and grilled asparagus. Quite simple; quite healthy and quite eco-friendly.

Dessert was fresh strawberries and a trio of Tillamook Ice Cream Scoops: Vanilla Bean, Udderly Chocolate (what an udderly cute name) and Oregon Strawberry. The Lady and The Man had a discussion regarding whether or not they should let me have ice cream and decided, “What the hell? Either he’ll eat it and like it or he’ll drag it into his litter box and bury it.”

My first question is, Why has The Lady been holding out on me???… Withholding one of the most sublime frozen creations humankind and bovine have ever made… I have seen The Lady and The Man eating ice cream in the past and didn’t have a clue…if I had only known sooner…so many ice creams…so few dessert times…

Let me begin with Vanilla Bean…According to The Lady, Vanilla is America’s favorite flavor of ice cream. I can dig that…I have never tasted vanilla before but it is creamy, delish and the flakes of vanilla bean are exciting to this feline foodie’s palate. The Lady did not share the fresh strawberries with me; but I understand why humankind would pair Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with fresh berries, cake, pie and just about anything else along the food chain…I wonder how Vanilla Bean would pair with Gyps fulvus? My money says it would go together quite well…

Next up: Udderly Chocolate. Udderly delish. I now fully appreciate the hoopla over chocolate and why humankind males shower humankind females with chocolate…it is to die for…there is nothing left to say…chocolate is one of the best things you can put in your mouth…

Last, but far from least: Oregon Strawberry. Can you imagine anything better than fresh strawberries and Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream? I can’t…well maybe Mustela putorius furo (aka the “little thief”) and Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream…and let me say one more time, I played absolutely no part in the disappearance of Jennifer’s Mustela putorius furo… absolutely nothing…I swear…

I can die happy…ice cream, glorious ice cream…

This feline foodie gives all three Tillamook Ice Cream 4 Paws out of 4 Paws…could I rate them any less…absolutely not!!!

Serving Suggestions: As a dessert or alone morning, noon or night.

Pairing Suggestions: Just about anything goes with ice cream.

Source: Moo Juice

Help Send Thomas To Napa Valley for a “Goode” Job

My friend and co-worker, Thomas, wants to land an inteerview and job with Murphy Goode Winery. thomas has a wine degree. The first step in the process is to produce a video and get the public to vote for it. Thomas has posted his video on their website. Please take a minute (the video is 60 seconds) and then, please vote for Thomas…we need to get him down to Sonoma County for the chance of a lifetime…

Click here to view his video.

Good luck, Thomas!!

Spaulding Gray’s Personal Favorite Cheese and Food Pairings Chart

Spaulding Gray’s Personal Favorite Cheese and Food Pairings Chart:

Cheese	Feline Food Pairing Choice	Miscellaneous Information
Applewood Smoked Cheddar	Archilochus colubris or Gallus gallus domesticus	Takes quite a successful hunting day to catch enough Archilochus colubris for a real meal…
Asiago	Castor canadensis or Sus domestica	Castor canadensis is the second largest rodent in the world. Makes it tricky to catch…
Beecher’s Flagship Reserve	Buteo jamaicensis or Gallus gallus domesticus	Buteo jamaicensis tastes like chicken…
Beecher’s No Woman	peromyscus leucopus or Sus domestica	My two favorite foods paired together. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Beemster Mustard Seed	Terrapene carolina triunguis or Bos primigenius taurus ribeye	I hate when the shell gets stuck between my teeth.
Beemster XO	Sciurus griseus or Sus domestica	Sciurus griseus tastes like pork.
BelGioioso American Grana	Buteo regalis or Gallus gallus domesticus	The Buteo regalis’ eggs are a treat when you can climb into the nest.
BelGioioso Burrata	Oncorhynchus tshawytscha	The Man hates Oncorhynchus tshawytscha which leaves more for me.
BelGioioso Provolone	Sus scrofa Salami or Sus domestica Salami	The best sus scrofa comes from Spain and is known locally as Jamon Iberico.
Boar’s Head Horseradish Cheddar	Ateles marginatus or rare Bos primigenius taurus	When you visit Brazil, check out the Ateles marginatus
Brie de Nangis	Afrana johnstoni or Pelophylax kl. Esculentus legs	Choices seemed appropriate…
Cambozola	Sciurus carolinensis  sausage or Oryctolagus cuniculus	Likes its western cousin, Sciurus carolinensis tastes like pork.
Cantalet	Tamiasciurus hudsonicus or Oryctolagus cuniculus	Ditto…
Comte	Atlantoraja castelnaui  or Oncorhynchus kisutch	If it lives in “open seas”, how do they know it’s endangered?
Cotswold Pub Cheese	Axis calamianensis or Cervus canadensis	You have to beat out the pythons if you want Axis calamianensis for dinner.
Denhay Farmhouse Cheddar	grilled Marmota vancouverensis or Bos primigenius taurus	The Lady and The Man have promised to take me to Vancouver Island to enjoy Marmota vancouverensis for dinner.
Fol Epi	jerked Sus scrofa scrofa	Anything but boring…
Fontina Val d’Aosta	smoked Sander viteus	Also good as sushi
Iberico	Egretta thula or Gallus gallus domesticus	You’ll never regret eating Egretta thula
Idiazabal	Smoked Salmonidae	Again…more for me…
Jarlsberg	Apodemus alpicola or Sus domestica	You can find Apodemus alpicola in abundance at Salmon Creek, especially early in the morning.
Kerrygold Dubliner	T. thymallus	The Lady’s favorite…
Kerrygold Ivernia	Bison bonasus or Bison bison	Buffalo girl why don’t you come out tonight…
Mahon	Aphelocoma coerulescens pate or Gallus gallus domesticus	Looks just like the ones that live here…what’s the difference? …and it tastes like chicken…
Mimolette	Ondatra zibethicus or Sus domestica	I wonder if The Captain and Tenille love Ondatra zibethicus as much as I do?
Ossau Irarty	Camelus bactrianus or Bos primigenius taurus	One hump or two humps?
Parmigiana-Reggiano	rana catesbeiana stew or Pelophylax kl. Esculentus stew	Jeremiah Stew is my favorite.
Pecorino Romano	Carcharhinus borneensis or T. thymallus	The shark you eat is the one that won’t eat you. The Lady saw Jaws and never got in the ocean again…
Pont l’Eveque	Turdus migratorius or Gallus gallus domesticus	Tastes like chicken…
P’tit Basque	suricata Suricata suricatta  pate or  Sus domestica	I got nothing…
Raclette	Hesperoptenus doriae or Gallus gallus domesticus	As opposed to a true one???
Rembrandt	Peromyscus leucopus or Sus domestica	The Lady’s favorite cheese deserves to be paired with this favorite of mine.
Rogue Creamery Oregon Blue	Dendrolagus goodfellowi or Bos primigenius taurus	This goodfellow is a wannabe wallaby …
Rogue Creamery Oregonzola	Ground Elephas maximus or Bos primigenius taurus	There are always leftovers…
Roth Kase Buttermilk Blue	Mustela putorius furo steak or Bos primigenius taurus	I had NOTHING to do with it when Jennifer’s went MIA in Burbank…I swear…
Roth Kase GrandCru Gruyere	Gallicolumba menagei or Gallus gallus domesticus	Bleeding hearts…
Saint Agur	Hapalopsittaca fuertesi or Gallus gallus domesticus	The Lady and The Man had a parrot…too bad he went away…
Saint Andre	Rattus rattus or Sus domestica	Interesting pairing, don’tcha think? Buts, it’s yummy.
Taleggio	Mydaus marchei  or  Sus domestica	If you can get past the smell, you’ll enjoy the taste, especially when it’s fresh.
Tillamook Garlic Chili PepperCheddar	Gymnogyps californianus or Gallus gallus domesticus	**True story below about a Californian man in court for killing and roasting a Gymnogyps californianus
Tillamook Hot Habanero Jack	Didelphis virginianis or Gallus gallus domesticus	These guys are tricky and they only come out at night…
Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar	Electrophorus electricus  or unagi roll	Might as well stick your tongue in a socket.
Willamette Valley Brindisi	Melospiza melodia or Gallus gallus domesticus	And yes…it tastes like chicken…

 

** So this guy is arrested in California for killing, roasting and eating a California condor, which is a crime and the guy is facing serious jail time. Before sentencing, the guy throws himself on the mercy of the court and the judge takes pity, giving him probation and a stern lecture about protecting the endangered Condor. As the guy is walking out the courtroom door, the judge asks him what the condor tastes like. The guy answers, “A lot like the bald eagle.”

Beer, Cheese and Food Pairing Chart

The Lady decided to do some extension research into what cheeses and foods, in general, might pair well with beer. Through the research, she learned a lot about beer – much she never knew as she is not a beer drinker. As a result, she and The Man went through the beer section at the local discount warehouse today and decided to buy a Samuel Adams “Sample” pack of their spring and summer beers. If she shares with me, I’ll post my own reviews of the beers they brought home…hic…

Style/Flavor	Cheese Pairings	Food Pairings Cuisine
Abbey	Triple Crème	Braised Beef; Short Ribs; Liver; Venison; Goose; Lamb; Thai
Altbier“Old Beer”	Camembert,Fontina	Roast Beef; Burritos; Real Mac n Cheese; Meatloaf; Steak; Burgers; Burritos; Fried Chicken; Steak; Game; Grilled Meat; Smoked Meats; Thai; German
American AmberLager	Parmesan;Cheddar;Jack	Jambalaya: Lasagna; Grilled Lamb; Pizza; Steak; Burgers; Fried Calamari; Roasted; BBQ Chicken; Chicken; Fried Chicken; Gumbo; Pizza; Thai; South American;
Barley Wine	Blue, Sharp Cheddar, Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar;	Chocolate Cake
Biere de Garde	Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Edam, Feta; Brick	Fish,Shellfish; Roasted Chicken; Lamb; Ostrich; Bouillabaisse; Salad; Shellfish; Indian; Middle Eastern
Bitter	Red Leicester	Meatloaf; Steak; Roast Beef; Roasted Chicken;
Bock	Camembert;Fontina; Gruyere; Emmenthal;	Roasted Chicken; Chocolate; Game; German
Brown Ale	Camembert;Fontina; Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Gloucester; Aged Gouda; Cheshire	Venison; Pork; Grilled Lamb; Meatloaf; Burgers; Burritos; Roasted Chicken; Fried Chicken; BBQ Chicken; Chili; Gumbo; Beef Stew; Baked Ham; Steak; Chocolate; Beef; Pork; Cajun; BBQ
Doppelbock	Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Camembert; Fontina; Limburger	Venison; Bacon with Savory Dishes; Goose; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Salads with Blue Cheese; Chocolate; Game; German
Dortmunder Export	Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss;	Ostrich; Fish; Gumbo; Baked Ham; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Smoked Salmon; Poultry; Shellfish; Indian; German
Dubbel	Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Limburger; Gorgonzola;Morbier	Braised Beef; Short Ribs; Liver; Bacon with Savory Dishes; Roasted Chicken; Goose; Steak; Chocolate; Beef;
Dunkle/Dunkles	Asiago, Colby, Parmesan,	Venison; Veal; Real Mac n Cheese; Meatloaf; Roasted Chicken; Salmon; Cajun; Chinese; Indian; German
ESB – Extra Special Bitter	Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Brick; Edam; Feta;	Game; Pork; Cajun-Style Shellfish
Gueuze	Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar;	Oysters; Smoked Salmon;
Hefeweizen	Brick; Edam; Feta; Chevre; Boursin Spreads	Salad; Fish; Poultry; Shellfish; Eggs Benedict; Cheese Omelets; German
Helles	Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss;	Veal; Lobster; Ostrich; Fried Calamari; Chowder; Clams; Crab; Eggs; Baked Ham; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Oysters; Salad; Pork; Indian; German
Imperial Stout	Aged Gouda; Parmesan; Cheddar	Ice Cream; Apple Pie; Brownies; Cheesecake; Chocolate; Pecan Pie; Beef; Grilled Meat;
IPA – India Pale Ale	Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Monterey; Pepper Jack; Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; Brick; Edam; Feta	Jambalaya; Avocado; Burgers; Chili; Gumbo; Salmon; Salad; Fish; Game; Grilled Meat; Poultry; Shellfish; Indian; Thai; BBQ;
Kölsch	Monterey Jack; Brick	Fried Calamari; Bratwurst; Fish; Chowder; Clams; Eggs; Oysters; Salads; Pork; Shellfish; German
Lambic	Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar;	Salad;
Marzenbier/Oktoberfest	Pepper Jack; Swiss; Emmenthal; Gruyere; Pepper Jack	Real Mac n Cheese; Meatloaf; Roasted Chicken; Baked Ham; Pizza; German
Old Ale	Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss;	Venison; Roasted Lamb;
Oud Bruin – “Old Brown”	Camembert; Fontina	Chocolate; Grilled Meat;
Pale Ale	Camembert; Fontina; Monterey; Pepper Jack; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; Brick; Feta; Edam; Parmesan; Romano;	Jambalaya; Lasagna; Real Mac n Cheese; Meatloaf; Avocado;  Poultry; Steak; Roast Beef; Fish; Burritos; Burgers; Game; Fried Calamari; Roasted Chicken; Crab; Gumbo; Pizza; Salad; Shellfish; Cajun; Thai; Indian; Middle Eastern
Pilsner	Monterey; Pepper Jack; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; American Cheese (which is NOT really cheese); Muenster; Havarti;	Jambalaya; Lobster; Bass (Fish); Fried Calamari; Chowder; Clams; Baked Ham; Fish; Oysters; Salmon; Smoked Salmon; Grilled Meat; Poultry; Indian; Thai; German
Porter	Gruyere	Venison; Meatloaf; Brownies; Cheesecake; BBQ Chicken; Chocolate; Goose; Prosciutto; Shellfish; Serrano; Bayonne; Pecan Pie; Steak; Beef; Grilled Meat; Smoked Meats; BBQ; South American
Rauchbier “Smoked Beer”	Monterey; Pepper Jack; Blues; Sharp Cheddar;	Venison; Buffalo; Burritos; BBQ Chicken; Game; Chili; Grilled Meat; Smoked Salmon; Beef; Smoked Meats; Chinese; BBQ; German
Saison	Camembert; Fontina; Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Limburger; Gorgonzola;	Veal;  Fish; Jambalaya; Fried Calamari; Salmon; Smoked Salmon; Smoked Trout; Salad; Poultry; Shellfish; Indian; Cajun; Thai
Schwarzbier – “Black Beer”	Muenster	Jambalaya; Grilled ; Bacon with Savory Dishes; Lamb; Burgers; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Cajun; German
Scotch Ale	Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Myzithra; Idiazabal	Venison; Roasted Lamb; Salmon; Smoked Meats
Stout	Dubliner; Cahill’s Original Irish Porter Cheese	Jambalaya; Grilled Lamb; Lobster; Pork; Grilled Meat; Cheesecake; Chili; Chocolate; Baked Ham; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Oysters; Pecan Pie; Shellfish; Smoked Meats; BBQ; South American
Trappist	Triple Creme	Braised Beef; Short Ribs;Liver; Venison; Goose; Lamb
Tripel	Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar;	Ostrich; Bouillabaisse; Baked Ham; Pork; Poultry; Mediterranean
Vienna Style	Pepper Jack	Pork; Poultry; German, South American
Weissel/Weissbier	Blues; Sharp Cheddar; Brick; Edam; Feta;	Lobster; Bacon and Eggs; Bass (Fish); Chowder; Crab; Eggs; Salads; Salmon; Smoked Salmon; Trout; Chinese; Thai
Weissbock	Humboldt Fog	Veal; Goose; Gumbo; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Trout; Grilled Meat; Chinese; German
Witbier	Monterey; Pepper Jack; Brick; Edam; Feta; Chevre; Mascarpone	Lobster; Bacon and Eggs; Bass (Fish); Chowder; Crab; Eggs; Salads; Fish; Salmon; Smoked Salmon; Poultry; Shellfish;

 

From BeerAdvocate.com:

Pairing Tips:

• The more hop bitterness the beer has, the heartier or livelier the meal needs to be to hold its own. Don’t overwhelm your palate or meal and ruin what the chef was trying to achieve.
• Another general rule is keep sweet with sweet, and tart with tart. Try to keep your beer sweeter or tarter than the sweet or tart food on the plate. There are exceptions, like pairing drier robust beers with sweet chocolates.
• Throw all of the rules out the window and experiment with contrasting and complimentary pairings. Match foods with complimentary flavors, or try contrasting them and create a slew of unique results.
• For those of you who are bound to the wine pairing school of thought, think of ale as red wine and lager as white wine. Hoppy beers can also be used in place of a pairing that calls for an acidic wine. Though it honestly doesn’t matter, these tips might help you to convert your taste buds over to beer—or those of a friend—over to beer.
• Taste is very subjective and what works for one person might not work for another. If it tastes good to you, then go for it. However, also be open to suggestions, as these tend to come with some knowledge and possible palate enlightenment.

 

Sources:

Wikipedia.com

The Brewmaster’s Table by Garrett Oliver

BeerAdvocate.com

Barleypopmaker.info

What is Your Cheese IQ?

Fun quiz at delish.com to test your knowledge of cheese…this feline foodie missed one question…:

http://www.delish.com/food-fun/quizzes/cheese-iq-quiz

Other fun quizzes:

Wine IQ:

http://www.delish.com/food-fun/quizzes/wine-iq-quiz-102308

Beer IQ:

http://www.delish.com/food-fun/quizzes/beer-iq-quiz

Pont l’Eveque and National Hazelnut Day

Today is National Hazelnut Day…who knew…and, for the most part, who cares??? Well, my guess is the Hazelnut Growers Association, which most likely came up with the idea to immortalize today…

Therefore, in honor of this esteemed day, I declare today Pont l’Eveque Day…

Why you ask?  It’s simple; Pont l’Eveque tastes a bit like hazelnuts…voila…

Pont l’Eveque is made in the Normandy region of France and according to Wikipedia.org, is quite possibly the oldest Norman cheese still in production, dating back as far as the Twelfth Century. It is believed to have been invented by Monks in an Abbey…why am I not surprised??? Those Monks had lots of time on their hands…so to speak…and came up with some amazingly divine cheeses, beers and liqueurs. I have discussed this in a previous blog entry and my thoughts about Monks with time on their hands. I suspect that entry was in part responsible for the banning of my blog by the fine people at DPI…but I digress…

Pont l’Eveque is an uncooked, unpressed cheese shaped in squares of three sizes, which is one of the requirements for its AOC-designated status. The square The Lady brought home for me to sample was in a little 2 ½ inch square bamboo box. On the top of the box is a picture of Marie Harel, who is credited with inventing Camembert Cheese “back in the day” (1791 or around that time). 

The Lady let this cheese sit out and it began to fill the kitchen with an earthy, pungent, yet pleasant smell, as is to be expected from a washed-rind cheese. Inside was a creamy, pale yellow pate with a smooth texture. The rind was a bit on the orange side and when she pressed her finger into its top, it showed some elasticity. In addition to the hazelnut overtones, there was the taste of mushrooms and very pleasing on the palate.

The Lady served Pont l’Eveque with Beecher’s Hazelnut Crackers to further celebrate this important holiday that every hazelnut grower in Oregon  is enjoying while drinking a glass of Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar.  

If you haven’t planned your evening, it’s not too late to raise a glass and enjoy National Hazelnut Day with a square of Pont l’Eveque, a cheese as popular in France as any Brie, Camembert or Roquefort.

I give Pont l’Eveque 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got). I like this cheese; but I must confess it is not Epoisses…

Serving Suggestions: Serve at room temperature on Beecher’s Hazelnut Crackers and a few slices of apples.

Wine Pairings: French Condrieu, Champagne, Gamay, Calvados

Beer Pairings: Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar

Source: Pasteurized Cows’ Milk