News From The Cheese Caves

Last time I wrote to you was a brief introduction to my life with cheese, and at Artisanal. Lets take a stroll back in time when I first came to Artisanal and was offered a position as Customer Service. It had finally sunk in that I needed to learn about cheese. Although I had worked in the hospitality industry for over 10 years, I was a novice in the cheese realm. On my first day I was shown around the company and given a tour of the Cheese Caves and was overwhelmed with all the cheeses we house here.

Nif was showing me around and was giving me guidance on how to learn about the cheeses. She said told me, “Just try it and if you do not like it at least you gave it a chance.” She had me try an Epoisses for the first time. This was not a cheese I wanted to eat. It is round with a sticky exterior and a spoon was sticking out of the middle. Nif told me to scoop some out and put it on a baguette. I thought that spooning a cheese out of the center was not a good idea, and did not feel compelled to try, but I saw everyone doing it, and figured why not.

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We had 200 reservations at Picholine and I had set up my cheese cart with 53 Artisanal Premium Cheeses from North America and Western Europe. The atmosphere was tense, we had overbooked the restaurant with the crowd that swamps Manhattan every Friday and Saturday.

It was not long until the first seating was through with the main course and my turn to cheese everyone out had begun.  Unfortunately it is common on Friday and Saturday to discriminate a product because of the region where it was made.  I started to give guests from France cheese from Virginia, and guests from New Jersey cheese from Wisconsin, and the hardest venture of all to expose guests from the South to cheeses from Vermont.

I am an independent voter myself and it was always infuriated me as a cheese monger to hear clients discriminate the wonderful cheese from Vermont because they felt it came from a liberal state and then have a New Yorker discriminate against cheese from Texas and Europeans that visit New York and drink French wine and eat European Cheeses.

My friends, we should all be open with our palate to try Artisanal products regardless of where they were produced, the key is to experiment with it and then you have a right to draw a final conclusion.

-Gabriel Edelman
Culinary Advisor

Not that most of us are thinking about dieting while we’re enjoying our cheese, it is interesting to note that the “cheese diet” is one that can yield a surprising number of nutritional benefits beyond the pure gastronomic pleasure.

Years ago I recall wondering why I was not putting on excess weight, when it became a big part of my job to eat cheese every day, not just a nibble here and there, but several ounces of various cheese types day after day, every day of the year. As I began to study it, the more I realized that cheese was in fact helping me to keep fit by giving me all the essential nutrients offered in milk (our first food) in a relatively efficient (as well as delicious) form. Without the excess calories that would accompany all the other sources for those nutrients, I was getting what I needed in a compact form. In short, I was sated while consuming fewer other less imminently digestible and less complete foods.

The concerns about the bad effects of consuming cheese, or in consuming any dairy products, were frequently voiced, often times and still to this day, from within the “health” community. At times I heard these concerns from within the cheese industry itself, as though our beloved food was in some way a little less than ideal!

Fortunately the tide is changing on that, however gradually. The elemental scientific evidence supporting the nutritional benefits of cheese, coupled with the growing awareness of the phenomena surrounding the Mediterranean Diet and the “French Paradox,” all this is causing people to rethink cheese. And for all that, we should keep in mind that the more artisanal the cheese is, the more likely it is to offer pretty much all the nutrients we require. Very efficient, very tasty, as well as romantic, coupled with fruits and vegetables, cheese delivers a lot of bang for your food buck.

Since my new dive into the customer service side of Artisanal, I have been pleased to connect with our retail customer base who call us with questions and comments about our products. Those of you who I do speak with I try to show you that not only can Artisanal provide you with exceptional cheeses but we can also help you prepare for an event such as a wine tasting or a simple gathering with a few friends. We can also suggest a few delicious cheeses and beverages to pair. I strive to provide you with a unique experience because Artisanal is different from any other company.

I receive calls each day from new retail customers inquiring about certain cheeses as well as a variety of other cheese related questions.

Here is one of the more popular questions:
How much of each cheese do I need to order for my party?
Depending on how many people you are serving and how many cheeses are being purchased, I usually suggest around 1/2 to 1 oz. per cheese/per person. This way there will be enough for everyone and maybe just a little left over which is never a bad thing. For a cheese that has a much stronger flavor like Roquefort, Carles you could serve about 1/2 oz. as you don’t need as much because a little taste goes a long way. A superb mild flavored cheese like Nettle Meadow Kunik could be served in a 1oz portion because, well lets be honest, its hard to only eat one ounce of this amazing triple crème goat cheese.

For more information on how to compose the perfect cheese plate use the Artisanal CheeseClock or take a look at our Cheese Tips.

…And keep those questions coming, we encourage them!

-Chris Farris
Culinary Advisor/Customer Service

Last Tuesday night we presented our first ever class featuring our fresh roasted beans and cheeses. I had the opportunity to share the panel with renowned coffee expert Daniel Humphries and our in house master roaster Matt Russo. We navigated through the intricacies of the coffee trade from its origins to its varietals and main producers, with Daniel’s engaging style.

Cheeses came right after with plethora of aromas, milk types and ripening processes. Guests had the opportunity to enjoy some of the remarkable tastings while enjoying the discussion and seeing firsthand the process of brewing coffee from scratch.

Kenya, Brazil Cerrado and Sumatra were some of the offerings, that left the palate wanting for more. It was then that with a slight java jolt and a happy tummy that we celebrated this groundbreaking experience.

On Saturday I was just simply in Heaven. I thought there was nothing higher than the 7th Heaven but I was wrong.

There is the 8th Floor at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan Times Square where you can savor chocolate, sip a Piper Heidsick Champagne glass and indulge Artisanal cheese. In life everything is about balance and this experience is just about that.

The chocolates are not too sweet made from single origin and the cheeses are the perfect complement to the level of sweetness the chocolates offer. The champagne from Piper Heidsick delivers its aromas of apple, light pear in perfectly round bubbles bursting gently on your palates.

The subdue ambiance with its fountain surrounded by the delicacies make it even a better experience.

You would love the time to stop for the night, would love the chocolate and the cheese to keep coming and coming, would love the champagne to keep flowing and flowing…

This is the Tour de Force the Marriott Marquis has put together every Friday and Saturday; this is the 3C Experience.

-Toni Amira
Director of Sales

They come in nice little packages… leaf-wrapped, herb encrusted, or as decadent and delicate rounds of creamy curd. The fresh, young cheeses of spring are arriving and I have to tell you about a few of my favorites.

The first is Fleur du Maquis, recently arriving here from France. Nothing screams springtime fresh herbal fragrance like a round of this sheep’s milk cheese from Corsica. A strikingly beautiful cheese, Fleur du Maquis has a coating of rosemary , juniper berries, fennel seeds and the occasional chile pepper. Fleur du Maquis pairs best with savory flavors such as olives and peppers. Not only is it a flavorful mouthful, but it’s so lovely to look at on your cheese plate.

Next is Nettle Meadow Kunik, a soft and delectable triple crème made right here in New York State. Its palate coating richness is the perfect partner to mingle with a sip sparkling wine or champagne. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t roll back their eyes in ecstasy as they allow this gorgeous creamy cheese titillate their tastebuds. You simply must try it.

Next up is Hoja Santa, straight from one of our favorite cheesemakers in Dallas, Texas– Paula Lambert of the Mozzarella Company. This cute little gem is wrapped up in the local leaf of the Hoja Santa plant which imparts a mischievous kick of sassafras to the delicate, grassy taste of the goat cheese curd within. This cheese is so refreshing when paired with a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc, it will soon become one of your springtime favorites as well.

-Erin Hedley
Drop Ship and Corporate Gift Culinary Advisor

“There is no season such delights can bring
As summer, autumn, winter and spring.”
- William Browne, English Poet (1591-1643)

We all know that many cheeses are at their best at certain times of the year. Right now we are flush with the excitement of all the new spring cheeses coming in, like the fresh triple cr̬mes and tangy new goats. However, I would like to take a moment to talk about a cheese that is always delicious, always appropriate and always available РAged Gouda!

If you have only eaten supermarket Gouda or a smoked Gouda wrapped in wax, it was most likely processed and tastes nothing like the multi-year-old Dutch beauties we carry. As the four-year-old Gouda (pronounced HOW-dah) and the six-year-old Roomano mature, their flavor concentrates into a unique taste that resembles a salted caramel. The initial savory richness gives way to a subtle sweetness; it is delightfully complex and because of this depth of flavor they pair wonderfully with everything from beer to coffee to red wine or a gin cocktail. It’s not just the great flavor profile that I love about Gouda, it’s also the texture, as they age little crunchy bits form from salt-like calcium lactate or tyrosine crystals. I find the best way to get great bite of Gouda is to pierce it with a knife point and allow the chunks to form as they will. I then let the cheese come to room temperature to be sure that every angle of is it’s multi-facetted profile is at it’s tastiest. And then depending on the time of year or time of day I sit down to enjoy a plateful with an espresso, or a pint of Guinness or a martini. Or sometimes it’s just me and the cheese.

“Age is something that doesn’t matter, unless you are a cheese”
- Billie Burke, American Actress (1884 –1970)

-Heather
Assistant to the CEO

Below is a letter from Megan, she just discovered Artisanal. I wanted to share her excitement with you.

“I took a look at your site, and it is stunning! I have
forwarded it to everyone I know!!!!

I will certainly make a purchase sooner rather than later, the
selection and quality is beautiful. I have never been so excited by
the prospect of buying food online. I really believe that your problem
is one of awareness rather than logistics!

Anyhow, I would like to take you up on the offer of a free class. As I
told you, I have a friend who’s birthday is coming up. We were
thinking about taking her to a Long Island vineyard for the night, but
an Artisanal class might be more fun.

Best always,

Megan”

Thanks Megan, send us your letters and comments feedback@artisanalcheese.com.

Time Out NY wrote a nice review of the exciting Cocktails & Cheese Class that was held at the Artisanal Cheese Center last weekend. View the article.

If you didn’t make the class you can try recommended Cheese & Cocktail pairings. These pairings were created by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Master Mixologist, James Moreland, and Artisanal’s Waldemar Albrecht, in order to create a rich menu of bold, unexpected and wholly delectable tastes and flavours. View the pairings.

Another Cocktail and Cheese class will be held on May 14th, sign up now as space is limited.