Aly's Intro: Cinco de Mayo Beer and Cheese Tasting Notes

This is grain, which any fool can eat, but for which
the Lord has intended a more divine form of consumption.
Let us give praise to our maker and glory to His bounty
be learning about beer.
--Friar Tuck

There is a reason why monks are known to brew beer and make cheese. Perhaps it is because beer and cheese make people happy, and the production of these products serves the community around them, or perhaps the process of manipulating basic ingredients into something beautiful is a near-holy experience in itself. Whatever the reason is, there is no denying that the pairing of a bubbly brew with a delicious cheese is a divine one.

Naturally, when asked to conduct the first beer event of the year for Surfas, I relished the opportunity. What better way to kick off our Beer Series at Surfas than by paying homage to this time-old traditional pairing? I picked five beers and cheeses that I thought would illustrate the range and flexibility in which these two things could be paired and enjoyed.

1. Old Speckled Hen (5.2% ABV) -- Greene King Brewery; Bury St. Edmunds, UK
Beecher's Flagship Cheddar (Beechers Creamery; Seattle Washington) melted on French Baguette crostinis, topped with Jamon Serrano
--This English Pale Ale and Cheddar share a common terroir ((UK)). The sharpness of cheddar picks up the maltiness and caramel notes of the English Pale Ale, as well highlight the apricot and nutty flavor.

2. Blue Star Wheat (4.5% ABV) – North Coast Brewing Co.; Ft. Bragg, CA
Acapella Goat Chevre (Andante Creamery; Sonoma, CA)
-- The citrusy notes of the Belgian Witbier complement the slight tartness of the chevre, while the banana and fruity notes pick up the sweetness. Carbonation refreshes and cleans the palate from the creaminess, as if to invite taste buds for another tasting.

3. West Coast IPA (7% ABV) – Green Flash Brewing Co; Vista, CA
Grayson (Meadow Creek, VA)
--The bold flavor of this stinky cheese stands up to the 95 IBU (bittering level) of the hops in this India Pale Ale. The fresh grassy elements of the hops pair well with the creamy, intensely perfumed cheese.

4. Gouden Carolus Cuvee van der Keizer (10% ABV) -- Brouwerij Het Anker; Mechelen, Belgium
Five Year Vintage Gouda (Holland)
--Caramel and fruit notes of the cheese will match the deep raisiny notes of the strong dark ale. The dry finish of this Belgian ale intensifies the creamy butterscotch notes of the Gouda.

5. Cucapa Barleywine – (ABV 10%) Cucapa Brewing Company; Mexico:
Saint Agur (Auvergene, France)
--The intensity of this beer needs an equally intense cheese. Creaminess complements the
sweet dessert like quality of the beer, as well as the syrupy mouthfeel. Tastes of dark fruit complement the saltiness of the St. Agur, which marry well in this low carbonated brew.

If you're looking to try something new but don't know where to start, or are already a beer aficionado looking for something different, we carry all of the above beers and cheeses at Surfas and I encourage you to give these pairings a try.

Fellow beer-geek? Shoot an email my way with your name ((just first name, don't try to get fresh with me)), favorite beer/style of beer, favorite way to drink it ((pairings, glasses)) and if you're a homebrewer, what was your last brew? I'd love to hear your feedback on these pairings, whether positive or constructive. :D

I'll see you at rounds. Cheers!

Aly Iwamoto
Surfas Cheese and Charcuterie Lady
Beer Lover, Enthusiast, and Brewer

hey.beermeplz at gmail.com

What to Do About Left-over Cheese

Hey Cheese Fans!

OK! People want to know what to do with left-overs. Start by evaluating the cheese(s); Trim rinds, unwanted molds and dried out bits. Smell the cheese. It should not smell ammoniated. This is bad.

OK. Now that you have cleaned and gathered the stragglers, roughly chop and lightly coat with flour or other starch. Add liquid (i.e. milk/cream, beer, white wine) and heat over a low flame while stirring to incorporate cheese.

With this concoction the possibilities are endless: Add macaroni or other noodles for a quick lunch, pour over hearty bread and bake for a quicky rarebit. You can do so much with this simple idea! Share your recipes and discoveries. We'd love to hear them.

All is fair in cheese,

Henry T. Cram

Sparkling Wine and American Artisan Goat Cheese Tasting Notes

Sparkling wine and goat cheese make a perfect pairing. The earthy “barnyardiness” of goat cheese is softened and sweetened by the bubbles of sparkling wine; ultimately showcasing its grassy floral notes and creaminess.

Our featured pairings:

Bellefon Brut Champagne -One of my favorite non-vintage champagnes.

This wine contains more Pinot Meunier than Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. It is dry yet with a long rich finish and because it is lower in Chardonnay it is less acidic with a fuller mouth feel. I served it with Cypress Grove's Midnight Moon - Goat Gouda! The rich creamy sweetness of the cheese is enriched by the champagne.

Trevisiol Prosecco

Intensely aromatic and crisp, bringing to mind yellow apples, pear and white peaches. This is a fresh and light sparkling wine from the Veneto region of Italy and paired with Cypress Grove's Truffle Tremor. The group loved this pairing. Everyone asked for seconds! Truffle Tremor is a fluffy goat cheese, with a rich fondue outer layer. It is made with a black truffle slurry. Every taste of the wine and cheese brought on an uncontrollable need to eat and drink more!

Cava Torreoria Brut Rosado - Cava Rose!

I love blush colored sparkling wines. This Cava Rose made with 100% Grenache is clean and aromatic with light fruitiness and dry berries, small bubbles, structured and balanced. Served with Andante Cavatina, a very creamy goat cheese with an ash rind and slight yoghurt sourness. The Cava Rose cut through the earthiness of this cheese, while the cheese enhanced the wine's bouquet of wild forest strawberries.

Four Vines Zinfandel Port – Not a sparkling wine, but it is the perfect dessert!

An intensely rich port while still fairly low in alcohol, with tastes of wild summer blackberries and rich chocolate. Paired with Andante Etude, aged cheese with parmesan like qualities, truly an amazing pairing! This cheese and wine fit perfectly, like a puzzle finding its missing piece.

-David

On Cheese Quality

Orange, "cheese-flavored" foods are rampant in the markets today and have really warped our understanding of what cheese is or can be. Lets say, 'no', to the over-processed and rediscover the real (cheese).

There are three divisions of cheese: Artisanal, Farmhouse and Factory Cheese.

Artisanal cheeses are handcrafted, small-production and often traditionally made cheeses. Truly the pinnacle of cheese-making, they are generally produced on a small scale on a farm or a small factory. Some artisanal cheeses are strictly regulated and are specific to a region; others break tradition and aren't regulated at all.

Farmhouse cheese or Fermier (of the farm) is usually made by hand with raw milk from animals from that farm. They are often well crafted and interesting cheeses. While most follow traditional production methods others are made using more progressive processes, including biodynamic and organic set-ups which appeal to the health-more conscious consumers.

Factory cheeses came about during the industrial revolution, the first being Derby cheese which appeared around 1890. During the First World War truly large scale manufacturing began with the milk being long shipped distances in steel tanks where it is over-pasteurized to kill bacteria that could affect the shelf life of the product. Unfortunately, killing the bacteria that causes spoilage also kills the bacteria which gives flavor and texture to the cheese resulting bland cheeses.

These methods eventually led to processed cheeses, cheese food or imitation cheese products, or as I call them, dead cheese.

Cheese curator,

Henry T. Cram

***Also, a quick note about raw milk cheeses- Many people are asking about raw milk cheeses. Many great raw milk products are withheld from importation into the United States because of our strict regulations for the handling of raw milk and production of raw milk cheeses, despite findings that there is little health risk in the consumption of raw dairy products.

Blog Spot: Apples and Butter Blog Highlights David's Buratta Sundae

We at Surfas are fervent believers of the "Savory as a Dessert" school. If you'd like to check out a truly unique idea for Buratta cheese, click on over to the Apples and Butter blog for a detailed look at David Rozansky's Buratta Sundae. Direct link here.

Tickets are also still available for David's monthly wine and cheese class in the Surfas Test Kitchen. This Saturday, the 25th, from 4-5pm, David will be doing a tasting wine Sparkling Wines and American Artisan Goat Cheeses. For more details, check out the Surfas Calendar, here!

Dessert Wine Tasting Notes

Below are the Dessert Wine and Cheese tasting notes from Surfas Sommelier, David Rozansky. This class was held in the Surfas Test Kitchen on March 28th, 2009.

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WINE: LAVE CAP MUSCAT CANELLI
CHEESE: BOUCHERONDIN GOAT CHEESE

The whole reason this pairing works so well is not only the contrast of sweet and salty, but the acidity of this high altitude wine with this specific goats cheese. The acidity cuts through the barnyardiness of the goat’s cheese, while the sweetness brings out the creaminess.
This wine is also the perfect pairing to spicy foods, such as blackened Big Eye Tuna.


WINE: ZACA MESA LATE HARVEST VIOGNIER
CHEESE: DELICE DE BOURGONE

I adore this pairing. Delice is slightly pungent, salty and has the consistency of cake batter, I then drizzled it with white truffle honey and served it with a varietal that has the nose of a big bouquet of flowers. It is magnificent. You taste it and your mouth cries “This must remain in my life forever!” It layers salty, creamy, sweet, floral and in anchored by the sublime earthiness of white truffles.

WINE: VOUVRAY DEMI SEC
CHEESE: GRAYSON

Vouvray from the Loire Valley in France is amazing. The French never create a wine by mistake; they always pair well with food. The varietal Chenin Blanc, is off dry and creamy on the palette. It also has excellent acidity. Grayson on the other hand is a meaty, slightly stinky, creamy washed rind cheese. After eating this cheese, you take a sip of the Vouvray and slightly gurgle it as it aerates in your mouth. The salty pungency of the cheese is replaced with honey, tart apples, apricots and honey suckle flowers.

WINE: FOUR VINES ZINFANDEL PORT
CHEESE: SMOKY BLUE

Finally the dessert, of the dessert wine tasting. Four Vines Zinfandel Port from western Paso Robles is a lower alcohol port made from the best Zin grapes California has to offer. It reminds me of a chocolaty boysenberry pancake syrup when served with this cheese. The smoky blue, is tart and salty, with a smoked cheese finish from having been cold smoked over hazelnut shells for 15 hours. The layering of flavors is mind blowing, as if the cheese and the port exist only for each other’s benefit.

A Note on Cheese Storage

Meet the Man Behind the Cheese Counter, Henry

The enemies of cheese are air, water, and extreme temperature. Avoid these elements as much as possible to prolong your cheeses life. Never freeze cheese no matter how much it rhymes. Cheese should be at a temperature no lower than your refrigerator is set to at home(35ºF). The ideal temp for cheese, in fact, is from 40º-50ºF. The warmest spots in the fridge are in a vegetable drawer or in the door making them ideal for cheese storage. Plastic wrap is not recommended for prolonged cheese storage as it may suffocate the cheese. Plasticizers in certain plastic-wraps meld with the fats in cheese imparting a plasticky flavor and raising a slight health concern. Loosely wrap hard cheeses in wax or parchment paper then in plastic if necessary. For softer cheeses it is important to wrap them more tightly with the paper or wax in order to prevent air from drying them out. Plastic containers can help reduce air flow around cheese. Fresh cheeses, on the other hand, generally spoil quickly and need to retain a good deal of moisture. It is recommended to keep these cheeses wrapped tightly in plastic or in plastic containers and to store them in a cooler portion of your fridge.
The best spot for cheese is in a specialized cheese case at your local, reliable, cheese shop. Cheese cut directly from the source and in appropriate portions is ideal. The less you have to fuss with cheese storage, the better it is for the cheese (no offense). Be smart and buy smart.

Your Friend in Cheese,
Henry T. Cram

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