Velveeta is Dead and Evidently It’s Mary Keehn’s Fault…

At least at one home in Portland, Oregon...

I work as a Cheese Steward and one of the best parts of the job is working with customers; especially the youngs ones who are our next generation of "foodies". I have met several who have left fond memories behind for me.

Mason and his parents were regulars in the first cheese kiosk where I worked and Mason was the cheese hound in the family. His parents let him sample and make the cheese choices every week. It was quite interesting to watch his reactions to the various cheeses he sampled. This kid had fearless tastebuds. One of his favorites was Rembrandt Aged Gouda and he proudly told me that he had asked Santa for a light saber and a wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano. On another occasion, his mom stopped by to buy Pecorino Romano becasue it was featured in a recipe on the Food Channel and Mason decided that was what he wanted for dinner. But my favorite memory of Mason happened when he decided he wanted to check out the Bries. We started with Fromager d'Affinois, then moved on the Brie de Nangis. Next we tried St. Albray and ended with Le Chatelaine. After a thoughtful moment, Mason chose the St. Albray. As he sat in the child seat of the food basket, I decided to ask the burning question, "Mason, how old are you?" He proudly replied, "Two and a half." I looked at his father who shregged and said, "He also likes caviar." Definitely a budding foodie.

Another young patron is Chadd, whose favorite cheeses are the blues; the stronger, the better. When he stops at the kiosk, I always ask him to try a new cheese and give me his opinions. For a sixteen year old, his palate is quite sophisticated. He knows what he likes and why; but he can also articulate quite well why he doesn't like a certain cheese. A recent email from him inquired if I knew where he might buy fresh goat milk. He had decided to make his own fresh chevre.

Last week I was assisting a mother in putting together a cheese platter for her twelve year old's slumber party. The daughter had requested cheese for snacking rather than junk food... my kind of kid. We began with Fromager d'Affinois, added Smoked Applewood Cheddar and a wedge of Beemster Vlaskaas. For the blue, we went with Oregonzola. As we were wrapping up our transaction, the mother stopped, looked at me sternly and said, "By the way, I don't like you." I was stunned... I thought things were going so well... then she laughed and added, "A few weeks back, you gave my daughter a sample of Humboldt Fog and ever since, it's been 'No more Velveeta in this house, Mom'".

We added Humboldt Fog to the platter. (MW)

A Day in Cheese Heaven: Experiencing a Formal Cheese Service

From New York's Artisanal Fromagerie, Bistro and Wine Bar to San Francisco's Gary Danko, more and more restaurants throughout the country are hiring fromagiers and offering luxurious cheese services.

What is a cheese service? The simple explanation is an offering of various farmstead and artisan cheeses served by an experienced fromagier who not only serves, but educates the guests on the selections, makes suggestions based on tastes and pairings.

I had the opportunity to experience a formal cheese service at L'Albatros Brasserie in Cleveland, Ohio and it was amazing. Open since 2008, owner Zack Bruell has created a simple yet inviting atmosphere of stark white table settings against exposed brick walls. Minimalist decor to say the least, but not cold.

General Manager, Brandon Chrostowski, is also a sommalier and fromagier and has a knowledge of cheese that can rival even the most experienced cheesemonger. When he presented a wooden tray with over fifteen selections of the most exquisite cheeses I had ever seen, I thought I had died and gone to fromage heaven. They all looked so amazing, I had no idea where to start.

While a good many of the cheeses were from across the pond, there were two stand-outs that had me at hello. Not surprising, both were Jasper Hill creations. The first was the Caspian, a goat cheese wrapped in grape leaves soaked in ice wine. The beautiful presentation was only the tip of the iceberg, as it were. The flavor of this rare little round was fresh and sweet, capturing all the wonderful qualities found in the best chevre and taking it to the next level. The second was the much praised Winnimere (pic above) which completely lived up to it's hype. Tangy and nutty with a bit of an assertive bite on the back of my tongue, I am completely in love.

Perfect wine pairings, witty conversation, and a surprise visit from Mr. Bruell were the icing on this exquisite experience. I will certainly be back again.

For those fortunate enough to be in the Cleveland area, I highly recommend experiencing the cheese service at L'Albartros Brasserie. For those sad souls outside the area, check the local restaurants for similar offerings. RK