Pecorino, pecorino.....and more pecorino
Customarily, I finish a pasta or even a risotto with a generous grating of Pecorino Romano rather than Parmesan. I love the earthy dimension this cheese adds to these dishes. However, Romano, my simple grating cheese, is only one style of Pecorino, a family of cheeses though differing in style are all made with sheep’s milk. Central Bottle Wine + Provisions recently offered a class that gave an in-depth look at this cheese family – in actuality, a feast of Pecorino. The outstanding selection was assembled by Central Bottle’s cheesemonger Stephanie Santos. Cheesemonger extraordinaire Matt Rubiner was to be a co-presenter of the class but car trouble left him stranded on the side of the Pike. However, Stephanie’s commanding knowledge of the cheeses enabled her to hold forth eloquently even in his absence. Pecorinos are made up and down the boot of Italy. The evening’s selections came from Sardinia, Tuscany, Campania and Sicily, ranging stylistically from young and fresh to aged to even smoked. The beer and wine selections – well received on their own and well paired with the cheeses – were a collaboration with Maureen Rubino, Central Bottle manager, and Liz Vilardi, resident wine guru, and featured both familiar Italian grapes and more esoteric varietals. The evening began on a casual note with Stephanie’s version of “Beer and Pretzels”, “Field Mouse’s Farewell” with Pecorino Pepato – Pecorino studded with peppercorns – the malt and grain in the ale playing wonderfully with the salt and spice in the cheese. And then it was on to serious tasting. Some highlights of the evening -
- While producers are important in the production of Pecorino, the “houses” or affineurs determine the quality of the cheeses – an old notion in Europe, only now gaining serious impetus in America. The two houses represented in the class – Guffanti and Casa Madaio – are the premier affineurs of Italian Pecorino.
- The most controversial cheese of the evening was the Fiore Sardo, a rustic smoked cheese that proved challenging to some. Yet the cheese’s extreme piquancy was mediated by the fruity, vibrant Argiolas Cannonau Rosato. ( Actually, I think the wine converted one of the guests to the pink side.)
- For those interested in pairing condiments with cheese, Stephanie accompanied the Ruffanti Marzalino with a wonderful New Zealand honey produced from the flowers of the rata tree. The honey is available at Follow the Honey in Harvard Square. Extremely delicious!
- My favorite pairing of the evening was the outlier. Right in the middle of the tasting was the incongruity of the class – a Pecorino from Bellweather Farm in Petaluma CA paired with the well oaked and ripe Chardonnay from Belle Pente in the Willamette Valley OR. Both were creamy and well balanced; together, it was the most elegant pairing of the class.
- While Stephanie’s choice of cheeses and her presentation made for a most informative and enjoyable class, an added bonus was the interaction of those attending. Class members spoke freely and animatedly about their likes and dislikes, what worked and what didn’t work – all resulting in a spirited conversation.
For those interested in deepening their knowledge of cheese, classes at Central Bottle provide the perfect opportunity – a relaxed friendly setting, well selected cheeses and spirits and a knowledgeable staff. The next class – a cheese and beer pairing – is happening on June 27th.
- The class selection
The cheeses and their accompaniments
Guffanti Pepato Siciliano with Pretty Things “Fieldmouse’s Farewell”
Guffanti Marzalino with Carfagna Ansonoco
Casa Madaio Cinerino with Valdiperti Fiano di Avellino
Bellweather Farms “San Andreas” with Belle Pente Chardonnay
Fiore Sardo with Argiolas Cannonau Rosato
Casa Madaio Calcagno with Sella e Mosca Cannonau
Guffanti Pecorino di Pienza Gran Riserva with Barbi Rosso di Montalcino
Central Bottle Wine + Provisions 194 Mass Ave Cambridge MA
by glenn on April 6, 2012
From left to right - Greta's Fair Haven, Drunk Monk, Barely Buzzed, Vermont Shepherd, Point Reyes Blue
The Class Pairings
“Greta’s Fair Haven” – raw goat’s milk, Massachusetts + “Brettanomyces Lambicus“, Germany
”Drunk Monk” – raw cow’s milk, Connecticut + Sierra Nevada “Torpedo”, California (bonus cheese – “Dutch Farmstead”, Connecticut)
”Barely Buzzed” – pasteurized cow’s milk, Utah + “Cody’s Original North Shore Amber Ale”, Massachusetts
“Vermont Shepherd” – raw sheep’s milk, Vermont + Pretty Things “St. Botolph’s Town”, Massachusetts
”Point Reyes Blue” – raw cow’s milk, California + North Coast “ Old Rasputin”, California
Cheese and beer?
Shouldn’t that be cheese and wine?
The paradigm is cheese + wine = high brow whereas cheese + beer = low brow. Yet the paradigm has become worn, clichéd, all fusty and so twentieth century. With a burgeoning American artisanal cheese movement producing cheeses that rival or even surpass those of Europe and a burgeoning American craft beer movement, the time has come to consider cheese and beer as partners for pairing.
With this intent, Stephanie Santos, cheesemonger, and Dinah MacPhail, beer geek, presented the class “Cheese + Beer” at Central Bottle Wine + Provisions.
The tasting began with a bloomy rind goat cheese, “Ada’s Fair Haven”, paired with the sour and acidic German Lambic and concluded with the “Point Reyes Blue” paired with the august Imperial Stout, “Old Rasputin”. All cheeses in the tasting were from American producers. Some like the iconic David Major and Vermont Shepherd were in the forefront of the American artisanal cheese movement and others like Beehive Creamery in Utah are relative newcomers. Regardless of the cheesemaker’s tenure, all the cheeses were well crafted and revealed great depths of flavor. Credit must be given to Stephanie Santos who, due to her experience in fine dining, knows when a cheese is perfectly ripe and ready to be savored. With the exception of the Lambic, all brews were American and like the cheeses were made by both pioneers in the craft beer phenomena – Sierra Nevada - and recently emerging brewers – and local darlings – Pretty Things. Dinah MacPhail’s choices were spot on for the cheeses being tasted.
During the tasting, both presenters explained their rationale behind each pairings, elaborated on both the cheeses and the beers and then invited conversation about the match-ups.
And the verdict? There were converts in the class – beer and cheese ARE made for each other. That lowly ploughman’s lunch – farmhouse cheddar and a pint of bitter – can now be a thing of elevation. As for myself, I was converted awhile ago and it was heartening to see others embrace the idea that cheese and beer can be perfect partners.
Thanks to both Stephanie and Dinah for presenting such an interesting, informative and well curated class.
All cheeses and brews from the tasting are available at
Central Bottle Wine + Provisions 196 Mass Ave Cambridge MA
by glenn on February 10, 2012
Love me - love my cheese
Clockwise from top – Moser Cru Blanc with truffles, Provolone Mandarino, Moser Cru Blanc with truffles, Cremont
There’s free will – and then there’s cheese. Volition falls away when confronted by cheese. Due to the physiological changes that occur when eating cheese, the pleasure center of the brain becomes stimulted or “turned on”. Eating cheese is thus pleasurable and the brain wants more.
This is an extreme skewered oversimplification of the intriguing class cheesemonger Stephanie Santos presented at Central Bottle Wine + Provisions on February 8th, “Why We ♥ Cheese”. Stephanie’s informative, entertaining and provocative presentation laid out the biological foundation underlying our love of cheese. She illustrated her talk with a selection of six cheeses accompanied by a choice of three beverages. [click to continue…]
by glenn on December 19, 2011
I’d won a contest.
The email notification read,
”Hi Glenn,Congrats! You’ve got yourself a seat at our Mac n’ Cheese Tasting/Pairing at Church THIS Friday, 12/16 .”
Awesome.
I”d come across the contest sponsored by Google Places while reading a post on Just Add Cheese. I entered with no intention of winning. But I did. I’ve dined at Church before and was eager to return. Chef de Cuisine Jon Gilman does “creative comfort food” and as daylight becomes scarce and the temperature dips, I need to be comforted and what better way than with Mac’n’ Cheese. In this case, not one but five comforting opportunites.
The Line Up
- Mozzarella, Romano, Basil, Balsamic Tomato Relish
- Pale Ale Vermont Cheddar, Mushrooms, Truffle Oil
- Goat Cheese, Toasted Winter Squash, Spicy IPA Pepitas
- Monterey Jack, Poblanos, Chorizo
- Gorgonzola, Worcesteshire and Stout Glazed Onions, Braised Beef
The evening was hosted by the warm and vivacious Adri Cowan. My fellow diners were an assortment of bloggers – food and otherwise – tweeters, bon vivants and other interesting persons.
- The first – only four more to go!
We were offered a choice of two draft beers from Church’s somewhat limited “on tap” menu. (However, their “by the bottle” selection is quite extensive.) Since the mac’n'cheese dishes were presented in ascending order of culinary weight – light, simple renditions to more complex and hearty – my server recommended I begin with a lighter brew and move on from there. I heeded his advice and begin with a selection from one of my favorite local brewers, the Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale from Berkshire Brewing, and then went on to another local brew, the Ipswich IPA.
This was mac’n'cheese heaven. All Chef Gilman’s renditions were enthusiastically received with the exception of the “Monterey Jack, Poblanos, Chorizo” iteration (too much heat). I really enjoyed the first, “Mozzarella, Romano, Balsamic Tomato Relish – the milkiness of the Mozzarella, the pungent kick from the sheepy Romano and the sweetness of the grape tomatoes. All evening though I was anticipating the final creation, “Gorgonzola, Worcestershire and Stout Glazed Onions, Braised Beef”. And I wasn’t disappointed. Judiciously balanced, it was chock full of umami, beefiness and Blue cheese funk. However, as one of my dining companions stated, it didn’t seem like mac’n'cheese. Yes, it was wonderfully over the top.
I haven’t yet mentioned the extraordinary cocktails at Church. These libations alone are worth the trip to the Fenway. Nor have I mentioned the ambience of Church – not the physical aspects of decor – but the human aggregation. Young professionals, students, punksters and rock’n'rollers plus people of a certain age – comme moi. My tablemates and myself were admiring the sequined shirt of a man in group of middle-aged revelers. Was it new or a keepsake from his disco youth? I would like to think the latter.
Thanks to Adri Cowan and Google Boston, Chef Gilman and Church.
by glenn on December 13, 2011
A most captivating cheese
Typically, when I compose a cheese plate, I chose three different cheeses in order to contrast or compare. I usually begin by deciding which of the cow-sheep-goat trinity to present – one, two or all three. Next, I think about styles – fresh, cooked, aged, washed rind, bloomy rind, natural rind. Seasonality is a further consideration – in spring, a selection of fresh chevres; in winter, perhaps a stinker, a robust blue and one of the incomparable sheep’s milk cheeses from the Pyrennees. Though some may offer “one perfect cheese”,in order to savor a single cheese, that has never been my wont. Until now. At the Holiday Cheese Tasting held recently at Central Bottle and Provision, I was introduced to Harbison from Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro VT. As cheesemonger Stephanie Santos pointed out to me, the cheese combines the dairy’s Winnimere and Moses Sleeper – banded in spruce like the former, bloomy rind like the latter. The cheese is named after Ann Harbison, one of the leading lights of Greensboro. Since the white paste presents in a near liquid state, the spruce bark band keeps the cheese intact. Though the milk is pasteurized – the cheese is only aged 3-6 weeks - the flavor is rich and herbal. Near the bark band, the flavor woodsy; nearer the center, I detected a pleasant spicy mustard flavor. Whatever lush autumn pasturage the Jasper Hill cows were grazing on this fall, the result are quite excellent. After I purchased the cheese, I kept it at room temperature for eight hours to ensure the cheese’s creamy texture. For serving, I sliced off the top rind – like some Spanish tortas, it should be eaten with a spoon. I served with my favorite crackers – Castleton Crackers Whole Wheat. Harbison is a great addition to any holiday gathering.
After the party's over
Available year round and available now at Central Bottle and Provision
by glenn on December 12, 2011
The season of festivities is underway. Are you hosting a holiday gathering for friends, family, co-workers? Are you experiencing “menu anxiety”? If this be the case, turn to Whole Foods River Street to make your party menu planning stress-free. The store can assist you in designing a menu and even providing beverage selections for all budgets and diet preferences. To showcase its seasonal catering menu, the River St. Market held a Bloggers Holiday Showcase Friday Dec. 12 for Boston-area bloggers.
The evening was hosted by David Remillard – social media person for the River Street market - who was joined by the lovely Claire Davies – social media person from the Fresh Pond store.
We were presented with an array of foods from the store’s various departments. First up, a selection of various themed and priced cheese trays; since every party needs a liquid component, a wine and beer station; next, a variety of hot appetizers, including vegetarian options; then, seafood appetizers which featured – for me at least – the winning hors d’ouevre of the event, house-smoked baby octopus tossed with agave syrup and cayenne – a perfect item for any Feast of Seven Fishes; and since no event is complete without dessert, a selection of petit pastries from the Whole Foods Bakehouse. To provide additional merriment to the evening, we were invited to participate in a store-wide scavenger hunt – the inducement a $150 prize. To complete the affair, we were given gift bags as we departed. Upon arriving home, I was pleased to find among the thoughtful items a box of truffles. How long will I be able to resist them? And should I even try?
And me being me – and not Manny – I positioned myself between the cheese station and the beverage station. The wines featured both reds and whites and covered a range of price points. At the “extreme value” end were two selections from the Whole Foods proprietary label “Three Wishes”. Mid-range in the line up were a cava and one of my favorite Loire Valley whites, the 2009 Cave de Saumur “Les Pouches”. The selection was topped off by my fave of the offerings, the 2009 Bodega Bernaveleva Navaherros, an old vine Garnacha, organic and biodynamic. The one beer being poured was the Peak Organic Winter Session Ale. This tasty wheat beer, like any good session beer, was easy drinking. And at 5% ABV, it won’t threatened to ruin the party with overly boisterous behavior. Yet what impressed me most was its compatibility with the cheeses. Too often, folks try to do a wine and cheese match up, when beer is the better partner.
The Everyday Value cheese platter
And finally, the pièce de resistance, the cheese displays. Nationally, Whole Foods has a strong cheese division. Cathy Strange, Global Cheese Buyer and past president of the American Cheese Society, has been the force behind the strength, diversity and quality of the cheeses that Whole Foods offers. Their partneship with Hervé Mons – négociant and affineur extraordinaire – is exemplary of their commitment as are their relationships with small producers. On the local level, however, the cheese department shines or not depending upon its Team Leader. At River St., it does, thanks to Mike Clark, Specialty Team Leader. Since his arrival at River St. four years ago, he’s done much to upgrade the cheese selection, presentation and care of the cheeses. Frankly, though, Mike should be entitled “Cheesemonger” since that shows a more appropriate respect for his experience and knowledge. Mike and his staff presented three trays – an 365 Everyday Value platter – which was indeed a good value; a “Local” platter featuring among other items, Great Hill Blue, assorted chevre from Vermont Butter and Cheese, the now ubiquitous but always wonderful Moses Sleeper from Jasper Hill Farm -which, I might add, was quite well ripened - and the Team-made Cheddar – made by members of various Whole Food stores – from Grafton Village Cheese. And lastly, the “Connoisseur” tray with an fine selection of domestic and European cheeses. Also featured were Raincoast Crisps, a great accompaniment to cheese.
It was a great opportunity for Whole Foods River Street to show those who write about food the options that the store offers for easy holiday entertaining.
Many thanks to David Remillard – it was great to see the person behind the tweets!
Cute and delicious - chocolate glazed bite-size brownies topped with buttercream, a strawberry cap and an icing pompom
by glenn on December 5, 2011
As Bubble said to Eddy, “Party, party, party, party”. The end- of- the-year season of celebration is upon us. If you’re hosting a gathering, rather than overly stressing yourself by attempting to recreate the menu at Per Se, relax and offer a few well chosen cheeses and various accoutrements – mostardas, olives, white anchovies, breads. Select wines – or beers - which are cheese-friendly and your menu is complete. Be wary of serving spirits, though! Cocktails+holiday stress=bad behavior. As James Brown said, “Papa don’t want no mess”.
So if you’re shopping for holiday fare, do as I do and head to Central Bottle and Provision to consult with the cheesemongers – not one but two – David Seaton and Stephanie Santos.
To showcase the store’s excellent cheese selection, Central Bottle hosted a tasting on Saturday Dec. 3. The cheesemongers offered seven cheeses for consideration, all first rate and delicious. The selections ranged from fresh cheeses – the visually arresting ash-coated Tronchetto Carbone from Piedmont Italy – to soft, bloomy rind cheeses – such as the superb Moser Cru Blanc from Switzerland – to aged tomme-style cheese – the Springbrook Tarentaise from Vermont – to the requisite blue – an English Stilton. A selection of three or four of these cheeses would make a spectacular holiday spread.
And since beverages complete the menu, Carl Thelander from Ruby Wines was pouring a varied selection of cheese-friendly wines. I particularly liked the 2005 Charles Schleret Pinot Blanc – bright, light-bodied, off-dry, perfect with fresh or soft cheeses; also notable, the 2008 Domaine Cheveau Or Rouge Beaujolais-Villages, suitable for cheeses needing a fruity complement.
Make your holiday party easy and delicious by making your menu cheese-centric. And by the way, cheese makes a great gift for food-loving friends and family.
Cheesemongers David Seaton and Stephanie Santos
The tasting line-up
-
Robiola Incavolata, goat’s milk, Piedmont Italy
-
Tronchetto Carbone, goat’s milk, Piedmont Italy
-
Sage Farm Selection – Sterling and Madonna, goat’s milk, Stowe, Vermont
-
Moser Cru Blanc, cow’s milk, Dotzigen, Switzerland
-
Harbison, cow’s milk, Greensboro, Vermont
-
Springbrook 2 Year Tarentaise, cow’s milk, Reading, Vermont
-
Stilton, cow’s milk, Nottinghamshire, England
