Last Thursday I hosted the final Skill Exchange workshop at Pot + Pantry. Our last workshop was taught by cheese monger Sophie Mosgrove, and wine pairings were generously provided by Real Wines Co. Many thanks to Salumeria, and Sophie, for giving up her first day off in two weeks, to join us and talk about cheese. I think everyone left with a better understanding of cheese, and a little crush on our cheese monger. Just look at the cute animal signs she made for each kind of cheese!
Sophie walked us through the history of cheese, from the very first cheeses, to the current American Cheese Renaissance. Let me just repeat: cheese renaissance. Not the processed stuff guys, we’re talking about locally made cheeses, many of which we tasted during the workshop, and are available for purchase at Salumeria. Our 2-hour education on cheese was complimented by a handful of biodynamic and organic wine pairings.
We tasted the following from Salumeria:
1. Brillat Savarin (triple cream from France)
2. Mozzarella di Bufala (Italian Buffalo Mozzarella)
3. Bijou (goat’s milk from Vermont Butter and Cheese company, crottin style)
4. Cana de Oveja (Sheep’s milk from Spain, translates to “Sheep Cane”)
5. Fiore Sardo (Sardinian pecorino style)
6. Pantaleo (Goat’s milk from Sardinia, same producer as Fiore Sardo)
7. Cabot Clothbound (Cheddar from Vermont, aged in the Cellars at Jasper Hill Farms)
8. Quadrello di Bufala (Italian Buffalo “taleggio”)
9. Winnimere (Alembic washed, spruced wrapped raw milk cheese from Jasper Hill Farms)
10. Fourme d’Ambert (French, creamy blue)
…and the following from Real Wines Co.:
1. Reinking Wine Co. 2009 Riesling, Potter Valley, Mendocino (Organic)
2. Quinta Cruz 2011 Verdehlo, Alta Mesa (Double Gold SF Chronicle 2011)
3. Fernwood Cellars 2009 Chardonnay, Vanaumanutagi Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains
4. Zayante Vineyards 2008 Clos Du Z (Grenache, Syrah, Mouvrede), Estate Grown, Dry-farmed, Organic
5. Philo Ridge Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley Mendocino, Sustainably Farmed
6. Quinta Cruz 2009 Graciano, Clements Hills San Joaquin County
To everyone on our wait list for the final workshop… I promise, there will be another cheese workshop with Sophie and Salumeria in the near future. Be sure to sign up for the Skill Exchange newsletter for updates, or watch the eventbrite page for details.
