The Joy of Cheese January Events

January 17 at 7:30 at Kupersmith, 49 Clinton St. (bet Stanton and Rivington): Kind of Blue

It's a Joy of Cheese January tradition, the blue tasting. There will be firm crumbly blues and oozy, creamy blues. There will be easygoing blues and mouth-numbing blues. We'll cover all bases with seven blues and two non blues for some semblance of balance. Tickets are $25 and you pay for your beverages separately. Tickets are available via Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/218884

January 25 at 7 pm the 92nd St. Y Uptown (92nd & Lexington): A Cheese and Wine Class

I love the 92Y's droll titles. Here's the deal: 8 awesome cheeses paired with 8 amazing wines. I'll discuss the cheeses and Beau Rapier of Uva Wines and Spirits will talk about the wine. Fun will ensue. Tickets are $50 and available via the 92nd St. Y, http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Wine-And-Cheese-Pairing.aspx

For more details, try me on thejoyofcheese@gmail.com

The Joy of Cheese December Events

The Joy of Cheese has a busy December in the works.

December 6 at 7:30 at Kupersmith, 49 Clinton St.: The Best of 2011

It's time for end of the year wrap ups, so why not sample the nine most interesting cheeses of 2011 that are available presently. Please join us Tuesday December 6 at 7:30 at Kupersmith (the gastropub formerly known as Clerkenwell), 49 Clinton St., for The Best of 2011 (I know, I know, not the most original title). Tickets are $25 and you pay for your drinks separately. Highlights should include Rush Creek, Rogue River Blue, some fantastic Belgian goat cheeses and much much more. Tickets are available via this link, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/213097

December 7 at 7 at the 92nd St. Y, 92nd and Lexington: Cheese and Wine

It's that simple, eight phenomenal cheeses eight stellar wines, two hours of discussion about each separately and the eight pairings we choose. Tickets are $50 and available via the 92Y site, http://www.92y.org/tickets/production.aspx?pid=72983

December 15 at 7 at the 92nd St. Y, 92nd and Lexington: Cheese and Whiskey

Hey, why not live a little dangerously? At this event, we will offer one cheese and beer pairing, one cheese and wine pairing and four cheese and whiskey pairings. You've been warned. Tickets are $40 and available at the 92Y site, http://www.92y.org/tickets/production.aspx?pid=73106

The Joy of Cheese November Events

Tuesday November 8 at 7:30 at The Clerkenwell, 49 Clinton St. The Swiss Cheese Conspiracy

It’s time for fondue (I know for some it’s never not time for fondue, but I digress), and that’s a good time to explore the nutty wonders of alpine cheeses, some from alpine regions and some not. In addition there’s a lot more to the Swiss cheese and firm cheeses that melt well; we’ll explore some of the best soft cheeses from this tradition as well. Overall, we’ll explore eight or nine cheeses. Tickets are $25 (you pay for your drinks separately) and available via Brown Paper Tickets,http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/209707.

Wednesday November 9 at Premier Cru, 1169 Madison Avenue (85th St.): The Six Best Cheeses for Holiday Entertaining.

Yes, it’s that time again too. Please join us at Premier Cru, one of the Upper East Side’s most gracious wine boutiques, for a stellar tasting of six cheeses that will pair nicely with holiday beverages. Each of these six cheeses will be paired with a wine chosen by Premier Cru owner Michael Eigen. The fun begins at 7. Tickets are $45 and available via Premier Cru, 212-534-6709.

Also on November 17 at 7:00, Maggie Fuller and I will lead a Beer and Cheese class at the 92nd St. Y. We will pair eight small producer Belgian and Scandinavian beers with eight exceptional cheeses and sample and discuss each. Tickets are $40 and available via this link, http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/BetterThanWine-Beer-CheesePair-1.aspx

The Joy of Cheese October Events

Lots to report. Here’s the rundown.

October 5, 5-7:30 Cheesy Happy Hour at In Vino, 215 E. 4^th St.,

In Vino is bringing back the concept of the fromagier for a day, or well, for a Happy Hour. Starting October 5^th from 5-730 and hopefully becoming a regular event, we are starting a Cheese Plate Happy Hour. Cheese Plates of 3 will be half off, and I’ll be around to sample and discuss delights off of our fantastic list of Italian and contemporary American cheeses (I’ll probably hand out a few surprise cheeses too).

October 18 at 7:30 at The Clerkenwell, 49 Clinton St. The New Stuff.

What’s new? Please join us October 18 at The Clerkenwell, 49 Clinton St., as we will answer that question with nine of the most interesting cheeses that are new to the New York City market. Some will be domestic and others will be from Europe; all will be outstanding. Tickets are $25 and you pay for your drinks as you go. Tickets can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/203833

October 19 at 7 at Premier Cru, 1163 Madison Avenue. The Cornerstones

Please join us October 19 at 7 at Premier Cru, 1163 Madison, for a wine and cheese event called The Best Gruyere Ever and Five Other Cornerstone Cheeses. This tasting nwill focus attention on the work of leading European affineurs (masters at aging cheese) and the difference they make in familiar cheeses like Gruyere, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Stilton and others; for those unfamiliar with the work of Rolf Beeler, Marcel Petite, Neal’s Yard and others, it will be like having these cheeses for the first time again. We will sample and discuss six cheeses and they will be paired with six superb wines chosen by Premier Cru owner Michael Eigen. Tickets are $45 and available via Premier Cru, 212-534-6709.

October 26 at 7:30 at Breukelen Bier Merchants, 182 Grand St. Beer and Cheese Rules

The complex flavors and salty finishes of great, hand-crafted cheeses are a perfect match for the cane like sweetness that underpin so many of the best Belgian beers. Multiply those matches times seven and you have a very lucky evening. Please join us Wednesday October 26 at 7:30 at Breukelen Bier Merchants, 182 Grand St. in Williamsburg for a very special tasting featuring cheese from The Joy of Cheese and beer from 12% Imports. The Joy of Cheese is Martin Johnson’s roving cheese party; since 2005, he has held events all around the tri state area that focus on the wonders of the new wave of hand crafted cheese that is available to New Yorkers. Maggie Fuller from 12% Imports is one of the leading authorities on beer. She is a graduate of the University of California at Davis Brewmasters program and her company focuses on the work small producer Belgian and Scandinavian breweries. Tickets are $30 and available at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/203767

Three for Three: The Joy of Cheese September Events

Three for Three: The Joy of Cheese September Events

After a quiet late summer, The Joy of Cheese will launch headlong into the fall season with three events on consecutive nights.

September 20 at 7:30 at Culturefix, 9 Clinton St (near Houston): Cheese and Beer Rules!

Cheeses and beers pair exceptionally well together, but what are some rules of thumb for matching them? What cheese balances the hoppiness of an IPA ,or what beer goes best with a earthiness and pepper of a classic blue? Please join us September 20^th at 7:30 at Culturefix, 9 Clinton St., as we celebrate the marriage of grains and curds with six wonderful cheeses accompanied by six New York state beers. This New York City Craft Beer Week event starts at 7:30. Tickets are $25; for tickets please visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/196694

September 21 at 7 at Premier Cru, 1163 Madison Avenue (86^th St.): The New, New World Classics

The exceptional quality of American cheeses like Humboldt Fog, Rogue River Blue, and Pleasant Ridge Reserve are old news by now. What are the next great American made cheeses? Please join us at 7 at Premier Cru, the exceptional wine shop on the Upper East Side; In the first of a three part monthly series, I'll sample and discuss six cheeses from America and perhaps Canada and down under. Premier Cru owner Michael Eigen will pair these six cheeses with six wines from his shop's stellar inventory. Tickets are $45 and available via Premier Cru, 212-534-6709.

September 22 at 7 at The 92^nd St. Y (92 & Lex): Better Than Wine, a Cheese and Beer Pairing.

Cheeses are often a good match for Belgian beers, and at this event Maggie Fuller of 12% Imports, a company that specializes in small producer Belgian and Scandinavian beer will pair eight of her favorite beers with eight of my favorite cheeses. We'll discuss the fromage and brews individually and why they work together. Tickets are $40 and available via the 92^nd St. Y box office, http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/BetterThanWine-Beer-CheesePair-1.aspx

The current Joy of Cheese schedule is always up at thejoyofcheese.blogspot.com and my daily musings on cheese including Fromage of the Day is at thejoyofcheese.wordpress.com

Any questions, feel free to contact me at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com

August 16th Event is Cancelled

Unfortunately, the August 16 Joy of Cheese Event at The Clerkenwell has been cancelled. Joy of Cheese events will resume in September.

August at The Joy of Cheese

Tribute and Choice: The Joy of Cheese August Events

In two August events, the Joy of Cheese will range the spectrum of emotions. One event is a tribute to a recently deceased colleague; the other will be programmed by requests made at the Joy of Cheese Facebook page. Both will be interesting.

August 2 at 7:30 at d.b.a Brooklyn: Summer cheeses and Beers

It’s simple; shortly before this event, I’m going to buy the eight best cheeses I can find; we’ll pair them with four superb beers (all four will be favorites of Ray Deter in tribute to our fallen pal) and we’re going to do a tasting. Join us, it’s fun. Tickets are $25; for tickets please visit https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/185911

August 16 at 7:30 at Clerkenwell: By Request!

All Joy of Cheese events have a mystery cheese, but at this one the audience participation level will go way higher. I'm allowing people to choose the themes by posting what they'd like to investigate at The Joy of Cheese Facebook Page. Once I settle on the themes, it will be my task to make a logical sequence of the cheeses and an intelligent presentation. It should be fun. Tickets are $25 and available via Brown Paper Tickets,https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/189159

By all means attendees are welcome to attend these events without advance purchase, I just that they e-mail me to alert me of their intentions at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com.

The current Joy of Cheese schedule is always up at thejoyofcheese.blogspot.com and my daily musings on cheese including Fromage of the Day is at thejoyofcheese.wordpress.com

Any questions, feel free to contact me at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com