Late May and early June Tastings

After five tastings in eight days, I'm going to use the weeks leading up to Memorial Day to catch my breath and get ready to launch into our summer series. Here's the lowdown

May 28 at 7 at Stella, 213 Front St (between Beekman and Peck Slip or just north of the South Street Seaport, due east of the Fulton/B'way Nassau stop of the 2,3,4,5,A,C,J,and M trains), the third edition of the Stella Seven will focus on Italian Cheeses. No, not any ole Italian cheese, but rare Italian cheeses, Foglia Di Noce, Cinerino, and several that are just starting to make it to these shores. In addition to nine cheeses (seven plus two mysteries), there will be four wines presented and discussed by Peter Jamros (former Wine Director of Babbo and Otto), and of course there will be fruit, dark chocolate and program notes. Tickets are $40 and available via www.brownpapertickets.com (use Stella as a search criteria) by May 8.

June 2 at 7, the Joy of Cheese returns to its home base, 10 Degrees, 121 St. Mark's Place (between First Avenue and Avenue A) for the start of a new series, Good Cheese for Hard Times, 10 cheeses all under $25/pound. Admission to the event is $25 and you pay for your drinks as you go. Tickets will be on sale at www.brownpapertickets.com after May 8, use 10 Degrees as a search criteria.

June 8 at 6:30 at Nectar Wine Bar, 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd, (121st St.), we will present the next edition of our 8 on the 8th series, The 8 Best Cheeses of the American West. The tasting will feature great obscure cheeses of California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. In addition there will be a suggested flight of wines from Jai Jai Greenfield owner of Nectar Wine Bar and Harlem Vintage. Tickets are $25 and available after May 8 at www.brownpapertickets.com (yep, use Nectar Wine Bar as a search critieria).

For more information hit me at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com

-MJ