What A Whole Lotta Cheese: The Joy of Cheese Mid-Winter Update

What a Whole Lotta of Cheese: The Joy of Cheese Mid-Winter Update

A few days ago I wondered about the wisdom of calling this a midwinter update. Well mother nature set the record straight about that. Cheese tastings are still one of the best reasons to venture out into the chill and there are a whole lotta tastings coming up.

Here are the details

February 23^rd at 7:30 at Boxcar Lounge, 168 Avenue B

Wednesday night at 7:30, The Joy of Cheese, Martin Johnson’s five year old series of informal cheese tastings makes its first visit to Boxcar Lounge, 168 Avenue B. Please join us as we’ll sample and discuss eight of the finest cheeses available in New York. There will be showstoppingly dense and nutty alpine cheeses, buttery, sweet pecorinos, lean, herbaceous goat’s milk cheeses. Some of the cheeses will be from Europe and some from elsewhere. I’ll discuss the cheeses in terms of their flavor profile, geography and production techniques. It will enable you to become an informed shopper for these cheeses either at a retail counter or when surveying the cheese course at a restaurant. Tickets are $25 and attendees can purchase beers, wines and other spirits of their choice from the well chosen and abundant Boxcar list. For more information and ticket sales please visit Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/154183

February 24 at 7:30 at Culturefix, 9 Clinton St., The Joy of Cheese Presents Red, White and Beer.

Alpine cheeses and pecorinos are especially versatile cheeses and in this edition of The Joy of Cheese Red White and Beer comparison series, we will take six (maybe more) fantastic cheeses, including some amazing sheep cheese from northern Italy and dense nutty cheeses both from Switzerland and the United States (and maybe France) and compare them to see what pairs best with what. It all gets going Thursday February 24 at 7:30 Tickets are $30 ($24 if you buy online at and enter the password Serious) and available at Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/onsite/event/154017.

Attendees can buy tickets with cash at the door (there is no “Serious” discount) just alert me of your plans at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com.

March 1^st at 7:30 at d.b.a Brooklyn, 113 N. 7^th St: The Hard Italians

The Italians have a way with formaggio. Their cheeses almost always feature distinctive flavors and melodic finishes. The firm ones are often highlighted by a clear note of salt. The Italians aren’t known for their brewing but their hard cheeses make excellent companions to ales, lagers and many more brewed delights. Please join us Tuesday March 1 at 7:30 as we pair seven wonderful hard Italian cheeses and seven amazing beers. I’ll present the cheese; Ray Deter will discuss the beer. You will show up and we will all be very happy by evening’s end. Tickets are $25 and available at Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/158973

March 8^th at 7:30 at The Clerkenwell, 49 Clinton St.: The Soft Italians

Ooozy, goupy, luxurious and delicious. Those are the first four words that occur to me when I think of soft Italian cheeses and if they don’t occur to you at the thought of Tallegio, Brescianella, Quadrello et al, then you owe it to your taste buds to join us at 7:30 Tuesday March 8 at Clerkenwell, 49 Clinton St. for a tasting of eight fantastic soft Italian cheeses. Tickets are $25 and you pay for your drinks separately. For more information, please visit BPT at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/158979

March 14^th at 7:30 at Custom American Wine Bar, 644 Driggs

The second edition of One Night Stand takes place at Custom American Wine Bar. As the name implies Custom specializes in small producer American wines, beers and bourbons. Our selection of eight cheeses will focus on those from the domestic artisan producers. Custom will offer a special flight of wines designed to match the cheeses. Tickets are $25 and attendees pay for their beverages separately. For more information, please visit Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/156155.

By all means you’re welcome to attend these events without advance purchase, just e-mail me to alert me of your intentions and I’ll reserve space for you.

And beyond these?

March 16 An Italian tasting of some sort or another at Culturefix

March 17 Cheese and Beer at 92^nd St. Y with me and Ray Deter

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