Finally, The News is Out!

This article was nice to wake up to.

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/16/high-end-takeout-at-gastronomie-491/?scp=1&sq=Gastronomie%20491&st=cse

And yes, that's what I've been up to for the first quarter 2012. I think it's a very Joy of Cheese style case. So far, the following affineurs are represented in the case: Beeler, Hostettler, Neal's Yard Dairy, Madaio, Guffanti, D'Alos and the Cellars at Jasper Hill.

The Meat Case includes artisan products from Heritage (specifically the Armandino Batali salumi), Larchmont, Fra'Mani, Creminelli, La Quercia, and D'Espana (yes, a Pata Negra).

Don't get me started on the beer: Evil Twin, Hof Ten Dormaal, and Schneider are just the beginning.

The next classes are March 29 at the 92nd St Y (ticket info here, http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Wine-And-Cheese-Pairing.aspx), April 19 at 92Y (http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/BetterThanWine-Beer-CheesePair-1.aspx) and there will be an event in mid April probably at Kupersmith, a link to tickets will be posted here soon.

Gastronomie 491 will open on Wednesday. Come see us then!

Oh, and there is a Joy of Cheese blog that is updated daily here, http://thejoyofcheese.wordpress.com/

So What Happened to The Joy of Cheese?

The short answer is nothing. The just slightly longer answer is Con Edison. The long answer is probably more informative. Late last year, I took a job with a soon-to-open upscale retail market and cafe on the Upper West Side. By the time the holidays rolled around, construction was nearly done and as long as we could cut through the bureaucratic red tape, we would open soon. I decided not to schedule any Joy of Cheese events until the new joint was open for fear of unnecessary schedule conflicts (say having an event on the evening that just happens to be friends and family night).
Now, do you see where the slightly longer answer enters the picture? The red tape portion of getting the place open has taken far longer than anyone except the utility might have imagined. I thought I was the pessimist by planning for a January 25 opening date.
Anyway, the place will open soon (seriously, it will!) and The Joy of Cheese will resume regularly scheduled events in late April or early May. See you then!