The Joy of Cheese

We finish the year with beer

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:04:00 +0000

We will close the year with two beer and cheese tastings. The first will be December 8 at d.b.a Brooklyn, 113 N. 7th St. in Williamsburg. We will pair six cheeses with six holiday ales. Tickets are $20 and available at Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/89125

The very next night, we will take the beer and cheese vibe to the 92nd St. Y where a noted beer expert and I will present eight beers and cheeses. Tickets are $50 and available via this link, http://www.92y.org/shop/event_detail.asp?productid=T-LP5FW01

-MJ

The Joy of Chese is Built for Comfort: The November Tastings

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:01:00 +0000

No, I'm not talking about my waistline.

In November, The Joy of Cheese will present two tastings built around the theme of comfort cheeses. We're tumbling into autumn and what with cooler, if not downright colder weather, thoughts turn toward heartier cuisines. Our tastings will spotlight rich, full flavored cheeses that melt well or on their own pair with fruitier wines or stronger beers. Here are the details.

November 3rd at 7 at d.b.a Brooklyn: Comfort Cheese and Beers to Match
Please join us at 7 at d.b.a Brooklyn, 113 N. 7th St. (between Berry and Wythe, one and half blocks east of the Bedford Avenue L Stop, just out of Manhattan) for a tasting of six cheeses six beers that are perfect for autumn. Expect sweet Italian mountain cheeses, nutty alpine numbers, and crumbly aged goudas. Ray Deter will choose beers to match and discuss them. Tickets are a mere $20 and available at Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/86873

November 17th at 7 at Stella: Built for Comfort
Please join us at 7 at Stella, 213 Front St. (between Peck Slip and Beekman) for the final Joy of Cheese event at Stella in 2009. for two hours, possibly longer, we will sample and discuss nine excellent autumnal cheeses and Peter Jamros will present and detail the pleasures of four spectacularly full wines. Tickets are $40 and available via Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/86874

For further details, I'm at TheJoyofCheese@gmail.com.

The Joy of Cheese Presents a Local October

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:55:00 +0000

The early October schedule will feature three tastings in 15 days, all focused on cheese made within a few hours drive of NYC.

October 6 at 7 at 10 Degrees, 121 St. Mark's Place in the East Village
We will present Farmer's Market, a sampling and discussion of ten of the best cheeses available at the nearby Greenmarkets. Once, a venue primarily for produce, some of the best nearby creameries showcase their wares at farmer's markets. We'll explore. There will be fruit (guess where from!), mystery cheeses, program notes, et al. Tickets are $25 and available at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/83184

October 13 at 7 at d.b.a Brooklyn, 113 N. 7th St. in Williamsburg, between Berry and Wythe
We will present the Local-Local Connection, seven cheeses made nearby and seven beers brewed nearby to match. Tickets are $20 and available via Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/83188

October 20 at 7 at Stella, 213 Front St. near the South St. Seaport between Peck Slip and Beekman
We will present In the Vicinity, a tasting of nine local cheeses (including some from Brooklyn) and they will be paired with four incredible wines (which won't be made in the five boros). Peter Jamros will discuss the wine; I'll discuss the cheeses. Fun will ensue.
Tickets are $40 (it's typically a two-hour event), and available via Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/83189

Beyond these tastings here's what's up

October 21 a Wine and Cheese pairing class at the 92nd St. Y
http://www.92y.org/shop/event_detail.asp?productid=T-LP5FW76

Then comes the Built for Comfort series, several tastings highlighting the best autumn cheese.

October 27, The Five Best Cheeses in NYC plus some runners up at Nectar Wine Bar
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/86783

November 17 at Stella and some dates in between t.b.a

Preview of October

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:27:00 +0000

More details up by week's end, but here's the lineup for a busy busy October.
The theme is Local Cheese (or at least made by cheesemakers in the near vicinity).

October 6, Farmer's Market at 10 Degrees (cheeses all from nearby greenmarkets).
October 8, The 8 Best Local Cheeses in NYC at Nectar Wine Bar
October 13, Local-Local. Local cheeses and local brews at d.b.a. Brooklyn
October 20, In the Vicinity, 9 local cheeses and four great wines at Stella

Finally, one that won't be local at all,
October 21, Cheese and Wine pairing class at 92nd St. Y.

-MJ

The Joy of Cheese Presents a Sheepy September

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:04:00 +0000

September 2009 is a bitch of month to try and schedule events. Labor Day is very very late, and Rosh Hashanah is somewhat early. That leaves a teensy tiny little window to schedule tastings. But every problem is an opportunity, so we're going to focus the entirety of our tasting themes on sheep cheese this month. Everyone knows Manchego, Roquefort, and Pecorino, but there's so much more to the story. We'll tell it in three separate events.
September 15 at 6:30 at Nectar Wine Bar: The 8 Best Sheep Cheeses in New York City
The 8 on the 8th series returns from summer hiatus with a survey course of great sheep cheeses from France, Italy and Spain (of course) as well as those from less renown ports like New Jersey, Portugal and England. Tickets are $25 and you pay for your wine as you go. There will be a flight of wines chosen by Jai Jai Greenfield, owner of Nectar Wine Bar. Nectar Wine Bar is at 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd (121st St.) . Advance tix are available at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/79470
September 17 at 7 at d.b.a Brooklyn: Cheeses of Spain & Portugal, Beers from ???
Okay, not all the cheeses here will be from sheep's milk but most of them will be. The Iberian peninsula is a fantastic epicenter of sheep cheese production and we will investigate some cornerstone cheeses and several exotic ones as well. Ray Deter will present six beers to chosen to match our six cheeses. There will also be fruit, a mystery cheese and program notes. Tickets are $20 (it's a one hour tasting) and available via Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/79469
September 22 at 7 at Stella: Not Cheap Cheese, Sheep Cheese!
One of the most underrated--okay Frank Bruni, overlooked--aspects of sheep's milk cheese is its companionability with a wide variety of wines. This will be our focus at the next Stella tasting. We will present nine extraordinary sheep's milk cheeses with four superb wines. I'll talk about the cheese and Peter Jamros will detail the deep dark secrets of the wine. Tickets are $40 (it's a two hour event) and available via Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/79468

For more information, contact me at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com.

-MJ

The August Events

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:22:00 +0000

August 11 at 7 at 10 Degrees, 121 St. Marks Place in the East Village

More Good Cheese for Hard Times, the latest in our exploration of inexpensive hand crafted cheese. We will sample and discuss 10 cheeses made on small farms run $25/pound or less. In it the process, we will go over how cheese is made, where to shop, and good pairing strategies. In addition, there will be fruit, a mystery cheese, and dark chocolate. The tasting will run from 7 until around 8ish. Tickets are $25 but you pay for your drinks separately, though it's 2-4-1 happy hour at the bar till 8. Advance tix are available at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/76508

August 18 at 7 at d.b.a Brooklyn, 113 N. 7th St.,
Cheese and Beer, a summertime potpourri. I'm going to pick six cheeses (well seven including the mystery cheese) and Ray Deter, the owner of d.b.a., will pick six beers to match. It's a recipe for a very happy hour. The tasting runs till about 8. Tickets are $20 and available at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/76511

For more information contact me at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com

-MJ

The July events part one

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:02:00 +0000

Lots of events in lots of places!

July 7 at 7 at 10 Degrees, 121 St. Mark's Place, (bet 1st Ave and Avenue A)
The Joy of Cheese Presents Good Cheese for Hard Times vol. 2. Great cheese need not cost a great amount of money. We will present the second in our three part series of cheeses that cost $25 per pound or less with a focus on the soft cheeses in that price range. Tickets are $25 and you pay for your beverages as you go. Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/70923

July 16 at 7 at Stella, 213 Front St. (bet Peck Slip and Beekman)
The Joy of Cheese Presents The Stella Seven: Francophile's Delight. It's durn near impossible to think about Cheese without France coming to mind. Francophile's Delight will offer nine affineur aged French Cheeses and four wines to match. I'll discuss the cheeses in terms of their geography, production style and flavor. Peter Jamros will reveal the deep dark secrets of the wine. Everyone will leave with smiles on their faces and Paris on their minds. Tickets are $40 and available via Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/70918

July 21 at 7 at d.b.a. Brooklyn, 113 N. 7th St. (bet Berry and Wythe)
The Joy of Cheese Presents The JoC dba six pack. In the second of our series on cheeses and beers we will focus on the glories of French Farmhouse Ales. These lovely dense and refreshing beverages pair beautifully with cheese and to prove we will focus on six of each. In addition, weather permitting, the tasting will take place in the outdoor patio area of the bar.
Tickets are a mere $20 and available from Brown Paper Tickets, https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/70926

For more info, find me at thejoyofcheese AT gmail.

Have a beer, and upcoming tastings

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:58:00 +0000

It's only recently come to light, but beer and cheese are more compatible together than wine and cheese. The reasons for this are complex and have to do with the hops and sweetness of beer balancing out the complexities of cheese. Still not convinced? Come to The Joy of Cheese/d.b.a Six Pack, a new series at d.b.a Brooklyn, 113 North 7th St. in Williamsburg (a block and half west of the first L stop into Brooklyn, Bedford Avenue). This summer we will offer hour long tastings that feature six cheeses and three beers. There will be program notes, dark chocolate, fruit, and plenty of discussion about both cheese, beer and their pairings. Admission is $20 and space is limited so act now!
Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets.

Sneak preview of July
July 7 at 10 Degrees: Good Cheese for Hard Times vol. 2

July 15 at Nectar Wine Bar: The 8 Best Vermont Cheeses in NYC
July 16 at Stella: The Stella Seven presents Francophiles Delight
July 21 at dba Brooklyn: Cheeses and I.P.A.'s

-MJ

Late May and early June Tastings

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:48:00 +0000

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

The Joy of Cheese partial April sked

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:46:00 +0000

April is coming together slowly at The Joy of Cheese.

However......there will be cheese!

April 8 at 6:30 at Nectar Wine Bar, 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd (121st. St.), we will explore The 8 Best Italian Cheeses in New York City. Tickets are $25 and you pay for your wine as you go. Advance tickets are at brown paper tickets dot com. Use Nectar Wine Bar as the search criteria.

April 29 at 7 at The 92nd St. Y, I am team teaching a wine and cheese pairing class. We will investigate 8-10 wines and 8-10 cheeses and discuss. Tickets are $50 and advance sales are at the 92StY.org box office.

April 30 at 7 at Stella, 213 Front St. near the South St. Seaport, we will hold the second edition of the Stella 7, Nine cheeses four wines $40. More information on that soon.

More information in general? E-me at thejoyofcheese on gmail.

More March Cheese Tasting Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:39:00 +0000

March 11, The Joy of Cheese launches a new series, The Stella Seven, at Stella, 213 Front Street. The venue is near the South St. Seaport, a five minute walk from the Fulton St/B'way Nassau stop of the A, C, J, M, 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains. The tastings will take place in a separate salon room accessible via the bar.
Our first tasting there will focus on cheeses of Spain and Portugal. As part of the $40 admission ($45 at the door), there will be sample sizes of four absurdly good Iberian wines served and discussed by Peter Jamros from Regal Wines. Of course in addition to the seven cheeses, there will also be two mystery cheeses, fruit, dark chocolate, and of course program notes.
You can buy tickets in advance at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/57728

For more information, try me at The Joy of Cheese aT Gmail.

-MJ

Swiss and Cheddar in March

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 05:35:00 +0000

No, it's not our response to the economy. The dead of winter is a great time to investigate the alpine cheese tradition and it's a fine time to delve into the wonderful world of cheddar.

Sunday March 8 at 1:30 at Nectar Wine Bar, 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd (120-121st. St.)
The Joy of Cheese Presents the 8 Best Swiss Cheeses in New York City.
No, I don't mean Finlandia v. real Swiss Emmenthal or Jarlsberg v. Leerdammer, we're talking Hand-Crafted cheese! We will have the best Emmenthal on the planet and a fab Gruyere but there will also be two or three rare firm cheeses from Switzerland as well as several soft gooey ones (but no Vacherin, sorry). Of course, there will be mystery cheeses, fruit, dark chocolate, program notes, and wine recommendations from the fantastic team at Nectar Wine Bar. Tickets are $25 (you pay for your wine as you go) and available either at the door or more safely via Brown Paper Tickets
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/54883

Tuesday March 10 & Wednesday March 18 at 7pm at 10 Degrees, 121 St. Mark's Place (1st Avenue and Avenue A)
The Joy of Cheese Presents Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Cheddar But Were Afraid to Ask
We'll have Old World Cheddar, New World Cheddar, and everything in between. They've been making cheddar for nearly a millennium now and there are more offshoots and flavors from this cheese than you might imagine. You'll never take it for granted again. We'll sample six or seven absolutely off-the-hook wonderful cheddars as well as six or seven potent variations on cheddar.
The optimal pairing is whiskey, but we understand if you have to go to work the next day. The 10 Degrees bar is well stocked with red wines, beers and other fine alternatives. As always there will be mystery cheeses, fruit and dark chocolate.
Tickets are $40 ($35 via Brown Paper Tickets) and you pay for your drinks as you go.
The Brown Paper Tickets direct link is http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/56938

Contact me at thejoyofcheese at gmail.

-MJ

The Joy of Cheese Presents The 8 Best French Cheeses in NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:06:00 +0000

The Joy of Cheese Presents the 8 Best French Cheeses in New York City

Later for governing a nation with more than 750 cheeses (yes Charles DeGaulle was off by more than half in his famous comment "how can you govern a nation with 325 cheeses"), how do you even get a grip on all this fromage?

The Joy of Cheese will try. On Sunday afternoon February 8, at Nectar Wine Bar, 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd, we will conduct a tasting featuring eight true cornerstone cheeses of this fantastic cheesemaking superpower. Ideally, the tasting will focus on the work of France's leading affineurs, masters of aging cheese, and one of the talking points will be how France became such a fromage haven.

Our roster of cheeses will include fantastic Loire Valley chevre, wonderful Pyrenees Sheep cheese and a great blue, as well as better Roquefort, St. Nectaire, and Tomme De Savoie than you can get in most Parisian fromageries.

The tasting is the latest in our series of 8 on the 8^th at Nectar Wine Bar, in which we introduce people to eight varieties of cornerstone cheeses in different themes. Next month we will tackle Switzerland and in April, we will focus on Italy.

The February 8^th tasting begins at 1:30 and is expected to last 75 minutes. Admission is $25 and attendees pay for their drinks as they go. There will be a roster of suggested wines chosen by Nectar Wine Bar owner, Jai Jai Greenfield as well as fruit, dark chocolate, mystery cheese, and program notes.

Tickets are available via http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/54300 and reservations and questions can be fielded at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com.bbb

The Joy of Cheese January Events

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:58:00 +0000

We're going to start the year with a bang--four events in three venues. Let's get right to the point.

Thursday January 8 at 6:30 at Nectar Wine Bar, 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
The 8 Best Cheeses in New York City
Let's get back to basics with a tasting of the eight best hand crafted cheeses available in New York. No, I'm not saying exactly what we'll have, but expect names like Beeler, Mons, Cravero and Guffanti to be in the house. Oh, okay, I'll divulge this much, the Roquefort alone will be worth the price of admission. Tickets are $25; there will be dark chocolate, fruit and at least one mystery cheese (which may be ninth and/or tenth best cheese in Gotham), you pay for your drinks as you go. For reservations contact me at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com or pay in advance at
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/50650

Tuesday January 13 at 7 at The 92nd St. Y, 92nd and Lexington Ave
A Wine and Cheese pairing class.
I will co-lead a class with noted wine expert Meg Staloff featuring six phenomenal wines and six remarkable cheeses to match. It's a class whose theme will be revisited on April 1 and 29.
Tickets are $50 and available on the Y's website,
http://www.92y.org/shop/event_detail.asp?productid=T-LP5FW35

Wednesday January 14 and Tuesday January 27 at 7 at 10 Degrees, 121 St. Mark's Place
Blue Blue Blue!!!
Our third annual survey of six (maybe seven) of the finest blue cheeses in the world balanced by six (again, maybe seven) non blues that will match the sweet whites and ports that are recommended with these superb cheeses. The tasting will take place in the newly redecorated salon room at 10 Degrees.
Tickets are $40, $35 in advance via Brown Paper Tickets
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/50658

I'm happy to answer any and all questions during the tastings and in advance at thejoyofcheese@ gmail.com

-MJ

The Joy of Cheese Presents Alpine Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:15:00 +0000

With the holidays closing in, there's only one set of Joy of Cheese tastings in November (and no public events in December) so we're closing out the year with alpine cheeses. There will be three segments to this tasting: American Alpine cheeses (I know that geographically, the actual Alps don't extend across the Atlantic ocean, but one taste of some new Americans like the Leelanau Aged Raclette and you'll see that the cheese making wisdom does). The second subset of the tasting is on the soft cheeses of Switzerland; it's an interesting country with influences of German, Italian and French cheesemaking mixing together. And lastly we'll end with a series of unique and rare Alpine style cheeses from Switzerland.
The tastings will be held WEDNESDAYS November 12th and 19th at 10 Degrees, 121 St. Mark's Place, in the East Village. Tickets are $40. You can make reservations via e-mail at thejoyofcheese AT Gmail or you can buy tickets in advance with a slight discount via www.brownpapertickets.com.

-MJ

The Joy of Cheese Presents the October Tasting Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:32:00 +0000

Big Cheeses for Big Wines
October 14 and 21 at 7ish at 10 Degrees, 121 St. Mark's Place

It's hard to pair cheeses with the big red wines that become all the rage during autumn and winter. Some cheeses conflict with the deep flavors of the wine; others are simply overwhelmed by the wine. October 14 and 21 (yep, just two Tuesdays), we will taste and discuss twelve or so cheeses that are distinctive enough to pair well with rich red wines. Expect great cheese from Portugal, Sardinia and of course, Georgia (yeah, the state). As always there will be mystery cheeses, fruit and dark chocolate.
Tickets are $40 at the door and there is a 10% discount via www.brownpapertickets.com after October 2.

When in Rome...
October 19th at 1:30 and October 22nd at 6:30 at Nectar Wine Bar, 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
We will survey 12 or so of the very best Italian cheeses. Expect cheese from some of the finest Italian producers and affineurs such as Madaio, Guffanti, Cravero, and Cora. We will present ten of the cheeses in five pairs and each pair will be accompanied by a sample size of a wine from the superb Nectar Wine Bar collection and a description from Nectar manager Beth Baye.
Tickets are $50 and available either at the door or via www.brownpapertickets.com after October 2nd.

Feel free to hit me with questions at thejoyofcheese AT gmail

-Martin

The Joy of Cheese September schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:11:00 +0000

We're back and everything is okay.
There will be two tastings in September. On the 9th, 16th, and 18th at 7:00 at 10 Degrees will focus on classic English cheeses and their contemporary counterparts. England has exerted an enormous influence on American cheesemaking traditions, and we will delve into the reasons for that. However the current wave of exceptional cheeses from England and America are sort of engaged in an interesting dialogue which we will also discuss.
10 Degrees is located at 121 St. Mark's Place in the East Village. Tickets are $40 but there is a 10% for purchasing them in advance at Brown Paper Tickets dot com.
On the 21st at 1:30, and the 24th at 6:30, at Nectar Wine Bar, 2235 Frederick Douglas Blvd., we will turn our attention to the cheeses of Spain, Portugal and Colorado (yep, that Colorado). This will be a survey course of the fine cheeses of the Iberian peninsula plus a quick detour into Colorado where some of the best cheeses take their cues from Spanish cheesemaking traditions.
Tickets for the tasting are $50 but that includes sample sizes of five wines chosen specifically to accompany these cheeses. Again advance tix are available at Brown Paper Tickets dot com.

More info? contact me at thejoyofcheese at Gmail.

-MJ

The Joy of Cheese calls an audible

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:10:00 +0000

The Joy of Cheese changes the schedule

Due to a family medical emergency, there will be no tastings the week of August 18-22.

This means that the tastings scheduled for August 19 and 21 at 10 Degrees and August 20 at Nectar Wine Bar are cancelled.

The tastings will resume August 26^th at 10 Degrees with our survey of great Italian affineurs.

From the department of Coming Soon, we have a tasting that pits classic English cheeses v. the new wave of Great British cheesemaking on September 9, 16, and 18 at 10 Degrees.

Then at Nectar Wine Bar on September 21 and 24, we will survey the cheeses of Spain, Portugal and Colorado (un hunh, that Colorado).

The Joy of Cheese plans a busy busy August

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:59:00 +0000

In the five weeks between now and Labor Day weekend, there will be eight Joy of Cheese tastings. Rather than spam you anymore than I already do, this is our August schedule.

Joy of Cheese (Uptown) Presents The Old World Cheeses of Nectar Wine Bar

This tasting will present the five old world cheeses of Nectar plus seven (or more) delectable new ones from leading affineurs overseas. In addition, Nectar’s manager Beth Baye will present five wines specifically chosen to match the five pairings of cheese.

The tastings are Sunday afternoon August 10^th at 1:30 and Wednesday evening August 20^th at 6:30.

The setting is Nectar Wine Bar is at 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd (8^th Ave). 212-961-9622.

Tickets are $50 (the price includes the wine) and are available via Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/39761 or make reservations by e-mailing me at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com or thejoyofcheese@yahoo.com

The Joy of Cheese (Downtown) Presents La Dolce Formaggio

Which may not be grammatical but true fans of legendary Italian Director Frederico Fellini fans won’t care. This tasting will present the 12-14 examples from the work of the three leading Italian affineurs, Luigi Guffanti, Gianni Cora and the fine craftsmen and craftswomen or Casa Madaio. It’s just the thing for summer-ey dry sparkling wines.

The Tastings are at 7:00 Tuesdays August 19^th and 26^th as well as Thursday August 21^st.

The setting is 10 Degrees, 121 St. Mark’s Place in the East Village.

Tickets are $40 and you pay for your wine as you go, but the tastings take place during two-for-the-price-of-one happy hour. You may buy advance tickets (and get a 10% discount) at Brown Paper Tickets via this link, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40386. Or you can make reservations by e-mailing me at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com or thejoyofcheese@yahoo.com.

Also there are a few settings left for the August 5^th edition of our July series Classic French Cheese vs. Le Nouveau Fromage (imagine an adventure movie starring cheese), and there are an abundance of them for July 29 and 31. These tastings are at 10 Degrees. If you’re new to The Joy of Cheese, a small tasting is the introduction. Advance tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/36983

And of course feel free to reserve at the yahoo or gmail addresses.

I hope to see you over some cheese!

-MJ

The July tastings

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:53:00 +0000

There are two sets of Joy of Cheese tastings in July.
The first is Sunday afternoon July 20 at Nectar Wine Bar, 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd. nectar is a fabulous new wine bar opened last month by the folks who made Harlem Vintage into one of Manhattan's leading wine boutiques. The Joy of Cheese is in charge of the cheese program there, and I'll be conducting a survey tasting on the new world portion of the menu, Constant Bliss, Kunik, Bayley Hazen Blue, Pleasant Ridge Reserve and the Jasper Hill Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. We will introduce five cheeses that represent the next step beyond these superb cheeses and of course there will be two mystery cheeses and dark chocolate at the finish.
In addition, there the cheeses will be paired with a flight of wines from the Nectar wine list.
Tickets are $50 and available via www.brownpapertickets.com

Then July 29, 31 and August 5 we return to our downtown homebase, 10 Degrees, 121 St. Mark's Place, to conduct Classic French Cheese vs. Le Nouveau Fromage, a tasting that will contrast what the French think of as basic cheeses (their Kraft) with what new and exciting cheeses from the leading French affineurs.
Tickets for this event are $40 at the door, $35 via www.brownpapertickets.com

-MJ

The Joy of Cheese Presents the Midwest v. the South, a comparative tasting

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:59:00 +0000

The Joy of Cheese Presents the Midwest v. the South

American hand crafted cheesemaking has little of the way in appreciable roots in either the Deep South or the Midwest (though large scale cheesemaking has deep roots in Midwestern states), however, both regions have played host to ambitious cheesemakers who in the last decade have begun producing exceptional cheeses. Which region is doing better? Let’s hold a taste-off and find out.

In the third of a six month series of comparisons and contrasts called Taking Sides (which isn’t entirely accurate, you can choose to like both), we will investigate the cheeses from the Midwest and the South. In this manner, I hope we can begin to gain a sense of the flavor properties that each region exerts on a cheese.

The final lineup isn’t known right now, but my plans include cheeses from Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, southern Indiana, Minnesota and of course, Wisconsin

There will be dark chocolate (probably from a foreign country), fruit (west coast) and two mystery cheeses. I am happy to answer questions about these cheeses and about cheese in general

The tastings are Tuesdays June 17^th and 24^th and Thursday June 19^th

As always the tastings run from just after 7 until around 8:30 at 10 Degrees, the wonderful wine and high end spirits bar at 121 St. Marks Place in the East Village . Admission to the tasting is $30 and you pay for your drinks as you go (but it’s 2-4-1 Happy Hour till 8).

Reservations are a must. Contact me at thejoyofcheese@yahoo.com or thejoyofcheese@gmail.com.

The Joy of Cheese blog is up at http://thejoyofcheese.blogspot.com

Next tastings: July 29^th, 31^st, and August 5^th Taking Sides part four, the cheeses of France in some comparative setting.

-MJ

correction on dates

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:57:00 +0000

the June tasting series is on the 17th, 19th, and 24th, not 22nd, 24th and 29th as mentioned below.

The corrected May announcement is below

The Joy of Cheese Presents East v. West

American hand crafted cheesemaking has roots in both the East Coast and the West Coast. 30 years later, which coast does it better? Let’s hold a taste-off and find out.

In the second of a six month series of comparisons and contrasts called Taking Sides (which isn’t entirely accurate, you can choose to like both), we will investigate pairs of cheeses from each coast. In this manner, I hope we can begin to gain a sense of the flavor properties that each region exerts on a cheese.

There will be several interesting contrasts including goudas from Oregon and Connecticut , bloomy chevres from California and Massachusetts , and washed rind cheeses from Virginia and (hopefully) Washington state.

There will be dark chocolate (probably from a foreign country), fruit (west coast) and two mystery cheeses (which will be from one coast or the other). I am happy to answer questions about these cheeses and about cheese in general

The tastings are Tuesdays May 13^th and 20^th as well as Thursday May 15^th

Reservations are a must. Contact me at thejoyofcheese@yahoo.com

The Joy of Cheese blog is up at http://thejoyofcheese.blogspot.com

Next tastings: June 17^th, 19^th and 24th Taking Sides part three, the cheeses of the American South versus those from the Midwest ..

-MJ

The Joy of Cheese Presents East v. West, a comparative tasting

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:21:00 +0000

The Joy of Cheese Presents East v. West

American hand crafted cheesemaking has roots in both the East Coast and the West Coast. 30 years later, which coast does it better? Let’s hold a taste-off and find out.

The tastings are Tuesdays May 13^th and 20^th as well as Thursday May 15^th

Reservations are a must. Contact me at thejoyofcheese@yahoo.com

The Joy of Cheese blog is up at http://thejoyofcheese.blogspot.com

Next tastings: June 22^nd, 24^th, and 29^th, Taking Sides part three, the cheeses of the American South versus those from the Midwest ..

-MJ

The Joy of Cheese Presents Taking Sides vol. 1, a comparative tasting

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:54:00 +0000

The Joy of Cheese Presents Goat v. Sheep

For nearly two years, The Joy of Cheese has engaged in survey courses of cheese from different regions and different styles of cheese making. Now, we’re going a tad deeper. .

In the debut of a six month series of comparisons and contrasts called Taking Sides (which isn’t entirely accurate, you can choose to like both), we will investigate pairs of similarly made cheeses from the same region with one key difference. One cheese in each pairing will be made of sheep’s milk and the other will be of goat’s milk. In this manner, I hope we can begin to gain a sense of the flavor properties that each region exerts on a cheese.

For instance we will feature a firm goat and a firm sheep from the French Pyrenees. We will also have leaf-wrapped fresh goat and sheep cheeses from Tuscany. There will be two blues from Devon England, two fresh cheeses from nearby, and so on and so forth.

There will be dark chocolate (only one), fruit and two mystery cheeses (which will not be compared against one another). I am happy to answer questions about these cheeses and about cheese in general.

The tastings are Tuesdays April 22^nd and 29^th as well as Thursday April 24^th

As always the tastings run from just after 7 until around 8:30 at 10 Degrees, the wonderful wine and high end spirits bar at 121 St. Marks Place in the East Village. Admission to the tasting is $30 and you pay for your drinks as you go (but it’s 2-4-1 Happy Hour till 8).

Reservations are a must. Contact me at thejoyofcheese@yahoo.com

The Joy of Cheese blog is up at http://thejoyofcheese.blogspot.com

Next tastings: May 13^th 15^th and 20^th Taking Sides part two, the cheeses of the East Coast versus those from the West Coast..

-MJ

The Joy of Cheese Presents The Local

noreply@blogger.com (Martin) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:00:00 +0000

The Joy of Cheese Presents The Local

The epicenters of great American cheesemaking are Vermont, northern California, the Pacific Northwest, and Wisconsin. But this region is no slouch either and we’re going to prove it.

There are great washed rind cheeses being made in Connecticut, outstanding sheep cheese is made both in Hudson Valley and in Southern New Jersey and there is even great hand crafted cheese made in five boroughs. Those cheeses comprise the focus of our next tasting, The Local. We’ll introduce and discuss 12-14 cheeses made in either New York Connecticut or New Jersey.

There will be dark chocolate, fruit and two mystery cheeses. I am happy to answer questions about these cheeses and about cheese in general.

The tastings are Tuesdays March 25^th and April 1^st as well as Thursday March 27^th

As always the tastings run from just after 7 until around 8:30 at 10 Degrees, the wonderful wine and high end spirits bar at 121 St. Marks Place in the East Village. Admission to the tasting is $30 and you pay for your drinks as you go (but it’s 2-4-1 Happy Hour till 8).

Reservations are a must. Contact me at thejoyofcheese@yahoo.com

The Joy of Cheese blog is up at http://thejoyofcheese.blogspot.com

Next tastings: April 22, 24 and 29: Taking Sides: Goat versus Sheep, a series of side-by-side contrasts of goat and sheep cheeses from similar regions.

-MJ