Finally!! The Joy of Cheese Spring Events

After spending nearly three months getting Gastronomie 491's Cheese and Charcuterie department up and running, the Joy of Cheese tastings will spend the spring coming back up to full speed. There's stuff all over town in April and May.

April 19 at 7 at the 92nd St. Y Uptown (92 & Lexington) Better Than Wine

8 rare beers, 8 special cheeses, 90 minutes of information comprise the left side of the equation. Lotsa fun is on the other side of the equal sign. $40. For more information visit http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/BetterThanWine-Beer-CheesePair-1.aspx

April 24 at 7:30 at Kupersmith, 49 Clinton St. The Great Return

It's been a while, no? In our first public event at Kupersmith since January, this tasting will showcase some of the newer cheeses to hit the NYC marketplace during our absence. Expect fantastic camemberts, exceptional goat's milk cheeses and maybe, just maybe Winnimere. We'll investigate nine cheeses overall. Tickets are $25; you pay for your beverages separately. For more information visit, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/242387

May 1, 8, and 15 at 7:30 at Gastronomie 491, 491 Columbus Ave (83rd-84th) Gastronomie 491 Presents The Joy of Cheese Miniatures

Great cheese, superb wine, knowledge on each, and a comfortable setting. These are all cornerstones of The Joy of Cheese events for seven years, but on three Tuesdays in May, the 1st, 8th, and 15th, we'll offer a new twist. You can *buy* the cheeses afterward. Please join us for one or more of these short events that run from 7:30-8:15. We'll present four cheese and wine pairings (and yeah, there will be a mystery cheese). I'll discuss the cheeses and noted expert Michael Whidden will regale us with information about the wines. Tickets are $20; the fun is unlimited. For more information, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/242394

May 3rd at the 92nd St. Y (Uptown, 92 & Lex) Cheese and Tequila

Yes, maybe we've finally lost our minds, but this seemed like an irresistible challenge. Find a bunch of cheese and tequila pairings. Dave Herman, the Grand Tsar of Malt (he co-led our wildly successful cheese and whiskey classes) and I will preside over this 90 minute-two hour exploration. This event will feature at least four cheese and tequila pairings (we were originally going to do a wine pairing and a beer pairing but we may just do six tequilas, who knows). Tickets are $40 and available from the Y's site, http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Cheese-and-Tequila-Pairing.aspx

For more information in general about public and private Joy of Cheese events, contact me at thejoyofcheese@gmail.com

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/

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

Next Week at The Joy of Cheese

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.