Cheesetique

specialty cheese shop
see. taste. learn.

2403 Mt. Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
703.706.5300

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Welcome to the Cheesetique October Newsletter

Greetings, Cheese Lovers!

Autumn in upon us! My favorite time of year is also the best time of year for cheese! "Why," you ask? Well, the cheeses that are being released now were made from the summer milk. That means that our little furry friends had been grazing on the most lush pastures, filled with grass, herbs, and flowers. Their milk reflects that rich diet - and so do the resulting cheeses. So, get 'em while you can! Don't let the best cheeses pass you by...

Holidays Are Just Around the Corner
Yes, believe it or not, the holiday season is fast approaching. Keep Cheesetique in mind for wonderful gifts and platters. Need corporate gifts? Give them something truly unique - Cheesetique gift buckets!

Our Next Cheese Class: Cheese Classifications
In honor of our one-year anniversary of cheese classes, we will be going back to basics with our Cheese Classifications tasting. Don't fret - even those of you fine folks who have been to EVERY class will learn a thing or two. We will discuss each class of cheese and what sets it apart both in recipe and characteristics. Naturally, we will also taste cheeses from each classification. Want to learn the difference between washed-rind and soft-ripened? This is the class for you!
Available Dates:
Sunday, October 16 at 6:00 PM
Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00 PM
Thursday, October 20 at 7:00 PM

Please email tastings@cheesetique.com to sign up for the tasting. Please let me know the date you prefer and how many are in your party. The cost is only $15 per person. Act quickly - this will fill up in no time. Participants can expect to spend about an hour learning and tasting. Sparkling water and accompaniments will be served.

Please note: Once we fit you into a slot, I will send you a Paypal invoice so you can pay securely online. If you need to cancel (24 hours advance notice, please), we will refund the full amount minus the Paypal fee.

Have a great Autumn!
Jill Erber, Proprietor/Cheese Lady
Cheesetique Specialty Cheese Shop
direct email: jill@cheesetique.com

Click here to visit Cheesetique's web site. You can learn more about the shop, see location and hours, and view archived issues of the newsletter.

This Issue’s Featured Recipe
Pasta de Meaux
A new resident of Del Ray (and new customer of Cheesetique), Christine was just in to pick up some of our luscious Fromage de Meaux for a recipe. When yours truly asked her how she was using it, she shared with me this recipe. It just sounded too yummy!

When to Serve It

This is the perfect autumny supper. Since your veggies are part of the pasta, this is a one-bowl-wonder!

About the Cheese

What is Fromage de Meaux?
Fromage de Meaux, modeled after the unpasteurized Brie de Meaux, is a huge flat disc of Brie from the French town of Meaux (hence the super-creative name). This version from Rouzaire is the closest I've ever found to the genuine raw milk variety. To say that this Fromage de Meaux is "different" from any other Brie you'll get in our neck of the woods is an understatement. It has an intense meaty flavor that is certainly not timid. Its texture is also soft, sticky, and spreadable - not at all plasticky like other Bries available in the States. Serve this on your next cheese plate and hear your guests exclaim, "This is Brie?!?!" Fromage de Meaux is made from whole cow's milk and has a delicate bloomy rind (white mold).

Now That's a Delicate Cheese!
Fromage de Meaux is about as fragile as they come. It is over 18 inches across but only an inch thick - and it's super-squishy. The folks that produce this cheese are masters of movement - this soft-ripened beauty has to be rotated and flipped quite frequently to promote even mold growth on the rind. Imagine flipping a 19-inch pancake without breaking it. No small feat!

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 lb. Pasta of your choice. I would use something bite-size, not long and stringy.
1/2 lb. Fresh Asparagus
1/4 lb. Fresh Mushrooms (button cut in half or shiitake cut in strips)
4 Cloves Garlic, fine chopped
1/2 lb. Fromage de Meaux
Salt and Pepper to taste - make sure to taste before you salt, as the Brie will add salt.

Directions

1. Put pasta on to boil.
2. In a pan, saute the garlic, asparagus, and mushrooms in good olive oil until the asparagus is crisp-tender and the mushrooms are softened. Remove from heat.
3. Cut or tear the Fromage de Meaux into chunks.
4. When al dente, drain the pasta and return it to the empty boiling pot. Note: do not rinse your pasta. You want it hot.
5. Add the chunks of Fromage de Meaux to the pasta and stir well. It should melt and get all gooey.
6. Add the asparagus and mushroom mixture to the pasta and toss.
7. Eat! Eat! Eat!

Variations

Add grilled chicken for more protein. Also, don't forget to drizzle with really good olive oil before eating - it kicks up the flavor!

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