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 August Newsletter

Greetings, Cheese Lovers!

Feeling hot hot hot? Come visit us at Cheesetique and chill out with some groovy cheeses. Don't want to heat up your kitchen? An all-cheese dinner is the perfect solution! No cooking required...

Fond Farewell to Annyce, Hearty Welcome to Sarah
Our wonderful manager for the past year and a half, Annyce Ferrogari, has left Cheesetique to pursue other passions. We are unbelievably lucky to have as our new manager Sarah Arbury, who many of you may know from the Sunday crew. Sarah has already taken over the helm, so please stop in and extend a warm welcome to our new head cheesemonger! A perfect time to do that would be tonight from 6-9pm at Del Ray's First Thursday festival! Stroll up and down Mt. Vernon Avenue and enjoy the sites and sounds. Then, come visit me and Sarah!

Bi-weekly Cheese and Wine Tasting Friday Night 5-7pm
Stop by anytime between 5 and 7pm tomorrow night to sample some delish cheeses and wines, paired just for you! No reservations are required and it's free of charge. What more could you ask for?

This Month's Cheese Class: Lovely Locals
Come revel in some of the most amazing American artisan cheeses around - from right in our own back yard! Ok, so we might stretch up to New York, but compared to California, that's really close! Let there be cow! Let there be goat! Let there be sheep! Let there be raw! Don't miss this one!

The cost is $25 per person and you can expect to spend about an hour and a half learning and tasting. Beverages and accompaniments will be served. Act quickly - this will fill up in no time!

The available dates are:
Tuesday, August 7, 7:15 PM
Wednesday, August 8, 7:15 PM
Tuesday, August 21, 7:15 PM
Wednesday, August 22, 7:15 PM
Tuesday, August 28, 7:15 PM
Wednesday, August 29, 7:15 PM
Tuesday, September 4, 7:15 PM
Wednesday, September 5, 7:15 PM

Email tastings@cheesetique.com to sign up. Let me know the date(s) you prefer and how many are in your party. If you are available on more than one date, please let me know. That way, we can fit more folks.

Please note: Advance payment is required for all classes. 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 (48 hours advance notice, please), we will refund the full amount minus the Paypal fee.

Try to stay cool!
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
Fourme d'Ambert Walnut Crostini
This is a warm, gooey, piquant, yet sweet creation.
The walnut preserve is a dreamy addition to the melted raw milk blue.

When to Serve It

A perfect quick-assembly appetizer - also makes great hors d'oeuvres!

About the Cheese

What is Fourme d'Ambert?
Located in the heart of the Auvergne region of central France, the tiny town of Ambert was the historical hub of French paper making. That industry has waned, but the production of their famous blue cheese, Fourme d'Ambert, is still going strong. In fact, there's even a museum dedicated to this fascinating fromage.

Fourme d'Ambert is a unique cows' milk blue. Its raw milk flavor is mellow, rich and earthy. The curd of Fourme d'Ambert is quite dense, giving the cheese an almost pudding-like texture (not crumbly). It holds up beautifully when heated or used in recipes. But its singular flavor is best enjoyed in simple applications.

Ingredients

8 ounces Fourme d'Ambert
1 loaf raisin walnut bread
1 jar Harvest Song Walnut Preserve (see below)

Directions

1) Slice the raisin walnut bread in 1/4 inch slices that are a couple inches wide (about 2 bites' worth). Place the slices on a cookie sheet.
2) Remove the walnuts from the syrup and cut them in half (you can use the syrup as a mixer in champagne or vodka - it's clovey and sweet)
3) Turn on the broiler in the oven and broil the bread slices until lightly toasted.
4) Remove the bread from the oven and place one thin slice of Fourme d'Ambert on each piece.
5) Return cheese-covered bread to the broiler just until it is a little melty and warm.
6) Remove the bread from the broiler and top with one walnut half.
Eat Warm!

Featured Product: Harvest Song Walnut Preserve

Enjoy all that the unspoiled, unpolluted Armenian countryside has to offer!
This artisanal condiment consists of whole shell-on walnuts soaked in sweet clove-infused syrup.
The walnuts maintain a slight outer crunch but are soft and chewy overall.
This is an amazing accompaniment for blue cheese of any kind.
Only $11.95 each at Cheesetique.