Tuesday, January 30, 2007

They Getcha with that $1 Menu


I did a class tonight. At the end of this post you can see the tasting sheet. The class went really well and although there was a great deal of cheese, bread, wine and beer I just wasn't satisfied, and I had a grumble grumble in my tum tum.
The special lady wanted to go shopping for a few margarita glasses and what nots for our big cock-tail-party coming up this Saturday! After we picked up a couple of things I dropped her off and went to park the clit and just as I started off back to the apartment it struck me.
With great vengeance and furious anger, I knew I had no chance to fight it. I was going into a McDonald's. A very drunk bum stumbled up to the counter ahead of me and asked whom ever he was chatting with on his cell phone to "hole on" then he ordered a $1 double cheeseburger and I knew it was a sign from the heavens. The McDonald's double cheese burger is truly a perfect ratio of meat to cheese to bun as first discovered and extensively written about by my good friend Fast Danny Willy Nuggins. More about that another day. Suffice to say (whatever that means) I ordered 2, a large fry, and 2 crispy chicken ranch snack roll thing a ma jigs. They were only a dollar as well. The total was $7 even, and the bum eyed my 20 spot when I put er down. I was hungry, now, 2 hours later, I am sick. It will be a while until my next attack but I'm not stupid I will go again and I will regret it. Such is life when you fall of the fast food wagon and get run over by the Hamburglar and Grimace.

Check out below for a killer cheese tasting class.

1. Sel Sur Cher Loire, France

This disk shaped, ash covered, goat's milk cheese is fresh, crumbly and lightly tangy. With age it will develop blotches of grey and blue mold and a stronger, more intense flavor. Served with Acacia honey and the dry Cremant de Loire this pairing is a great start or end to an evening.

Jean Francois Merieau Cremant de Loire Loire, France

This sparkling organic wine is produced with Chardonnay and Chenin grapes from the AOC of Touraine, made in a similar fashion to champagne it is allowed to aged (sur lie) on its yeasts for a clean flavor of apple, pear, and slight minerality accompanied by tiny bubbles.

2. Brebis Ossau Pyrenees, France

Classic, high altitude (transhumance) sheep’s milk aged at least six months. Nutty, creamy and dense in texture with a damp wool flavor finish. This particular wheel comes from a cave which local young bears broke into and ate most of the aging wheels, forcing the Basque cheese makers to abandon the aging process and send them over to us. Pair any semi-soft sheep’s milk with stone fruit preserves.

Naia Rueda Verdejo Rueda, Spain

With 100% Verdejo grape this wine produces a complexity of floral aromas; pear, anise, honeysuckle and dusty minerals mix to create a vivacious and nervy concentrate of deep flavors lifted by an exotic note of citrus zest. The finish is stony and dry to offset the creaminess of the cheese.

3. Torta La Serena Extremadura, Spain

Soft, runny sheep’s milk cheese with a sharp vegetal spice and a robust punch in the face flavor!

Vinedos El Seque Alicante Alicante, Spain

Monstrell grapes grown in the D.O. Alicante with its high limestone terroir produce intense, black cherry fruit and steely acidity while having a lush and vibrant mouth-feel. Spain’s

4. Gruyere Alpage Friboug, Switzerland

Only in the warmest summer months can the Montbéliardes make the transhumance up to the snowlines of the Swiss side of the Jura Mountains, where they dine on wild grasses and their milk is cooked over wood-fired cauldrons in high altitude chalets. This once a year treat is made that much more special with a secret brine washing of each wheel during affinage.

Berkshire Imperial Stout Berkshire, Massachusetts

Big black Russian style imperial stout with notes of chocolate and dark fruit with hints of a light smoke. Strong and robust this beer will warm you during even the coldest Russian winters.

5. Castagna Gorgonzola Dolce Oranavasso, Italy

The Cadillac of Gorgonzola, this blue is big, creamy and full bodied. Made from the traditional Red Cow in Piedmont and enriched with cream for a soft and supple texture.

6.Bayley Hazen Greensboro, VT

From Andy and Mateo’s 37 Ayershire cow’s, this stilton-style blue is made to be soft, savory, decadent and sweet with caramel and cheddar tones and a heaping blue veined bite.

Quinto Infantado Tawny Porto Douro, Portugal

Only A graded grapes are used in this estate bottled port, because that’s all this family grows. Completely foot-treaded and matured slowly and cautiously, this tawny is full of cream, toffee, and spice that stands up to blue cheeses and pairs perfectly with cold winter nights and big chairs place next to blazing fireplaces.


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