Archives: Newsletter
Of Cloth and Cave: Bleu Mont Dairy Bandaged Cheddar
Drive about an hour west of Madison and you’ll find yourself in the scenic rolling hills of the Wisconsin Mounds. It is here that second generation cheesemaker Willi Lehner and his partner Qu’itas chose to create Bleu Mont Dairy. Willi began his operation with a small cheese aging room. But when the cold winters andContinue Reading
Superior Red Deer Venison From Bur Oaks Farm in Fertile, Iowa
Judy Gergen grew up on a dairy farm in Hampton, Iowa. For a while, she and her husband lived right here in Minnesota- she raised twelve hundred baby pigs at a nursery and he worked for a corn seed company. But when Larry’s job relocated them to Iowa, she had to sell the baby pigContinue Reading
New: Valrhona Professionals Website
Valrhona recently launched a new website for professionals. This website is an excellent resource of information for upcoming classes, brochures, spec sheets and certificates. Of course, if you need something that we do not currently keep in our inventory, you are always welcome to inquire with us about placing a special order. Something worth forwardingContinue Reading
Not Your Mama’s Chicken of the Sea*
While bluefin tuna is the darkest and most commonly used for sushi. Yellowfin tuna, “Atun Claro”, is the most commonly canned tuna. The Bonito del Norte is known for its white flesh, exquisite flavor and delicate texture. Bonito del Norte tuna is found in coastal waters of the Bay of Biscay in the Basque regionContinue Reading
Manigodine: The Next Big Thing Since Roblochon
The mountains of the Savoie region are home to Roblochon, the famous French washed rind cheese. The name “Roblochon” comes from the French verb “roblocher”, which we have no English equivalent for, but roughly translates to: “The act of pinching a cow’s udders.” In the Middle-Ages, farmers in the mountains of Haute Savoie used toContinue Reading
M’Hamsa Couscous from Les Moulins Mahjoub
We’ve been seriously smitten with m’hamsa couscous from the Mahjoub family for a few years now, so we are happy to see them getting much deserved attention from the powers that be at the SOFI awards. “July 2, 2012,Portland,ME– The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc, named Les Moulins Mahjoub Hand-rolled Couscous WinnerContinue Reading
The New/Old World of Spanish Cheeses
A Frenchmen in the cheese industry once said, “The cheeses of France are famous, but the cheeses of Spain have flavor.” What an interesting point to ponder. New evidence suggests that cheese production in the Iberian peninsula began as early as 200 B.C., which means that it might have actually pre-dated Roman occupation – whoseContinue Reading
Kishibori Shoyu – or – Shoyu Think You Know Soy Sauce?
When most people think of soy sauce, they either have a mental image of the plastic packets that are thrown into every bag of takeout Chinese food, or of the Kikkoman bottle with the red cap that can pour out of either side… This was probably a big day for soy sauce bottle innovation. We’reContinue Reading
Tasmanian Peppercorns
Tasmanian peppercorns are found mostly in… Tasmania! But they also grow in Victoria and New South Wales. Tasmania’s native ‘pepper’ is one of nine genera from the winteraceae family, also known as a Mountain Pepper. These black berries are hand-harvested between March and May. We have described them as sweet, fruity, succulent and spicy. TheContinue Reading
The Hills are Alive – With the Smell of Cheeses!
Its springtime at Great Ciao, and we’re psyched about our tasty Swiss cheeses from Maître Fromager Rolf Beeler. The gentle spring breeze makes us think about all those happy alpine cows, who are munching on sweet mountain grass for the first time since they got shut in for the winter. I imagine the Von TrappContinue Reading
