A grilled cheese meltdown!

Whew! Think I've finally come to after succumbing to a heavily-induced, grilled cheese coma from last week's sandwich castle in the air affair.

The highly anticipated April Cheeseup for my cheese club, Queso Diego, went off without a hitch!

Paying homage to our beloved fromage, we paid a proper tribute honoring National Grilled Cheese Month by stacking tried and true favorites for the mother of all grilled cheese roundups at City Farmer's Nursery. 

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It was a grilled cheese off that knew no boundaries.

Armed with an arsenal of tools fit for a sandwich match like no other, we took to slating and plating like bosses.

Using everything from stovetop grill pans to George Foreman grills, our mighty team came up with a vast and impressive array of cheese sandwiches across the sweet and savory spectrum of delectability.

Of course, no Queso Diego meeting is complete without a generous supply of beverages to meet the hydration needs of our thirsty compatriots.

The brew crew brought in some homemade meads, ales reared their much welcome heads, a lovely port made a special appearance, and wine as always, was abound.

We were delighted to have Kathy Strahs of Panini Happy come out to help us celebrate one of our most perfect foods. Make certain to stop by her lovely blogspace that's stuffed with a grilled sandwich bliss of another kind. 

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You could say it was a sandwich heaven of sorts with excellent company, fine drink, and imaginative, little, tasty, concoctions across the board.

My own contribution was a blue cheese, grilled cheese.

Using cheeses of smokey blue, a Morbier, and a Gruyere, topped with Moscato-marinated, grilled pears, candied pecan bits, and raw Tupelo honey. It was a delicious, grilled to perfection, beautiful mess.

If you look closely, there's even a praline pecan and honeyed chevre dessert sandwich lurking beyond.

One of our members even fashioned an ornamental, grilled cheese truck, cloche atop her head for the evening. 

Perfectly themed attire for our cheesy theme, I say!

I believe it's fair to say that no one left hungry, and our melty-grilled, sandwichtide was quite possibly the best thing that's happened since sliced bread.

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Everyone went home with some epic Toastabags, compliments of a generous donation from Boska Holland. 

I'm happy to report that it's left my toaster crumb-free, with no cheese remnants, while properly equipping my son to take on the frightful task of feeding himself when he's away at college.

Some of us even got our 'Benny & Joon' on, taking full advantage of all that these fine Toastabags have to offer.

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"Some cultures are defined by their relationship to cheese."

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I'm delighted to announce that Queso Diego was featured in the New England Cheesemaking Company's 'Moosletter' which can be found here:

 Oooey, gooey, cheestasticness is on the move, and us cheesers are delighted to be a part of all of it.

I have to admit, I'm slightly saddened now knowing that only eight days remain in the cheesiest month of the year.

If you've yet to celebrate this classic food, I invite you to do so now, while the smell of grilled cheese is still well in the air.

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For scrumptious sandwich recipes

have a looksie here:

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Cheese and Cheers: A Champagne Supernova

The 2013 Queso Diego kickoff celebration went out with the best bubbly bang that any cheese boy or girl could ever wish upon a star-filled sky for.

This go around? 

A cheese and bubbly blowout to ring in the new year, and to celebrate the two year anniversary of coming together as a cheese club.

It was our largest attended gathering to date!

Imagine being tasked with pounding the pavement in the hunt for sparkling choices to appease this hearty group of cheese-loving folk! Not that I mind, I mean, who wouldn't love anything with six atmospheres of pressure that sparkles?

the final cut!

Now if only I had a proper Napoleon Bonaparte suit to properly execute a champagne sabering.

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For the record, should you happen to come across such a fine ensemble, I'm certainly in the market for one. I mean a real fierce getup, one so bloody French, it'll make the Eiffel Tower look like it belongs in Mexico City. 

That's right, because nothing says festive occasion like firing powerful cannons, and beheading champagne bottles (sans the military dictatorship, of course!).

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Ahem.

Members and guests gathered at our former alma mater, the beloved Curds and Wine, 

San Diego's 'go to' cheese and wine making supply shop, for the evening festivities.

Mingling with the finest of folks, eating of the finest of culinary goods, and imbibing on the finest of festive beverages ensued, (as did heaping spoonfuls of merriment).

A gleamy-golden, passionfruit cheesecake, 

homemade fromages,

and of course, our astounding cheese bounty!

The evening commenced and Queso Diegans were treated to a tasting menu stuffed with five out of the ordinary sparklers, and five equally amusing cheese pairings.

It's not everyday that one gets to pop open thirty bottles of sparkling goodness, let alone six bottles of the fanciest brew on the face of the planet.

Meet Deus Brut de Flandres, the high-end, specialty brew with a split personality. You see, it's brewed in Belgium, then shipped off to that region of France (the only region where those persnickety French allow us to call the bubbly, Champagne. A title well-earned, I might add).

In the end, you're left with the very champagne of beers, that when paired with a vintage Gouda, makes for an otherworldy experience. 

Additional pairings included a salmon-hued, velvety-bubbled, Rose Brut with a triple-creamy, Brillat Savarin. Together, the result was something fiercely close to strawberry cheesecake.

A coconut milk gouda with a crisp and light almond California Champagne followed, as did a dark, rich, and juicy sparkling shiraz married to a creamy, spiced, Cambozola.

This class selection happens to be a delicate combination of Camembert mixed with Gorgonzola, or what I like to call the cheese that the French and Italian played Frankenstein with.

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Truly an evening for splurging on life's little treats and delicacies. What a smashing feast!

 Now, if only cheese had its own food group.

I say it's high time we initiate the possibility of such.

One thing's for certain, nobody goes away hungry around these parts.

Joyeux anniversaire, Queso Diego!

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Queso Diego: A Night of Cheese and Beverage Mix Matching

Egads! I've neglected to update the cheese-up from November past. 

 I do hope you can forgive my untimely post!

Yet again, the Queso Diegans set their sails for a scrumptious eve. 

This go around? 

A furious bout of pairing cheeses with beverages. 

We had great success with pairing scotch with aged cheeses, mead with a honey chevre, coffee porter with a vintage gouda, berry kombucha with lemony quark, and as it turns out, homemade bacon jam goes with everything. 

So many happy marriages in one little eve!

Membermade French country artisan breads were on site to accompany the mix-matched, flights of fancy.

I prepared two plates just for the occasion.

A vintage Gouda alongside a spiced, creamy, spoonable blue,

and a homewhipped lemony quark, served up with slivers of perfectly-ripened pear.

It's a young bit of fresh cheese made better with Meyer lemon zest.

If you've never heard of, nor tried kombucha before, it's a bit of a fermented science project. Our Treasurer Larry, is a champ at concocting the fizzy magic. Generally, it tastes of vinegary, tart apple cider. This particular batch yielded notes of sweet, berried refinement. 

Standard staples were on deck, such as this fine Manchego.

We sailed a savory sea of beverages for pairing pleasures.

And even enjoyed this exotic beer treat. 

Brian, our award-winning brewmaster created a porter for the occasion. It was aptly named Insomniac Taddy Bear Porter, as the delightful beer was infused with notes of coffee. 

It went swimmingly with the vintage Gouda, as though the two were perfect bedfellows.

A homemade hefeweisen and commercial brews were included in the vast selection.

The Johnny black disapoofed almost immediately. I hear it went really, rather well with a few of the cave-aged varieties.

More homemade cheeses infused with fruit, herbs, and layered as such.

and of course it's never a party, until someone brings a sampling from the "Mysterious Mead Co." 

This version berried for the masses.

With all these scrumpschulescent bits, it's no wonder us curd nerds are making some serious cheesy headway at the moment.

It's true, and I've just the publication to show for it. Yes, I have some fantastical news to report my lovelies!

I'm officially an international author! My article on how to start a sustainable cheese club is now in global publication, and was highlighted as a featured piece on cover of the Winter issue of Culture Magazine - The Word on Cheese and can be seen here.

Big ups for cheese ups!

Now onto the plotting and planning of the 2012 holiday party. You should know that I'm just seething with "cheesy" sweater contest inspiration now.

Cheese, cheers, and holiday happies to all.

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