Yarrrrrrrrr!!!!!
That's the cry of the fiercest Viking, quite likely bearing the given name Odin, Thor, or something considerably similar.
It also happens to be the exact shriek that a cheese lover releases en route to a
Queso Diego meeting.
Now, if only we had a cow's horn to properly signal the start of such a fantastical cheese up. This of course, would be immediately followed by said horn being filled to its very brim with a frothy brew, primed for a hearty swig in grand celebration.
Because in addition to summoning battle, that antler horn can also serve as a mighty drinking vessel.
The February installment of Queso Diego included a grand Scandinavian Cheese valhalla of mythical proportions.
The cheesers were treated to splendid array of treats from the highlighted geographical regions.
Including these here sugary kladdkakas, biskvis, and mazarins, decandent Swedish pastries sourced locally at
Swedish Royal Bakery.
Membermade Schwarzbrot, a traditional German bread.
The beetiest of salads.
A cheesy quiche
...and Deborah was kind enough to make her homemade Riesling available for us wine lovers.
We all get along so swimmingly, that there was never any need for swords, armor, nor battle axes.
A representative from
Boska Holland traveled from afar to showcase their fine cheese wares.
AND to give us the gift of Raclette, a wintertime staple for the Swiss, and a real treat for a handful of us lucky Queso Diegans.
Raclette is both a type of cheese, and a device to heat certain cheeses to browned to bubbly perfection. At which point, it is scraped away, and added to baguettes, potatoes, and an assortment other food items worthy of such a meltingly, epic cheese.
The name comes from the French verb "racler", meaning to scrape. As you can see here, Steve was kind enough to do so, but not before he left us with these lovely parting gifts.
Cheese slicing minis. Fancy that!
A colossal thank you, Steve!
Of course, it wouldn't be a Queso Diego meeting without fine beverages to accompany our little morsels of culinary amusement. Fortunately, there was much Glögg, a spiced, mulled wine, heated and complete with dried fruits and aromatic spices for our enjoyment.
The brew crew represented well with various homemade beer and this trio of meads made by member Stan.
Additionally, there were commercial varieties on hand.
I was particularly fond of this Indra Kunindra beer by Ballast Point Brewing Company. It's a peppery stout, seething with exotic spices and herbs, such as cumin, curry, and cayenne, fancied up with a hint of coconut and muted espresso.
I trust it would pair fantastically with many spiced Asian cuisines.
Member Malcolm gave us a fine presentation on cheeses from the region.
He then treated us to some unique varieties including a rare Norweigian cheese, that simply goes by the name Brunost, meaning "brown cheese", along with some other Scandanavian specialties.
boska.com
Yes, a QD meeting is always the feastiest of feasty feasts.
What a spread!
The caramelized dessert cheese
Farmer Bill, our host with the most, introduced us to Allison, one of the brave souls responsible for the re-opening of the ground's restaurant,
Nate's Garden Grill. With 21 local crafts on drafts, I trust our new neighbors will become a regular stomping ground for us fromagophiles.
Oh, we are just giddy for the cheese gatherings in the months to come. Stay tuned for the upcoming grilled cheese-off of legend, the fantastical fondue party, and our regional cheese making contest.
Thanks for stopping by my little sliver of the interwebs, and may the Norse Force be with you!
x
