A Brazilian Cheese and Samba Shindig

The Queso Diegans were at it again, this time they learned a thing or two about all things Brazil (especially the cheese parts).

Members gathered at City Farmer's Nursery for a shake and a samba keeping up with our 2013 Around The World theme featuring Brazilian cheeses this month.

Our honorary resident Livia, presented us with a top notch presentation of some very exotic unpronounceables:

Queijo Minas

Requeijão Cremosos

Coalhos

Pratos

Catupiry

Mimoso

Beverages of the Brazilian sort stood out amongst our traditional meads, brews, and wine.

Guarana, a Brazilian soda reared its fizzy head along with the imported Brazilian beers.

...and Caipirinhas, the national cocktail, were made using lime, cane sugar, and cachaça, a sugar cane based rum.

Members soaked up the Brazil regions, its culture, and its beloved cheese making practices, as our resident Queso Diegan gave us an engaging presentation, complete with a samba demo.

 Yes, our presenter took to the floor with a sassy swing in her step alongside our professional performing artist, Robby for a lively, hip and shimmy-shaking showdown.

 As it turns out, dancing the samba can elevate the mood, and if anyone knows the power of atmosphere, it's those lovely Brazilians.

Just when we thought we couldn't squee any more, we were treated to traditional cheesy bread rolls deliriously executed with a thickened dulce de leche. Oh, sweet mother of diabetes, these little scrumpets are made for devouring!



Another tasty tale for the cheese books.

A colossal thank you to Livia for making this evening all sorts of awesome.

x
        

Happy Hop-Hoppity IPA Day!

Here ye, here ye!

Calling all hopheads!!!

IPA Day is back ladies and gents, for one day only!

I tell no lies.

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Are you ready to enjoy a chilled pint of the goodstuff?

The IPA goodstuff that is.

The beer with attitude.

 Photo by David Jensen

Yes, this gives you free reign to enjoy the wide range of the IPA's, the IIPA's:

The citrusy, the malty, the bitter, and the much enjoyed flavors of fresh lawn clippings.

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Make certain to enjoy a chilled India Pale Ale today to pay your respects to the original brew exporters, those nice fellers who busted their chops to get their fine product across the pond to India.

It would be a shame to dishonor them, so toast your mates and drink up the hopstuff my friends!

You damn well deserve it!

Cheese tip:

You'll need a strong, meaty cheese to stand up to the bite of a hopped IPA.

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Try a strong, washed rind such as Epoisses, a milk-creamy, bacon bomb.

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or a real stinker, like a Swiss, washed rind, cow's milk, Scharfe Maxx (Maxx for Maximum, Scharfe for Sharp),

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or the highly decorated Rogue River Blue, a champion cheese, and a little slice of blue heaven, wrapped in brandy-soaked, Chestnut leaves.

Beer and cheese are sure to please.

You just can't go wrong,

the two are all sorts of awesome.

So raise your glass to celebrate all that is craft beer today.

Is there nothing hoppier, nor happier?

 craftbeer.com

Happy Hoppy!

x

        

Ducks in a row?

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Following a much needed block of time of doing nothing in the middle of nowhere, 

arrives a much to do of this and that, sort of Tuesday.

The secret of getting things done is to act.

-Dante Alighieri 

But the whole point of getting things done is knowing what to leave undone.

-Oswald Chambers

Happy day

x

        

Hip-Swinging, Rock 'n' Roll Fondue

The July installation of the monthly Queso Diego meeting called upon the meltiest of cheeses for the scrumptious occasion.

Members gathered at City Farmer's Nursery, our one-stop, organic gardening shop, for the grand and over the top meltdown.

Photo by Larry Stein

Here, over fifty fermented curd-loving folks gathered around the perimeter of eight fondue pots and a boundless spread of sweet and savory dippers in the grip of frenzied, fondue fun. 

The kind of fun that people will do unspeakable things for.

Photo by Larry Stein

The garden fresh veggies

The perfectly-cubed breadbits, pretzels, meats, potatoes, chippolini onions, asparagus, and sausages.

Photo by Larry Stein

The dried fruits, pound cake, shortbread, madeleines, wafer biscuits, ladyfingers, marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, grapes, and meaty strips of pork-heavenly, bacon.

Photo by Larry Stein

We fluttered and flurried about, making no haste in our preparations knowing well that good food takes time.

The cheeses aplenty:
Gruyere, Cheddar, Fontina, Swiss, and then some.

We were even treated to cheese-stuffed empanadas with a savory-spiced chutney.

Our slow descent into curd chaos was accompanied by a fair share of homemade brews, honey mead, and a select few bottles of red and white.



All followed by a dessert fitting of cheese royalty. A butterscotch fondue packed with almond brickle chips, and bits and bobs of English Toffee.

Our pièce de résistance, dessert fountain was deliriously executed in chocolate,

and much enjoyed by this festive bunch of 'cheesy' folks.

While playing the understudy and waiting in the wings, I came out from the 'fun'due woodworks to reveal my cheesiest costume from the bygone era, a Memphis Flash of fondue, the big dipper himself...

Only I was a fierce, lip-snarling, female Elvis, who was fixin' to fry up some sage for my goat cheese and nutmeg, steaming, hot pot of burning love.

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I believe the King himself would have been pleased with our church of cheese. 

A fantastique meltique for the Queso Diegans.

Until we meet again my cheesy friends.

x