It’s a Virtual World…
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Trevor, The “Virtual” Cheesetraveler”
My granddaughter Kaci enjoys Japanese Anime “graphic novels” (which we called comic books in my day), so she drew this picture of me…and she added that I am wearing a cheese t-shirt, and I am thinking of cheese of course!
I guess that I felt this image would be perfect for today’s story since it’s a virtual picture of me, and I wanted to share everything that I have been doing virtually the last few weeks.
While I have not been able to meet in person to conduct cheese trainings, food shows, etc., I have been able to lead some discussions “virtually”, and while it will never be the same as interacting in person, it is better than not seeing anyone at all.
I thought that I would share some of my recent experiences with you and some of the wonderful discoveries that I have made along the way…
Two weeks ago, I was able to travel “virtually” to Arkansas…I love the South…Life seems to move a little slower, people are warm, friendly, and always welcoming to this California boy. The American Heart Association was having a fund raiser, where people who donated received some wines, beers, and a cheese box. It was my job to speak with these recipients, help them know more about the wines and beers that were in their box, as well as share with them the cheeses that I had paired with them (and why). While I won’t list out all of the pairings, I can tell you that my favorite was Roquefort and California wine called Layer Cake Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon!
Six of the “100 Cheeses to Know”
The very next week, I was asked to do a virtual presentation, partnering with DPI Specialty Foods. They had the idea of putting together an educational series as a fund raiser for the American Cheese Society (ACS). The topic was “The 100 Cheeses to know” and the talk was designed for candidates who were studying the Certified Cheese Professional® Exam. To simplify, this talk was really based on the Protected Designation of Origin cheeses of Europe. The question came up right away…”If I am studying for AmericanCheese Society Certified Professional® Exam, why would I need to study on Protected Cheeses of Europe???...Well, the answer might surprise you! Many techniques (or properties) of American Artisan Cheese makers have their roots in these European classic cheeses. Here are just a few examples:
· The ash ribbon that runs horizontally through Humboldt Fog® by Cypress Grove® can trace its roots to French Morbier Cheese
· The concave heel of Tarentaise Cheese by Spring Brook Farms pays homage to the great cheeses of the French Alps, like Abondance and Beaufort d’alpage
· And lastly, Dancing Fern produced by Saquatchie Cove Creamery is inspired by the famous raw milk Reblochon cheese of the Savoie in France.
So, by knowing and understanding these historical, protected cheeses, one can better apply this towards studying for the exam.
To finish out my week, my friend Michael Landis was creating another “round” of “virtual” Cocktails & Cheese events on-line and asked me to join the discussion. I felt that I was in good company, as he had an all-star line-up: Amy Spitznagel with Idyll Farms; Marieke Penterman & Laurie Baierl with Marieke® Gouda; Michele Buster with Forever Cheese; and finally Michele Haram with Cypress Grove Creamery.
For my Cocktail & Cheese pairing, I chose a Bourbon-Barrel aged Gin Old Fashioned paired with “The Blue Jay” Blue Cheese from Deer Creek.
Let’s start with the Gin…not just any Gin, but Tom Cat Gin. What is Tom Cat Gin you ask??...Tom Cat Gin is an incredible creation from Barr Hill. In case you are not familiar with Barr Hill, let me give you their backstory:
Image courtesy of Caledonia Spirits
“The story of Barr Hill begins in 2011 with a lifelong beekeeper (Todd Hardie) and distiller (Ryan Christiansen) who brought their passions together in a 6,000 square foot distillery near Greensboro, Vermont and the Barr Hill Nature Preserve, their namesake.
Distilling with a single 15-gallon direct-fire copper still, Ryan and Todd sent their gin to the New York and Hong Kong International Spirits Competitions, where it won Double Gold and Best Gin of the Year, respectively - the two highest honors.
Barr Hill Gin is distilled with juniper in a custom-built botanical extraction still and is finished with raw honey - the delivery vessel for countless other botanicals and a hint of sweetness - to perfectly balance the juniper” –Truly unique!
With this kind of dedication to creating something truly local, something that could only come from this region, it is no wonder that their neighbor, Jasper Hill Farms, used the spirits from Barr Hill to transform their award-winning Winnimere Cheese, into “Ginnimere”, which has been lovingly washed with Barr Hill Gin and aged in the caves of Jasper Hill Farm.
But I am getting off track….Tom Cat Gin is distilled in the same way as Barr Hill Gin, and becomes Tom Cat after it has been aged for 6 months in new American oak barrels, the same type of charred barrels used to age bourbon.
The Cocktail - Gin Old Fashioned
2 ounces Tom Cat Gin by Barr Hill
1/4 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes orange bitters
1 lemon peel
I paired this cocktail with “The Blue Jay”, a wonderful creamy Blue Cheese that is “made using a recipe in which five ten-gallon cans of cream are added to each vat, The Blue Jay is rich in texture with strong buttery notes. They then crush juniper berries (the same berries used in Gin), to release their perfume and infuse them throughout to complement the Blue strain’s unique botanical essence. The result is a bold, yet utterly creamy Blue with a delicately piney bouquet that blooms in your mouth”.
You can watch this Virtual Cocktails & Cheese event here.
Kipo image courtesy of Netflix
While living virtually can be fun, it is not as much fun as spending time with my granddaughter Kaci…Time to get back to reality and spend some quality time with her watching Kipo (her favorite Anime cartoon…and mine too!)
Until Next Week,
Trevor
