Supporting the Cause…

Hello Fellow Non-Travelers!

Two weeks ago I asked my fellow readers to take part and rally around the “Support our Cheesemakers” event on Facebook and Instagram, as well as the live stream on Facebook to kick it off.

I am happy to say that I participated in this event, along many friends, family, and coworkers across the country. 

The “live stream” was hosted by Nathan Aldridge of Gourmet Foods International (or just simply GFI), an Atlanta based specialty foods and cheese distributor. Nathan heads up their Cheese Education efforts.

Nathan, as the Master of Ceremonies, “introduced” many of the small, regional artisan cheesemakers that were displayed on his table, told a short history of the companies and the dedicated families that started them.

Saturday’s event was just one of many across the country where people are struggling to stay connected to friends and family, or just others with similar interests. There are “Cheese Chats”, Cocktail Hours, and cheesemaking seminars happening every day.

Very unique times we are living in indeed.

As Californians, we have been “Sheltered at Home” for over five weeks now and it is both inspiring to see how adaptable people have become, but it has also been heartbreaking as I fear some of these businesses that have shut down because they were “non-essential” may not be able to come back from these closures.

Saturday’s event was fun and a short break from the news from around the globe.

Building a Cheeseboard was the title of my Jan 13th post (that you can read here)…and in honor of Saturday’s event, I thought that I would repeat part of that post because it gave some great things to consider whenever building your own cheeseboard at home.

When picking out products for a cheeseboard, I just try these simple thoughts;

·      Picking your cheeses – I try and select a range of cheeses made from different milks (2 cow, 1 goat, 1 sheep) and build from there. When picking the types of cheese, I choose a variety ranging from Fresh to Semi-Soft to Hard. I like to pick one that everyone might recognize and mix it up with three that they have never heard of. Need more suggestions?...Ask your cheesemonger what’s in season, their favorites, etc. they can also help you stay on budget.

·      Placing the cheeses – Start by adding the pieces of cheese that you plan on leaving whole, as well as any jars or small bowls (think preserves, local honey, marinated cheeses, olives, mustards). Place these on opposite ends and have the whole pieces of cheese be nearest the edges for easy cutting access.

·      Fill in the blank spaces - Frame these whole pieces and jars/bowls with triangles of pre-sliced cheeses, sliced cured meats, dried fruits (apricots, figs), salted/spiced nuts, broken pieces of chocolate, or edible flowers. When placing crackers/breads, I try and place them near the cheese items they might complement best.

Keep it fun while laying these out. Try cutting the cheeses into different shapes, using different tools (example: a wavy vegetable knife, diamond shapes, bars, etc). Cookie cutters can work great as well.

Life is worth celebrating! Gather your family, friends, and loved ones together often and enjoy good company, good foods, and you will be left with a lifetime of wonderful memories like I have.

#supportourcheesemakers

Until next week,

Trevor