Well, I guess I’m a little hung over from last night’s worker party. Still, I come to the internet to bring you the most impressive creation in the history of cheese. Behold the snowman made of chevre:
No, I didn’t create this, my co-worker Sarah (warning: music starts right away on link) did.
The snowman looks very sad because our party was at Annie’s Social Club which is closing down after New Year’s Eve. Goodbye Annie’s… we will miss you very much.
The SF Weekly had me write a little year-end, Best of Cheese, top 5 for the online food section. Probably not news if you’ve been reading here, but they used my “415 represent!” picture. Thanks John!
Let me note first that Redwood Hill Farm is producing some of their best cheese ever. The last batch of Camellia we got was stunning, unlike any I had eaten previously. They were pungent, onion-y, and tasted French. I know this because for some reason we had a lot of French tourists in the store and most refused to believe it was made in California.
In addition, they are making a bigger version of Camellia called Cameo: about double the size and with decorative stuff on the outside. The Cameo we have gotten — while less strong than this last batch of Camellia — has been better than any Camellia of the last couple of years, texturally much oozier and with a tastier rind.
The Cameo has been in short supply, however. Because of this, yesterday our distributor made a point of telling me that they they had a couple of cases for our order today. She said, “We have Cameo.”
I said, of course “Word up!”
Silence made me realize that the person taking the order was much younger than me and I just sounded like an old guy trying to sound hip. I said, “Uh, you don’t know that song, do you? It’s probably a little before your time… Search for Cameo and “Word Up” on youtube… Let’s just move on”
I’ve been listening to it ever since. So here it is, the unofficial California goat brie anthem:
This has been making the rounds, but it really is one of the best how-to-make-cheese videos I’ve seen. Simple and concise.
I was going to mock the ’70s cheesemaking hippies (with love) but turns out this is the Crowley Cheese, the second oldest continually operating cheese plant in the country (Marin French is the oldest).
(Thanks to Kelly The P!)
I know this is a little late. I had some technical problems with my camera but it’s all worked out now. And I know you all love pretty pictures. Besides this is a nice diversion from dealing with the non-writing parts of putting out a book.
I usually post the cheeses I bring to my family Thanksgiving every year but I don’t want people thinking this is somehow my endorsement for top five cheeses in the world or anything. This is the cheese my family would want to eat before a Thanksgiving meal. (Though every year the cheese plate gets bigger and the meal gets smaller)
Here we go in no particular order:
Di Stefano Burrata A little heart attack in a cup. SoCal-made fresh mozzarella filled with cream (Panna) imported from Italy.
Tilset:
Another favorite for my Dad who loves the stinky German cheese. I often alternate family gatherings between bringing this and Schloss by Rouge et Noir.
Lambchopper:
The Dutch cheese that thinks it’s Californian!* Awesome sheep-milk Gouda imported by Humboldt Fog-makers, Cypress Grove Chevre.
Robiola Nostrano
The first batch we got was mixed milk, this one was all cow, all the time. All good.
Dunbarton Blue:
Sorry, no picture. My family devoured this and we won’t have any in the store until tomorrow. Amazing Wisconsin cheddar with blue veining. This was my family’s favorite cheese this year.
Challerhocker:
I know this cheese is so last month at this point, but there’s not a better Alpine cheese around right now.
On a side note, I wanted to bring a Vacherin Mont D’or but my buying was too tight. We ran out the night before Thanksgiving at 5 PM and I had forgotten to tuck one aside for me. Oh well, there’s always the next holiday.
*That’s a little Parrano joke there.
Ok, ok. It’s almost real. Look what came in the mail yesterday. I am holding it so you can see it’s really in book form even though these are only advance reading copies*:
But it’s not yet a real book! Don’t quote from it! It’s not corrected! Not for resale! (Oh look, I left a little of the label on that Mimolette. Oops) Pre-orders should go out in the beginning of February.**
It’s pretty amazing to hold this in my hands. Whoo-hoo!
*(By the way, happy birthday Myleen! You take awesome photos!)
**As always you can order direct from Chelsea Green, from Amazon, or pre-order from the bookstore of your choice (like your neighborhood worker-cooperative perhaps)
Gordon ("Zola") Edgar 
