Beer and Cheese Pairings

On a recent evening, we challenged ourselves to put together a tasting comparison between California and Wisconsin cheeses and beers. We're happy to share our pairings below. 1st course: Clock Shadow Creamery Maple Quark on whole grain rye toasts Originating in Germany, this fresh, soft cheese tastes like a mix of soft goat cheese and [...]

A Celebration of Wisconsin Cheeses

Due to a fortuitous turn of events, we found ourselves with an overabundance of beautiful, Wisconsin cheeses. A quick consult of the composed cheese courses Thomas Keller's French Laundry Cookbook provided inspiration as well as past courses created with my good friend, Tom. In sequence of how they were served, here they are: Oven roasted beets [...]

Hidden Springs Cheese Tasting – Winter 2015

We recently made a return trip to Fromagination in Madison, WI, to pick up selections to create a tasty winter cheese plate. Our last trip we detailed here and featured a Holland's Family Cheese offering, Marieke Gouda. This time we picked up two varieties of sheep cheese created by Brenda Jensen at Hidden Springs Creamery - Ocooch Mountain and [...]

New Restaurant Added – Heartland, Minneapolis, MN

The recently published list of 38 "essential" restaurants selected by Bill Addison at Eater featured Heartland, located near the Farmers' Market in St. Paul, MN. Chef Lenny Russo has been recognized with a nomination for Best Chef in the Midwest by the James Beard Foundation in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014. Addison captures the experience [...]