Here's a look at the menu for the Farmstead Wines tasting that took place on September 9th. If you are not familiar with Farmstead Wines, you should have a look at their great website
The wines that have the Farmstead seal are not only delicious, but also hand-made by families who grow the grapes naturally. No irrigation, no chemicals -- wine as it should be.
3 winemakers were celebrated that night:

MARC TEMPE, farmer and winemaker at the Domaine de Courbissac in Cesseras, France. His Pinot Gris Zellenburg 2003 was a smashing success with the lucky guests.

CLAUS PREISINGER, the 'farmer in Diesel jeans' from Gols, Australia. The Claus Preisinger Basic 2007 worked wonders with the cheese selection.

GIAN PERRO MARRONE, family man, owner and winemaker at Agricola Marrone in La Morra, Italy. We are still dreaming of his Langhe Rosso Sancarlo 2001.

On your next visit to the wine store, keep your eyes peeled for the Farmstead seal!

Newsletter

A reason to go to the States (besides Target)

The city of Portland, Oregon invites you to celebrate Regional Farmstead and Artisan Cheesemakers at The Wedge Festival

When: Saturday October 3rd, 2009 10am-4pm

Where: 928 SE 9th Ave. in Portland, Oregon in front of the Green Dragon Pub

What: Several dozen small artisan cheesemakers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Utah are bringing their cheeses to the Wedge Festival! Sample, buy cheese and talk with the people who make great farmstead and artisan cheeses in the region. Vendors of various accompaniments will also be in the mix - think nuts, pickles and cured meats.

Visit Tami Parr's amazing website for more info!

Québec Love

Québec is the bomb. I was born there, raised there, and I get to go back every year, always leaving with wide eyes and a heavy heart. This year I had a mission: try as many provincially-registered cheeses and craft beers. Tough job, I know, but somebody has to do it. How could I find the coveted treats? Easy. Just hit the grocery store. My mom shops at IGA, so I tagged along to help and to sniff around the cheese counter. The selection was impressive, although I did not find anything new. It is when we went to a specialty grocery store that I caught myself rubbing my hands in delight. I picked cheeses that I had been eyeing for a while and brought them to my dad's as a dessert. Mmm,
#1 and favorite:
" Le Bleu d'Élizabeth. Organic raw milk blue cheese from La Fromagerie du Presbytère. So creamy and buttery, with just the right saltiness. It reminded me of the amazing Cowichan Blue from Hilary's. We paired this one with a Vanilla and Cocoa Stout (see below).
#2 Pied-de-Vent: A deliciously stinky raw milk washed-rind cheese from les Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Earthy and creamy with a bitter rind. My sister thought it smelled like the neighbour's chicken farm, and she was kind of right, but to me its a good thing. Let's say she was generous and gave me her share.
#3 Le Gré des Champs: An organic, raw milk aged cheese with a beautiful washed rind and a firm, straw-coloured pate. Incredibly floral, fruity and hazelnutty; pronounced taste, yet not agressive. We cheated and had this one before dinner with a glass of dry, floral Riesling.
#4 Cheddar de l'Île-aux-Grues 6 months: Everything a Cheddar should be -- raw milk, fruity, slightly sharp yet buttery. And inexpensive.

After the cheese I moved on to the beer. Québec has government-run liquor stores, just like here in BC, but these stores rarely sell beer. To find it one must go to the grocery store, the convenience store or beer specialty stores. There is a new one of the latter in my hometown called "La Barik". I was like a kid in a candy store. My mom and sister sat in the car while I stared at the amazing selection. I ended up taking a wheat beer from the Brasserie d'Orléans (see their beautifully crafted beers here), a Weizen Impériale from Les Trois Mousquetaires (website under construction), an incredibly strong (14%alc.!!!) and flavourful beer from the Compagnie de Bières de Dégustation du Québec called 'Loup Garou' and the 'Aphrodisiaque', a smooth dark stout from Brasserie Dieu du Ciel (available at Brewery Creek on Main Street!) spiked with vanilla and cocoa. They were all amazing, but I have a thing for stouts so the trophy goes to Dieu du Ciel. Their beers come in small bottles, but it packs a punch, so its a good one to split for dessert. Try it with blue cheese or a dark chocolate cake.

Rosé & Canadian cheese tasting

The tastings are back! MPC and Lennox Liquor Store are happy to unite once again to present an evening of cheese and rosé wine. The tasting will be held early next month, so stay tuned for the exact date as it will be determined shortly. In the meantime, here are the proposed pairings to pique your interest:

WINES
Domaine du Bosc Rosé - France
Pale salmon in colour. A light, fresh and fruity wine, with a traditional dry finish. Bright and sunny in character with crisp acidity. It is especially enjoyable in summer as an aperitif or with pasta, pizza, BBQ or cold meats.

Charles Melton Rose of Virginia Rosé - Australia
This wine is deep fuchsia in colour. Strawberry, rose petal, with a hint of black cherry. Great balance on the palate with tannin and lovely acid zest and crisp and clear finish. It has vibrant red fruits, succulent- bruised plum and pomegranates. Lifted floral nose of violets and rose petals. Suggested pairings of sausages such as chorizo and salami.

La Stellina Merlot Rosato - BC
Wine offers up aromas of ripe strawberries and spiced candy apple with a hint of rose petal. Fresh and full bodied, with strawberry, cinnamon and mineral undertones it provides a long lingering aftertaste that is pleasing on the palate. This wine has more of a sweet, candied aspect than the other two.

CHEESE

Champagnole | Les Fromages Chaput, Chateauguay, Québec | raw goat milk
Champagnole is our firmest and oldest goat cheese. This chèvre is aged from 90-120 days. The scents of its terroir emerge from the raw milk in flavours of mushroom, tangy fresh grass, and soft hay. Champagnole can be grated over pasta or mixed greens, Cerignola or fresh green olives.

Allegretto |Fromagerie La Vache a Maillote, Québec | thermalized sheep milk
The Abitibi region of Quebec where Mr. Lavoie’s sheep graze is a Nordic climate region where the pastures possess higher sugar content. The sheep are fed exclusively on hay and grain, and the terroir of this sweetly nurtured herd is saturated in the cheese’s paste. The cheese is low in salt with a palate of the earth’s greatest bounty. If you have blissful childhood memories of tumbling in hay bales and rolling through meadows, you’ll probably have a sweet tooth for this cheese.

Le Fleurmier de Charlevoix | Laiterie Charlevoix, Baie Saint-Paul Québec | pasteurized cow milk |
A tender white bloomy rind protects the velvety textured, supple cheese paste exhibiting delectable musty mushroom aroma with notes of hazelnut and almond. Extra milk fat and artisan crafting makes this double crème Camembert style cheese truly luscious.

La Bûche | Fromagerie Clément Inc. Saint-Damase Québec | soft ripened goat milk
A beautifully sculpted log of delicate fresh chèvre. The rings of the log radiate unique flavours. The soft and crumbly centre is airy and fresh. It is held by a thin creamy ring of a sharp tangy aged goat that hints of Roquefort blue. Its lacy soft rind is mild and milky, and warms the zingy chill of the fresh goat milk.

Have a HOPPY summer

Ach... this heat! Its a crazy summer so far, with lots of rain on the East coast and agressive sunshine here in the West. It is so hot in my apartment that my poor cat has to pant like a lion to cool down. Anyways, at least there is beer to keep us cool and sane! We are lucky in BC for there are tons of wonderful little craft breweries around that make delicious thirst quenchers. Beer is a perfect complement to cheese, so here are some suggestions to beat the heat and the hunger...

From Central City Brewery in Surrey: RED RACER I.P.A.

Available in most liquor stores or, if you fancy a trip, at the brewery (it is easily accessible by skytrain -- only 50 metres from the Surrey Central station). Sold in 6-packs in most liquor stores. Just look for the green cans!
A hoppy beer that is bitter in all the right places, it has a beautiful aroma of grapefruit that is sure to refresh. Pair it with a meaty and salty cheese, like Gort's X-Aged Gouda or a strong washed-rind cheese like the Mont-Jacob.

From Driftwood Brewery in Victoria: WHITE BARK WHEAT ALE

Many big breweries have their own 'white beer' now: Alexander Keith's, Rickard's, Big Rock... but you haven't tasted wheat beer until you've tried this one. This is a traditional Belgian-style beer that is best served nice and cold, especially in this weather. The brewmaster added curaçao orange peel and coriander to the recipe, resulting in an aromatic brew that is cloudy, lightly carbonated and offers big floral notes. It is perfect paired with spicy food and with pungent cheeses. Try it with 1608 or Tomme de Grosse-Île.

From Swan's Buckerfield Brewing in Victoria: SWAN'S BERRY ALE

If you are a fan of fruity beers but not of the fake-fruit taste, this one is your new best friend. Dark and with good carbonation, it tastes like fresh crushed raspberries with a twist. I would dive into this one with a triple-cream brie like Riopelle or Marquis de Témiscouata.

CHEESE CHAMPIONS!!!

The Dairy Farmers of Canada came up with the concept of a cheese championship in 1998 in order to promote the hard work of the talented canadian cheesemakers.
Last February in Montreal, the juy weighed in on 172 cheeses (tough job) that were entered in the competition.

The Grand Prize went to the aromatic KÉNOGAMI from Fromagerie Lehmann in the Saguenay region. This cheese is not yet allowed to be sold outside of Québec, so if you are lucky enough to go to la belle province soon, don't forget to buy a piece! Its washed rind has a wonderful aroma of grass and herbs and its flavour is all nut and butter. The KÉNOGAMI is made exclusively with milk from herds on the farm where it is produced.

Also winners in their respective categories:

LE MARQUIS DE TÉMISCOUATA in the 'soft cheese with bloomy rind' category
Mount Pleasant Cheese loves this creamy number from Fromagerie Le Détour in Québec. It is the perfect accompaniement to sparkling wine or summer berries.

LE CIEL DE CHARLEVOIX in the 'blue cheese' category
We have been singing this gem's praises since MPC opened its doors. By far one of the most flavourful and complex blue cheeses we carry. Let it melt in your mouth and you will fall in love with the Charlevoix region without even leaving town. Perfect at the end of a meal with dark chocolate, dried fruits and a glass of Port.

COWS EXTRA-OLD CHEDDAR in the 'Old, Extra Old Cheddar' category
This raw milk Cheddar comes all the way from PEI to blow your mind! Its firm and smooth paste has a beautiful lactic aroma and a tangy flavour that makes it great in recipes as well as paired with a glass of robust red wine.

LE BALUCHON in the 'organic cheese' category
One of my favourite washed-rind cheeses, this one has the bonus of being made from whole organic milk. Nutty, supple and simply delicious with a glass of off-dry white wine.