cheese tasting . wyebrook farms . madame fromage . chester county cheese artisans

Mouthful? Yes, it was and our glasses were full too.   It’s not like I didn’t tell you before hand.  You could have bought your own tickets and enjoyed Chester County cheese pairings with Tröegs Beer with the direction of Tenaya Darlington.

Here’s how it went down.   Met Wyebrook Farms at the Philly Farm Fest.  Eye candy web site.   Chef dinners and…what’s that…a cheese tasting.    Only $25.   Madame who? DiBruno’s. Requires some research.

Bought the book.  Not sure what you are waiting for…

Madame Fromage.  Luckily for us she was transplanted from Wisconsin.  She missed cheese.  She met DiBrunos, nibbled, wrote, nibbled and wrote some more.   She did it to journal her journey.   I encourage you to check out her blog and see how it led her to this stunning new book.  

Yes, I bought another food book this week.  I was on a roll and this one was the blue cheese on the angus burger…or the feta on a boca.  Pick it up.  “Di Bruno Bros.  House of Cheese A Guide to Wedges, Recipes, and Pairings.”   With chapter titles like Vixens, Stinkers, Rock Stars, Wise Guys and Sugar Mamas how can you not find something you like?

When speaking with Tenaya about how to begin exploring cheeses, in all their dizzying varieties, she suggested finding a cheese one likes and exploring more cheese from that maker or of that variety is a good way to start.   She suggests we cherish local cheeses and get to know the stories of our local cheese makers.   She’s authentic in her passion for supporting local agriculture and unwraps the mystery of cheese in an easy to understand way.

Is my day so much better now that I know why goat cheeses are more white than cow cheese is?  Why, yes.  Yes, it is.   I tried blue cheeses and kinda liked it.  The next time I get a blue on a cracker the benchmark was set rather high with Birchrun Hills, Birchrun Blue.   My favorite was the Doe Run Farm’s St. Malachi.   They carry it at Say Cheese in West Reading and were featured in the Picnic Perfect feature of Phoebe’s Pure Food Magazine.

There are a few rules for pairing and tastings like this…

1. have a designated driver.   my designated driver was polishing off the IPA’s.  generally I am not the one keeping it together
2. if you don’t wear a name tag, todd, then the rest of the strangers reserve the right to call you what we like.
3. it’s just plain fun to meet new folks so get over yourself and open up.
4. consider bringing your own “food dishes” so you are not sampling alcohol on light nibbles and you can experiment with some of the pairings.  some folks brought coolers filled with what nots….i never went to inspect, we had too much fun at our table.  next time think i’ll bring random jams, seasonal fruits and raosted veggies, crackers, mustards and sauces.

It is easier for me to share my notes than retype them…gotta get going to a Chester County Mac-and-Cheese cook-off in Downingtown.

I’m comfortable trying cheese with wine but opened up to some new hops.   Tröeg Doublebock rocks!  We know Dan enjoyed the IPA…UH lot!  I’ve never seen him happier.  He recommends the HockBack Amber and Perpetual IPA’s.

Several Chester County Cheese Artisan Dairies were represented for this event.  Love that each producer spoke a bit about the history of their farms, passion for cheese, their favorite varieties and explained the nuances of their products.  It seems there were several regionally and nationally recognized producers in our company.  LOVE seeing the faces behind the product.

All in all an amazing evening.  Looking forward to more Chester County Cheese Artisan and Wyebrook Farm events…. special thanks to

• Chester County Cheese Artisans
• Madame Fromage : cheers to women making here just a bit more beautiful
• Wyebrook Farm : stunning grounds
• Tröegs Brewery
• Doe Run Farm : you are the nutty, mountain man favorite cheese of mine
• Shellbark Hollow :  the creamy goat cheese, fluffy as ricotta, a tart little marshmallowy cheese
• Yellow Springs : with a rind which visually resembles the 20″ thick field stones that make the walls where the Fieldstone cheese is aged for 60 days.   Thank you for sharing the connection of foodscapes to landscapes.
• Conebella Farm : for the fudgy Smoked Colby … burgers in the grill?!   I’d like to visit those prize winning Ayrshires.
• Amazing Acres : the gorgeous ‘inside out oreo’ style Sea Smoke
• Birchrun Hills Farm : with the white chocolate Birchrun Blue and moxy