Farmstead Cheeses and Wines: Jeff’s Blog

I went to a food show today at a large hotel put on by a large food broker.
Generally, these affairs are set up for large groceries to visit with the commodity specialty food providers they deal with - to plan for their holiday orders.
Big numbers are bandied about, lotsa folks in [...]

Today, we visit the wineries of Charles Back.
Charles is arguably the CRobert Mondavi of South Africa, producing great wines in a user friendly, marketing-centric environment. He’s the mind behind Fairview, Goats do Roam and Spice Route wineries, and the head of a bustling food and wine empire, producing 25 different varieties of cheese, and [...]

South Africa - Day Two
We packed into our bus - with trusty Mario at the wheel- to go visit Walker Bay, a beautiful spot on the coast, and the home of Hamilton Russell, maker of South Africa’s most elegant Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.
We took a non-direct route to Walker Bay, over the ridge [...]

We strive to offer you the best of what’s out there in cheese, wine and beer. It’s a daunting job, as there are hundreds of cheeses, and thousands of wines and beers available to us here in the Bay Area.
If we make a wrong choice and select an item that doesn’t resonate [...]

I’m a big fan of Rarebit - a simple to prepare dish that’s perfect on a cold wintry night. The official name of the dish is Welsh Rarebit, with the second word pronounced as if it were in the hare family.
Dating from the 18th century, Rarebit is a sauce made from a mixture of [...]

Winter is when I salivate over melted cheese dishes. Elsewhere on this blog there are recipes for Fondue, Raclette, and Rarebit.
Well, the Swiss don’t have a lock on communal melted cheese meals. Just across the border - in the foothills of the Italian alps - lie Piedmont and [...]

Here’s another reprint from one of my Alameda Sun articles, this one on Raclette.
The weather is getting cooler, the days are getting shorter, it’s time for some comfort food, and nothing says comfort louder and clearer than melting cheese.
Last year I wrote about the glories of Fondue, so this year I turn my attention to [...]

The Cheese Plate
Here’s a reprint of an article that I wrote a way’s back for the Alameda Sun, on how to construct a proper cheese plate. I hope that you enjoy it.

The Cheese Course
Almost everyday, someone comes into my shop and asks for help in putting together a Cheese Plate. A lot of [...]

At the shop, we’re often asked how much wine and or cheese  to purchase for a party or special  event.
Here’s a few tips:
Wine

Assume that everyone attending is going to be drinking (in other workds include children and teetotalers in your count)
Assume that everyone will consume three glasses over the course of the evening.
You’ll get [...]

…or don’t, actually.
Once every two weeks or so, on my days off, I go on a “busman’s holiday,” where I surreptitiously tour local cheese or wine stores.
I learn a lot on these tours: what new products are in the marketplace that I may not know about, new ways of presenting items, and [...]