Killah Cheese Trays at Pastoral and a cheese plan

So yesterday my #1 cheese dream gal Daphne Zepos (of Artisanal in NYC) came into town and she and I decided to check out a small handful of shops around town - including newcomer Bouffe (which has been mentioned as a source of Capogiro Gelato -- the owner, Libby, attended Daphne's first ever "Master Class" in cheese nearly 2 years ago) and recent favorite Pastoral (we met Greg at the ACS conference a few years ago).

As we were chatting with Greg the owner, a gorgeous cheese plate was delivered to a waiting customer. It was lovely -- big, beautiful hunks of cheese, pools of marcona almonds, olives, dried fruit, flatbreads, and sliced baguette, on a large, wooden tray made in Wisconsin. I immediately asked for a price list -- it was one of the nicest trays I had seen since my days on the front line in cheese hell.

Pastoral offers 6 different cheese trays at several different price points. Just looking over the list - there is "Cheese Course 101", "The Pastoral American", "Tour de France", "The Crowd Pleaser", "La Grande Finale" , and "The Boot" - the standout was "The Pastoral American" - which includes Oakvale Gouda (Ohio), Reny Picot Fermier Camembert (better than anything we can get from France right now, and from Indiana!!), Crater Lake Blue (magic from southern Oregon), and Stravecchio (Wisconsin - stupid name, average cheese). Price ranges from $59.99 for a small tray with all the fixins to $129.99 for a large tray.

You can check out all their products at www.pastoralartisan.com

Bouffe
2312 W. Leland Ave (at Lincoln/Western)
Chicago, IL
(773) 784-2314

Pastoral
2945 N. Broadway
Chicago
773-472-4781


Now, if folks here are interested, I can put together some really wild cheeses (the best available french, northern italian, and portuguese) for Christmas - stuff that you wouldn't ordinarily find - with descriptions and instructions. I would need a good idea of number of participants so that I can order properly (I'll be getting the cheeses wholesale from my former employer, an importer on the East Coast). I may also be able to bring in some Vacherin Mont D'or at prices lower than what you would pay at retail. We could do a tasting and buy...kinda like a tupperware party. Or just an order/pick up.

I'm just throwing some ideas out - if there is enough interest, I can put together an order (air freighted from Europe) and have it out here mid-December. If folks don't want to wait that long, also let me know. But FYI - too late for thanksgiving for a special just for you air order, but if you want stuff right out of inventory, well, arranges could be made. If you have special wants, you can post it here too. Cheese-related wants, please.


q

Just throwing this out there again. Have had a few responses, but not enough to justify a full-blown order:

Now, if folks here are interested, I can put together some really wild cheeses (the best available french, northern italian, and portuguese) for Christmas - stuff that you wouldn't ordinarily find - with descriptions and instructions. I would need a good idea of number of participants so that I can order properly (I'll be getting the cheeses wholesale from my former employer, an importer on the East Coast). I may also be able to bring in some Vacherin Mont D'or at prices lower than what you would pay at retail. We could do a tasting and buy...kinda like a tupperware party. Or just an order/pick up.

I'm just throwing some ideas out - if there is enough interest, I can put together an order (air freighted from Europe to the East Coast) and have it out here mid-December. If folks don't want to wait that long, also let me know. But FYI - too late for thanksgiving for a special just for you air order, but if you want stuff right out of inventory, well, arrangements could be made. If you have special wants, you can post it here too. Cheese-related wants, please.

PM me with questions

Queijo,

I am quite enjoying the cheese related posts and it'd be nice to increase the pleasure by actually

getting my teeth into some

I hope there are other respondents to this post and I hope you'll keep us updated on what cheeses you

plan to order/have ordered (here or please pm me).

Is there any particular country/region you are thinking of?

Thanks!

Sazerac:

I'm thinking Italian...Northern Italian variants on Roccaverano aged by Gianni Cora - they are tremendous. Young RM goats, mixed milk, etc -- chalky, lemony, earthy little rounds of love. Better than anything we can get in from France right now (I just got a Langres and it was pasteurized. I am very disappointed!).

If there are other cheeses -- roquefort carles or something of that sort -- I'd love to hear it. So far only a small handful have responded in the positive. We need a few more. But regardless, I will be getting in a small shipment in for mid-December.

-Q