Treva

There is no mention of Stumptown Coffee in this thread. Well… Portland is blessed with a great specialty coffee community. Stumptown started Portland's coffee 'revolution' in 1999 and keeps a high profile in the specialty coffee world. Founder and owner Duane Sorenson was profiled in Michaele Weissman's recently published book "God in a Cup." Is there a good coffee thread somewhere on DR? I haven't found it, yet.

oooh that sounds good. I'm dazzled.

I've started a twitter to reinforce my cheese pleasure studies. This is a non-commercial non-affiliated effort. If anyone wants to follow along it is http://twitter.com/CheeseTease As twitters are limited to 140 characters - my posts can be a bit cryptic - also lyrical and silly. If CheeseTease gains a few more followers, it will encourage me - which might be a bad thing. I welcome comments and contributions, you can twitter to @cheesetease I'm weak on wine & cheese pairings due to occasional wine headaches and budgetary restrictions - so please help with your knowledge and palates. I'm loving reading all of your responses and postings on this cheese cheese cheese survey. Still I want to hear about the fabulous grilled cheese sandwiches that I know you make for yourselves and don't share because you used the last little bit of the roquefort stash or brillat savarin. Selfish you.

Eat the ash. Usually, it is charcoal ash. It isn't gritty; it's fine. Ash was placed on top of the morning milk to protect it, then the afternoon milk was poured on top of the ash layer. Now it is a style of cheesemaking. Morbier, Mobay, Humboldt Fog, Krotovina have a layer of ash. Other cheeses are coated in ash to help form the rind. Ash, which is alkaline, is used to mellow acidity as well as promote and mesh with molds for flavor. Valençay, Sottocenere al Tartufo, Saint Maure, Coupole, Montbriac Rochebaron, Humboldt Fog and Montboissie are sprinkled with ash. Yummy stuff.

Yum! Thank you Xochitl10, Poivrot Farci, Mark, Pizza man and Pat for your cheese puffs. Sex panther cologne. Big chuckles. I want more. Please. Ideas for over-the-top decadent grilled cheese sandwiches? ~ Grilled lobster chunks with brie on a baguette grilled in truffle butter ~ Grilled Caprese: Roasted tomatoes, mozzarella di buffala, basil pesto on sliced ciabatta grilled in fine xtra virgin ~ Caramelized Onions, aged Quebec cheddar, honey & whiskey seed mustard on sour dough bread ~ Almond butter, Pumpkin & Orange Marmalade and Appenzeller on harvest grain bread ~ Thinking about green chiles, gruyere & roasted garlic on crostini - maybe? Thank you, xochitl10 ~ Musing about a port poached pear, candied walnuts and roquefurt - on honey loaf bread

Amusing threads. Giggles here. Our father coaxed my brothers and me into eating raw oysters when we were kids by telling us we weren't old enough to have them, that we must wait until we were 21. I defied him, took a deep breath, exhaled and swallowed one sans chewing. I swear it was still alive and pulsing on the way down. That was the first of pop's tricks. As the only girl and firstborn I wasn't about to let the boys outdo me. I was still sore about losing my spot on the fishing trips when number one son was old enough to bump me from the mix. During my teen years I had beef tongue from the Lexington Market in Baltimore. Thanks dad. I told him I didn't like french kissing (inexperienced me), so why would I put a cow's tongue in my mouth. He gave me that look. Turtle and muskrat somehow landed on my plate. I'll never forget the rabbit dad ordered me to cook when I was 15. He sent me to the A&P to find rabbit shake n bake. I was skeptical but did what I was told. Rather than dicker with dad I did it with chicken shake n bake. It was the toughest and saddest thing I ever tried to eat. Poor bunny. The most daring thing was a scorpion, slowly. Upon review of the photograph and video evidence it was obvious I was in some sort of trance induced by mezcal añejo. The scorpion was like tough straw and without any flavor whatsoever. My tastebuds might have been astral and not present for the moment. I've had the mezcal worms which are really caterpillars (chinicuil and gusano de oro), grasshoppers (chapulines) and huitlacoche (so called Mexican Truffles). Also herring roe on kelp harvested by Haida in The Queen Charlottes. Salty. And some disgusting salmon roe which I tried to prepare without having a clue of what to do with it. Fresh and raw Geoduck clams (monster yuck). Offal. I love tripe in Pho. Blood Sausage. Sea Urchin. Frog. Alligator (caught with marshmallows). Kangaroo. Ostrich. Goat. Mutton. Buffalo. Bison. Boar (heavenly pata negra - jamon iberico). Rocky Mountain Oysters and some things I believe were misrepresented to me. I've taken some stupid or uneducated risks. Fresh Baracuda sashimi in St. Lucia. Jamaican Akee. Certain brownies which made me ill. Hooch and homemade things people proudly pass off as 'fantastic' and should have killed me dead, but didn't. And some of my mother's cooking.

Moose Jerky

Oh dear. I'm a bit overwhelmed with cheese thoughts and indulgences at present, but I will take a stab at my own questions. I can't seem to get enough of these particular cheeses. Brillat Savarin - a triple cream soft-ripened french cloud Aged Gouda (5-8 years) - The 8 year cheese requires something like an ice pick to break it up. But the butterscotch caramel crystals explode in the mouth Valdeón - wrapped in sycamore leaves - this blue dream is salty and sublime Bayley Hazen Blue - from Vermont's Jasper Hill Farm. Like bark, mushrooms, crumble Époisses - French washed in Burgundy rind, pungent with creamy tangy soft center Banon - French ooze. It oozes and oozes There are more: monte enebro, cravanzina, barrata, tetilla, valencay… I remain eager to read about the cheese experiences of others. I will muse over my cheese stories and see if there exists a worthy post.

I am in a metaphorical cheese cave at present and could use some fresh air on the topic of cheeses. Please: What are you favorite cheeses and do you have a memorable cheese experience to relate? Do you prefer cow's milk, sheep's milk, goat's milk or combo?. And… do you have a preferred type of cheese i.e. soft-ripened, washed, blue, semi hard etc. ? And... do you prefer French cheese over Italian, Spanish etc. And… what about the new world of American artisanal and farmstead cheeses? And… flavor pairings. For instance - I've taken to a lovely honey & whiskey mustard - the mustard seeds are like caviar - and I serve it with five year aged Gouda. Screaming yum! Then there are the wine pairings. I invite you to wax poetically about cheese. If you have a cheese passion - tell us about it. I thank you.

This is my Go To chicken soup. Delicious, medicinal and always puts a smile on my face. Grilled Chicken Soup with Fresh Avocado chunks, Lime & Cilantro It takes me about 25 minutes to prepare. Knife skills are helpful. Bring enough chicken broth to a near boil. ~ I use homemade broth frozen in cubes. Add shredded grilled chicken (however you like it grilled, but not teryiaki). ~ I use leftover grilled chicken shredded and frozen in quart-size freezer bags. ~ To add color and flavor - I might first sauté the shredded grilled chicken in a small amount of olive oil. Add the chicken to the broth and simmer for a few minutes until chicken is thoroughly heated. Add grated fresh ginger to taste. Add carrot, potato and squash medium diced (1/2 inch squares). ~ Add the ingredient that takes the longest to cook first then wait a minute or two before adding the next ingredient and so on. ~ carrot ~ potato ~ squash Simmer. In ten minutes - more or less - when the veggies are al dente - add sea salt to taste and and a goodly amount of freshly ground pepper. Ladle into a proper soup bowl. Toss in a small handfull of chopped fresh cilantro. Slide in six or more cubes of fresh avocado (one inch or so cubes). Squeeze a wedge of lime over the soup, then garnish with another wedge of lime. Splash a few shakes of your favorite not too smokey hot sauce. On-the-side options: Croutons and grated cheese, like Grand Queso or Oaxaca cheese. The anticipation of this soup perks me up prior to the first soul satisfying slurp. Be well.

Espresso Martinis G&T - though the gin, the tonic, the glass and the lime - must be CHILLed CHILLed CHILLed Blue Champagne Cocktails If my brain isn't functioning - these drinks are sure to bring a smile.

Thank you for the warm welcome, Zoramargolis. I was bit surprised re-reading the introduction before posting it. That person sounds more experienced than me! It was an unfathomable leap of faith to start and maintain the more or less solo traveling enterprise. Determined for more more deliciousness. Now I reach for the next adventures, new culinary collaborations and a local community. Looking forward to the pumpkin-themed picnic on 10/19!! Times and directions and what to bring, etc.?

Hello, I'm happy to have found this group. After five+ years of international travel and sailing, I have recently returned to Maryland for an extended stay. During my time away I freelanced as a chef on private yachts and did some cooking at private Caribbean villas. I lived in Antigua, Guatemala for a year where I missed fine cheeses more than any other food item - though I developed an appreciation for frijoles negros prepared in the loaf style. At present, I work part-time for my friend Stacey Adams-Zier at Tastings Gourmet Market in Annapolis where I try and try to get my fill of her fine cheeses, but I've become obsessed and have begun to make notes and twitters about cheeses. My other culinary obsession is with specialty coffee. Don't get me started... I went to the 2008 World Barista Championship in Denmark and watched nearly every barista, each a national champion, from over 50 countries pull espressos, serve cappuccinos and make their signature drinks. I read coffee blogs. I'm interested in the underground restaurant trend and started a DCbaltAnnapolis interest group on ghetto gourmet. I learn about cooking wherever my travels take me. One of the highlights was six weeks in Oaxaca learning from various Oaxacan chefs and being fortunate enough to cook with Chef José Luis at his restaurant El Teatro Culinario at Casa Crespo. José has won high international acclaim since that time. There's more. I could write about about living in California in the 80s when I was too poor to buy wine and so visited every winery on the central coast for free tastings. Or salmon fishing for three months in Alaska & The Queen Charlottes. Or the cheese market in Alkmaar. Or my uncle's fried catfish and his huge cast iron skillet. Or my dad's fried oysters. Or anchovies in L'Escala, Catalunya. Or mozzarella and pecorino in Sardinia. Or jams in Bonafacio. Or mushroom foraging in Sierre Norte. Or lambie in St. Lucia. Or mezcal in Oaxaca and my favorite Tequila Bar - in of all places - Guatemala. Annapolis restaurants continue to be a disappointment. I find myself in Baltimore and Washington foraging, which has brought me here. Right now, I am looking for mezcal. See you on the boards!

Two Ethiopia Sidamos from different roasters. Running a taste test at the moment. This is my first post. A coffee post!