Queso Diego July Meeting Announcement

Join us at our July Meeting next Tuesday, July 16 at 6:30pm at AleSmith (9990 AleSmith Ct, San Diego, Ca 92126)! We will be meeting in the MEZZANINE (upstairs).

Chris and Susan will be presenting on Feta Cheese! While many people may be accustomed to just grabbing a tub of crumbled feta from the grocery store, there are many varieties of this popular cheese, which can be enjoyed on their own or used for their specific properties in various dishes. This presentation will cover the Feta cheese style and history, regional variations of Feta, why Feta is a “gateway hard cheese” for home cheesemakers, along with detailed instructions on making Feta cheese at home. Cheese samples will include a guided comparison of several regional fetas, along with homemade and flavored examples! … and there may be information about the next CHEESE CLASS that we will do.

Logistics:
We’re meeting in the MEZZANINE area (walk in the main entrance, past the main bar and gift shop towards the Barrel Room. Before the Barrel Room, use the stairs or elevator to go UPSTAIRS to the Mezzanine). There is seating in the Mezzanine.
Upon arrival, please check-in at the check-in table
Please set up your potluck item (and we have labels and label stands, grab a sharpie and label what you bought)
Members are encouraged to bring homemade cheese or potluck item or beverage. If alcohol, only homemade alcohol is allowed (NO COMMERICAL ALCOHOL). Better yet, enjoy some of the tasty AleSmith beverages!
Potluck/socializing beginning at 6:30pm, and the meeting at 7:00pm

A quick note about bringing a LAWN CHAIR… We always need to bring a lawn chair if we meet in the Barrel Room. But the Mezzanine does have seating, so no lawn chair is needed if we meet there. HOWEVER, I would ask everyone to always bring a lawn chair… that way, if there is ever a last minute change with the Mezzanine, we won’t be stuck without chairs. I don’t expect it, but never hurts to be prepared. In this case, I will leave my lawn chair in my car, as we are expecting the Mezzanine, and there is seating there.

Queso Diego Epic Cheesemaking Competition 2024

Queso Diego will be putting on the Epic Cheesemaking Competition, which will be judged at the September 17th meeting. This competition is open to all paid club members (and anyone who joins as a member prior to the competition). The Best of Show winner will have the unique opportunity to produce a full-scale production batch of their cheese at CheeseSmith, which will be sold to the public. Proceeds from the competition and sales of the winning cheese will go to the Anvil of Hope Foundation.

Full details are available here: Epic Cheese Competition 2024

Queso Diego June Meeting Announcement

Join us at our June Meeting next Tuesday, June 18 at 6:30pm at AleSmith (9990 AleSmith Ct, San Diego, Ca 92126)!  We will be meeting in the BARREL ROOM (please bring a lawn chair).

Do you want a semi-soft or semi-firm cheese?  What goes good with Gouda?  What’s the best way to taste the cheese you’ve got in your hand?  At this Meeting, we will be Tasting and Classifying Cheese!  Come and join us, this presentation will be conducted by Larry, and will address how to approach cheese selection from a number of different angles, and we’ll have some tasty treats along the way!  You may have also seen an email from Larry recently about his retirement, we are happy to have him at this meeting and wish him well!

Logistics:

  • We’re meeting in the BARREL ROOM (walk in the main entrance, past the main bar and gift shop, which leads to the Barrel Room
  • Upon arrival, please check-in at the check-in table
  • Please set up your potluck item (and we have labels and label stands, grab a sharpie and label what you bought
  • BRING A LAWN CHAIR (anytime we meet in the Barrel Room, don’t forget your lawn chair).  Optionally bring a jacket
  • Members are encouraged to bring homemade cheese or potluck item or beverage.  If alcohol, only homemade alcohol is allowed (NO COMMERICAL ALCOHOL).  Better yet, enjoy some of the tasty AleSmith beverages!
  • Potluck/socializing beginning at 6:30pm, and the meeting at 7:00pm
  • Finally, Members, if you need anything from the Library of Cheesemaking, please email your request by June 14, for delivery at the meeting on June 18.  Be sure to check the list of offerings and send an email to QD-Library-Request@googlegroups.com.

Queso Diego May Meeting Announcement

Join us at our May Meeting on Tuesday, May 21 at 6:30pm at AleSmith (9990 AleSmith Ct, San Diego, Ca 92126)!  We will be meeting in the BARREL ROOM (please bring a lawn chair).

At this meeting, we have several features:

  • EPIC Cheese Competition!  (We will have an Epic Cheese Competition as part of our September Meeting.  Peter Zien and a panel will be judging, and the cheese deemed Best of Show will have the opportunity to make their cheese professionally with Peter at CheeseSmith!  We will cover details of this competition and answer questions you may have)
  • The History of Cheese (This main presentation by Marci will cover the evolution of cheese from its origins, which evolved more out of necessity, to modern-day cheeses we enjoy today, as more of a luxury.  Along the way, we will also do some taste testing ranging from fresh cheese to dessert cheese)
  • Cypress Grove Cheese Ambassador (Hear from Club Member Lisa, who is a Cypress Grove Cheese Ambassador!  And we will have a 3 pound Humboldt Fog cheese wheel to sample!  And there may be swag given out…)

 Logistics:

  • We’re meeting in the BARREL ROOM (walk in the main entrance, past the main bar and gift shop, which leads to the Barrel Room
  • Upon arrival, please check-in at the check-in table
  • Please set up your potluck item (and we have labels and label stands, grab a sharpie and label what you bought
  • BRING A LAWN CHAIR (anytime we meet in the Barrel Room, don’t forget your lawn chair).  Optionally bring a jacket
  • Members are encouraged to bring homemade cheese or potluck item or beverage.  If alcohol, only homemade alcohol is allowed (NO COMMERICAL ALCOHOL).  Better yet, enjoy some of the tasty AleSmith beverages!
  • Potluck/socializing beginning at 6:30pm, and the meeting at 7:00pm
  • Finally, Members, if you need anything from the Library of Cheesemaking, please email your request by May 17, for delivery at the meeting on March 21.  Be sure to check the list of offerings and send an email to QD-Library-Request@googlegroups.com.

Queso Diego April Meeting Announcement

April is National Grilled Cheese Month, and every year, Queso Diego celebrates it with a Grilled Cheese Extravaganza, which will be our meeting on Tuesday, April 16 at AleSmith at 6:30pm!  It is one of my favorite meetings every year, where we bring equipment and ingredients, and make & share the most amazing Grilled Cheese creations you’ve ever tried!  A couple things to highlight… the exact location inside AleSmith is being finalized and will be announced in the next day or so.  If you have equipment to bring for this meeting (folding table, grill, etc.), please, please bring it.  Cooking equipment must be non-electric.  If you don’t, there are always people willing to share.  Everyone should definitely bring a lawn chair.  Pro tip: For you grilled cheese concoction, it’s recommended to prep anything you can prep the night before (shredding, cutting, chopping, slicing, marinating, pre-cooking, etc.)… Now, read on for details about the Grilled Cheese Extravaganza!

Grilled Cheese EXTRAVAGANZA!

If you were at the March Meeting, we previewed this, and that information/presentation is on our website (www.quesodiego.org) under Meeting Notes.  Here’s the link: https://quesodiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/QD-Grilled-Cheese-Extravaganza.pdf

The Grilled Cheese Extravaganza (our April Meeting) is on Tuesday, April 16 at 6:30pm at AleSmith (exact location inside of AleSmith will be announced soon).  We will NOT have our traditional potluck at this meeting.  If you’re not planning on making grilled cheese, you can consider bringing something that might go well with Grilled Cheese.  Remember that we can bring homemade alcohol (non-commercial) only, or better yet, enjoy an AleSmith beer (Queso Diego gets a 10% discount).

In broad strokes, plan on bringing the equipment and ingredients to make 2-3 Grilled Cheeses, and cut into 6-8 or so bite-sized pieces to share.  You’re welcome to work with others on this.  Perhaps make a sandwich, wander around to taste other samples, and come back and make another sandwich.  Cooks can rotate; not everyone may have all the equipment, and some people are always willing to share.  If you do have the equipment, please bring it.

Choose your Grilled Cheese recipe/concoction.  If you’ve never been to this before, you will be absolutely amazed at the creativity in the creations.  We’re not purists (except Larry), so your interpretation of a Grilled Cheese sandwich is your interpretation and is welcome!  Make sure your cheese will melt (avoid high moisture, low/no fat and too acidic cheeses).  Cheeses that won’t melt include Halloumi, Feta, Cotija, Ricotta, Queso Fresco…

Equipment to bring:

  • Folding table
  • Camping stove with Propane (or chafing dish)… as long as it’s non-electric
  • Lighter
  • LAWN CHAIR

Cooking stuff to bring:

  • Pan (with lid) or griddle
  • Spatula
  • Sharp knife/Bread Knife/Pizza cutter to cut into bite-sized samples
  • Paper towels
  • Couple paper plates are helpful
  • Cutting board
  • Any plasticware or utensils you might need to prepare, move or cut with
  • And your Ingredients!

Meeting Schedule:

  • 6:30: Arrive, check in at the check-in table, grab a label and stand to label what you’re making
  • Set up your “workstation” (table, grill, etc.), get organized and label what you’re making.  BUT DON’T START COOKING YET.
  • 7:00: We’ll have a very short meeting with announcements, followed by a shotgun start, LET THE COOKING COMMENCE!
  • Cook a sandwich, cut up into bite-sized pieces, wander around and sample, and repeat!  (I will be gathering some samples to take up front to AleSmith’s staff).

Pro Tips:

  • I can’t stress this one enough: Prep/cook/chop/cut/shred/mix/marinate in advance.  Do anything you can in advance.  I will already have my bread cut, and cheese shredded the night before.
  • When you leave your home to come to the meeting, don’t worry about putting cheese in a cooler, you’re want your cheese at room temp
  • Non-stick pans work well
  • Butter (or mayo) the outsides of your bread, not the insides!
  • Cook at a low-med or medium heat, so you don’t burn bread while waiting for the cheese to melt (a lid to your pan helps trap the heat and melt the cheese)
  • You may remove the rind if using something like a Brie

Resources:

You can check out these resources to get the creative juices flowing:

Queso Diego March Meeting Announcement

Join us at our March Meeting on Tuesday, March 19th at 6:30 at AleSmith (9990 AleSmith Ct, San Diego, Ca 92126)! We will be meeting in the MEZZANINE area.

MAKE AND BRING your homemade Chevre (goat cheese). Get creative with the flavoring(s) you would like to add to your Chevre… Savory? Sweet? Spice? Herbs? Fruit?

At this meeting, we will provide crackers and have a Chevre tasting! We will also have a Grilled Cheese presentation in advance of our Grilled Cheese Extravaganza coming up on April 16. Between the Brie class in January, and your homemade Chevres, there may be cheesemaking questions (general questions, process questions, troubleshooting questions, etc.), and we will take a little time tapping into club members to answer your questions. And do you have a picture of your cheese that you would like to ask about? Email that picture to (president@quesodiego.org) no later than March 17, and I will have it to project at the meeting. Finally, we will also have a special announcement for a Cheese Contest (spoiler alert… the winner will get to make their winning recipe professionally with Peter Zien at CheeseSmith!).

We’re meeting in the MEZZANINE area (walk in the main entrance, past the main bar and gift shop towards the Barrel Room. Before the Barrel Room, use the stairs or elevator to go UPSTAIRS to the Mezzanine)
Upon arrival, please check-in at the check-in table
Potluck items will go on the bar, and your homemade Chevre will go on a separate table we will have. We will have labelling… grab a sharpie, put you NAME and WHAT YOU BROUGHT!
There are chairs in the Mezzanine (no need to bring lawn chairs in). Optionally bring a jacket.
Members are encouraged to bring homemade cheese (especially Chevre!) to this meeting, potluck item, beverages. If alcohol, only homemade alcohol is allowed (NO COMMERCIAL ALCOHOL). Better yet, enjoy some of the tasty AleSmith beverages!
Potluck/socializing beginning at 6:30, and the meeting at 7:00