Author Archives: cbanker

Queso Diego 10th Anniversary Virtual Celebration

Please join us to celebrate 10 years of Queso Diego with a CHEESE & MUSIC PAIRING, Tuesday, February 16, 6:30pm

We will be pairing the cheeses listed below with different genre of music to discover how the music impacts the taste, smell, and/or sensation of cheese. Several genres of music will be played for each cheese, including at least one from the country of origin for each cheese. Much like different wines, music can change the tasting profile of cheese.

Here’s how it works:

You obtain one, two, three, or all four of the cheeses (from your cheese cave, refrigerator, or local cheese shop).
You obtain one bottle of bubbly, after all this is our anniversary and traditionally, it is “bubbly and cheese” to celebrate. If desired, you acquire other liquid refreshments you’d like to enjoy during the pairing (some general and specific, non-alcoholic and alcoholic recommendations for each cheese are listed at the bottom, if you need some ideas).
Optional: Headphones/ear buds – wearing headphones/ear buds helps you focus on the music and blocks out background noise in your environment (e.g., sounds of traffic, barking dogs, sounds of refrigerator).
We supply the music, pairing presentation, and polling questions.

The Cheeses*

FRENCH BRIE
SPANISH MANCHEGO (aged 6 mo)
ITALIAN PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO
AMERICAN (USA) AGED CHEDDAR (3 – 5 years)

*Note: The countries listed for each cheese are commonly associated with the style. Feel free to vary, as needed or desired. For example, you could get a brie-style cheese from Germany or Vermont. Work with your local cheesemonger/cheese shop (e.g. Smallgoods and Venessimo).

Pairing Ideas**

FRENCH BRIE – Champagne, Pellegrino (w/lime), cider from Normandy, Saison or other farmhouse beer

SPANISH MANCHEGO (aged 6 mo) – Merlot, Green Tea, Spanish Sidra Cider, Nut Brown Ale, Tawny Port, Sherry, amber spirit (aka aged)

ITALIAN PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO – Champagne, Merlot, Chardonnay, Amber Ale, Moretti or Peroni beer

AMERICAN (USA) AGED CHEDDAR (3 – 5 years) – Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Black Tea, 2 Towns Bad Apple Cider, Sherry, Stout, Alaskan or Stone Smoked Porter, German Rauchbier, Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale, Anchor Steam Beer

**The celebration will be focused on cheese and music pairings (i.e., beverage pairings optional)

A Zoom link was sent to the club email list. If you didn’t receive it, contact the officers.

Queso Diego January Virtual Meeting Announcement

Are you having Cheese People withdrawals, too???

Got the Cheese Chat blues because not all your friends and family are as enthusiastic about cheese as you?

We miss meeting “live,” but going to a monthly Queso Diego meeting provides the continued opportunity to share, discover, learn, and converse with other Queso Diego members.

This month let’s connect and share our cheese discoveries (or re-discoveries) of 2020 or 2021 AND we’d like your to hear your ideas for 2021 meeting topics. We all need new ideas and would like to try new cheeses, cheese recipes, cheese uses (aka building a cheese house), etc.

Some 2021 discoveries have already been shared, Raclettewurst from Larry and Czech-style marinated camembert recipe from Deborah. Have they tried them? Perhaps they will share some insight at the meeting. I have discovered two items new to me this year already, too (to be shared at the meeting 😉). Also, do you wonder what happens to a cheese house (like a gingerbread house) after December? Don and Carol will let you know at the meeting (it was the perfect ending to their cheese house).

Also, we might let it slip or be giving hints about what is in store for the 10-year anniversary party (February 16)………..yup, QD will be 10-years old this year and we plan on celebrating.

The meeting link was sent out to the members email list.

Queso Diego November Virtual Meeting Announcement

November Queso Diego Meeting – Tuesday, November 17th (6:30pm social, 7pm meeting)

What do Cheese and Turkey have in Common???………… answer: Thanksgiving

Join us Tuesday to find out:
The role cheese has played in Thanksgiving
The lore of Cheesy Thanksgiving tales
Wacky cheese facts around Thanksgiving
What came first the Turkey or the Cheese?……and more.

What better way to learn about cheese and turkey than with Trivia (with cheesy prizes, too 😉). Perhaps you’ll get some different ideas for your Thanksgiving 2020 or at least have some fun trivia to share during your Thanksgiving meal.

Zoom link will be sent out on the members email list. Contact us if you want to attend as a guest.

Queso Diego October Virtual Meeting Announcement

Back by popular demand, we are having another pairing (Whoo Hoo!); this time we’ve expanded it to include meat. Our tour guides for this pairing event will be no other than Jenny and Mike Eastwood of Smallgoods during the October QD meeting (zoom info at the bottom). As many of you know, Jenny is a Certified Cheese Professional and together, Jenny and Mike are the cheesemonger and meatmonger (is that a real word?) of Smallgoods (and owners). They are well versed in pairings and pre-COVID were doing pairings around town at the different wine and beer establishments. Check out some of the pairing plates that they prepare weekly on facebook, https://www.facebook.com/smallgoodsUSA. They will discuss the individual cheeses and meats and how they pair together and with your beverage of choice(s). You will hear about the textures, aromas, flavor profiles, etc. and some interesting tidbits about their sources.

The plan is to have four cheeses and two cured meats. Below are the cheeses and suggested pairings. Most of the pairings will probably go more with beers but a few alternate options have been included for those that may prefer a different beverage. As before, we will each find our own beverage (places to look are in your frig, “cellar,” local wine, beer, spirit store). There are no rules, so if your beverage of choice is not listed, bring your favorite beverage(s).

Cheeses and Suggested Beverages :

– Ashed Chevre – Rose? something bubbly?
– Aged raw goat milk tomme (dry & crumbly) – Cider & Ale’s
– Aged raw cow milk Gouda (crunchy & butterscotch) – Stouts & Porters
– Aged cow milk Cheddar (big, rich, nutty) – Ciders & IPA’s

Oh, can it be Tuesday, yet? I can almost taste the cheese……………

So, where’s the meat?? The meats are a surprise but will play well with beers & ciders (and the cheeses) – Fear not! It’s not mystery meat; the meats will be revealed during the meeting though you can look at them and guess when you pick up your plates 😉.

So, here’s how it will work:

Beverages – members provide their own (see recommended beverages above for the selected cheeses)

Cheese and Meat Plates –

Cheese and Meat plates for members are $15, a 25% discount off the regular price (club is covering the other portion).
Members will pick up PRE-ORDERED (see below) cheese/meat plates at Smallgoods (7524 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, CA 92037) on Saturday (10am – 5pm), Sunday (10am – 2pm [CLOSES AT 2pm]), or Tuesday (10am – 5pm). *
It is super easy to get to their shop; on the weekends quickest to go into La Jolla by around 10:30am and on Tuesday between 10 – 11:30am and 2-3pm.
DIRECTIONS: From I-5 or 52, take La Jolla Parkway; keep straight on to Torrey Pines Road; Left on Girard Avenue; Right on Pearl Street; and Right on La Jolla Boulevard

** Pre-Orders are now closed **

Queso Diego September Virtual Meeting Announcement

Fromaggio

We have a very interesting and unique meeting this month, as well as the unique opportunity to get background/development information from the founder Glen Feder, Fromaggio, creator of the World’s First SMART Home Cheesemaker.

Think breadmaking machine………………seems to be a similar concept to “make almost any type of soft or hard cheese (or yogurt, and even tofu!)” (Fromaggio, 2020).

A little about the creator…………”After living in Paris for 15 years, Glen returned to the U.S. and was surprised to find people were still eating the same, tasteless, artificial, grocery store cheese. So he gathered a team of innovators and foodies — from the director of partnerships at YouTube to the head cheesemaker at a dairy farm. After a very successful Kickstarter campaign, we have now lined up the best manufacturers, suppliers and engineers we could find. Together, we are on a mission to bring affordable, artisanal quality cheese to kitchen countertops worldwide.”

The meeting will start at 7pm with the presenter, as he is on east coast time. Our club business and discussion will commence after the presentation. Zoom info was sent out to members via the club email list.

Queso Diego August Virtual Meeting Announcement

Join us on Tuesday, August 18th for a presentation by Claire Enemark, author/host of “Behind the Rind” podcast. Then, put on your trivia hat, as she will orchestrate some friendly, cheesy, team competition. Trivia is a great way to have fun and learn some fun facts (or perhaps myths) about cheese. Check out some of the episodes on http://behindtherind.com and maybe, just maybe you’ll have a leg up on some trivia 😊.

Social/sharing time 6:30-7pm – if you’ve made some cheese or found some cheese you really like, this would be a great time to share it with the group.
Presentation 7pm…..

The Zoom meeting link was sent out to the members email list.