Category Archives: Meeting Announcements

Queso Diego September Meeting Announcement

File:Yogurt of the Bulgarija Pavilion of Expo 2005 Aichi Japan.jpg

Join us at our September Meeting next Tuesday, September 17 at 6:30pm at AleSmith (9990 AleSmith Ct, San Diego, Ca 92126)!  We will be meeting in the MEZZANINE (upstairs).  Meeting logistics are at the bottom of this email.  Always bring a lawn chair to meetings, but in this case, leave your lawn chair in your car as we expect to be in the Mezzanine which does have seating.

MAIN PRESENTATION

Making YOGURT follows the same basic steps as making cheese, and is surprisingly easy to make!  Don will take us on a journey of Yogurt and Yogurt Cheeses!  And yes, we’ll also have samples to try along the way!

EPIC CHEESE COMPETITION

Enrolling in the Cheese Competition has closed, and we officially have 15 cheese entries!  Cheese entries and $10 entry fee per cheese (by cash or check payable to Anvil of Hope) will be collected at the meeting.  Cheese entries will be stored in AleSmith’s coldbox until judging.  Proceeds from this are going to support Peter and Vicky’s charity, Anvil of Hope (https://anvilofhope.org/), with the vision of breaking the cycle of poverty to ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.  In addition to the competition, if anyone wishes to contribute to Anvil of Hope, you are welcome to bring your donation to the meeting.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PAPER PLATES, NAPKINS OR PLASTICWARE?

Do you have any paper plates, napkins or plasticware at your place?  If you have extra that’s just sitting around taking up space, you’re welcome to bring to the meeting and donate it to Queso Diego, we’ll put it to good use!  We’ll be placing an order soon for those supplies, but figured we’d ask the club in case anyone has supplies they’d like to donate.

POTLUCK SETUP

Going forward, we will set up our potluck items on the tables, rather than on the top of the bar.  This will allow people to queue up on both sides of the table, shortening the potluck line and the time it takes.  Any homemade (non-commercial) alcohol can be set up on the top of the bar.

MEETING 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, and we’ll be collecting cheese entries for the competition.
  • Please set up your potluck item ON THE TABLES, and any beverages you bring can be set up on the top of the Bar (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.

Look forward to seeing everyone next week on Tuesday!

Queso Diego August Meeting Announcement

Side of Gruyère cheese
 

Join us at our August Meeting next Tuesday, August 20 at 6:30pm at AleSmith (9990 AleSmith Ct, San Diego, Ca 92126)!  We will be meeting in the MEZZANINE (upstairs).  Meeting logistics are at the bottom of this email.  Always bring a lawn chair to meetings, but in this case, leave your lawn chair in your car as we expect to be in the Mezzanine which does have seating.

MAIN PRESENTATION

Curt will be presenting on Alpine Cheeses: From Switzerland to Italy and Beyond!  Alpine Cheeses comprise a wide variety of styles that share an origin in the mountains of Central Europe.  We will discuss and sample several styles of those “mountain cheeses” from within and outside the region.  We will look at recipes for some of the classic styles and discuss what makes them unique.  As a special treat, we will sample a cheese imported from Switzerland by one of our club members!  In November, our meeting will be making and sharing FONDUE, so this meeting is ideal to get your Alpine Cheese inspiration!

EPIC CHEESE CONTEST

More details will be shared at the meeting, but here is a quick timeline:

  • NOW: If you plan to enter a cheese in the competition, please email president@quesodiego.org with your name and how many entries you plan to submit to the competition.  This initial headcount is needed for competition judging planning purposes.
  • SEPT 6: All entry forms are due from those who are entering a cheese in the competition.  This is the finalized list of entrants.
  • SEPT 17: Your cheese entry and $10 entry fee (by cash or check payable to Anvil of Hope) will be collected at our regular meeting on September 17.  Your cheese will be stored in AleSmith’s coldbox until judging.
  • SEPT 21/22: The judging will happen!  Sometime thereafter, the winner will be announced, and there may prizes for the overall winner and runners up!  Feedback regarding your cheese entry from the judges will be given back to entrants.  Peter will work with the winner on scheduling the making of the winning cheese recipe, which will be sometime this fall!

Proceeds from this are going to support Peter and Vicky’s charity, Anvil of Hope (https://anvilofhope.org/), with the vision of breaking the cycle of poverty to ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.  In addition to the competition, if anyone wishes to contribute, you are welcome to bring your donation to our September 17 meeting.

FETA CHEESEMAKING CLASS

Coming September 14, make and take home your Feta cheese!  Information about the class and signing up is coming…

MEETING 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 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 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: