Tag Archives: 2017

Queso Diego November Meeting Announcement

The activities at our next meeting on November 21 st will be another double feature extravaganza:

First, The presentation “Alpine Cheeses” by our own award-winning Marci Richards. It will be an informative exposé into the sharp and aromatic goodness that originated in the Alps of Switzerland, France and Italy. Yummm. And we’ll have samples to enjoy!

BTW: This month’s participatory cheese is aptly described as “Holiday Cheese”. Let your imagination run wild and put together your impression of flavors that represent the Holiday Season. We’ll all look forward to sampling prior to the meeting, between 6:30 and the 7:00 start of the meeting.

Second, it’s time for our annual elections of Officers. This year voting is available online for all members in good standing (paid their dues and didn’t serve cheese whiz all year). Look for a separate voting form.

Queso Diego November Meeting
Tuesday, November 21 @ 6:30PM
AleSmith Brewery
9990 AleSmith Court
San Diego, CA 92126

Meetings are free, but we highly encourage bringing something tasty to share (including homemade and store-bought cheeses), and joining as a member for only $20/year. Please bring a chair to sit on.

Please RSVP using this form as soon as possible so that we can get an accurate head count.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3bXwUP-Emd5iToNC337sRstq687H7FPzUWL6tBUOjhixrog/viewform

Queso Diego September Meeting Announcement

The presentation at our next meeting on the 19th will be a double feature extravaganza:
First, “Do Blue Bugs Make Blue Cheese? – Selecting Microbes for your Cheeese” by Curt Wittenburg. It will be an informative exposé into bugs of color—or maybe just the colorful result of invisible bugs and oxygen on cheese. Or perhaps colorless bugs and colorless results (Albino Blue?); you be the judge. It should be quite helpful as we all expand our cheese making knowledge, and expand our experimentation into really delicious styles. Don’t miss this talk from one of our cheese gurus.

And second, as the yummy anticipation builds for next month’s meeting, Lisa Chamberlain will be giving hints and tips on sharing delicacies at the annual Queso Diego Mac ‘N Cheese meeting October 17th. It’s gooey, it’s gastronomy, and it’s great!

The meeting will be held at 6:30pm on Tuesday September 19 at AleSmith Brewery.

If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to RSVP on the link below and put it on your calendar:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdczayGAaKFbyNhx62mNeBMXSuiS8MNzYeSRNuPQSX8GkSohw/viewform

SOMETHING NEW: We’re adding a couple questions to the bottom of the RSVP form. Your feedback and thoughts will be appreciated. Please be sure to respond by RSVPing (is that a real word?) and letting us know what you think. Thanks.

See you Tuesday the 19th!
Earl

BTW: Don’t forget to make your acidified cheese to share with everyone at the meeting.

Queso Diego August Meeting Announcement

Be sure to put the August meeting on your calendar and plan to attend: Tuesday the 15th at AleSmith:

Our featured presentation is The perfect cuts for cheese using the perfect knives by Sabine Friedrich-Walter and Olaf Walter. Great information for presenting our crafted homemade cheeses.

A reminder for all those Blue Ribbon winners at the Del Mar Cheese Contest: get me your name and address asap so I can submit the order for your 1 year Culture Magazine subscription prize.

This month’s Cheese of the Month is fresh cheese: Chevre, Queso Blanco, and Fromage Blanc. As Larry pointed out, there is plenty of time to make a fresh cheese by next Tuesday for sharing. And as Chris explained, making a 2 or 3 quart batch is easy, convenient, and relatively inexpensive. Let’s share our traditional and flavored creations with the club members and receive positive feedback on our work.

See you then!

Queso Diego July Meeting Announcement

Be sure to put next meeting on your calendar and plan to attend: Tuesday the 18th at AleSmith:
· Queso Diego had a very successful showing at the Del Mar Fair Cheese Contest, and we’ll hear from some of the winners about their experience.
· The lovely Jenny Eastwood will give a presentation on American Cheeses, and recommend some that we should all put on our bucket list.
· The club is kicking off a fun new participatory monthly event that will not only provide good cheese to share, but increase all our cheese making prowess.
· And, there will be an announcement about an exciting club program which will provide information, equipment, and ingredients for all members.

Don’t miss this mid-summer meeting; there’s a lot of exciting things going on.

RSVP here, and let us know what you may be sharing with us:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScfdPq3F3lwaqq1kQSj9mgDUQjusnadz3QTQ5EJvc7aLdkibA/viewform

Queso Diego Cheesemaker’s Rodeo Winners

Congratulations to Queso Diegan’s who took home many awards from the Cheesemaker’s Rodeo at the San Diego County Fair. Club members took home 20 ribbons and our own Jessica Voytek took home the Best of Show for a beautiful blue cheese. Thanks to Earl Itrich for all his efforts organizing the event and to Jenny Eastwood for recruiting qualified judges and providing training to those without professional experience. Photo credits to Larry Stein.

July 1 – Queso Diego’s Cheesemakers Rodeo Contest

Fresh
First – Patricia Zervic, San Diego
Second – Christian Banker, Oceanside
Third – Curt Wittenberg, Encinitas

Brined
First – Larry Stein, San Diego
Second – Shane Webber, San Diego
Third – Christian Banker, Oceanside

Bloomy Cow Brie, Camembert, Triple Crème
First – Curt Wittenberg, Encinitas
Second – Jessica Voytek, San Diego

Bloomy Goat
First – Sabine Friedrich-Walter, Escondido
Second – Clifford Slatton, Los Angeles
Third – Jessica Voytek, San Diego

Blue Mold
First – Jessica Voytek, San Diego
Second – Curt Wittenberg, Encinitas

Soft/Semi-Soft
First – Larry Stein, San Diego
Cheddar and American Style
First – Marci Richards, San Diego
Second – Clifford Slatton, Los Angeles

Hard (aged)
First – Curt Wittenberg, Encinitas
Second – Clifford Slatton, Los Angeles

Flavored Cheeses, Butter & Cultured Dairy Products
First – Sabine Friedrich-Walter, Escondido
Second – Christian Banker, Oceanside
Third – Jessica Voytek, San Diego

Open
First – Jessica Voytek, San Diego
Second – Curt Wittenberg, Encinitas
Third – Christian Banker, Oceanside

SD Fair Contest 2017

Queso Diego June Meeting Announcement

For the June meeting of Queso Diego, we will be learning about cheese forms and presses from Larry Stein.
We are now allowed to share homemade alcoholic beverages (homebrew beer, wine, cider, mead) at our meetings at AleSmith. We are still not permitted to bring outside commercial alcohol. Please bring your own tasting glass.

Queso Diego February Meeting
Tuesday, June 20 @ 6:30PM
AleSmith Brewery
9990 AleSmith Court
San Diego, CA 92126

Meetings are free, but we highly encourage bringing something tasty to share (including homemade and store-bought cheeses), and joining as a member for only $20/year. Please bring a chair to sit on.

Please RSVP using the following link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUSTqsFn5kwBRjGfw0EEXH-ZeXTSjvjhdsjog9LD9KOFmpDA/viewform