Tag Archives: contest

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 March Virtual Meeting Announcement

Please join us on St. Patrick’s Day Eve for “Mold is Green(ish), Mold is Gold(en)” to celebrate Irish cheeses and greenness.

There will be a presentation about Irish cheeses and Molds (the fuzzy kind, not the forms)……..and we are having a St. Patrick’s Day themed cheese board contest. Winners will get prizes (sorry, no pots of gold).

6pm – DEADLINE for photo entries (see below)

6:30 – 7pm: Social Hour

7pm – Presentation and Contest (voting will be about half way through the presentation and winners will be announced after the presentation)

Zoom information was sent to the members email list.

CHEESE BOARD CONTEST:

Cheesy rules:

One entry per member
Must be original design and made by member (not professional)
Minimum of 2 and maximum of 4 cheeses
At least 50% of the cheeses must be Irish, green(ish)/mold(ish), or specifically made for St. Patrick’s Day
Photo submitted by 6pm, March 16th at the very latest, earlier is better (see instructions below)

Cheese boards should be cheese-centered, as we are a cheese club

So, who are the judges???………………..you are! Cheese board photographs will be presented to the group during the March meeting and then we will take a vote/poll to decide the winners.

Photo entries:

Submit one photo to mjrhjm@hotmail.com
Include your name with the photo
Submit no later than 6pm, March 16th

Your name will not be included when the photographs are presented for voting.

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