WannabeMonger

Beer and Cheese (and me) --click here for more info!

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:16:47 -0400

Beer and Cheese (and me) --click here for more info!:

This beer and cheese pairing kicks off what promises to be a fun roster of 2012 WannabeMonger classes and events! Partnering with the awesome ladies over at Brooklyn Fork and Spoon, I’ll be leading guests in a pairing flight of three beers and three cheeses. Yummy snacks by Mardi & Rebecka. See you there, or drop me a note if you’re not able to make it this time around but want to hear about upcoming classes and events.

Here we go again… Where in the world is WannabeMonger?! As has happened for various periods...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:53:29 -0500

Here we go again…

Where in the world is WannabeMonger?!

As has happened for various periods throughout the WannabeYears, my cheese endeavors have recently taken over most of my time and energy. There is exciting news to go along with this blog hiatus: I have been mongering my heart out, that’s what I’ve been up to!

The short of it is this: as of February 1st I’m the Lead Cheesemonger at Beecher’s Handmade Cheese here in New York. I’ll post a picture of the shop soon, but for now know that I’m as immersed as a monger can be (Wannabe or not), and I’ll be reactivating this blog once I’ve acclimated to the new digs. Yay cheese!

A belated valentine, from the WannabeCheeseCave to you.

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:41:30 -0500

A belated valentine, from the WannabeCheeseCave to you.

A new batch of my latest goat milk creation: The Whoops...

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:56:01 -0500

A new batch of my latest goat milk creation:

The Whoops Wahoo!

These guys will be aged about three weeks, just enough time to develop a delicate, crinkly, wild yeast rind. “A trip to the woods and back.”

Want to reserve a puck? Email me, before they’re all spoken for!

Thanks to all who attended The Winey Neighbor’s Grand...

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:36:29 -0500

Thanks to all who attended The Winey Neighbor’s Grand Tasting this past Saturday!

Scores of neighbors came by and sampled three of my cheeses. Here’s what they tried:

Little Kidd: this 5-week old bloomy rind goat cheese is spicy and sharp, with a dense texture and a swift funk at the end.

Whoops Wahoos: these new 3-week old natural yeast rind goat cheeses are my newest endeavor, and they found many fans at the tasting. With gooey, lip-smacking texture and a tasting “like a trip through the woods” I suspect there will be many orders for these coming in soon.

Fresh Mozzarella: can’t go wrong with this creamy, milky cow’s milk classic. Especially popular with the kiddies!

If you’re interested in procuring any of these cheeses, or if you’d like to take one of my cheesemaking classes, email me today.

(More pictures from The Grand Tasting, here.)

Eat My Cheese! Finally, you can sample some of my WannabeMonger...

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:48:00 -0500

Eat My Cheese!

Finally, you can sample some of my WannabeMonger original cheeses this Saturday at the best neighborhood event around town - a Grand Tasting, at The Winey Neighbor!

I’ll be there with two types of goat cheese: Little Kidds - my tried and true bloomy rind spice bombs, and my new Whoops Wahoos - gooey, earthy, luscious little pucks. I’ll have some fresh mozzarella too, and all kinds of info about my classes and how to order some of these goodies for yourself.

Hope to see you there!

The Winey Neighbor, a boutique wine store in Prospect Heights/...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:29:41 -0500

The Winey Neighbor, a boutique wine store in Prospect Heights/ Crown Heights, is going to host their first Grand Tasting on Saturday, January 21st from 4-6pm. In order to celebrate cultural diversity, support local businesses and strengthen our community, this free event will feature samples from neighboring artisan food makers, local gourmet chefs and international wine importers.

I’ll be offering WannabeMonger samples for tasting, and information on my upcoming classes. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by and say hi!

This holiday season, give an experience to the people you love! Lately I’ve run into many people who...

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:54:23 -0500

This holiday season, give an experience to the people you love!

Lately I’ve run into many people who have asked about giving a space in my Mozzarella Making class to others, as a gift. A few fans have already done so, and it has been a great success. If you’re interested, email me and we can work out the details. More info on the classes can be found here, and you will receive a WannabeMonger branded gift certificate for the lucky recipient.

One thing you should know about goats: they are adorable!

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:54:53 -0500

One thing you should know about goats: they are adorable!

G. Cravero’s Parmigiano Reggiano: cracked and ready to...

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:30:50 -0500

G. Cravero’s Parmigiano Reggiano: cracked and ready to devour!

Cracking open a wheel of Parmigiano is a tricky endeavor, hence my huge smile here. First you score the rind with a little tool, and then you shimmy in long knives along the rind. Ideally you have enough time to leave them there, letting the cheese naturally split around them, and along the rind that you scored. Eventually, a little wiggling of the knives and the luscious wheel swings open!

Want to wow your Turkey Day guests with a cheese to be most...

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:02:00 -0500

Want to wow your Turkey Day guests with a cheese to be most thankful for? Vacherin Mont d’Or, at $40 a pop and a once-a-year ripe window happening now, is the king of crowd pleasers. Why so special? This Swiss-made cow’s milk cheese will transport you to the forest, as it takes on the woody smell of its basket as it ages. It is as oozey and gooey as a cheese can be, and is best eaten slightly warm. Steve Jenkins puts it best: “one of the highest achievements of human civilization!”

Happy 3,001 Day! Wow, today WannabeMonger.com hit the 3,001...

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:39:14 -0500

Happy 3,001 Day!

Wow, today WannabeMonger.com hit the 3,001 followers mark. Thanks to all of you for supporting my milk-themed adventures! As a 3,001 Day treat, I’m posting this picture of my cut cheddar and gouda, resting in the WannabeCave.

WannabeMonger Original Cheeses: cut and displayed...

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:32:00 -0500

WannabeMonger Original Cheeses: cut and displayed (and…eaten!)

This weekend I opened the Dalia, a 6 month goat cheddar, and a couple of Little Kidds, 20 day old lactic-type goat cheeses. And, what would a WannabeGathering be without some fresh Mozzarella?

A couple highlights from this month’s Mozzarella Making...

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:27:00 -0500

A couple highlights from this month’s Mozzarella Making Classes, thanks to the fun participants that have come thru the WannabeCheeseRoom!

I’ll be teaching weekly classes through the end of the year. Check out class details and email me if you’re interested in securing a spot for yourself and/or others. Bringing homemade mozzarella is a great holiday party trick, FYI!

Closing the Book on My Curd-ish Experiment For those of you who...

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:51:00 -0400

Closing the Book on My Curd-ish Experiment

For those of you who have been following this blog since the beginning, or you fans who have caught up on all the history, maybe you thought I was giving up on this experiment. Well, I did not give up! That little ball of mozzarella has been patiently waiting in my freezer, and I finally put it to the test.

So, the picture really is all you need to see: the experiment yielded a great pizza success! I’ve been perfecting a one hour mozzarella method over the past year, and it’s what I teach in my Mozzarella Making class. Because the method is quicker than more traditional 2-5 day Mozzarella recipes, I wasn’t sure how it would hold up after being frozen. I’m happy to report that it re-hydrated with no problem (I just put it from the freezer into the fridge and let it defrost slowly for a day or two), sliced nicely, and coated this yummy pizza with cheesy, bubbly, gooey goodness.

Beer #6: Chelsea High & Dry (Porter) The Paglierino and the...

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:00:05 -0400

Beer #6: Chelsea High & Dry (Porter)

The Paglierino and the Chiriboga blue paired well with this one, but by the time we got around to beers #5 and 6 you can tell the crowd was perhaps too full to properly rate things (hence the two ?? filled boxes…).

Coming up on Tuesday: the ultimate pairing winners, and the biggest misfires of September’s Beer+Cheese.

Beer #5: Bear Republic Hi-Five (Black IPA) Try a black IPA with...

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:00:05 -0400

Beer #5: Bear Republic Hi-Five (Black IPA)

Try a black IPA with the L’Amuse Gouda or the Paglierino for some fun:

“Let’s do the tango”

“Will you marry me? Yes.”

Stay away from Lake’s Edge or similar goat-y types for this one. Nobody likes a pushy fight…

Beer #4: Barrier Craven (Belgian Single) Pair this one with the...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:00:05 -0400

Beer #4: Barrier Craven (Belgian Single)

Pair this one with the Lake’s Edge for a slam dunk: “Like being punched in the face - in a good way”

or with the Chiriboga for dessert: “Rootbeer float”

Beer #3: Barrier Dubbel Down (Abbey Brown Ale) Don’t taste...

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:00:06 -0400

Beer #3: Barrier Dubbel Down (Abbey Brown Ale)

Don’t taste this one with Paglierino! “They bring out the worst in each other”

Do have it with L’amuse Gouda: “the beer drives, the gouda rides”

Beer #2: Six Point Autobahn (IPA) Looks like Chiriboga Blue had...

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:00:05 -0400

Beer #2: Six Point Autobahn (IPA)

Looks like Chiriboga Blue had the best pairing with this one:

“Like a first date. Awkward at first and then BAM! The beer is takin’ that blue home tonight.”

“sexy”