Beecher's Celebrates Friends, Family -
and an Anniversary

This month ushers in my favorite holiday - Thanksgiving. Not only do we all look forward to a table full of delicious food surrounded by family and good friends, but it's also a time to reflect on the many things to be thankful for.

At Beecher's, this Thanksgiving marks the third anniversary of when we first opened our doors down at Pike Place Market. As we look back on the last three years, we're particularly thankful for you - our extended Beecher's family.

Your support and enthusiasm for not only Beecher's products but the world of artisan cheese makes our job fun, and we look forward to what the next three years holds for the craft of artisan cheesemaking.

Wishing you and yours an enjoyable and delicious November,

Kurt Beecher Dammeier
Proprietor

Beecher's Handmade Cheese Turns
Three Years Old And It's Never Tasted So Good!

Cheese lover alert! We’re celebrating our three-year anniversary with our Anniversary Collection - a special collection of Flagship cheeses available exclusively at Beecher's, Pasta & Co, and Bennett’s Pure Food Bistro this holiday season. It’s also the only way to taste Beecher’s latest creation, Flagship Reserve, before its official release in February 2007.

A recent award-winner at the American Cheese Society's Annual Competition, Flagship Reserve is a one-year aged, natural rind cheese made using the traditional cloth-bound aging method. Each wheel of Flagship Reserve varies slightly in flavor, reflecting the “terroir” of the dairy and seasonal influences on the milk.

The Anniversary Collection is arranged in an old-fashioned galvanized tub with wooden handles. You won’t find a more distinctive gift for yourself or your favorite cheese lover. The collection includes:

• Flagship Reserve: Savor every morsel of this cheese—
  its official release isn’t until February 2007
• One Year Aged Flagship: Beecher’s signature cheese; it’s an award-winner with a one-of-a-kind robust and nutty flavor
• One Year Aged Raw Milk Flagship: One year of aging and the use of unpasteurized cow’s milk cultivate the distinct flavors of this cheese—uniquely robust and nutty like our Flagship cheese, but with distinctly earthy undertones
• Beecher's Original Crackers: Rich and buttery with a nutty sweetness and an excellent crunch
• Beecher's Honey Hazelnut Crackers: The same satisfying crunch as our Original Crackers with the subtle flavor of roasted hazelnuts and a hint of sweetness from local honey

Limited Edition: Our Anniversary Collection will begin shipping on November 13th and is available for pre-orders. We have a very limited supply of our Flagship Reserve so be sure to order the Collection before the cheese runs out!

Are you short on time with a gift recipient list that doesn’t seem to quit? For $49.95, we’ll ship your Beecher’s Anniversary Collection anywhere in the continental U.S. Simply provide us your list of gift recipients (printed, on disc, or electronically) and we’ll take care of the rest.

Make Your Cheese Plate Stand Out
This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving meals are famous - and loved - for the variety of exquisite entrees and delectable desserts that fill the table. To stand up to grandma's stuffing and spicy pumpkin pies, you'll need a cheese platter full-flavored enough to leave enthusiastic palates wanting more.

1. Beecher's Flagship Cheese
COW / SEMI-HARD / PASTEURIZED
We haven't met a cheese lover yet who didn't crave more of our one-year aged Flagship cheese. Robust and nutty, Flagship pairs well with wines and food alike.

2. Mt. Townsend Sea Stack
COW / BLOOMY RIND /
PASTEURIZED
The rind is soft, the paste is smooth and rich. To add to this, Seastack has a dusting of sea salt that gives it a bit of bite. Considered to be Mt. Townsend's best cheese.

3. Rogue Creamery Oregonzola
COW / BLUE / RAW
We use this cheese for cream sauces, salad dressings, and as a stand-alone on a cheese plate. As the name implies, Oregonzola is a gorgonzola-style cow’s milk cheese that's sharp, tangy and fruity with a lush, buttery texture.

4. Sally Jackson Sheep
SHEEP / SEMI-SOFT / RAW
Washington's own Sally Jackson - one of the most respected cheesemakers in the world - wraps her cheeses in chestnut leaves, adding a sweet, earthy character. Be sure to taste the leaves with the cheese to get the full, delicious effect!

5. Juniper Grove Tumalo Tomme
GOAT / SEMI-HARD / RAW
Considered to be one of the best cheeses made in the northwest, Tumalo Tomme is a semi-hard washed rind cheese that is nutty and creamy with a subtle, musty pungency that washed rinds are famous for.

Sound good enough to eat? If you would like to sample any of the above, visit our Beecher's store or call (206) 956-1964 to place an order.

Hosting Thanksgiving This Year?

If you're located in the Seattle Metro area, serve your guests a splendid Pasta & Co feast that mixes time-honored favorites with unexpected delights. For details on how to order, click here.

Shipping Beecher's Cheese
Just Became More Affordable

Whether you're buying gifts for the season or satisfying a personal craving for our delicious Beecher's cheese, you'll appreciate what our holiday shipping options will do for your bottom line.

Taking advantage of cooler temperatures, we're excited to begin offering 2-Day service in addition to Standard Overnight. Depending on where you're shipping to, you'll enjoy savings from 30 to 60% of what Standard Overnight service costs.

We'll also be shipping four days a week, Monday through Thursday, giving you until Thursday morning of each week to order your cheese in time for the weekend.

Learn more ...

Sign Up Online for Cheese 101
and You're on Your Way to Becoming
a Cheese Aficionado

Ever wonder how cheese was first created? Or how brie gets the bloomy rind? In our Cheese 101: Introduction to Artisan Cheese class, you'll learn all about cheese, from where it comes from to how it's made, all while sampling 17 American artisan cheeses. The evening is rounded out by an interactive wine and cheese pairing.

The next class is Wednesday, November 15th , so sign up now to reserve your space!

If you don't live in the Seattle area, check out our general events calendars and find out what cheese events may be happening in your area.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

If you have a favorite recipe where artisan cheese is a key ingredient,
email your recipe to thestaff@beecherscheese.com and you may
find your recipe in the next newsletter!

Sherried Brie and Mushroom Soup

Makes 8 cups

1 pound Marin French Cheese Co Rouge et Noir Brie
2 cups dry sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 3/4 cups half and half
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Trim the rind from the brie and then roughly tear it into 2-inch pieces. (It is easy to trim if you first place the cheese in the freezer for 30 minutes or until it is sufficiently hard.) Set aside.

In a small saucepan, reduce the sherry over medium-high heat to 1 cup. Set aside.

in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms, shallots, and lemon juice and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, add the flour, and stir until the flour is fully incorporated.

Return the mixture to heat and add the beef broth and reserved sherry. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the trimmed Brie, stirring until the cheese has melted. Add the half and half and pepper and continue to simmer without boiling for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the soup into separate bowls and garnish each with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the chives.