Fall Treats for Cheese Lovers

With Fall upon us, we're met with new opportunities to spice up our cheese platters to fit the changing scenes of the season.

Starting with Halloween in October, take your party treats in a new direction by offering an unconventional cheese tray sure to be celebrated by costumed guests ready for fun. Serve up the gooey, spicy, stinky, herbal cheeses recommended by cheesemongers but often overlooked. Read on for Beecher's suggestions for a deliciously original cheese platter.

Also, just in time for the busy Holiday season, we've added shipping options that will significantly reduce your shipping costs and provide you with more shipping options. Look for these changes to take effect Wednesday, October 25th.

Until next month,

Kurt Beecher Dammeier
Owner

A Real Treat for Your
Halloween Cheese Plate

At Beecher's, we see Halloween as the perfect opportunity to reach for the artisanal cheese you've always wondered about but have never tried. If you're ready for adventure, try a few of these recommendations:

1. Bellwether Farms San Andreas Sheep
SHEEP / SEMI-HARD / RAW
The perfect way to introduce someone to sheep's milk cheese. For guests worried about sheep's milk being too "gamey" or "barnyardy", they'll be pleasantly surprised by the mild, sweet flavors of San Andreas Sheep.

 

2. Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk
COW / WASHED RIND / PASTEURIZED
The smell may put some off, but no one can deny that this cheese is delicious. Within the washed rind, this triple cream has well-balanced savory flavors that are at once both sweet and earthy. Won Best in Show at the 2003 American Cheese Society's Annual Competition.

3. Beecher's No Woman
COW / SEMI-HARD / PASTEURIZED
A recent award winner at the American Cheese Society's Annual Competition, No Woman packs a punch with Jamaican jerk spices that impart nutty, spicy flavors with hints of onion, raisins, and pepper.

 

4. Mozzarella Company Hoja Santa Goat Cheese Bundles
GOAT / FRESH / PASTEURIZED
Along the lines of Sally Jackson's chestnut leaf wrapped cheeses, Paula Lambert of Dallas-based Mozzarella Company wraps fresh rounds of goat cheese in Hoja Santa leaves. Safe to eat, the leaves impart flavors of sassafras and mint to the soft cheese rounds.

5. Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue Cheese
COW / BLUE / RAW
No one can argue that Rogue Creamery makes some of the best blues in the country and their Smokey Blue is no exception. If you love blue cheese, this one delivers the tangy sweetness you crave but is served up with a hint of smoked hazelnuts.

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.

Shipping Beecher's Cheese
Just Became More Affordable

Whether you're buying gifts for the season or satisfying a personal craving for our delicous 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.

Enjoy these shipping options starting Wednesday, Ocrober 25.

If you have any questions about our new shipping policy, feel free to contact us.

- Sneak Preview -
Introducing The Anniversary Collection
Featuring Flagship Reserve Cheese

For those in the know, our Beecher's cheesemakers have been busy in the cheese kitchen crafting our Flagship Reserve cheese, a limited seasonal variety of our one-year aged Flagship and a recent award winner at the American Cheese Society's Annual Competition.

Flagship Reserve is produced with milk from Green Acres Farm located just outside of Seattle. Each wheel of cheese - identified by the season and year that the cheese was produced - varies slightly in flavor, reflecting the "terroir" of the dairy and seasonal influences on the milk. Produced with unpasteurized milk in 18 lb. truckles, Flagship Reserve is hooped and aged using the traditional cloth-bound method. This natural rind cheese has a texture that is drier and firmer with a more robust flavor than our one-year aged Flagship.

Although Flagship Reserve won't be available for purchase until February 2007, we're releasing a small batch of it through the Anniversary Collection, a delicious assortment of Flagship cheese in three renditions.

The Anniversary Collection will feature 24 ounces of cheese including Flagship One Year (pasteurized), Raw Milk Flagship One Year, and the yet-to-be-released Flagship Reserve. Accompanying the delicious cheeses are two bags of Beecher's artisan crackers: Original and Honey Hazelnut.

Limited Availability: Our Anniversary Collection will go on sale on November 13th. We have a very limited supply of our Flagship Reserve so be sure to order the Collection before the cheese runs out!

Special Note: If you'd like to get a jump on your holiday gifts, send Beecher's your gift list, including names, addresses, and payment information, and we'll take care of the rest! Contact us for more information.

Sign Up 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, October 25, 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!

Apple Cider and Cheese Fondue

Serves 4 to 6

12 ounces Flagship cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
12 ounces Just Jack cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 cups hard apple cider
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Assorted food for dipping such as bread cubes, apples, broccoli or cauliflower

In a medium bowl, toss the cheeses and cornstarch together until the cheese is fully coated. Set aside.

In a fondue pot over medium heat, bring the apple cider and lemon juice to a simmer. Slowly add the cheese, stirring after each addition to fully incorporate the cheese. Once smooth, sprinkle with the pepper and serve.

Note: Do not let the fondue boil as that may cause the cheese to separate and become stringy.