An old friend has come back to roost at Brick Street Market, Biale Black Chicken! We have not seen this wine in over a year because of the difficulties of getting it to the Midwest. We have a limited supply of this beautiful Zinfandel. The naming of Black Chicken goes back to an era of party line phones and the need to provide the Biale farm with a code word to add a clandestine bottle of the fine wine to the regular basket of farm goods. "Two dozen eggs, some zucchini, prunes, walnuts and a black chicken." The wine has survived for all of these years and is considered one of the top Zins in the world. Pair it with a big burger topped with Hook's Tilston Point Blue from Mineral Point, WI; and your palate will be amazed.

We have also obtained a couple of bottles of their newest wine, Royal Punishers a Petite Sirah, Rarely available except to insiders. This inky wine made of this beautiful grape has already earned a 95 point rating, This wine is on the edge of glory and we have it for you.

Dale Johnson, Brick Street Market Wine Merchants

Day 1 - Aesthetic Judging American Cheese Society 2016
So why is this different? Well, the ACS uses 2 judges - one a dairy science professional, the other a trade or food service industry professional. Technical and aesthetic. And, not to say that the aesthetic judge can't be very technically proficient, just that most of them have not spent their professional lives in the field of dairy science.

Anyhoooo...I digress. I am paired with a dairy science professional (very capable and generous to this fumbling aestheticist!), and we have a number of categories of cheese to work through. At this point, half through the process, we had a class of only 2 and a class of more than a dozen. Tomorrow, our biggest class is 27! And, at the end of the day! And...well, that will suffice for now! Things I became more aware of:
free whey

Rather pleased I didn't get assigned the fresh goat cheeses, as one judge remarked her tongue was all acid. No flavors, just plain fresh chevre. And, those are bigger classes too! Lots of plain fresh chevre!

And, though I cannot show pics, there is now some amazing craftsmanship in American made cheeses currently. That is, not to detract from the generations of cheesemakers in the country who have been doing a very good job making awesome tasting cheese, but rather that really creative styles, shapes, and flavors have been appearing - and there is a bright future ahead!

This is Laura, your cheese judging commentator signing off until tomorrow! Must get rested up and ready for another day of dairy expectations!

From the wine cellar - Michelle shares thoughts on summer wines!

New at BSM - Charles Smith Wine Collection

History - Charles Smith is a self-taught wine maker who is not afraid to step outside of the box and make wine the way he sees fit. Members of our Wine Merchants Staff comment that upon visiting with Charles Smith, it quickly becomes evident how passionate he is about making good wine and using bio-dynamic methods. While he has many different varieties to enjoy, we at Brick Street have selected 3 of our favorites to share with you.

Vino - 100% Pinot Grigio - 86 points - Mineral driven. YES. Terroir running through the entire wine. Aromas of fresh cut hay, tangerine, orange blossom, honeysuckle. Echoes again on the long - satisfying finish.

Pairings - grilled seafood, fresh oysters, and keeping it light with pastas with butter & sage.

2013 Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon - 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 5 % Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot. Rated at 89 points. If you like cabernet dark & rich, this is your best. Chocolate, dark cherries, tobacco leaf. It continues with and earthiness and a noticeable minerally finish.

Pairings - Beef Bourgignon, lambchops with balsamic reductions.

2013 K Milbrandt Syrah - 100% Syrah. Rated at 90 points. Textbook Syrah and this is it! Think of game, black olives, and crushed stone and a bouquet of fresh flowers thrown in! WOW!

Pairings: Hearty beef stews, pasta bolognese, wood-fired pizzas, and grilled meats.

Stop in and select a bottle for enjoying with your friends and family today!

Kellie Laurson and Becca Logterman, are our lead kitchen staff team members! They are both awesome cooks, but the word 'cook' or 'line cook' just does not do these talented ladies justice. The potato and ham soup with spring peas was just the right amount of hearty and delicious on our drizzly, cool morning!

Which brings me to a thought - You do realize that in WI, we eat hot soups all year round! So, here at Brick Street, a fresh soup gets made from scratch nearly every day of the week. And, that is only a small part of our daily menu!

On any given morning, they can bring out the best in what I like to call the 'flotsam and jetsam' of the walk-in refrigerator here at Brick Street, and I use that term to refer to many things that need to be gathered up and put to a proper use.

Our daily soups or feature salads and sandwiches often benefit from this gathering up process in their hands! This week, we've been featuring a blue and steak salad, a grilled steak and Manchego cheese sandich, a "Hawaiin Grill" featuring Ham, Manchego, grilled green peppers and onions and a special Aloha sandwich sauce, all on a toasted rye. Who knows what the weekend will bring!

A couple joined us for lunch with friends, who were also recommended by another set of friends! "Absolutely delicious!" and "We'll be back!" are two comments we hear frequently - so here's hats off to Brick Street's very talented "kitchen team members!" Thank you to you both for all the creativity and care you invest in feeding our customers!

A community's commitment

I am a firm believer in the concept of living in a space a bit before making any lasting changes. These past few weeks have proven that theory out. As you are returning to Delavan for the summer, or just getting back to us after a busy winter, you will perhaps notice our cheese cases moved to the front of the small retail store, and further established the cafe space as the independent 'eating' space with more seating and some additional high-top tables in the front windows to match.

Our front windows provide a great almost 'sidewalk cafe' experience for our patrons where they can watch all of Walworth County drive back and forth.

Our cheese cases are gaining back their higher profile as well, as they are the first thing you see when you enter Brick Street Market.  We start with cheese, we offer cheese and things that go with cheese, and we end with cheese! It is very gratifying to me to hear you, our loyal customers, say to us..."This makes perfect sense."

We are still in the process of adding the decorating touches, of course, to make it seem much more like a 'real cheese shop', so you can still look forward to additions as we move through the first year in operations here in our new home.

We will be eight seasons old this summer, but essentially moving into the 'second grade', as it were. Thank you for shepherding us through our grade school of business experience, for supporting us with a guiding hand and helpful word. Thank you for continuing to buy cheese and support our local economy!

2015 - High protein, natural, healthy

In a recent Beverage Industry study, the 2015 trend indicators seem to indicate people continue to want get the biggest bang (high protein), with the least amount of label ingredients (natural), and with perceived health giving properties in the products they buy. My answer: ARTISAN CHEESE!

1) beauty enhancing - strong bones make for beautiful bodies!
2) cognitive health - lots of natural vitamins and minerals to support "beautiful bodies"!
3) country of labeling - Most artisan cheese comes from one place of origin.
4) ethnic - All types of cheeses are available from all over the world via your local cheese shop or favorite cheese purveyor's internet site.
5) Fair Trade - Artisan cheesemakers operate in small markets where prices are controlled by the marketplace.
6) low salt - pic a goat cheese, most any goat cheese!
7) indulgent - Oh, yes, the outstanding characteristic of hand-crafted, small batch cheese, is indulgent, over the top flavor!
8) portion controlled - You don't need to eat a pound. It lends itself quite well to small samples paired with other very healthy options.

Onward into 2015 - Eat more cheese! Support your local cheesemaker, or cheese retailer!
And for another amusing read, mostly because I love the thought of driving around the Wisconsin countryside talking to cheesemakers and dairyfarmers! And, I completely understand how coffee takes on many forms, when delivered outside the local coffeehouse - but is a staple nonetheless.

Jeanne Carpenter recently extolled the virtues of learning to drink coffee, and examines how this beverage has become such a mainstay in American culture!

http://tinyurl.com/ly8zgnf
ljw

WILLI Arrives!

It's new, it's breathtaking, I CAN'T WAIT!

To break it open, that is. The anticipation is killing me! WILLI is a traditional ALPINE style of cheese, made under the collaborative efforts of Bob Wills (Cedar Grove Cheese Company), Willi Lehner (Bleu Mont Dairy), Bill Anderson (Creme de la Coulee Artisan Cheese Company), Chris Roelli (Roelli Cheese).

Willi is an Alpine-style, natural-rinded cheese crafted in small batches. This cave-aged beauty is cured a minimum of 5 months, creating a robust, earthy cheese. Willi would make a perfect addition to any cheeseboard.

Willi made its debut at the 2013 American Cheese Society Competition where it took 2nd place in its category for American Made/International Style cheeses. 

What's in a name - a Parm is no longer a parm...

In recent weeks, numerous media sources have been commenting on the EU's assertion that American cheeses should not be called by the original European names. Several customers mentioned hearing about the story.

As is typical of 'news' stories of the current 'media saturated' age, every source I searched seemed to be coming off the same AP story. But it appears that U.S. cheesemakers are making an effort to fight back.

First, it is important to acknowledge that these attempts are not new, but have been made by those charged with protecting regional agriculture and local jobs in any country, especially in light of the development of the fiercely competitive global marketplace.  Both sides claim to be protecting "rural _________(insert country name) economies and jobs."

European producers claim American producers have been trading on already popular brands.  But Errico Auricchio, Belgioioso Cheese, Denmark, WI;  and his American counterparts believe "American companies have made them more popular and profitable in a huge market."

Perhaps Americans don't have to "trade on the popularity of European cheeses" any longer, and are capable of developing enough market share to survive on their own in the marketplace. American made cheeses that have gained notoriety (through competitions and active endeavors from marketing boards) have found a manner where they can invite the knowledgeable cheese consumer to explore, define their own sense of identity, and win the customer over with a quality product.) Take Sartori's Bellevitano line of cheeses. Yes, they are 'parmesan style' cheeses, but the line is called Bellevitano and becoming know as such. And their aged parm is called Sarvecchio, for which they are also gaining brand recognition.
 
American cheesemakers are working to be identified in their own right, offering remarkable products, and setting up operations in states never before known for commercial cheesemaking. In the current arena of all things local, many consumers are becoming comfortable with the notion of a regionally if not locally produced cheese - and many cheesemakers are experimenting with all the types of cheese. While we may not replace Parmigiano Reggiano, we may find we can substitute something more available and equally flavor-full but with our own American identity! In essence, I don't need your ball, I have my own.

I say define the category type: Parmesan, Cheddar, Gruyere - and work instead to classify your product as the supreme leader of quality in the category.
ljw

The Best of "Cheese - y" Cookbooks for 2014!

I've been taking a revisit of a great little cookbook, The WI Food Journal 2014, and finding again all kinds of treasures.

In the beginning, there is a great foreword by Jeanne Carpenter, Wisconsin's own cheese spokeswoman.

This gem of a book by Joan Peterson and Terese Allen has monthly calendars - so you can plan all your cheese meals!

Every month also has a monthly seasonal guide and pearls of wisdom by the state's cheese specialtists. A common thread among all the state's cheesemakers - Quality cheese begins with beautiful, clean, quality milk from animals that are well cared for and well fed. Enough said!

Wonderful cheese recipes like the Cheddar Sage Biscuits on page 18 ( a great recipe for this month  since the book also claims March is Cheddar Month!) And some of our favorite cheddars come from the our favorite cheesemaker pictured by Photographer Bill Lubing, Tony Hook, on page 100.

Signature March Recipe - There's even a great black bean soup with cheddar, cornbread and onions that I'm dying to make in our store for lunch!

Stop in to the store, give a gander at a great little resource. At just $17.95, it is well worth the investment to anybody's cookbook collection!

Candied nut recipe

I used the following:

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. brown sugar

pinch of cayenne

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 c. mixed walnut pieces, almond slivers, pepitas (little toasted pumpkins seeds) or any others you have. 

Make a simple syrup using brown sugar, water, cayenne ( or red pepper flakes), sea salt (or kosher).

Simmer until sugar is dissolved. Stir in your nut collection. Simmer 3 - 5 minutes, just enough to coat.

Place on baking sheet and in oven at 400 degrees, turning while nuts brown (every 3 - 5 min.) Remove when nuts are toasted brown in color.

Let cool. Break apart.

Great with blue cheeses especially!