Cheese and beer are good

Good lord, what a terrible photo to go with such a lovely evening! Did I learn nothing about pairing when I attended my Artisanal cheese and beer pairing class??? Actually, yes I did learn something...I love cheese and beer in any combination!
Let me tell you a few things that I did learn from my evening of higher gastric education...
First and foremost, the beers from Blue Point Brewing are really delicious. Apparently the brewery is accessible from Manhattan via train (it's in Patchogue, Long Island after all) and get this, they have all you can drink sampling at the brewery and an outdoor patio for seating! Hello new summer weekend adventure!
We enjoyed their Toasted Lager, Fresh Hops Pale Ale, No Apologies Imperial IPA, Oatmeal Stout, and Sour Cherry Imperial Stout. My favorite had to be their Oatmeal Stout, but I am a big dark beer drinker. Their Sour Cherry Imperial Stout and No Apologies Imperial IPA (10% ABV) were also winners for me.
Ok, so we also had cheese...I mean we had some of the most awesome, stinky, blue, melty and delicious cheeses I have ever eaten! I have to tell you that I do believe after eating all these beauties that the Hoja Santa from the Mozzarella Company in Dallas Texas is perhaps the best cheese to pair with beer ever created. This cheese is a young goat's milk cheese that is wrapped in leaves from the Hoja Santa plant. This gives the cheese a peculiar (but yummy) flavor that Jon Lundbom (the cheese expert teaching our class) said tasted like sassafras. Not having eaten much sassafras in my time, the closest I could describe it was similar to the flavor of epazote. Now this may not sound like a match made in heaven to pair with beer, but let me tell you it is so dreamy and creamy and just plain great...try it yourself!
Other cheeses we sampled were Comte Saint Antoine (superb), Gorwydd Caerphilly, Montgomery's Cheddar (cheddary and yummy), Epoisses (stanky but delicious), Brillat Savarin (maybe even creamier than butter...to die for), Bayley Hazen Blue (I hate blue and liked this) and Valdeon (I don't like blue cheese).
Most of these cheeses are available from the Artisanal website, and they have a bunch of other great classes to attend so please check out their class list.
If you are interested in the class I took, there are three more sessions scheduled:
Thursday, April 12th - with Ithaca $75.00
Thursday, May 3rd - with Kelso $75.00
Thursday, June 21st - The Spices of Summer $75.00
I hope you will take my advice and check out one of their many classes, but if you are unable I hope you will look for the Hoja Santa cheese and amaze your friends and family with your terrific beer and cheese pairing abilities. I won't tell where you got this insider info...wink!

I want to be grossed out by this

I present the Dram Sandal from Reef. Apparently hidden deep within the recesses of this innocent looking flip flop lies a canteen designed to conceal your booze. Let me just say now that I wish you the best of luck in getting through airport security with these babies on...and please at least keep your toenails trimmed if you're going to wear these. Blech!

Seriously hungry

You must go read Serious Eats today. They've got a story on wine in juice boxes made by Bandit Winery, an impending worldwide chocolate shortage (gasp!), and notes on Willie Nelson's new ice cream flavor for Ben & Jerry's (and no, it's not that flavor).

Flor for the people

Wha??? When did Target start carrying flor carpet tiles? That is downright exciting! Now my parents have absolutely NO reason to avoid these most convenient carpet tiles because they can acquire them right there at their neighborhood Tar-jay.
Via notcot.org

Handy bag

Thank you Etsy, I am always able to find something unique and fun there. Check out this tree painted handbag and tell me it is something I do not need...it's so Orla Kiely-esque. Love it.

Most genious idea ever

So sleepy...can't talk. Lucky I've got my pillow bluetooth!

Anchors away!

Ahhh, I need all three of these necklaces from Giles & Brother. They make some really trendy and fun jewelry and can be purchased at BlueBee.com. I like it I love it I want more of it.

Enamel love

Alright, slap me...I've been away too long! Terribly sorry.
I am going to do my best to post a whole bunch of groovy stuff like these lovely enamel jewelry boxes in order to make it up to you. Stay tuned!

Comfortable chic

Riley just sent over these images of the new line of Crocs for Spring 2007. I can't wait to get some of those thongs, as I am not supposed to wear regular flip flops this summer and have been feeling very sad about it. I can't see why my middle aged feet wouldn't be able to handle these cushy babies though...now those crazy wedges I'm not so sure about...

Mice vice

I totally need a diversion while working (as if blogging wasn't enough...), and a fun mousepad like this would work wonders. Ooh, and their selection of coaster sets are good stuff too.
From mirrorgirl on Etsy

Glass blowing 101

Friday night Riley and I trudged through the deep deep snow to go out and learn how to blow glass at One Sixty Glass studio in Williamsburg. Let me tell you, glassblowing is the strangest, most exciting art project I have ever done, and it is nearly impossible to describe. I guess the best thing to compare it to is wheel throwing in pottery...you spin the glass and get it all centered, then open the hole in the center to create your shape. Ok, that is sort of a simplification of the process, but you get the gist right? Oh did I mention that it totally burns your hands and arms? Yeah, that's some hot molten stuff you are working with...
So how do you like our pint glasses that we made??? Pretty attractive eh? The beer sure tastes good out of them though...