Artisanal Premium Cheese E-Newsletter

All your guests will win on Super Bowl Sunday with the Artisanal Gourmet Home Tailgate! It's all in the box -- eight unique cave-aged cheeses that are at peak ripeness, crackers, condiments, nuts, dried fruit, cheese display tags and interesting printed facts and trivia on each cheese to stimulate conversation -- but let your guests think you did all the work. With Artisanal's Gourmet Home Tailgate we make sure you score a culinary touchdown -- and get to see the game too! Serves 20 people.

Cheeses included in this Collection are: Ardrahan; Azeitão; Bijou; Bra Tenero; Fougerus; Majorero Pimentón; Smokey Oregon Blue; Sparkenhoe Red Leicester.

Beer Flight Cheese Collection

If you have enjoyed Artisanal's many cheese collections paired with wine, champagne or sake, you must try our new Beer Flight Cheese Collection. The beer pairing is sure to capture your expectations of a truly unique and great gustatory experience. Serves 6 - 8 people.

Cheeses included in this Collection are: Hoja Santa; Stilton Colston Bassett; Shelburne Cheddar.

Special Cheese and Wine 101 Class on February 5th

February 5th: Meet the Wine Maker Series!
Join Artisanal's Dean of Curriculum, Max McCalman, and his special guest, wine maker Victor Marcantoni from Graffigna Wines, as they explore the exquisite pairings of Argentinean wines and Artisanal cheese. This is a one time only class - not to be missed so sign up today!

In this single session class, Max provides a roadmap for matching various cheese types with the wines that best suit them. He introduces cheese basics, including milk types, textures and flavors as well as how to shop for, care for, and serve fine cheeses. Then he guides you through choosing wines that complement each cheese type. You'll be invited to sample some of the cheese and wine pairings and discover marriages that suit your own personal taste.

All classes held at the Artisanal Premium Cheese Center in Manhattan.

Question: What is the advantage to having cheese at the end of a meal?
Find out in the next Artisanal e-newsletter!

Last Time We Asked: What causes that pleasant crystalline texture in the aged cheeses?

Answer: Through the process of proteolysis the protein chains in cheese gradually break down into amino acids, one of the more important of these being Tyrosine. Over time these Tyrosine amino acids bond with one another and crystallize. There are other crystals like Calcium Lactate sometimes found in cheese, though these are not usually considered to be such a fine attribute in fine cheeses it does serve to remind us what a great source of calcium cheese actually is.