We went to the National Air and Space Museum for the annual Flight Jacket Night.Richard C. Kirkland, pilot, author and artist was the speaker. He flew 103 combat missions in P-38 and P-47 fighters with the famed “Flying Knight” squadron in the southwest Pacific during World War II. He and his wife had nine children — and of course now have multiple grandkids and great grandkids.
We are members of the Air & Space Society, and the staff, including Elizabeth, Rachel and Christina did an excellent job of the program and the reception beforehand. The food and drinks were excellent, and the setting couldn’t have been better — right in the middle of the new exhibit, Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight.
Highlight for us: the cheese. All surprisingly delicious – not like the cubes you get at many receptions:
1. (Alpine) Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheese. Artisanal American cheeses reminiscent of French Gruyere style cheeses. It was awarded Best of Show at the 2010 American Cheese Society conference, an accolade it won in 2001 and 2005 as well. Pleasant Ridge Reserve was named U.S. Champion at the 2003 U.S Championship cheese contest. It’s the only cheese ever to win both national competitions. Pleasant Ridge Reserve is made from the non-pasteurized milk of a single herd of Wisconsin cows fed & managed using natural, “old world” practices. Dodgeville, WI, Uplands Dairy.
2. Cheddarwith Carmelized Onions. MODESTO, CALIFORNIA Fiscalini Farms. This cheese has a firm, crumbly straw colored flesh; a nutty, slightly smoky, earthy taste; and a more round finish than most aged cheddars. It looks like it might have been Bandage Wrapped Cheddar, but it was hard to tell at the reception. It hand-turned daily for the first two months of its life, and it is aged for 18 months. We skipped the onions, but they say it is delicious with many types of fruit and even red / white wines.
3. Amablu® “St. Pete’s Select” blue cheesewith a fig chutney. Cave aged a minimum of 100+ days in Faribault, MN at the Faribault Dairy Company. Our first cheese aged in genuine sandstone caves; Hand-made from unpasteurized cows milk from local farmers.
We both worked on Veteran’s Day, but we did take an evening break to celebrate with cheese. We went to the Chevy Chase Magruders — I sure miss having one right at Cleveland Park. And the deli there closes at 7:00, so our cheese options were limited to the case.
french rambol fume. Smoked, so BBQ Boy particularly liked. Had a recipe on the site for using it in Mac & Cheese. (Cow’s Milk, Semi-Soft). Forest Fume, formerly known as Smoked Rambol, is a processed Gruyere style cheese that is slowly cured over natural hickory. It’s rich, yet delicate flavor and creamy smooth texture are benchmarks for exquisite fondue cheese.
French raw milkMorbier (vegetarian ash). The ash is curious to me — gives the cheese an arty look, but since ash is well-known as an insect repellent, it’s a bit odd.
Stagnolia Blu (italian for blue foil) was from Trader Joes. It keep pretty well in a glass jar in the fridge.
Sidebar: Fun french cheese map at Ile de France Cheese. You can see where the cheese is made, see recipes and more.
Amadeus: A new cow’s milk cheese from Austria. Like gouda, very nice. A white wax rind. Named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Cheshire: England’s oldest cheese, listed in the Doomsday Book (dated 1085). Very crumbly; it isn’t spreadable, so use a spoon.
Blue Cashel: developed in 1984, it is Ireland’s original artisinal blue, and is the creation of Jane and Louis Grubb, a husband and wife team. Steve Jenkins says “To my mind, what Cashel Blue most resembles is the world’s finest Gorgonzola. I’m rarely out of it.” We thought it was very good.
