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California Cheese and Beer Pairing

Quarantine and COVID19 has completely changed the way we live. It has changed the way we cook, bake, do our food shopping, socialize and even attend events. We celebrate birthdays over zoom, work in Microsoft Meetings, play family catch ups over Messenger and attend Facebook Live Events to learn about, and launch new campaigns for different products. A few weeks ago, I learned even more about California Cheese and Beer. This fun pairing event hosted by the California Milk Advisory Board and webcasted live on their Facebook page.

 

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On July 10th at 6pm @nekkidchef @animetric @pickiesteater and @masarapba and I will learn from Cheese Monger, @baird.josiah , on how easy it is to pair cheese and beer through a #CheeseMisan virtual event. YOU can join us as Joe walks us through different combos of @realcaliforniamilkphl cheeses & tasty brewskis! Tune in to the #RealCaliforniaMilkPhilippines Facebook page as we go LIVE in a FUN interactive meetup where 5 lucky viewers will get to take home their own CHEESE & BEER PRIZES by answering questions correctly for #TeamMommaNManila! 📸: @realcaliforniamilkphl • • • • Click the link in my profile and make sure to click “GOING” over at https://bit.ly/CMABEventPage. • • • • #cheese #cheeseandbeer #cheeseandbeerpairing #lookfortheseal #brewskis #beer #zoom #enuman #letseat #virtualevents #virtuallearning #goodfood #comejoinus #letsgo

A post shared by Michelle Aventajado (@mommanmanila) on Jun 25, 2020 at 4:14am PDT

Special Delivery

Days before the event all five participants (me included) received a beer and cheese delivery that was so impressive, it had my kids all calling dibs. (on the cheese-phew-not the beer.) With a full load of 10 cheeses accompanied by 10 different Pinoy craft beers, I knew that this event would be both interesting and fun. Especially, when I found out that some of my friends were going to be joining Zoom meeting too!!

 

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This Friday, I will be hanging with some of my foodie friends for some fun with @realcaliforniamilkphl. Cheesemonger @baird.josiah will lead us in pairing cheese from California, with beer from our Pinoy Craft Beer makers. Are you interested in learning with me? Log in to Facebook on Friday, July 10th at 6pm and watch the Live session as we dig in for some #CheeseMisan and brews. PLUS-if you answer the trivia correctly while watching along, you could win YOUR OWN beer and cheese enjoy at home pack to enjoy with your family, too! • • • • Zoom in to see the specialty cheeses from @nicasiovalleycheese @pointreyescheese @fiscalinicheese @sierranevadacheese @marinfrenchcheese • • • • #lookfortheseal #cheese #beer #beerandcheese #pairing #wineandcheese #craftbeer #pointreyescheese #fiscalinicheese #sierranevadacheese #californiacheese #cheesecrawl #dairy #happyhour #zoom #tasting

A post shared by Michelle Aventajado (@mommanmanila) on Jul 8, 2020 at 4:33am PDT

Fun with Foodie Friends

Since some of my foodie friends were going to be in on this Zoom call, we were all excited to be learning from Real California Milk resident Cheese Expert, Joe Baird.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Joe through the different events that I have attended while learning more about California Cheese and Dairy products, and I was excited to see him yet again.

Funny thing is, even if I feel like I am familiar with the cheeses of The Golden State, I realized through this gathering that I know so very little. What a fun learning experience this was!

Let the Tasting BEGIN!

We started with what many would call the “milder and fresh” cheeses and worked our way up to the more pungent and “stronger” in flavor, cheeses. Each cheese was paired with a Pinoy craft brew that was complimentary in nature.

Here is how we broke the cheese tasting down:

  • Fresh Cheeses
  • Soft and Soft Ripened Cheeses
  • Semi-Hard Cheeses
  • Blue Cheese

So, if you look at the cheeses on this board (in all their glory), you will see that we started at the top working left to right and finished with the last cheese in the bottom right corner. The flavors of the cheeses become a little stronger with each one, and are best enjoyed when tasting this way. There is something about working your way up with intensity of flavors and richness that is pleasing to the palate.

HOW TO: California Cheese and Beer Pairing

There are three S’s when tasting and pairing cheeses with beer or even with wine:

  • SIGHT-Look at the cheese. Observe the color texture and composition.
  • SMELL-Using your sense of smell, see what notes are strong and what are subtle. Smell has a lot to do with flavor as well. Some people don’t realize just how important our sense of smell is to our sense of taste.
  • SAVOR-Taste. Savor. Chew slowly. Enjoy. (and then in our case, pair it with the craft brews!)

For many of you that know me well, you will know that note taking and highlighting and writing and all of these things are parts of the process that I enjoy most. I took some notes while watching our #CheeseMisan event, after it was over (Yes. SEPANX) And I will share them with you here in case you are curious about the cheeses we tried…

Not all Cream Cheeses are created EQUAL

Sierra Nevada Gina Marie Cream Cheese with Elias Mango Cider

You haven’t had CREAM cheese until you have tried Gina Marie Cream Cheese by Sierra Nevada Cheese Company. Wow! This cream cheese was incredible. It was light, smooth, and has zero fillers and zero stabilizers. Diego LOVED this one, and as soon as I was done on camera tasting it, he was already claiming dibs….

Note to self: My biggest realization through the tasting of this cream cheese was how different a product becomes when we have to add ingredients to make it last longer on the supermarket shelves.

Foggy Mornings are GOOD Mornings

Nicasio Valley Foggy Morning with Engkanto Blonde Ale

For this Nicasio Valley Fromage Blanc, we could taste the fresh citrus notes that were creamy and rich but yet light on the palate. This farmstead cheese is perfect on a cheese board against some of the others that we had to enjoy, and I feel like it would be gone in our household, just like the fresh Gina Marie Cream Cheese as well. It’s organic, and comes from a family that takes pride in making their cheeses just north of San Francisco.

Triple Cream and the OLDEST running Cheese Company in the U.S.

Marin French Cream Brie with Engkanto Blonde Ale

Marin French Cream Brie is obviously similar (maybe even superior) to its counterparts from France. Using a 70% butter fat milk to churn out this creamy Brie is best served with jam or honey. This is not one that would stand up well to baking since it has so much butter fat. It would melt straight away.

Smokey and Flavorful can stand the test of time

Sierra Nevada Organic Smoked Jack with Engkanto Blonde Ale

One of the things that we learned from expert, Joe Baird, is that the Sierra Nevada Organic Smoked Jack not only goes well with the Encanto Blonde Ale, it also can last longer than the fresh cheeses. Because this Jack is smoked, it’s great for sammies, fondue, and even pizza. When left to meld with meats and eggs in meat balls or quiches, it tastes even better the next day.

Toma goes great with Toma

Point Reyes Toma with Elias Mango Cider

As one of the other CheeseMisan members shared, this semi-hard cheese from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, is perfectly paired with a light mango cider. This cheese that comes from a family with Swiss Italian origins, is similar to a gouda or a fontina.

Some Like it Hot

Sierra Nevada Organic Habanero Jack with Monkey Eagle Pale Ale

This Organic Habanero Jack was the only spicy cheese amongst the ten that we tried. And because this cheese from Sierra Nevada has such a complex flavor profile it is was perfect paired with the Monkey Eagle Pale Ale. To be honest, I definitely drank a lot more of this beer with this one to alleviate some of the heat. Joe mentioned that the carbonation of the beer is what can help take some of the heat off of this cheese, but I was also looking for some olives, and maybe even some fig jam to enjoy with this one too.

Craft Beer and Cheddar

Fisacalini Craft Beer Cheddar with Engkanto IPA

Cheese made with Beer?

For this collaborative cheddar, 100 year old Fiscalini Cheese Company partnered with the Dustbowl Brewery to bring us a yeasty natural cheddar that reminds us of the beers we like to drink while noshing on California cheeses during a CheeseMisan party!  It was so interesting to taste both the cheese and the beer in one bite!

Carmody Meets Joe Black

Bellwether Carmody with Meet Joe Black Stout

Where the yellowest of our cheeses comes together with a black stout, we learned that this Bellwether Farms buttery Carmody comes from Jersey Cows. Jersey Cows really produce a higher butter fat milk, which is what gives this semi-hard cheese from Petaluma its golden hue. It’s tangy like a young parmesan, and sharp like a good cheddar, with hints of citrus and maybe even sour cream. I don’t like stout, but I enjoyed the coffee undertones of this crafty brew against the Carmody layers of flavor.

Bandages and Father Time

Fiscalini Bandage Wrapped Cheddar with Meet Joe Black Stout

Fiscalini’s Bandaged Wrapped Cheddar is sharp, sweet, pungent, salty, and so much of what I love in a semi-hard cheese. I love this cheese grated on pasta, in chunks as a midnight snack, mixed into frittatas that are earthy, and with Nino’s Tabasco Sriracha Jam. This 3x World Champion of Cheddars is made with raw milk which makes it more flavorful, but that also means that it needs to be aged 18 months to reach the level of perfection to even beat out English cheddars in the same category.

Blue and Black to finish the flight

Point Reyes Original Blue with Meet Joe Black Stout

Point Reyes Original Blue is definitely one of my favs. JJ called it the entry level blue cheese to enjoy others. I call it delicious. Also a farmstead cheese made in northern California, the cows graze on the rye grass that is gifted with a salt water fog, daily, because of the water coming off the bay. This gives us a blue veiny wedge of goodness that has hints of oysters, and brine.

Food and Fun

As with any event that involves good food, or in this case, California Cheese and Beer, the banter that was exchanged with my fellow foodies was both insightful and refreshing. Considering the events and circumstances that we are all facing as a nation of Filipinos, I considered this little break from the quarantine norm as both fun and educational. As always, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the dairy products I know and love and excited that I get to share all of what I learned with you!

If you would like to learn more about the cheeses that we tried, or how California Cheese and Beer Pairing can be done at home, you can visit the Real California Milk Philippines Facebook page, visit the website, or follow them on Instagram.

Also-if you want to purchase any of the cheeses we tasted in this flight, you can order them from Chef Alvin Ong over at Sourdough Cafe and Deli.

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It’s December 1st! Is there anything more delic It’s December 1st!

Is there anything more delicious than the smell of Christmas and the new found freedom as we anticipate celebrating the holidays with our families again?

@festivalmall has hosted a series of musical shows since November 5th that include Ace Banzuelo and Silent Sanctuary. Check out Michael Pangilinan on December 10th, too!

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Best of all-I love it when the places we know give purpose to their celebrations. Thank you #FestivalMall for partnering with @dsapi1  this holiday season. 

Thank you for sharing all the different ways we can celebrate the holidays with you!

#tistheseason #seasonofgiving #downsyndromeawareness #aintnothingdownaboutit #upsyndrome
I have always been intimidated by Cornish Hens. Th I have always been intimidated by Cornish Hens. Through this learning exercise with @usapeecphl, I have learned a bit more about these little birds that have bigger breast parts, and thank you Chef @ivoryyat for showing me how easy it is to prepare Greek Lemon Roasted Cornish Hens with Roasted Potatoes.
 
Clean and fresh flavors are perfect for these smaller birds that are rich in protein with zero carbs. Try the recipe in the comments section. I’m sure you’d enjoy it as much as I did!
 
Interested in U.S. Cornish Hens? You can buy them in stores near you. #CornishHen #USCornishHen #PoultryPerfection #CookingWithUSPoultry #USPoultry #USAPEECPHL #ad
@gi.aventajado and I played with some of the @pura @gi.aventajado and I played with some of the @puratosph products that they sent over the other day. Ready to use Bavarian Cream made these Cream Puffs easier than ever. I think we have to figure out how to temper our couverture better…

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@mommymundo always has a way of bringing together @mommymundo always has a way of bringing together just what we need, no matter the time of year. Loving these photos of my first boy that were snapped @expomom.

Anyone else thinking about #HolidayPhotos? I am not one of those moms that has it all together before Christmas. It’s usually a mad dash for us at the end of the year, but if it’s anything that the past few years has taught me, it’s that the little things are what makes the Christmas special.

Many of us haven’t been together with the extended family or even our immediate family in so long. That means it’s the perfect time to document.

@nextbymetrophoto will be hosting one last Christmas Marathon family photo shoot before the end of year. Check them out or shoot them a message. They have some cute set-ups.
****GIVEAWAY ALERT*** 10 things I LOVE about @sed ****GIVEAWAY ALERT***

10 things I LOVE about @sedahotels listed here and on FB!

1. Each property has a Signature Dish. If you can’t make it to Bacolod, you can still enjoy Chicken Inasal in any of their properties.

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4. Spacious Rooms and Residence Stays. Staying in the Three Bedroom Premier was perfect for our family. 

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7. Work with ease. Internet service is uninterrupted. Meeting rooms are available and easy to book.

8. Relax and Play. From mid-day tubbies with Gelli to, taking advantage of the pool, or the children’s room, the little girl had more than enough things to keep her busy!

9. #FamilyTime. Spending an extended amount of time outside our own space led to laughter, fun conversations, and opportunities to try new things. We were comfortable and rested in the space we were in, which meant more opportunities for us to connect.

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Up for grabs is one night in a ONE BEDROOM DELUXE for two persons with breakfast!

Here’s how to enter to win:
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4) Comment why you should win this staycation treat!

Plus points for people who share this post in stories and the winner will be announced on December 6th.
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@kitchen143 is something I really do love. Sharing a little bit of my kitchen with viewers and followers brings me joy. Even better when I get to work with chefs whom I can learn from and friends who like to spend time in the kitchen too!

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Wish I caught more mini moments from We Will Rock You.

Such a great musical!

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@gelliaventajado joined our family and led me to @bestbuddies. 

Thankful for all the ambassadors who were able to spend time with us. And for @smlpeeps  and @asurionphcareers for helping make magic happen on Saturday afternoon for #Friendsgiving.

#Thanksgiving #bestbuddiesph
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#Thanksgiving
Is there anything better than a stuffed turkey at Is there anything better than a stuffed turkey at this time of year? Whole turkeys require serious commitment to cook. #IYKYK But because U.S. Poultry is now available here in the Philippines, that also means preparing turkey is a tad bit easier.
 
Frozen U.S. turkey products are available and ready to cook for people who want to dabble with flavors for this bigger bird but aren't sure how.
 
Thank you to Chef @ivoryyat for putting together a medley of my favorite fall flavors. This combination of apples, sweet potatoes, and maple syrup perfectly compliment  the roasted turkey leg and remind me of flavors and scenes from back in New York. 
 
@usapeecphl l has the highest standards that follow USDA requirements which are certified safe before shipping to the Philippines. Get them in stores near you. 

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