DIY Cheesemakers to Meet Again

We regularly get phone calls from people who are looking for cheese making supplies (which we don’t actually carry, but can be found locally at Kookoolan Farms) and it seemed like there might be a sizeable group of DIY cheesemakers in the Portland area who ought to meet each other. So in January, we invited folks who are making cheese at home to get together here at the shop. About 18 people showed up and had a fine time exchanging ideas, experiences and resources. There was a wide range of experience levels — from folks who are really just beginning to others who’ve been doing it for years. The group decided to meet again on Wednesday, March 19th at 7:15pm. And this time, some folks may even bring some of their cheese to share!

So if you’re making cheese at home and would like to meet other likeminded folks, come on in. You’ve got peers!

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Cheese of the Month Club: A Terrific Gift Idea

If you have someone on your gift list that loves cheese and tasty food, here’s an idea: Give them a membership to Foster & Dobbs’ Cheese of the Month Club. Each month, your loved ones will enjoy a package of delicious treats, causing them to have warm and happy thoughts of you. In three or six month memberships, Club members receive three special cheeses that have been carefully selected to be at their prime. There will always be at least one American Farmstead cheese and at least one European cheese, and the third will be chosen to complement the other two. Included in the package will be information about each cheese and suggestions for use.

Cheese of the Month Club Prices
Three Months:
For pick up at the shop: $105
Delivered within the portland city limits: $150
FedEx 2 Day delivery: $195*

Six Months:
For pick up at the shop: $210
Delivered within the portland city limits: $300
FedEx 2 Day delivery: $390*

* Shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, and some rural areas will cost a bit more.

To sign up for a membership, call or drop by the shop. It only takes a minute to send someone a gift that they’ll enjoy for months to come!

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Order your Holiday Cheese Tray

To make your holiday party planning and preparations a bit easier, Foster & Dobbs has developed three beautiful cheese trays for every taste and budget. The Delicious One features three pasteurized cheeses paired with olives and marcona almonds. The Scrumptious One comes with three famous French cheeses served with apricots, cheeses, and caramelized walnuts. The Yummy One celebrates three domestic artisanal cheeses accompanied by dried pears, mission figs, and hazelnuts. Each tray comes ready for your table in three sizes serving 4-6, 8-10, or 12-15. A complete menu is attached. You may order in the shop or over the phone (503-284-1157). Your cheese tray will be ready for pickup within 24 hours of your order.

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Autumn Hours

Like the leaves, our hours are changing. Beginning Monday, October 15th our hours will be:

Monday through Saturday, 11:00am to 7:00pm, and
Sunday, Noon to 6:00pm

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Hooray for Oregon Cheesemakers!

Several Oregon cheesemakers walked away with awards at the 2007 American Cheese Society Competition. Over twelve hundred cheeses were entered in the competition, and the results were on display Saturday, August 5th in Burlington, Vermont. Cheese from all over the United States and Canada was assessed by teams of aesthetic and technical judges, and there were over eighty categories in which a cheese could be entered. Our Oregon winners were:

Willamette Valley Cheese
Spring Valley Brie (2nd Place)
Farmstead Gouda (1st Place)
Perrydale (1st Place)
Queso Fresco (2nd Place)
Smoked Gouda (3rd Place)
Cumin Gouda (2nd Place)

River's Edge Chevre
Saint Olga (3rd Place)
Up In Smoke (3rd Place)
Roasted Hazelnut & Frangelico Torte (2nd Place)
Confetti Moons (1st Place)

Rogue Creamery
Chipotle Cheddar (3rd Place)
Crater Lake Blue (2nd Place)
Rogue River Blue (2nd Place)
Edho Mountain (1st Place)

Tumalo Farms
Antigo (3rd Place)
Classico (1st Place)
Fenacho (1st Place)

Congratulations to Rod & Melissa Volbeda, Pat Morford, David Gremmels & Cary Bryant, and Flavio DeCastilhos!

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Cheese Conference Chronicles IV

Saturday, August 4. By the time the first session was letting out today, the smell of cheese was beginning to waft out of the ballroom where the Festival of Cheese was to be held. Inside that room, over twelve hundred cheeses were being cut and arranged on tables in preparation for the 4:30 opening. By 2pm, the aroma had completely filled the lobby and people who weren't a part of the conference were beginning to get very curious about what was happening behond those closed doors. Of course, since this is my 4th day at the conference, I've already tasted about sixty or seventy cheeses and am starting the worry about my stamina. If you've ever been to one of these Festivals, you'll know what I mean: imagine walking into a ballroom that is literally full of cheese, tables piled high with cheeses that range from the dreamy to the sublime. (Okay, not every cheese on those tables will be either dreamy or sublime, but even so, there will be hundreds that are...)

But before the Festival, I went to two sessions on pairing cheese: One focused on hard ciders and ice wine, the other on foods to pair (like honey, nuts, fruit breads, etc.) We tasted a couple of ciders from New England, both made with heirloom apple varieties. They were both very tasty, but Oregon's own Wandering Aengus was equally fine (perhaps even a bit better, I thought). These ciders were paired with a soft ripened goat's milk cheese, Lumiere, and with Beecher's Flagship Reserve cheddar(which is the cheese we use on our Mole sandwiches). One cider had a hint of residual sweetness and was bang up good with the cheddar. The Lumiere was tastier with the bone dry, tart cider. The most delcious beverage we tried was La Face Cachee de la Pomme's Neige ,an apple cider dome in an ice wine style. In this, the apples remain on the tree until they are frozen solid and then pressed and fermented. Amazing! Sweet without being cloying, rich and viscous but still clean and crisp somehow. Made in Quebec, this is a beverage I'd love to source for the shop. It was wonderful with an aged goat's milk cheese life Chevre Fermier du Montagne. Oh, yeah, baby!

During the lunch break, I went to the Burlington Farmer's Market with friends. We were in search of any non-cheese food, and treated ourselves to raw corn on the cob, maple syrup glazed fruit, and the best homemeade root beer I've ever tasted. On a gorgeous day in Vermont, it's so easy to be happy.

After lunch break I went to the pairing cheese with foods session. Almost all the pairings were ones that are similar to things we already do (honey & blue cheese or fig bread & chevre, for example) so there wasn't any surprising new idea. We had six accompaniments to pair with four cheeses, and the interesting thing to see how diverse people's response was to the individual match ups. What one person loved another couldn't stand. What Ione found uninteresting, someone else might find exciting. It jsut shows (again) that every palate is different and there aren't any right or wrong pairings -- it's all about what tastes good to the person eating it.

And then it was time for the Festival of Cheese! As I roamed from table to table, I was so happy to see that our Oregon (and Northwest) cheesemakers came out so well. Seventeen awards went to Oregon cheeses! We have many of those cheeses in the case, so although I was sure to point them out to others, I didn't try them this evening. A person can only really taste so many cheeses in one evening, so I had to set myself some parameters: don't try anything I'm already familiar with and don't try anything that I'm not super intrigued by. Think about it -- even tasting one out of twenty would still be over sixty cheeses!! Even so, there were some that I couldn't resist taking a little tiny taste of -- Willow Farm's Alderbrook, Estralla's Caldwell Crik, Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Constant Bliss... Oh, it's hard to be disciplined. And then there were the butters -- sweet and salty, delicate and robust. Mmmmm, yum! After about ninety minutes, I was starting to ache so I called it a day. I went for a walk with friends in the beautiful Vermont evening -- all of us groaning and loosening the top button on our pants, but awfully happy. So much great cheese!

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Cheese Conference Chronicles III

Friday, August 3. A lot of the talk at the Cheese Conference today — both in formal sessions and in hallway gabfests — has been about whether a shift in values — tilting away from “bigger is better” and toward appreciating small, local, handmade work — is really taking hold around the country. The importance of supporting local farmers and artisans is certainly on the radar screen in many places (like Portland and Vermont) but in many areas the “lowest cost” system seems almost indestructible. I heard Sasha Davies (who has been working all year on the Cheese By Hand project) talk about the common concerns that small dairy farms and cheesemakers are wrestling with all over the country: loss of farming landscape, unavailability of large animal vets, slaughterhouses, and the equipment — and many small farms are selling off their land because the lack of these things makes it impossible for them to carry on. One cheesemaker talked about how people wonder why cheeses from Europe are often cheaper than American farmstead cheeses — what they don’t realize is that (in addition to subsidies from the European governments) most European cheesemakers there are working in facilities that were built and paid for generations ago. Our cheesemakers are not only building their own cheesemaking facilities from the ground up (and taking out loans to do so) but they’re also having to create infrastructure for this young industry at the same time. Another cheesemaker discussed the disconnect that exists between the American desire for cheap milk and the interest in humane treatment of the animals. Here in the US, we’re used to the idea that food is pretty inexpensive, and it’s difficult to come to grips with the idea that paying a higher price for something like milk may not only be the necessary choice, it may also be the best choice. If we want a tremendous variety of delicious, healthy, well made foods (like cheese!) to be available to us, we really do need to figure out how to pay for it both individually and collectively.

Jeffrey Roberts, who wrote The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese, was a part of these discussions. Jeff is not only an authority on American cheesemaking, but he’s also steeped in knowledge about the social history of food. When he comes in October (for The Wedge Festival) he’ll do a class for us at the shop about how artisanal cheesemakers are a kind of bellwether for what is changing in agricultural practices. Cool!

In between philosophical discussions, I went to two other sessions today: one about merchandising and marketing, and the other about the environmental requirements for affinage (i.e. - maturing cheese). This last session was especially good since I could pump my friends Juliana and Alma from the Pasta Shop at Market Hall Foods in Oakland for ideas for ways I can help a cheese that needs some extra TLC before it can go in to the case. Maturing cheese is tricky business — it’s a careful balancing act of temperature, humidity, time, and of course the cheese — and it was great to get some advice from these two women who have so much experience!

Tomorrow is the big Cheese Festival! There were twelve hundred and eight cheeses entered into the competition this year, and Oregon cheesemakers made a very, very fine showing. Cheeses from Rogue Creamery, River’s Edge Chevre, Tumalo Farms, and Willamette Valley Cheese all received awards! Yahoo for all of them! Tomorrow night, their cheese (along with hundreds of others) will fill the hall, and I’ll be roaming from table to table savoring the amazing cheese made here at home and all over the country. Yahoo for cheese!

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Cheese Conference Chronicles II

Thursday, August 2nd. I attended two quite technical sessions today. The first was about establishing a flavor profile for cheddars, led by MaryAnne Drake, PhD of the Southeast Dairy Foods Research Center at North Carolina State University. Her center has developed a method for objectively describing the qualities (flavor, texture, aroma) of dairy products, and done studies analyzing cheddar cheese. One interesting study examined whether Irish, New Zealand and American cheddars had different flavor profiles — the results showed that there are distinctive differences in the flavor and texture of the individual cheeses, but the profiles of each country’s cheese were more similar to each other than to the other countries’. I suppose this is partly due to the difference in terroir, but maybe more so due to the cheesemakers in each country developing cheese that suits their national palate. Dr. Drake’s research would mostly be applicable for large, industrial dairy manufacturers, and I’m not sure how applicable it is to artisan cheesemakers or little shops like ours, but it was still interesting the look at flavor profiles in very analytic ways.

The second session was similarly concerned with describing flavor and aroma in ways that can be graphed, though this session used descriptive language that was much more familiar (for example, earthy, nutty, sweet, milky as opposed to alkaline, phenolic, fungal, etc. of Drake’s work). This method develops a kind of ‘fingerprint’ for each cheese — information that might be useful to a cheesemaker who wants to tweak their cheese’s flavor.

Between sessions at the conference, the cheeses of a particular region are highlighted, and today’s cheeses were all from Oregon. Rogue Creamery, Tumalo Farms, Willamette Valley Cheese, Pholia Farmstead, Silver Falls Chevre, and more were displayed during the break, and attendees were happily nibbling and sniffing and examining our fine cheesemakers’ work. It was great to see people from all over the country reveling in Oregon cheese!

Tonight we had a grand adventure: the opening night reception was held in the Breeding Barn at Shelburne Farms. As Tom Kooiman described it, this place is an agricultural cathedral. Built in 1891 by Dr. William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb, it was part of a sweeping estate constructed to highlight innovative agricultural practices (and to give the Vanderbilts an amazing place to breed horses…) It really is an amazingly beautiful building, enormous and open, with soaring beams and high paned windows. How happy those horses must have been to live in such a barn! At the party, cheesemakers and food artisans from all over Vermont were there to showcase their delicious handcrafted products. I got to visit with several cheesemakers whose cheese has graced our case at the shop, including Mateo Kehler from Jasper HIll Farms, John Putnam from Thistle Hill, Emily & Michael Lee from Twig Farm, Willow Smart from Willow HIll Farm — and meet some others whose work I hope to be able to share with you in the future. Lovely sheep’s milk tommes and creamy young goat’s milk cheeses. Oooh la la, the tasting and visiting was great in barn tonight!

Tomorrow is another big day here in Vermont. More tales to follow!!

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Cheese Conference Chronicles

Wednesday, August 1. I’m in Burlington, Vermont this week for the annual conference of the American Cheese Society. Some of you may remember that last year’s conference was in Portland, and that for a week the area was swarming with cheese makers and mongers. The conference is terrific for meeting cheesemakers and tasting their products. Over the next few days, I’ll be able to taste hundreds of cheeses — many of which are produced on such a small scale that they are only available through their local farmers’ markets (so we won’t be able to offer them to you at Foster & Dobbs…) One of the things I especially enjoy about the conference is that I learn things that I might not otherwise ever have occasion to consider, and I thought you might enjoy learning a few of those tidbits as well.

This morning, I took a tour to two farmstead creameries: Neighborly Farms and Woodstock Water Buffalo. As the bus toodled along the winding roads, passing the ubiquitous steepled churches and tiny townships, I snoozed to the murmur of my colleagues’ conversations about milking equipment, hay quality (Did you know that Canadian hay has more protein than hay grown in Vermont, which is very high in roughage? Some Vermont dairy farmers speak of Canadian hay with quiet reverence), starter cultures, and the relative intelligence of pigs and dogs. After about an hour of riding through the knobby Green Mountains, we arrived at Neighborly Farms.

Linda & Rob Dimmick own this organic dairy and creamery. The herd is made up of mostly Holsteins and they’re milking 58 cows this summer. They became organic a few years ago, driven more by the need to be economically viable (since organic milk commands a higher price) than by philosophy. But as they’ve seen the health of their herd and the quality of their soil improve tremendously using sustainable and organic practices, they’ve become converts to the philosophy as well. The Dimmicks like the Holsteins because they are big producers — Holsteins just naturally produce lots and lots of milk — but they breed the cows with a Jersey bull for their first pregnancy. This way the first calf will be smaller (because Jerseys are smaller than Holsteins) and that birth will be easier for the young cow. Who knew?

Next we went to the Woodstock Water Buffalo farm. Water Buffaloes are not a common sight the northern United States, but they seem to thrive here nonetheless. One reason is that they are actually better than cows at digesting food with gobs of roughage — so hay grown in Vermont works just fine. Water Buffaloes are interesting and distinct from cows in several other ways as well: Cows and bison are genetically similar, and can actually interbreed, but Water Buffaloes have a totally different genetic structure. Cows’ tongues are rough, but the Water Buffalo tongue is smooth and looks a bit like a silvery trout. Water Buffaloes are born with a fixed number of hair follicles, so their long, wiry hair gets sparse as they grow larger, exposing their naked skin to the world. Gestation takes ten and a half months (compared to nine for cows) and they are often born with little horns already formed. (Ouch!) And of course, their milk is quite different — richer in protein and fat, and tasting more like Half & Half than milk. Yogurt made from Water Buffalo milk is naturally very thick.

More very soon!

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The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese

Finally, a comprehensive guide to American artisanal cheese makers! We love Steve Jenkin’s Cheese Primer, but it was written over ten years ago — well before the blossoming of the American cheese scene. And Max McCalman’s The Cheese Plate and Cheese: A Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Best are superb explorations of cheese from all over the world. But to learn about the incredible richness and variety of cheese from little farms and creameries all over the US, where was one to turn? Enter Jeffrey P. Roberts, who has long been an advocate and instigator for small cheese producers and helped establish the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese at the University of Vermont. He has put together a lively reference book with information on 345 cheesemakers in forty-three states. Grouped by geographic region, each entry focusses on a single cheesemaker, describing the farm or creamery and what kind of cheeses they make. There’s also contact information and lots of great photos. Think of it as a travel guide through the American cheese scene. And it’s on sale at the shop now — $35 — fresh off the presses.

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Pause

The days are getting longer and it’s so lovely to be outside! We thought it would be nice to celebrate the balmy evenings by staying open a little later and offering Pause, a happy hour special. When it’s time to wrap up your day, drop by the shop and unwind with Pause. Each night we have a special treat for you to enjoy — a glass of wine paired with a bit of cheese, a nibble of meat, or a sprinkle of tasty tidbits. It could be a light summer sherry with almonds and olives one day, and a lovely Côtes du Rhône rosé with flat bread and Mount Tam the next. Prices range from $7 - $9.50 (including both the wine and the nibbles).

Pause at the shop 4 to 8 Monday through Saturday and 4 to 6 on Sunday.

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Wines for a Spring Feast

Just in time for the Easter Holiday or your secular-humanist Spring Feast, Foster & Dobbs is making room for new wine with a Spring Cleaning Wine Sale. Save 15% on selected wines or 20% on mixed cases of the sale wine (while supplies last). Sale wines include dozens of fabulous selections and great deals for every course and dish on your menu. For example....

German Rieslings (for a perfect pairing with your ham or cheese course)
A beautiful Tempranillo from legendary Spanish winemaker Alexjandro Fernandez (for your lamb or roast beef)
Godme Blanc de Noir, a grower Champagne from Verzenay (oysters anyone?)

The sale begins Wednesday, April 4 and lasts until the stock is gone or April 15 which ever comes first.

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April 2 Book Club: Wine and War

First of all, thanks to everyone who turned out for the March 5 discussion of The Omnivore’s Dilemma. We had 11 guests for a lively and thoughtful conversation about Michael Pollan’s book.

This month the Foster & Dobbs book club is reading Wine and War by Donald and Petie Kladstrup (published by Broadway Books). This book tells the remarkable story of French winemakers who protected and rescued their wine from German plunder during World War II.

The book is available in paperback and at the Multnomah Public Library. Mention the Foster & Dobbs book club at Broadway Books and receive a 10% discount on Wine and War.

We will meet Monday, April 2 at 7:15. The shop closes at 7:00 pm so if you would like a snack, a bit of light supper, or a glass of wine, arrive a few minutes early. The Foster & Dobbs book club is free and everyone is welcome.

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A Tasty Introduction to Dulcet Cuisine

This winter we have been focusing on our pantry section of the shop to provide an expanded selection of staples. One of the lines we are proud to introduce is Dulcet Cuisine, a company based in Lake Oswego making delicious all-natural products.

This Saturday, March 10, stop by the shop between noon and 3 pm to meet the fine folks of Dulcet. You can sample some of their wonderful dressings and condiments, and get terrific ideas for easy and delicious ways to use them!

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March 1st Class: Comté, Truly One of the World's Great Cheeses

Have you tried the delicious Comté that we carry? There's a lot of Comté in the world, but not all of it tastes as good as this. That's because our wheels are made only with spring and summer milk, and the wheels have been carefully aged and hand selected when they are at peak perfection. Join us on Thursday, March 1st for a class with Daphne Zepos who, along with her partner Jason Hinds at Essex Street Cheese Company, is responsible for bringing this remarkable cheese to the States. Daphne has tremendous knowledge to share about Mountain Cheeses – the group that includes Comté – as well as affinage, the process that brings cheese to greatness.

Before starting Essex Street Cheese, Daphne was the fromager at the Artisanal Premium Cheese Center in New York City. There she selected and aged over 300 cheeses, and taught classes for cheese makers, fromagers, and cheese lovers of all stripes. She is a committed and dynamic advocate for artisanal cheese, and is frequently called upon as a judge in national and international cheese competitions.

When: Thursday, March 1st at 7:15 pm
Where: Foster & Dobbs
Cost: $15 per person. Reservations are required and must be secured with a credit card. Call the shop at 503.284.1157. Class size is limited and fills quickly. Participants will receive a 10% discount on their purchases the evening of the class.

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Headed to Seattle? Checkout Urban Dish

Urban Dish is a new online guide to Seattle restaurants produced by a talented group of food lovers from within Seattle’s happenin’ design scene and a few restaurant insiders. Timeout for full disclosure, Geoff Smith, the Urban Dish owner and designer, designed and created the Foster & Dobbs site (you may recognize some of his design vernacular).

Urban Dish isn’t so much a critical guide as one with a perspective. Articles are written by folks who love food, not by food critics. Some of the writers work in restaurants so there is something of a “back of house” view in the feature articles. And since they are not trying to be a searchable restaurant guide along the lines of Zagats, Seattle Weekly, or Willamette Week, Urban Dish only includes restaurants they recommend. One great feature is that the listings compile critical comments from other local critics.

Urban Dish has only just launched, so it is very much a work in progress, but it is already a fun, insightful and useful resource. Check it out. www.urbandishseattle.com

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Colston Bassett Stilton: The King of Cheese

Stilton ain’t called ‘the king of cheese’ for nothing. When at its best, it is truly one of the finest cheeses in the world – a creamy, velvety paste with a huge spicy aroma, and a rich, cheesiness that is sweet, salty, nutty, and savory with notes of honey, leather, dried fruits, and much more. When it is not good, it can be sharp, biting, overly salty and a little sour.

As England’s only name-protected cheese, production of Stilton is limited to a small group of makers who must adhere to strict guidelines, but while the basic recipe and geography is controlled, quality can vary greatly from one maker to the next. At Foster & Dobbs, we carry only Colston Bassett Stilton, which is widely regarded as far superior to the others. Our wheels are hand selected for us by Neal’s Yard Dairy in England, which assures that the cheese is in prime condition when it reaches our case.

Stilton was first recognized as a type of cheese in the early 1700s, and was mentioned in Daniel Defoe’s book, A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain 1724-26. It took its name from the village of Stilton in the county of Cambridgeshire, though it believed by many to have actually been first made by Mrs. Elizabeth Orton on her farm near village of Melton Mobray in Leicestershire. The recipe was a family secret, but one of Mrs. Orton’s daughters married an innkeeper and moved to the Bell Inn at Stilton. There, she sold her mother’s cheese to travelers passing through and word of this exceptional cheese spread far and wide. Though Mrs. Orton had called the cheese “Quenby” as its fame spread, it became known as Stilton cheese. The cheese was never made in Stilton and even today, protected by a certification trademark, it can only be made in the three adjacent counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

Colston Bassett Stilton is made in the village of Colston Bassett in Nottinghamshire, from the milk of five herds that graze near the creamery. The creamery has been buying milk from the same five farms since the early 1920s. Since the creamery was established in 1913, there have only been 3 manager/cheese makers: Tom Coy (1913 – 1960), Ernie Wagstaff (1960 – 1996), and Richard Rowlett (1996 to present). Their Stilton is more traditional than the other Stilton creameries.

To make Stilton, milk is gathered daily from the farms and pasteurized, then inoculated with Penicillium roquefortii along with the starter and culture that encourage the milk to form curds. The milk and curds are treated gently at each step of the process, which preserves the structure and results in a luscious creamy texture when the cheeses are mature. The curds are cut by hand into small cubes and allowed to drain overnight. The next morning they are milled, salted and gently ladled into hoops where they stay for several days. The hoops are turned daily to encourage more whey to drain away. Once removed from the hoops, the cheese is rubbed by hand to smooth its surface and seal the edges. The cheese then begins the aging process and is stored in very specific temperature and humidity conditions for many weeks, during which time its characteristic crust develops. For the first month, the cheese is turned every day and after two months the wheels are pierced with stainless steel needles, introducing air into the paste and encouraging the development of the blue veining. It is aged about 4 months and tastes best in autumn and winter, when it is made from the rich summer milks.

Colston Bassett Stilton has a velvety, pale ivory paste that shades toward amber near the rind and is marbled with greenish blue veins. Its knobby natural rind runs tan to grey with patches of white.

A Few Ways to Use Colston Bassett Stilton:

Slice Preserved, fresh walnuts and place atop bite-sized pieces of Stilton.

Top Stem Ginger Oat cookies with a bit of Stilton

Put a slice of Stilton on a plate, pierce it gently with a fork, and pour a bit of Tawny Port over it. Offer bread or crackers for people to smear it on.

Crumble it into salads or atop cream soups.

Colston Bassett Stilton with Port-glazed Pears

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New Year's Schedule

If you’ll be needing bubbly and caviar for your New Year’s Eve bash, come by the shop before 4pm on the 31st. We’ll be closing up shop early and heading out to pop our corks with friends and family. We’ll be closed on January 1 & 2, and look forward to seeing you all again soon.

We wish you all a joyful, healthy and richly rewarding New Year!

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Let us help you!

If you’re hosting a holiday dinner — or just need to show up with something tasty in hand — we can help you put together a delicious cheese and/or charcuterie tray. Come by the shop or call a day or two ahead of time and let’s talk about what you need. We can have your order ready within 24 hours and trays come arranged for the table. Unwrap and serve. How easy is that?

And remember, we have lots of great gifts for your hosts!

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December 5th Class: Grower Champagnes & Caviar!

What could be more festive than Champagne and caviar for the holidays? Join us on Tuesday, December 5th at 7:15 for a class exploring bubbly and fish eggs. Whitney Schubert from Triage Wines will be on hand to guide our tasting experience. She has just returned from France where she visited with the winemakers producing these unique champagnes that – unlike the bubbly from the big houses like Moët et Chandon or Veuve Clicquot – truly reflect their terroir. We’ll also be tasting caviars during the class, and there will natuarally be cheese pairings as well.

When: Tuesday, December 5th at 7:15pm
Where: Foster & Dobbs Authentic Foods, 2518 NE 15th Avenue in Portland
Cost: $25 per person. Reservations are required and must be secured with a credit card. Call the shop at 503.284.1157. Class size is limited and fills quickly. Participants receive a 10% discount on purchases made the evening of the class.

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Raise a glass with us this Sunday!

Sunday, November 19th is Foster & Dobbs’ one year anniversary – and what a year it’s been! The thrill of tearing the paper coverings off the windows and having people flood into the shop on that Saturday is a memory that will stay with us forever.

We have so enjoyed meeting and getting to know our neighbors and customers, and feel so lucky to have such friendly, interesting, nice folks shop with us. We appreciate that so many of you have also helped spread the word about the shop by sending friends and family to see us. Thank you for your support! We’ve also been fortunate to have terrific folks working at the shop and hope that you’ve enjoyed working with them as much as we have. We have big plans for the coming year - more classes and events, and lots of great new products coming in for the holidays. We're excited about the coming year and hope to see you often!

To celebrate our anniversary, we’ll be pouring champagne on Sunday, November 19th from 12 -6. Come by and raise a glass with us. Let’s toast to good food, good friends, and good days ahead!

Woo Hoo!
Tim & Luan

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November 17th Class: A Flight of Blues

The Rogue Creamery in Central Point, Oregon, has been racking up awards left and right for their terrific collection of blue cheeses. On Friday, November 17th, David Gremmels from Rogue Creamery will join us for “A Flight of Blues.” In this class, we’ll taste several of Rogue’s blues and David will share how they are made and how their unique flavor profiles are developed. We’ll also learn new ideas for pairing them with wine and ways to use them to prepare simple, delicious appetizers and meals.

The Rogue Creamery was first established in the 1930s by Tom Vella. In 1955 he spent a summer in Roquefort, France, learning from the master cheese makers there how they made their exceptional blue cheese. He returned to his creamery in southern Oregon and began producing Oregon Blue in 1957. Upon Tom’s death in 1998 (at age 100) his son Ig Vella took over the cheesemaking and continued the traditions his father had established. In 2000, David Gremmels and Cary Bryant bought the Creamery and through an ongoing partnership with Ig Vella have continued to honor and develop the deeply artisanal methods of this longtime Oregon treasure.

When: 8:15 on Friday, November 17th
Where: Foster & Dobbs, 2518 NE 15th Avenue in Portland
Cost: $10 per person. Reservations are required and should be secured with a credit card. Call the shop 503.284.1157. Class size is limited, and the classes fill quickly. Participants receive a 10% discount on their purchases that evening.

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Buster's Biscuits

Last winter, I began making treats for our dogs Emma and Buster using the odds and ends of cheese from our case here at the shop. It was a good way to make use of little bits of cheese that were no longer saleable and to assuage my guilty conscience toward our poor, sad, neglected pooches. (Well, they think they’re poor, sad and neglected, but let me tell you, their lives are just fine!) They loved the treats and quickly associated the aroma of baking cheese with true doggy happiness.

Tim suggested I make treats to sell at the shop. Somehow the idea of spending my time away from the shop making large batches of dog treats didn’t quite work for me. So Tim did a really smart thing: he contacted the good folks at Magic Snacks, a small company here in Portland that makes organic, healthy treats for dogs.

Magic Snacks was started in 2003 by Richard and Nicole Crommelin. They had a new puppy and were disappointed by the lack of healthy, organic dog treats available. After researching canine nutrition needs, talking with veterinarians, testing a lot of recipes, and conducting taste tests with lucky dog park pals, they came up with a product that is wheat and corn free, organic, plaque reducing, and best of all, yummy for the hounds. Magic Snacks was born, and they quickly started selling to pet shops and veterinarians around the country.

For us, Richard developed a recipe that uses Foster & Dobbs cheese, potato flour, organic brown rice flour, organic egg, organic olive oil, and organic garlic powder. Buster’s Biscuits are Magic Snack’s first totally grain-free treat (which is particularly good since dogs aren’t actually built to digest grain products). They are very slowly cooked at a low temperature so that they develop a good strong crunchiness, which helps control tartar and plaque build up. The assortment of cheeses that go into the biscuits varies from batch to batch, so each batch will have a unique flavor profile.

Magic Snack’s philosophy is that if it’s not good enough for you to eat, you shouldn’t feed it to your four legged pals either. I’ve personally tried Buster’s Biscuits and they taste a bit like Goldfish (those little cheddar flavored crackers). Though I’d rather just eat the cheese, I’m happy say that they’re a lot tastier than any other dog biscuits I’ve ever eaten. (Not that I’ve actually tried the full range of available dog treats…) I know for a fact that Emma and Buster are very quick to do as I tell them when they see the biscuits in my hand.

Buster’s Biscuits are $4 for a 5 ounce bag.

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Fall Hours

It’s that time of year—the sun’s retiring a bit earlier, the leaves are turning, the cheese is ripening, and the times they are a changing. Our fall hours are 11 am to 7:00 pm Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday; 11 am to 8:00 pm Wednesday through Friday; and noon to 6:00 pm on Sunday.

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Peanut Butter in a Cheese Shop?

One of our newest products is Cream-Nut Natural Peanut Butter. Whhaaatt? Peanut butter in a cheese shop? We are not suggesting peanut butter as a cheese condiment, but it is versatile. When I was growing up peanut butter was often paired with honey for a sandwich (keep in mind that the Foster’s are beekeepers), but my father, Charles Wilson, still loves it best on pancakes and waffles. And I will let you in on a little secret, for lunch, Luan eats far more peanut putter than cheese (she swears by peanut butter, cheddar, and salsa sandwiches).

For me, it is hard to beat a peanut butter-chocolate chip cookie made with peanut butter, fresh roasted peanuts (I buy raw peanuts and roast them at home) and chopped Felchlin Grand Cru couverture (Swiss dark chocolate). For a cookie this grand, a superior peanut butter makes all the difference and Cream-Nut Natural Peanut Butter is a great choice.

Whether in a cookie, on a saltine, or in a sandwich, Cream-Nut is a peanut butter lover’s peanut butter. Made by the Koeze Company, a third-generation family owned business in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Cream-Nut is a simple old fashioned product—nothing about this peanut butter or its recipe has changed in 80 years (check the label).

Two things make Cream-Nut special. First, they use a vintage grinder. Because of the limited capacity of the old grinder, Jeff Koeze (the founder’s grandson) is forced to slow down the process and work in small batches. Second, very very good Virginia peanuts are roasted to a rich dark color, then coarsely ground. They add nothing more than a pinch of salt.

Drop by the shop for a taste of a classic peanut butter.

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New Hours!

Now that we have our license to sell wine and beer by the glass, and the weather is fine for sitting outside, we have extended our evening hours. Monday through Saturday, we will be open until 8:00 pm. Too hot to cook? Stop by for a cheese plate and a cool glass of Abacela Rosado!

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We're Pouring!

We begin serving wine and beer by the glass beginning this weekend! Drop in to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer alongside a yummy sandwich, ploughman's lunch or cheese plate. Each day we will offer a few of the wines from our shelves, or you can select one of the craft beers from the cooler.

Come bask in the sunshine and the glories of good food at Foster & Dobbs. Woo Hoo!

Cheers!

Luan & Tim

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June's Class, Good News/Bad News, More Good News

June's Class: Beyond Manchego and Rioja: Wine & Cheese of Northern Spain

This month, we’re teaming up with Dickie Mallison from Galaxy Wine Company to introduce you to some terrific wine from northern Spain. Dickie recently spent time in Spain, traveling the country, visiting the vineyards and meeting winemakers. He’ll be sharing some of his favorite wines, plus telling us about the different regions and grapes. And since having wine without cheese would be just plain wrong, we’ll also be tasting (and learning about) some of the marvelous cheeses from the same regions.

When: (CLOSED) 7:15pm on Thursday, June 29
Where: Foster & Dobbs Authentic Foods
Cost: $10 per person.

To reserve your spot, please call the shop at 503.284.1157. Reservations must be paid in advance. Class size is limited, so please make your reservations quickly.

Good News/Bad News from Vosges Haut-Chocolat

The good news is that Vosges is coming out with four new exotic candy bars next month, including: Goji (Tibetan goji berries with pink Himalayan sea salt and dark milk chocolate), Gianduja (almonds, hazelnuts and dark milk chocolate), d’Olivia (dried kalamata olives in white chocolate – if anyone else was offering this, we’d run the other way, but Vosges has a way with surprising flavor combos), and Calindia (green cardomon with walnuts and dried plums in dark Venezuelan chocolate). We’ll be getting these in early July. The bad news is that Vosges is raising all their prices, so the bars that we’ve been selling for $5.95 will all go to $7.00 with the next order. I don’t want to create a stampede, but all you Vosges addicts out there might want to stock up this month...

Just Plain Good News: They were Gone, But Now They’re Back!

That extraordinary Comté cheese that we had in April is back! We just received another fabulous wheel from France. This raw milk Comte is aged over 16 months and is Melt-In-Your-Mouth Fruity Deliciousness. $20/per pound. Oh, my gosh, it’s so good!

And we’ve got 100% Pure Kona Coffee (from my Mom’s place on the Big Island of Hawaii) in the shop again. So smooth and mellow, it has a rich flavor with floral notes and well balanced acidity. Lovely for sipping on the porch on a fine summer morning. $16.25/half pound. Mmmmmmm.

Two News Tidbits:

We’ll be closing at 6:00pm on Friday, June 23. Dance/USA, an association of dance companies from all over the country is meeting in Portland this week and Foster & Dobbs is hosting a small reception for them. I hope this doesn’t inconvenience any of you.

Our liquor license application is rolling along. Hopefully, the first weekend in July, you’ll be able to come over and enjoy a nice glass of wine and a cheese plate on our patio. We’ll let you know as soon as it happens!

And that's the news. Hope to see you soon.

Cheers!

Luan

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3 Ideas for Memorial Day Weekend

(Plus 3 Things You Might Not Know)

Idea 1: Forget Traffic, Save Gas, Drink Wine

It's the big Memorial Day Winery Open House Weekend. If you’d love to taste some Oregon wines this weekend, but don’t really want to use the gas or face the traffic, stop by Foster & Dobbs! From 1- 4 p.m., each day of the long weekend, we’ll be sampling a flight of terrific wines from some of our favorite Oregon winemakers:

Saturday - Brooks: 2004 Pinot Noir Janus, 2005 Amycas White Blend, and 2005 Riesling Willamette Valley

Sunday - Westrey: 2004 Chardonnay Reserve, 2004 Pinot Noir Abbey Ridge, and 2001 Pinot Noir Melrose.

Monday - J.K. Carriere: 2001 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir- Library Selection, 2004 Provocateur Pinot Noir, and 2005 Glass White Pinot Noir.

Idea 2: Eat Here Now, Drink Here Soon

Foster & Dobbs is introducing a menu of fine plates! Beginning Saturday, you can stop in for a tasty ploughman’s lunch or sandwich featuring our delicious Salumi Artisan Meats and terrific cheeses. Or perhaps linger in the evening over some cheese & charcuterie. Come on in, have a seat, and "Eat Here Now!"

As for "Drink Here Soon," we have applied for a license to serve beer and wine by the glass. We’re hoping the license will be approved before the end of June. Just think – soon you can dally away a pleasant summer evening with a glass of wine while noshing on some lovely cheese and charcuterie.

Idea 3: Take Survival Food

If you are hitting the road for the long weekend, don’t leave home without Foster & Dobbs Road Provisions Box. Whether you’re heading up to Forest Park for a picnic or out to the coast, this kit is what you need. Box contains two tasty wedges of cheese (about ½ pound total; cheeses may vary, but don’t worry, they’ll be tasty), ¼ pound of mixed Salumi, plus crackers, olives, and nuts. It’s easily worth the $30, because if you get stuck in traffic – which has been known to happen on Memorial Day weekend – this box could be the only thing between you and starvation.

We’ll have boxes packed and ready to go by Friday afternoon, but if you need one before then, just call us: 503.284.1157

3 Things You Might Not Know

1. We have some yummy BBQ sauces and marinades for easy grilling this summer. And don’t forget the beer!
2. We offer a 15% discount on mixed cases of wine.
3. Armandino Batali (who makes our wonderful Salumi, Culatello and Lamb Prosciutto) was called a “Prince of Pork” by The New York Times last week. They were especially wowed by his Culatello. This doesn’t come as a surprise to any of us who have tried his charcuterie, right?

So that's the news. Hope to see you soon!

Luan

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