May is American Cheese Month, and every Thursday in May, cheese experts Janet Fletcher and Laura Werlin will be your guides for a live virtual tasting of some of their favorite artisan cheeses produced in the U.S. The series is free, but you can (and should!) order the featured cheeses through igourmet (which will donate $10 per order to the American Cheese Education Foundation). Each series also has suggested wines, which you can order directly from the wineries linked on the signup page. Some sessions will include guest appearances by some of the featured makers.
Cheese and wine, expertly paired and discussed online together with the folks who made them? A shelter-in-place win if there ever was one. Add to that the opportunity to help artisanal cheesemakers survive this very difficult time in business — food producers are essential workers that need our support now more than ever. And you’ll get an education, not to mention a spectacular sensory experience in good virtual company.
Julianna by Capriole goat cheese.
IGOURMET
The first event, on Thursday, May 7th (4pm PT/7pm ET), will focus on “American Rock Stars,” with special guests Mateo Kehler (cheesemaker at Vermont’s Jasper Hill Farm) and Roederer Estate winemaker Arnaud Weyrich, whose wines will pair nicely with the four cheeses selected by Fletcher and Werlin:
Nettle Meadow Farm Kunik
Capriole Goat Cheese Julianna
Hidden Springs Creamery Ocooch Mountain
Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue
Get the Ultimate Cheese Collection (includes condiments)
Enter Code ACEF at checkout and igourmet will donate $10 to the American Cheese Education Foundation.
Here are the featured wines for the first session:
Roederer Estate Brut
Roederer Estate Extra Dry
Use code “cheese” for free wine shipping
Kunik by Nettle Meadow.
IGOURMET
If you enjoy the first tasting and discussion, you can do it on the regular, every Thursday in May. Upcoming events include “Hidden Gems,” “West Coast Wonders,” and “A Quartet of Favorites.”
Once you RSVP, you’ll be sent a login via email. Here’s the rest of the schedule:
Thursday, May 14
“Hidden Gems”
RSVP for “Hidden Gems” tasting
Milton Creamery Flory’s Truckle
On the cheese board:
Shepherd’s Way Farm Shepherd’s Hope
Tulip Tree Creamery Trillium
Goat Lady Dairy Providence
Milton Creamery Flory’s Truckle
Enter Code ACEF at checkout and igourmet will donate $10 to the American Cheese Education Foundation.
In the glass:
2018 Silverado Vineyards Vineburg Chardonnay
2016 Silverado Vineyards Mt. George Merlot
Use promo code CHEESE for a 10% discount on the 2-bottle wine set and ship for just $5. Ten percent of sales donated to the American Cheese Education Foundation.
Thursday, May 21
West Coast Wonders
RSVP for “West Coast Wonders” tasting
Cascadia Creamery cheesemaker John Shuman
On the cheese board:
Pennyroyal Farm Laychee
Cascadia Creamery Sawtooth
Shooting Star Creamery Aries
Face Rock Creamery Clothbound Cheddar
Get the Cheeses Enter Code ACEF at checkout and igourmet will donate $10 to the American Cheese Education Foundation.
In the glass:
2018 Jordan Chardonnay
2016 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon
Thursday, May 28
A Quartet of Favorites
RSVP for “A Quartet of Favorites” tasting
Firefly Farms Merry Goat Round Spruce
On the cheese board:
Blackberry Farm Brebis
Meadow Creek Farm Appalachian
Haystack Mountain Cheese Gold Hill
Firefly Farms Merry Goat Round Spruce
Enter Code ACEF at checkout and igourmet will donate $10 to the American Cheese Education Foundation.
In the glass:
JUSTIN Sauvignon Blanc Central Coast 2019
JUSTIN Justification Paso Robles 2017
