Sunday, December 14, 2008
Sunday Brunch at Salumiere Cesario
Ok, so not really a full brunch, but if you are hungry and downtown you can stop in today and get french toast with butter caramel sauce, panettone bread pudding, and even some fresh made carrot and ginger soup. Or if you just need a place to sit and get warm for a few minutes you can come in for a glass of holiday cheer. We'll be here until four. So what else are you doing today?
Thursday, December 11, 2008
It's not Woolworth's but . . .
Our lunch counter is finally finished and ready for all of you. I know it's not the same as the lunch counter at Woolworth's when you were a kid, but hey what are you gonna do? We are serving Mac n' cheese today as our first lunch special, we also have gougeres if you get hungry for a snack. We also now can serve wine and beer on premise so you can come and have a glass of wine with lunch or stop by in the afternoon for a nosh and a sip.
We will have daily specials as well as a simple standard menu. Wines and beers will change frequently and you will always be able to buy a bottle here and open it on premise.
So there it is. Long time coming and hopefull all of you will be able to enjoy it. Cheers.
We will have daily specials as well as a simple standard menu. Wines and beers will change frequently and you will always be able to buy a bottle here and open it on premise.
So there it is. Long time coming and hopefull all of you will be able to enjoy it. Cheers.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Cabot Cloth Bound Cheddar
We just received our first wheel of the very special Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. Cabot Clothbound Cheddar is the result of a unique collaboration among cheese craftsmen in Vermont. Cabot Creamery makes sixty clothbound wheels each quarter and then ships them off to be skillfully matured in the cellars at Jasper Hill Farm. While the partners differ considerably in scale - Cabot is the largest dairy in Vermont, Jasper Hill one of the smallest - this Old World style cheddar exists thanks to their neighborly cooperation.
So, what is the big deal you ask? Well Matteo Kehler of Jasper Hill is just geeky, in the best possible ways, about cheese. And he translates this into really well aged cheese. See it is not just the milk and the cheese maker that make great cheese, as many of you who buy cheese from us regularly know. It is the environment that cheese is aged and stored at that can really develope a cheeses potential.
We will be cutting into this wheel Saturday November 15, 2008 at 12:00pm. If you have never tasted a FRESH cut wheel of cheese then you have missed out on a unique experience. Do not miss this opportunity as we do not expect this wheel to last long and again, when it is fresh cut, there is nothing else like it. Cheers.
So, what is the big deal you ask? Well Matteo Kehler of Jasper Hill is just geeky, in the best possible ways, about cheese. And he translates this into really well aged cheese. See it is not just the milk and the cheese maker that make great cheese, as many of you who buy cheese from us regularly know. It is the environment that cheese is aged and stored at that can really develope a cheeses potential.
We will be cutting into this wheel Saturday November 15, 2008 at 12:00pm. If you have never tasted a FRESH cut wheel of cheese then you have missed out on a unique experience. Do not miss this opportunity as we do not expect this wheel to last long and again, when it is fresh cut, there is nothing else like it. Cheers.
Friday, October 17, 2008
It's Fall. So what do we do now?
Well friends and true believers, Autumn is here, the stock market continues its ridiculous mood swings on an hourly basis and the harvest looks like a mixed bag here in Walla Walla. So what is the good news you say? Well, we do have some new wines just in, some great fall cheeses and some low cost holiday gift items for that "Fooder" on your list this year (I refuse to use the term foodie as it is to much like Trekkie). So without wasting anymore of your time her we go...
We are now the only, as far as we know, retailer of Owen Roe wines in Walla Walla and we have just taken stock of the following:
Abbots Table 2007 A blend of 22% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 20% Zinfandel, 15% Cabernet Franc, 7% Grenache 6% Syrah, 3% Petite Sirah, 3% Cinsault, 3% Malbec, 1% Pinot Noir. Wow! That is a potpourri of wine. It has vibrant fruit aromas and delicious flavors, expressing the fruitiness and weight of Sangiovese and Zinfandel- it is such a rich, yet easy drinking wine that it can be paired with the broadest range of foods and also tastes great by itself. Although it sounds very foreign to most it is an interesting blend that works really well.
Sinister Hand 200762% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 17% Mourvedre. Pretty standard fare here on the surface, but really amazing wine. This Rhone-styled wine has very dark fruit flavors and pepper, with an excellent texture - it will work well with a variety of foods especially spicy fare and dark meats. The Sinister Hand label is a family crest - a depiction of a severed left hand that tells the story of a rowing competition among O'Neills and O'Reillys (Owen Roe was an O'Neill). Whoever touched land first after rowing across the lake was rewarded with the land he touched. Lagging behind, one of the kinsfolk grabs his sword and cleaves his hand and pitches it ashore to touch land first. He won the land and eventually ruled over it as king.
Pinot Gris 2007 Those of you that know me well enough know that I has some strong opinions, one of which is that I really don;t like Pinot Gris. That being said I will now eat my hat. The 2007 O'Reilly's Pinot Gris is a classic Oregon Gris - plenty of limey aromas with rich guava-like flavors. Hallmark acidity will preserve this white in your cellar for up to five years. The 2007 vintage was unique following upon several very hot years. This grape prefers a more moderate season which preserves aromas, flavors, and the great minerality that we expect from the finest Alsatian varietals. After this long string of very hot vintages, expect a very rich and forward wine that will pair nicely with fresh and richer dishes.
We have also just received the new anniversary brew from Full Sail a dopplebock that is their 21st anniversary brew. Rich and flavourful. This is a limited release and will be available only for a short time.
On the cheese front. We still have some of the Montgomery Cheddar that we opened two weeks ago. This one is going fast. We also have some of the Mt. Townsend cheeses from Mt. Townsend creamery in Port Townsend. If you have tried the cirrus or the seastack and enjoyed those we also have the Traihead Tomme, which is a older and semi hard cheese. Delicious with rich flavours and a long finish. This is one of our new favorites. The Rogue River blue will be in next week. I am going to repeat this here just so we are clear: THE ROGUE RIVER BLUE will be in store NEXT WEEK!!! We have two wheels coming to us next THURSDAY, and then should, repeat, should, be receiving three more in November. This is a phenomenal cheese that must be experience if you like blue cheese at all.
We also just stocked up on the beautiful slate cheese trays that we had last winter. They are made in the USA from natural slate and come with a felt backing so they won't scratch your table. They come in 12x12, 12x16, and 12x24. We also have some really beautiful hand made maple bread boards, that really need to be seen. These are great for yea, bread boards, but also for serving charcuterie and cheese on. Things change every day in the store including our prepared food, so come in frequently to see whats in store. Cheers.
We are now the only, as far as we know, retailer of Owen Roe wines in Walla Walla and we have just taken stock of the following:
Abbots Table 2007 A blend of 22% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 20% Zinfandel, 15% Cabernet Franc, 7% Grenache 6% Syrah, 3% Petite Sirah, 3% Cinsault, 3% Malbec, 1% Pinot Noir. Wow! That is a potpourri of wine. It has vibrant fruit aromas and delicious flavors, expressing the fruitiness and weight of Sangiovese and Zinfandel- it is such a rich, yet easy drinking wine that it can be paired with the broadest range of foods and also tastes great by itself. Although it sounds very foreign to most it is an interesting blend that works really well.
Sinister Hand 200762% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 17% Mourvedre. Pretty standard fare here on the surface, but really amazing wine. This Rhone-styled wine has very dark fruit flavors and pepper, with an excellent texture - it will work well with a variety of foods especially spicy fare and dark meats. The Sinister Hand label is a family crest - a depiction of a severed left hand that tells the story of a rowing competition among O'Neills and O'Reillys (Owen Roe was an O'Neill). Whoever touched land first after rowing across the lake was rewarded with the land he touched. Lagging behind, one of the kinsfolk grabs his sword and cleaves his hand and pitches it ashore to touch land first. He won the land and eventually ruled over it as king.
Pinot Gris 2007 Those of you that know me well enough know that I has some strong opinions, one of which is that I really don;t like Pinot Gris. That being said I will now eat my hat. The 2007 O'Reilly's Pinot Gris is a classic Oregon Gris - plenty of limey aromas with rich guava-like flavors. Hallmark acidity will preserve this white in your cellar for up to five years. The 2007 vintage was unique following upon several very hot years. This grape prefers a more moderate season which preserves aromas, flavors, and the great minerality that we expect from the finest Alsatian varietals. After this long string of very hot vintages, expect a very rich and forward wine that will pair nicely with fresh and richer dishes.
We have also just received the new anniversary brew from Full Sail a dopplebock that is their 21st anniversary brew. Rich and flavourful. This is a limited release and will be available only for a short time.
On the cheese front. We still have some of the Montgomery Cheddar that we opened two weeks ago. This one is going fast. We also have some of the Mt. Townsend cheeses from Mt. Townsend creamery in Port Townsend. If you have tried the cirrus or the seastack and enjoyed those we also have the Traihead Tomme, which is a older and semi hard cheese. Delicious with rich flavours and a long finish. This is one of our new favorites. The Rogue River blue will be in next week. I am going to repeat this here just so we are clear: THE ROGUE RIVER BLUE will be in store NEXT WEEK!!! We have two wheels coming to us next THURSDAY, and then should, repeat, should, be receiving three more in November. This is a phenomenal cheese that must be experience if you like blue cheese at all.
We also just stocked up on the beautiful slate cheese trays that we had last winter. They are made in the USA from natural slate and come with a felt backing so they won't scratch your table. They come in 12x12, 12x16, and 12x24. We also have some really beautiful hand made maple bread boards, that really need to be seen. These are great for yea, bread boards, but also for serving charcuterie and cheese on. Things change every day in the store including our prepared food, so come in frequently to see whats in store. Cheers.
Friday, August 22, 2008
SIT REP.
SITREP (Situation Report) is defined as "an update to an existing report, issued as conditions change or events begin to unfold." Put simply, it's a method of keeping everyone informed.
Now that that is out of the way on to business. . .
So, the Bergevin Lane tasting went very well. Thank you to all of you who attended. Special thank yous go out to Annette and Amber who came and talked and shared wine and food and fun with all of us. Special thank yous to Tim Rogan and Cisca Van Heezik who shard their company their laughter and their grapes. Had it not been for the four afore mentioned individuals none of this would have been possible. I am told the food was pretty good and matched up OK. I can only hope that my food did not take anything away from the wines, which were wonderful. For those of you that missed the tasting, we still have a few wines left. The Princess Syrah (from Tim and Cisca's vineyard) is still available in limited quantities. We also have the amazing Viognier, if you have not yet tried this wine you are going to hate yourself when it is gone. Seriously. We also have a few bottles left of the 2004 Oiu Deux Syrah which is now sold out at the winery. I do not expect any of these wines to hang around for long.
In other news, our UTZ potato chips have arrived. For those of you that know UTZ we have bags in all sizes, we know how you are with these. For those of you that have not tried UTZ chips, what are you waiting for? UTZ is THE best chip out there. Someone commented to me once that they thought potato chips were a bit downmarket for me. To which I replied "you haven't tasted them yet". The thing that make UTZ great is that the chip tastes like, wait for it, potato! Not salt, not grease, just potato. There are three ingredients to UTZ Potatoes, Oil, Salt. No preservatives, no nothing. Just a great chip. We also have the gourmet medley that comes with three flavours and colours.
Monteillet Fromagerie has been gracing us with a few cheeses recently. We will have in stock this weekend fresh chevre, Cardabelle, Provencal, and we still have at least one Le Roi Noir. Their cheeses are always a treat, and we are happy to have some to share. We are breaking into a Neal's Yard cheddar today Lincolnshire Poacher. This one has been ageing for a while and is sure to be very delicious. We also just received a new wheel of Red Leicester which we will be breaking into soon. Stay tuned here for more details. We also have a great supply of fresh Buffalo Milk Mozzarella!
Lots of fresh produce is in right now including Hermiston Melons, Blackberries, Arugula, many fresh herbs (thyme, marjoram, chives), Fresh Basil, and FIGS! Figs are finally here and they are beautiful. Check in frequently as we get new items in everyday.
Lastly, our outdoor seating has been approved by the city, and construction (barring any unforeseen problems) should begin this next week. We will keep you updated here and might just post pictures too. Once the outdoor patio is in we hope to be able to serve wine and beer soon too. Again we will keep you posted as things progress.
As summer winds down and fall approaches we have many new and exciting plans in the works for Salumiere Cesario. Keep your browser pointed here for the latest news and updates. Cheers.
Now that that is out of the way on to business. . .
So, the Bergevin Lane tasting went very well. Thank you to all of you who attended. Special thank yous go out to Annette and Amber who came and talked and shared wine and food and fun with all of us. Special thank yous to Tim Rogan and Cisca Van Heezik who shard their company their laughter and their grapes. Had it not been for the four afore mentioned individuals none of this would have been possible. I am told the food was pretty good and matched up OK. I can only hope that my food did not take anything away from the wines, which were wonderful. For those of you that missed the tasting, we still have a few wines left. The Princess Syrah (from Tim and Cisca's vineyard) is still available in limited quantities. We also have the amazing Viognier, if you have not yet tried this wine you are going to hate yourself when it is gone. Seriously. We also have a few bottles left of the 2004 Oiu Deux Syrah which is now sold out at the winery. I do not expect any of these wines to hang around for long.
In other news, our UTZ potato chips have arrived. For those of you that know UTZ we have bags in all sizes, we know how you are with these. For those of you that have not tried UTZ chips, what are you waiting for? UTZ is THE best chip out there. Someone commented to me once that they thought potato chips were a bit downmarket for me. To which I replied "you haven't tasted them yet". The thing that make UTZ great is that the chip tastes like, wait for it, potato! Not salt, not grease, just potato. There are three ingredients to UTZ Potatoes, Oil, Salt. No preservatives, no nothing. Just a great chip. We also have the gourmet medley that comes with three flavours and colours.
Monteillet Fromagerie has been gracing us with a few cheeses recently. We will have in stock this weekend fresh chevre, Cardabelle, Provencal, and we still have at least one Le Roi Noir. Their cheeses are always a treat, and we are happy to have some to share. We are breaking into a Neal's Yard cheddar today Lincolnshire Poacher. This one has been ageing for a while and is sure to be very delicious. We also just received a new wheel of Red Leicester which we will be breaking into soon. Stay tuned here for more details. We also have a great supply of fresh Buffalo Milk Mozzarella!
Lots of fresh produce is in right now including Hermiston Melons, Blackberries, Arugula, many fresh herbs (thyme, marjoram, chives), Fresh Basil, and FIGS! Figs are finally here and they are beautiful. Check in frequently as we get new items in everyday.
Lastly, our outdoor seating has been approved by the city, and construction (barring any unforeseen problems) should begin this next week. We will keep you updated here and might just post pictures too. Once the outdoor patio is in we hope to be able to serve wine and beer soon too. Again we will keep you posted as things progress.
As summer winds down and fall approaches we have many new and exciting plans in the works for Salumiere Cesario. Keep your browser pointed here for the latest news and updates. Cheers.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Bergevin Lane Tasting
So if you haven't yet heard we are doing another Gustiamo event with local girls Annette and Amber of Bergevin Lane Vineyards. We secretly have a thing for the Bergevin Lane ladies, 'cause they make great juice! All kidding aside the wines of Bergevin Lane have really impressed me lately. Not that they weren't doing a fantastic job before, but the wines have become more sophisticated and more striking with out losing that femininity that first drew me to them.
Case in point is the 2007 Viognier. Here is a wine that tastes more like a Condrieu than a new world Viognier. Flavours of citrus and ginger are married with a rich creamy mouth feel. This wine is going to be really exciting to pair and I am working on something really fun and a bit outside the box. I won't say exactly what but if you come to this tasting, come hungry.
The other reason we really wanted to do this tasting is the inaugural release of the Princess Syrah. The grapes for this wine are grown by some dear friends, they are more like family, of ours Tim Rogan and Cisca Van Heezik. They will be on hand as well as the dynamic duo Annette and Amber to answer questions and hopefully (hint, hint) sign bottles for those who choose to purchase wine the night of the event.
We are REALLY excited about this tasting as the wines are fabulous and the company will be too.
Call us at the store if you are interested in reserving your spot for this memorable event. The event will be on Thursday 14 August from 7 to 9 p.m. at the store. Reservations are required for this event and we will be limited the number of guests to 30.
Case in point is the 2007 Viognier. Here is a wine that tastes more like a Condrieu than a new world Viognier. Flavours of citrus and ginger are married with a rich creamy mouth feel. This wine is going to be really exciting to pair and I am working on something really fun and a bit outside the box. I won't say exactly what but if you come to this tasting, come hungry.
The other reason we really wanted to do this tasting is the inaugural release of the Princess Syrah. The grapes for this wine are grown by some dear friends, they are more like family, of ours Tim Rogan and Cisca Van Heezik. They will be on hand as well as the dynamic duo Annette and Amber to answer questions and hopefully (hint, hint) sign bottles for those who choose to purchase wine the night of the event.
We are REALLY excited about this tasting as the wines are fabulous and the company will be too.
Call us at the store if you are interested in reserving your spot for this memorable event. The event will be on Thursday 14 August from 7 to 9 p.m. at the store. Reservations are required for this event and we will be limited the number of guests to 30.
What's in Store. . .
So as promised I am updating what we have actually received from our latest order(s). Biellese is back in stock, in spades! We did not receive any of the Hot Sopressata or Basque salame as these were still curing when our order shipped. We should be receiving them soon, however. Right now we currently have the following Biellese products:
Salame Biellese
Sweet Sopressata
Rosette de Lyon
Finochetta (small size fennel salame)
Petite Jesu
Finnochiono (large size fennel salame same size as Petite Jesu)
Coppa
Bresaola
Mortadella
Culatello
We have also received new Fra Mani:
Sopressata (YES! Back in stock after many months)
Toscano
Gentille
Nostrano
Salame Rossa (a cotto or cooked salame)
Mortadella (no pistachios in this one)
Chorizo or Salumetto Picante - this is the new size that I have been talking about.
We are also fully stocked on Salumi products too.
Prosciutto di Parma is back in stock just in time for the melons!
We have lots of new olives these just need to be tried.
There are many other fantastic items but too many to list here.
On the cheese front; we just cracked open the Appenzeller yesterday and it is wonderful. Fruity, nutty and very flavourful. We have a good supply of aged Gouda right now this is the 5yr old super caramel and butterscotch one. MMMMM. Fleur de Maquis is back although going fast...
There really is a lot in store right now including some new wine accessories and new wines too.
And finally to all of you addicts out there the chocolate almonds are back now too. Although I am having a hard time keeping the staff away from them. Quality control checks seem to be happening every hour. . .
Salame Biellese
Sweet Sopressata
Rosette de Lyon
Finochetta (small size fennel salame)
Petite Jesu
Finnochiono (large size fennel salame same size as Petite Jesu)
Coppa
Bresaola
Mortadella
Culatello
We have also received new Fra Mani:
Sopressata (YES! Back in stock after many months)
Toscano
Gentille
Nostrano
Salame Rossa (a cotto or cooked salame)
Mortadella (no pistachios in this one)
Chorizo or Salumetto Picante - this is the new size that I have been talking about.
We are also fully stocked on Salumi products too.
Prosciutto di Parma is back in stock just in time for the melons!
We have lots of new olives these just need to be tried.
There are many other fantastic items but too many to list here.
On the cheese front; we just cracked open the Appenzeller yesterday and it is wonderful. Fruity, nutty and very flavourful. We have a good supply of aged Gouda right now this is the 5yr old super caramel and butterscotch one. MMMMM. Fleur de Maquis is back although going fast...
There really is a lot in store right now including some new wine accessories and new wines too.
And finally to all of you addicts out there the chocolate almonds are back now too. Although I am having a hard time keeping the staff away from them. Quality control checks seem to be happening every hour. . .
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