At Tastings we’re busy creating sumptuous cheeseboards for Thanksgiving while counting our blessings. We have the best customers in the world, and we’re delighted to introduce you to new cheeses and other products to make your Thanksgiving special.
We’re still taking Thanksgiving orders, but for those of you who want to create your own beautiful cheeseboards, we’ve got everything you need: exquisite cheeses, fabulous charcuterie, plump dried fruit, savory nuts and olives, and expert advice. Plus we have antipasti, cranberry sauce, and other dinner accompaniments. Do stop in and let us help make your Thanksgiving the best ever.
Our cheeses this week would sit pretty on your Thanksgiving cheeseboard. Come in for a taste of a delicious port-and-brandy-laced cheese, a yummy pumpkin cheese log and a classic French Brie — the best you can buy in the U.S.!
Origin: Wales
Producer: Snowdonia Cheese Company
Milk: Pasteurized cow
Rennet type: Vegetarian
Rind: None. Covered with purple wax
Age: 9-12 months
Look: Small, barrel-shaped; yellow paste
Feel: Silky smooth
Smell: Sweet
Taste: Creamy
Tastes good with: Crackers, walnuts
Pairs well with: Port
Here’s a cheese to add a touch of vibrant color to your Thanksgiving cheeseboard. A true crowning glory for your board, Ruby Mist is silky smooth, aged Cheddar enrobed in a rich purple wax.
This melt-in-your-mouth cheese bursts with flavor. Ruby Mist is doused with a warming port and a splash of brandy to add an extra note of luxury and sophistication. The alcohol-cheese combination is never better than on a cold late fall day or night.
A gold winner at the British Cheese Awards, Ruby Mist is a new addition to the Snowdonia family. Created among the lakes and mountains of northern Wales, it boasts the finest ingredients and care.
Fromage de MeauxOrigin: France (Ile de France region)
Producer: Robert Rouzaire
Milk: Pasteurized cow
Rennet type: Animal
Rind: Bloomy
Age: 4-6 weeks
Look: White rind, straw-colored paste, large wheel 14 inches in diameter.
Feel: Soft, melty texture
Smell: Aromatic
Taste: Buttery, sweet, mushroomy
Tastes good with: Marcona almonds, figs, baguette
Pairs well with: Bordeaux, Chardonnay
Brie de Meaux is, without question, the finest, certainly the best known and rightly named Le Roi de Fromages – The King of Cheese. Unfortunately, U.S. laws prohibit these delicious cheeses from entering our country; however, for a near-luxury experience, we highly recommend the pasteurized version Fromage de Meaux. Fromage de Meaux is produced in exactly the same way as Brie de Meaux, with the exception that it is pasteurized.
To satisfy the huge demand for Brie de Meaux cheese as well as comply with U.S. import regulations concerning raw milk cheeses, Robert Rouzaire of Tournan-en-Brie compromised and made an equally delicious version with pasteurized milk for export that is very close to the original. As with Brie de Meaux, the characteristics of Fromage de Meaux are luxuriously rich, buttery, and smooth, with burgeoning flavors that fill the palate in a balanced and creamy way. Aged for 4 to 6 weeks, it develops a complex flavor of mushrooms, truffles, and ripe fruit.
Packed in a large wooden box, it’s the largest format of all the Bries. Pair Fromage de Meaux with unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay or Pinot Gris or medium-bodied red wines with moderate tannins, such as Syrah and Merlot.
LaClare Bourbon Maple Cheese LogOrigin: Malone, Wisconsin
Producer: LaClare Family Creamery
Milk: Pasteurized goat
Rennet type: Animal
Rind: None
Age: Fresh
Look: Small log
Feel: Soft, creamy
Smell: Milky, delicate
Taste: Buttery, tangy with sweet notes of bourbon and maple
Tastes good with: Crackers, graham crackers, on salads
Pairs well with: Chianti, Pinot Gris, Pilsners, Pale Ale
Producer of some of the most awarded goat cheese in the country, LaClare was started by Larry and Clara Hedrich in 1978 as a “hobby farm.” That hobby has now turned into a life-long obsession and one of the daughters is now the head cheesemaker.
This chèvre is very creamy, and the combination of the maple and the bourbon will make you swoon. Made from LaClare’s own fresh goat milk, it has a light, tangy taste.
Crumble it over salads, spread it over burgers, use it in cheesecake, or just eat it by the spoonful. Your guests will gobble it up!
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"Whether Annapolis is your home, your destination or a pit stop on the way to your beach vacation, Tastings Gourmet Market is the place to pick up a few provisions for an al fresco meal on the waterfront.”
