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| MANHATTAN DINING |
For
the Little Miss Muffet in All of Us
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| 'Say
Cheese' offers entertaining primer on brie and its brethren |
| by Charlotte Eichna (published 05-13-2004) |
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| In Egypt way back when, a desert
bedouin stored some milk in a leather satchel and set
out on a journey in the scorching Saharan sun. When he
went to refresh himself several hours later, all he found
were chunky curds and whey. |
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| Thirst-quenching? No. But the
mistake was delicious, and experts think that this is
how humans first stumbled upon the creation of cheese,
that rich, fatty delight that has tantalized mankind ever
since and helped pizza reach new heights of delectability. |
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| These days, cheese is a lot easier to come
by, and you probably don't think twice about chucking
that cellophane package of pre-wrapped slices into your
shopping basket. But the self-proclaimed "singing
chef" Jackie Gordon thinks you should. Indeeed, Gordon
wants you to be picky about all your food starting withcheese,
and has designed a cabaret wine-and-cheese pairing performance
called "Say Cheese" to educate the average consumer
about this complex delicacy. |
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| But of all the foods that people
blindly consume, why cheese? |
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| "I look for where I consider
a trouble spot," explained Gordon, who personally
found the process of selecting a cheese to be overwhelming.
Friends agreed with her, and the idea for "Say Cheese"
was born. |
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| The Brooklyn-born Gordon spent
several months researching the history of cheese and logged
hour upon hour of tastings and classes at the Artisanal
Cheese Center, 500 W. 37th St., where five maturing caves
help 250 cheeses reach their optimal flavor.(The word
"artisanal" refers to cheeses that are hand-crafted
in small quantities, according to the "old ways.") |
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| Some of the more interesting tidbits she
picked up? |
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| Contrary to what some hard-core cheese fanatics
think, brie skin isn't supposed to be eaten. The skin
is actually mold that has been sprayed on the cheese so
that it ripens from the outside in. While it won't hurt
you, the skin doesn't add anything to the cheese, and
actually clashes when the brie is paired with a wine. |
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| Say Cheese is the latest in a string of
food-centered performances that seem to be taking theater
by storm. Set in the intimate subterranean Laurie Beechman
Theater of the West Bank Cafe, located at 407 W. 42nd
St., the show begins with a rendition of songs(Including
the heartfelt" If I Could Date Cheese") by the
talented Gordon, who is clad in a fabulous hand-made,
cheese themed gown. |
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| The singing chef then proceeds down a brief
but interesting path of cheese history as the drools over
a plate of six cheese samples, courtesy of Artisanal (you
are asked to refrain from nibbling to the proper point
in the show). The anticipation is tangible, and thankfully
not long before Gordon moves on to the actual tasting.
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| After a brief description, the audience
samples a cheese with each of the two reds and two whites
provided. The Gordon moves on to what is probably the
best part of the show. |
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| "How did you find the Taleggio with
the Trimbach Riesling?" she calls out. The crowd
eagerly shouts out responses which run the gamut . They're
based on a five point scale, where two is "great"
and negative two is "hideous." While occasionally
a diner would find one combination stunning that the rest
of the audience found a horror, or vice versa, consensus
was surprisingly easy to come by, It was democracy at
its crudest-a beautiful thing. |
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| Then, too the program for the show provides
a worksheet that allows you to record tasting notes and
even offers , meaning "Say Cheese" can become
a permanent culinary resource. |
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| Terrance Brennan, chef and proprietor of
Artisanal and Picholine, helped Gordon bone up on cheese
knowledge but didn't understand the concept of "Say
Cheese" until he saw the production. |
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| "It was witty," said Brennan,
"it was funny, entertaining, educational. |
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| Asked why he decided to et involved in "Say
Cheese," Brennan responded, "Anything to spread
the word on the curd." |
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| If, after Gordon's introduction, the newly
converted curdaphile wants to learn more about this lactic
delight, Artisanal offer two-hour classes that cost $75
and include wine. Visit www.ArtisanalCheese.com for more
information. |
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| "The more people know," said Brennan,
"the more they can enjoy a good piece of artisanal
cheese." |
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Now go forth and spread the gospel.
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