Mt Tam 20% off – a triple cream cheese at the ladies from Cowgirl Creamery.  Soft, rich, buttery and all organic.

Roquefort 20% off – the only handmade Roquefort still left in existence.  The real deal French Roquefort.  Due to some tiffs over tariffs Rouquefort has been a true luxury over the past few months but the price has finally come down.  Yippee!

Langres 30% off – A lovely little French softie made in the high plains of Champagne. Langres cheese traced back from the 18th century and has a depression at the top of the cheese in order to pour champagne over the cheese before serving.  Great for a special occasion or a decadent evening in front of the TV.

Chef Joe’s Cookies are made from a 25 year old proprietary recipe created by Chef Joe Duffy.
Your purchase of AspireCoffeeWorks is funding life-changing programs and creating new job possibilities for people with disabilities. Both companies are local and we think they’re pretty special.

Please come in and taste for yourself, and support two local businesses!
Start Time: 10:00am
Date: Saturday March 6, 2010
End Time: 1:00pm

“To Make Small Beer
Take a large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste. — Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gall[ons] into a cooler put in 3 Gall[ons] Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot or rather draw the Melasses into the cooler & St[r]ain the Beer on it while boiling Hot. let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yea[s]t if the Weather is very Cold cover it over with a Blank[et] & let it Work in the Cooler 24 hours then put it into the Cask — leave the bung open till it is almost don[e] Working — Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed.”

PS. In case you don’t have a cask or bran hops, you can stop in at MSCM and we’ll help you select the perfect beer – growler or bottles!  Toast the President’s today with a nice porter!

On February 11th, Unity Temple Restoration Foundation, Marion Street Cheese Market and Kathy Reller Designs will bring you a unique experience. Profits will benefit the restoration of Unity Temple, Oak Park’s gem.

$28 per person in advance, $35 at the door.
To purchase tickets call 708.383.8873 or visit www.utrf.org.

Unity Temple Restoration Foundation
875 Lake Street :: Oak Park, Illinois 60301 :: 708.383.8873 info@utrf.org

Start Time: 7pm
Date: 2010-11-2

Here are some of the new second courses:
cured and pickled house cured meats + seasonal pickles + mostarda + olive oil toast
stuffed peppers piquillo pepper + whitefish brandade + marcona almond romesco
mac n’ choose three cheese mornay + spiral pasta + daily inspired additions – ask your server
sliders duck confit + carrot slaw + golden raisin marmalade
or heirloom beet + almond butter + melted chevre
crab “salad” lump crab salad + fennel panna cotta + frisee + riesling poached grapes **
MSCM beer cheese aged cheddar + metropolitan doppel bock + warm pretzel roll

What about the main events?
duck carbonara smoked duck breast + bucatini pasta + sarvecchio parmesan + crispy farm egg
fish & chips beer batter + lake superior whitefish + salt & vinegar fries + lemon tartar
mint creek farm lamb white bean stew + merguez sausage + braised shank + mint salsa verde
diver scallops toasted millet + wilted spinach + black truffle vinaigrette **
crispy skin barramundi celeriac risotto + spiced carrots + almond brown butter **
tj’s chicken breast lentils du puy + duroc lardons + caramelized cauliflower + grainy mustard **
eggplant schnitzel caraway spaetzle + sweet n’ sour cabbage + lemon caper yogurt
graue mills polenta roasted mushrooms + baby spinach + crispy tempeh + smoked cheddar **

**- gluten free

We are all very excited about this new menu, and hope you come by soon to enjoy it with us!

Cheese is an anomaly within the world of food. Unlike other consumable products, cheese rarely comes with an exact “expiration date”. Like all living things, cheeses have a life cycle of their own. In their youth they are firm, fresh, fluffy, moist. As they age, the flavors often become more robust, they may begin to “puff”, as is the case for surface ripened cheeses like Camembert. As cheese continues to age, flavors can become more piquant, softer cheeses may become runnier, cheddar’s lose their moisture and become drier, and the life cycle draws to a close. However, there is no exact time-line to follow. For some cheeses like Parmesan, a cut piece of cheese can last for a year, while a fresh chevre is best consumed as soon as possible.

Molds are another perplexity for many. How can you figure a good mold from a bad mold? The “good” molds are the molds that help to develop and protect cheese, and often lend integral characteristics to a cheeses look and flavor. The fluffy white camembert’s wouldn’t exist without penicillium candidum – the mold that lends camembert its snowy appearance. Blue cheese wouldn’t be blue cheese without adding penicillium roqueforti. The “bad” molds are molds that were not an intended addition to the cheese. Blue molds, for instance, can “jump” on to other cheeses – not a desirable trait for every cheese. (There are, however, exceptions – such as British Cheddars that often develop a natural bluing with age – or cheeses that use a geotricum candidum mold, like piper’s pyramid, bijou, or crottin di Chavignol).

Are raw cheeses safe? I would answer that with a resounding Yes! Not only are they safe, they are often the most flavorful cheeses you’ll find. Delicious Alpine styles, blues, farmhouse cheddars, all become more powerful, more pronounced when made with raw milk. It is currently illegal to sell any cheese aged less than 60 days that has been made with raw milk – so you can be sure that your bries’ and fresh chevres’ and mozzarellas’ have all been pasteurized.

So there – you’ve had a little sample bit of cheese information. If these questions and more have been eating you up inside, join myself and my fellow cheese mongers next Monday, January 25th, for Cheese 101. We’ll cover cheese topics ranging from history to styles of cheese to helping you navigate the cheese counter with confidence and ease. Plus, there will be cheese samples. Lot’s of cheese samples. Need I say more? Call the shop at 708-725-7200 to reserve your space today – or sign up in person with one of our retail associates – Looking forward to seeing lot’s of cheese loving folks there!

-Norine, cheesemonger

Pete Crowley of Rock Bottom Brewery in Chicago is at it again.  Five courses, five great beers. Executive Chef, Leonard Hollander, has written a menu that will pair perfectly with some amazing beer from some incredible Illinois breweries.  Brewmasters from Goose Island, Gordon Biersch, America’s Brewing, Flossmoor Station and Rock Bottom Brewery will be participating. Cost: $55, which includes a beer flight but not tax or gratuity.  Call 708.725.7200 to reserve your spot!

Welcome!  America’s Brewing Pilsner

First

Stuffed Peppers

piquillo peppers + whitefish brandade + marcona almond romesco

Beer: Flossmoor Station’s Panama Red

Second

Soup & Salad

chestnut bisque + crispy parmesan + mushroom salad

Beer:  Goose Island Brewpub’s Alt

Third

American artisan cheese course

Beer:  Stilton with Rock Bottom’s Imperial Red, Cheddar with Flossmoor Station’s Pullman Brown

Fourth

Duck Pasta

duck leg confit + white truffle ricotta + local butternut squash

Beer: Gordon Biersch’s Marzen

Fifth

Kumquat Duo

dark chocolate truffle

+

 Tiramisu

Beer:  Rock Bottom’s Bourbon Imperial Stout

We will be closed on Monday, Janury 4 and Tuesday, January 5 to work on staff training, cleaning and maintanence, and to have a staff holiday party.
We will resume normal business hours on Wednesday, January 6.

Thanks for all of your support in 2009.

We’re looking forward to a healthy, prosperous and delicious 2010!