We’re pleased to present to you the next in our series of Talula’s Cheese and Chansonette’s Orchids collaborative Pop-Ups. This one is being hosted by the lively and fun Ellen Bartholomaus, owner of the Blue Streak Art Gallery, in Wilmington, DE. Come join us for an afternoon of local, artisanal cheese tasting, art, orchids,  epiphytes, and complimentary drinks. Did we mention the handmade paper hats? Yes folks, that’s right. As our event coincides with the Willowdale Steeplechase, what better way to kick off the festivities than to swing by the gallery and fill your tailgating picnic basket with artisan cheeses, flowers, and the most artfully crafted (and protective) paper hats, to enjoy the races in classic BYO style. We welcome you to start your mutable feast with us, as we will be featuring our line of Talula’s Picnic Fare, replete with functional chalk and slate designs by Brooklyn Slate Co., and seasonal accoutrement for those tasty cheeses. Come join in the fun. In the meantime, Happy Spring, and we look forward to seeing you at the cheese counter and around the table!

What a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon: tasting fine cheese, sipping bubbly and local brew, hobnobbing with orchids and succulents alike, and catching up with friends. It’s events like these that remind us of how beautiful it feels to slow down and enjoy some of the more simple pleasures in life; those simple pleasures that, when savored slowly under the diffused light of a greenhouse, taken in with the fresh green oxygen of plant life respiration, reach rather kingly heights when juxtaposed to the busy-busy of the day-to-day.  A few weeks ago, it was a dream come true, for our cheese and orchid happy hour, at the ever enchanting, never-ending Chadds Ford Greenhouses. Anne Eder, who has  migrated from her orchid shop, Chansonette, in Kennett Square, to dig into the expansive and well-revered Chadds Ford Greenhouses, has truly set up shop there, with more space to spread her green wings and visionary roots.

If you missed this event, don’t dismay, Chadds Ford Greenhouses is open daily, and well stocked with all you could ever desire in the way of plants for spring; and we are already planning our next “pop-up cheese tasting.” A little birdie is telling us that this time around it will be landing somewhere in the land of the arts. In the meantime, for all your slow food staples and carefully curated cheeses, come see us at your favorite local digs, Talula’s Table.

Interested in hearing about future events? Send us an email at talulascheese@gmail.com, and we’ll add you to our unobtrusive email list.

How else can we put it? Cheese is love. Thus, with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, we have stocked our cases chock-a-block with the finest in fresh and aged, with an emphasis on the heart strings. Call ahead to order a cheese plate to enjoy in our house or yours, accompanied by the finest in accoutrements sourced from near and far. Or, simply come in to the shop and let us help you find you and yours’ personal favorites for the occasion. Here are a few cheeses we recommend, in order to seal the deal for your special Valentine’s occasion. When it comes to true love, let’s not beat around the bush; these beauties cut right to the chase:

St. Agur ~ Double Creme French Cow Milk Blue

Coach Farm Goat Cheese Hearts ~ Fresh and Aged from Upstate New York

Epoisses ~ Pungent, gooey washed rind cow milk from Burgundy, France

Brunet ~ Hard-to-get, gooey goat milk Robiola from Piedmont, Italy.

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar ~ Crumbly, nutty cheddar, aged to perfection at Jasper Hill, VT.

Old Chatham Sheep Camembert from Upstate New York

Prince La Fontaine ~ French Cow Milk Triple Creme

Just making sure you’re still with us…Yum, that’s more like it!

Happy Valentines Day, from your comrades behind the Talula’s cheese case!

The pleasure of your company is requested at our next Talula’s Cheese Tasting Event. This one is “Pop-Up” style, in collaboration with Anne Eder, of Chansonette Orchirds, to be held at the enchanting Chadds Ford Greenhouses, at 1450 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA. There will be plenty of cheese to taste, from near and Dutch-land (our theme is all things Dutch), and local brews to imbibe. Of course, this event is kid-friendly, and you are most encouraged to bring your beloved young ones. Go away with the best in orchids and winter greenhouse fare, and, of course, a full basket of local fromage and interesting Dutch cheeses, all of which will be for sale. Come enjoy a complimentary drink and taste of the tastiest cheeses around.

Orchids and cheese, in a charming setting, rubbing elbows with rosy-cheeked comrades… it’s the new Super Bowl Party!

It’s hard to deny that there is something about the cold months of winter that really pull at your cheese heart strings. Cheese is the ultimate food power house. From taste to nutrition, it covers all the bases. There is quite possibly nothing more satisfying than a hunk or spoonful of your favorite cheese, paired with your favorite pickle (have you tried the Smokra, spicy pickled okra, we carry? The perfect antidote to the cold), wine, fruit, or crusty bread. Loaded with protein, calcium, and vitamins and minerals from the digested flora and fauna,  just a little bit of cheese goes such a long way to satisfy your nutritional needs and your cravings, all in one tasty bite.

So whether it’s for a tasting affair, or to grate into your next culinary escapade, let Talula’s Table be your cheese commissary. We have all that you need from cheeseland, and the friendly and helpful service to boot. Here are some of our favorite cheesy recipes, to get the gears turning.  In the meantime, happy tasting, and we hope to see you in the shop!

Cheers,

Talula’s Cheese Crew

Blue Cheese-Stuffed Dates

(Taken from The All American Cheese and Wine Book)

2 oz Blue Cheese

12 dried dates (preferably Medjool)

24 blanched almonds, toasted

Cayenne pepper

Using a hand mixer, in a small bowl mix the cheese until creamy. You may need to add a few drops of milk if the cheese is crumbly. Set aside.

Place the dates on a serving platter. Using a knife, spread about 1 teaspoon of cheese on the cut side of each date. Top with 1 almond. Sprinkle the stuffed dates with a dash of cayenne pepper and serve.

Gruyere, Wild Mushroom, and Arugula Pizza

(Taken from The All American Cheese and Wine Book)

Cornmeal

1/2 pound mixed wild musrooms

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 C packed arugula leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Dough for one 14-inch pizza

4 oz. Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated

Preheat oven to 500. If you are using a pizza stone, place it in the oven. Sprinkle a 14-in pizza pan with cornmeal. Or if you are using a pizza stone, sprinkle cornmeal on a wooden peel (paddle) or a rimless baking sheet. Set aside.

Slice all of the mushrooms 1/4 inch thick. If some of the mushrooms are quite large, cut them in half crosswise after slicing. In a medium-size ovenproof pan, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil and the mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Shake the pan vigorously to coat the mushrooms and place in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened and are beginning to develop a caramel color around the edges. Remove from the oven. Taste and add more salt if necessary, but remember that the cheese and the arugula will also have salt.

In a small bowl mix together the arugula, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Prepare the dough.

Brush the rim of the dough with olive oil. Distribute the cheese and then the mushrooms over the dough, leaving about a 2-inch rim. Slide the pizza onto the stone, if using. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are a deep golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. To serve, slice into wedges and top each serving with a handful of the arugula salad.

Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer, 4 as a main course.

Note: The pizza will cook more quickly with a pizza stone. Allow extra 5 minutes’ baking time if you’re not using a stone.

Want to send a little Talula’s love to a friend, near or far? Our Gift Baskets fit the bill to a tee. Let us take care of your loved ones for the holidays. Either choose from our vast selection on our online menu, or let us create a custom gift, perfectly tailored to your every gustatory whim. We love our new “Cheese Geek” spread, replete with the finest accoutrements. We ship, too!

~See you at the table~

• Cherry Glen Chevres-  This rockin’ goat dairy in Boyd’s, MD (just outside of Washington, DC) sure knows how to make additively good cheeses!  We have their full line-up in stock now: gooey, brie-style Monocacy Gold, aged and dense Monocacy Crottin, ash-layered Monocacy Ash, and smokey and spicy Monocacy Chipotle.
• Amazing Acres fresh and aged chevres- Local Cheesemaker Debbie Mikulak is outdoing herself again!  We have a full line-up of fresh chevres (including pumpkin spice and cranberry) and aged favorites (brandy-soaked banons and creamy, rich Seasmokes) for you to savor!
• Brunet- Fluffy, minerally, cupcake-y chevre from the producers of everyone’s favorite La Tur.  Saddle up to a nice creamy Brunet and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc tonight!

If you aren’t craving the goat-y stuff, fear not: we have a ton of other cow and sheep’s milk cheeses for you to enjoy!  Stop by and pick up a hunk of tasty fromage today!

Wabash Cannonballs from Capriole Farms- When I opened this box of amazing little aged chevres, it felt like Christmas all over again.  Legendary cheesemaker Judy Shad has outdone herself again with these dense, minerally, ash coated little balls of Indiana chevre.  Perfectly dense and creamy with a delicate geotricum rind.

Basseri from Barinaga Ranch – The husband and wife team behind this cheesemaking operation went right to the heart of sheep’s milk cheese (the French Pyrenees) to learn their trade.  Now, they are churning out small-production, perfectly-balanced, nutty sheep’s milk tommes that are just as good as their Basque counterparts.  So, if you can’t get to the Basque country anytime soon, go there in spirit with a nice healthy wedge of Basseri (named after the Basque cheese-making huts).

Cameo from Redwood Hill Creamery-  This California creamery is well-respected for their amazing goat’s milk cheeses.  Cameo is a silky, mild goat brie with the added bonus of fresh herbs on top (pink peppercorns and fresh thyme).  This cheese is as pretty as it is delicious.  Yum!

Lincoln Log from Zingermans-  It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for Bucheron-style cheeses.  But really, its hard not to love this Bucheron rendition from the legendary Zingermans in Michigan!  This citrusy, creamy, pristine white log of aged chevre is just perfect.  And the fluffy, peppery rind gives it a little added complexity.  Grab a chunk of this to enjoy with a nice glass (or two) of your favorite white wine.

And the list goes on…..stop by and see us to taste more amazing US cheeses!!

Every year in August, the American Cheese Society has a big celebration (and contest) to give credit where credit is due to some of the best American cheeses.   Since we can’t make it to Seattle, we will be celebrating the ACS convention right here at Talula’s, on September 9th from 3 to 6. Come on down for a Patriotic cheese extravaganza, complete with samples of our favorite US brews.  Hope to see you there!