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11 N School St
Lodi, CA 95240
209.368.3033
www.CheeseCentralLodi.com
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WELCOME !
March is here, and so are some of the new products we are excited about, and plans for the year ahead. As always, we are anxious to try new cheeses, crackers, breads, jams and jellies and...well, really anything that sounds delicious on our cheese boards. New recipes, new cooking class schedules, and more have been on the To Do List. See below for details.
New Year means new neighbors! Make sure to swing by The Lounge at Lodi Crush located on Elm Street, just over the railroad track by the parking garage. Their grand opening was on January 27, and Gerardo and staff are ready to spice up your wine visit with new-to-you flavors and experience.
As of January 30, both Weibel and Wine Social have closed their tasting rooms next to the cheese shop... and two new tasting room/businesses are opening in the very near future! Pop the Bubbly is opening their second location, as they are very popular in Murphys. Have you been there? Check in late March for their opening date. The old Weibel space, has been opened by Lodi Cyclery, and food and beverage will be included shortly in their new business model! Check out our new neighbors soon...
New Year resolutions tend to fade by now. My priority this year is to connect with friends more often, so a small cheese board augments our conversation-- and we got those here!. I put that into practice just last weekend, and have schedule to do it again in two weeks. Wish me well to keep up the resolve! Call us for details about our cheese board program, and give us 24 hour notice to build you a beauty!
Is your habit to walk or bike more often feeling like a chore? Let us provide a Happy Hour box to share with a friend in the middle of your destination walk or ride ($35 gets you full appetizers for two people)! Did you resolve to eat a little healthier, get more of those leafy greens into your diet? Shavings of great cheese in your salad will satisfy that need for a bit of indulgence! Pair it with a lovely bowl of hot soup and your meal is made! Have a taste on us for your shave-able choices. I wish you well on keeping your good intentions on track!
Come check out what's new, and coming soon... tastes, recipes and experiences--our favorite things! Oh, and Farmer's Market starts May 18--mark your calendar.
Daylight Savings Time changes our clocks late Saturday/Sunday morning. And, as of April 1, our shop hours will extend to 6pm on Wednesday through Saturday. Looking forward to seeing YOU soon.
Cindy and Staff
Cate, Gina, Kim, Diana
and Madeline
PS We are hiring! Looking for a 12-hour a week person for the register. Want to join our cheesey team just two days a week? Fill out our application (see website Employment Opportunities) and bring it into the shop. We'd love to meet a fellow "mouse" and treat you to the tastes and joy of our cheesey atmosphere!
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Delicate, creamy, sweet, tangy, what's not to love about Gorgonzola dolce? It's wonderfully mild blue flavor and spreadable sultry texture make it a fine cheese for snacking, pairing and cooking. Younger than its other Gorgonzola siblings, Gorgonzola dolce is aged for 50 days and has a higher moisture content than traditional Gorgonzola. Although it's unclear exactly when it arrived on the cheese scene, it's believed it was after WW2 when consumers were looking for creamier, finer cheeses.
We highly recommend checking out Janet Fletcher's recipe for Gorgonzola Dolce with polenta.Follow the link below.
https://www.janetfletcher.com/blog/2023/1/9/how-sweet-it-is
We also recently tried an unlikely pairing with Biscoff cookies and it was AMAZING.
Swing by for a luscious wedge of Gorgonzola Dolce and see what you come up with!
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CLASSES
Are you ready to join a public class, have a great cooking experience, and meet new foodie friends?
The first list of public classes, since the March 2020 lockdown! So many of our guests have been wanting to resume pre-Covid activities in our Grand Central Kitchen, and we are ready to oblige with the first public class list that you can join, below.
NOTE: All classes listed below are Culinary, hands-on unless noted otherwise, and are $85 per person. This experience includes a full meal and the appropriate alcoholic beverage, along with a class booklet to go home with you.
LOADS OF LEMONS
April 4 6-8pm
A favorite class offered for a decade now... the entire meal is savory, with the exception of a surprising dessert. We explore how to use the two different kinds of lemons available to us—the Eureka, and the short season Meyer. From appetizers through dessert, we enjoy a full dinner of delicious dishes that celebrate this very versatile fruit. Come hungry!
PIZZA
April 13 6-8pm
Not a tomato or pepperoni in sight! Make a quick pizza dough (even the kids can make this), and experience toppings outside of the pizzeria game. The French "pizza" is always a hit, and the crust-less one as well. A booklet full of great options will inspire you to change up the typical pizza game.
GREEK—HOMEMADE
April 26 11am-1pm
This menu will transport you to the Aegean Sea. The fresh flavors invoke sunny skies, blue water, and WARM weather. I'm tired of the cold... aren't you? Let's get into the dip, the quick cooking proteins, and a snappy version of Baklava (Greek "theia" (auntie) approved!)
FIESTA !
May 5 6-8pm
Ever made your own tortillas, and enjoyed it warm from the griddle? Ever done a side-by-side sampling of canned enchilada sauce and the homemade version? Delicious Mexican cuisine isn't just tacos. Come and explore some exciting new Mexican flavors, just in time for Cinco de Mayo. Ole!
"ART" OF FRENCH CHEESE
May 13 11am-1pm
Start Mother's Day weekend with a gift for Mom. A no-cooking presentation of good food and delicious wine. Just sit and enjoy the delightful flavors, all parts of a typical French meal, and a "palette" of cheese. This presentation was first introduced in Summer 2022, with overwhelming approval from participants! Let's lift a glass of Provencal-style rose to those wonderful French cheesemakers.
MIDDLE EASTERN FOR BEGINNERS
May 26 6-8pm
A delicious meal made with dishes that you may have had in a restaurant. We explore quick pickling recipes and meze platter construction, two entrees that are easy weeknight deliciousness, and a surprise dessert that will have you coming back for more!
PRIVATE CULINARY PARTIES
We are still offering private party classes, too! A great group activity, and kitchen skills are taught with fun and love. Great recipes to take home, and since class is participation, you have had a chance to make them with me! The classes listed above are the choices for the current season. Choose one, and follow the directions below to arrange your own private event.
Bring your friends and family (minimum of 8, maximum of 10). Plan for future happiness with a gift certificate. Enjoy a themed book club class. The options are endless!
Here's what to do:
--Send email to
[email protected], with an inquiry for possible dates for your exclusive private cooking class
--Pick a cooking topic
--Gather a group of 8-10 friends or family, or co-workers
--Show up to the shop on your appointed date...hungry and ready to cook and drink wine (or beer) and have a fun event
All cooking classes: $85 pp
includes a full meal and adult beverages (see above for seasonal topics)
Cheese 101: $65 pp
you leave very full of good cheese!
Bread Baking: $65 pp
for beginners and mid-level bakers, go home with baked and raw bread products, and a happy full tummy
PARKING FOR CLASS PARTICIPANTS: Street parking is limited, though available. Feel free to park in the F&M Bank parking lot (after banking hours) and walk through the alley to School Street. The parking lot on Church St. across from F&M Bank is public parking after 5 pm daily and on weekends. The entrance to the public parking garage is on Pine Street at the Lodi Arch. Free and accessible to all three levels.
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New items in stock now
Hot Honey comes from the Savannah Bee Company in Georgia. Made with a delectable wildflower honey and a kick from Scotch Bonnet and Habanero chiles, drizzle it over Vacherousse brie, a chunk of Prairie Breeze cheddar or Gina Marie cream cheese to fire up your morning toast or cheese boards
Rustic Bakery Sourdough Flatbreads- Small pack
Need a little bite? These small packs have just enough crunch for your afternoon snack. Grab a chunk of cheese from our mousetrap, or our new Beecher's Flagship cheese stick, and pair with a finocchiona or small pack of Genoa salami, and you're all set!
Hook's 5-yr Cheddar
From Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Deep orange in color, made from pasteurized cow's milk and vegetarian rennet, this 5-year old cheddar develops rich complex flavors over time. A creamy mouth-feel dissolves into "caramelized" intensity
THERE'S MORE NEW STUFF
ON THE SHELVES AND IN THE CHEESE CASES, JUST WAITING FOR YOU TO TAKE A PEEK... ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR A TASTY TREAT?
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Pimento Cheese
Deviled Eggs For Easter
Makes 24 deviled egg halves
12 large eggs
8 oz pimento cheese
(we carry Sweet Grass Dairy
Pimiento Cheese, from Georgia)
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 T dijon mustard
kosher salt and pepper
Minced chives and a dusting of paprika, for garnish
Place eggs in pot of cold water to cover. Bring to boil, reduce to bare simmer, and set timer for 12 minutes.
Drain and cover hot eggs with cold water to stop cooking. Let the eggs cool enough to peel and set on a paper towel to dry. Slice the eggs in half, remove yolks to a mixing bowl. Mash yolks until mostly smooth. Stir in the pimiento cheese, mayonnaise and mustard, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
With large plain piping tip, or teaspoon, fill the egg whites.and place on decorative plate. Garnish with minced chives and a sprinkle of paprika. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
PS I like to serve these with classic Bread n Butter pickles!
Caramelized Onion
Cheese Ball
1/2 C caramelized onions**
8 oz cream cheese, softened
(our organic Gina Marie cream
cheese works perfectly)
1 t Dijon mustard
1 1/2 C shredded cheese
(medium cheddar, or mild/buttery
cheese such as Toma or
Marieke Gouda)
1/3 C chopped fresh, mixed herbs
(parsley, thyme, and chives or
green onion tops)
1 t paprika
Crackers for serving
(Cowgirl Creamery Flatbreads
or 34* Toasted Onion, and a
good selection of gluten-free
crackers are always in stock!)
In a mixing bowl, combine cooled caramelized onions, room temp cream cheese, Dijon, shredded cheese and 2 T of the mixed herbs. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Form cheese mixture into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Combine herbs on a large plate, remove plastic from cheese ball, and roll in remaining herb mixture.
Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with crackers.
**Quick Make-Ahead Tip:
slice 3-5 lbs. yellow onions, place in crockpot with 6 T butter. Cook on HI for 1 hour, reduce temp to LOW for 10 hours, stirring occasionally. Use immediately, or cool and divide between sandwich-sized ziplock bags and freeze for future use!
I like to put the crockpot in the garage, set a timer so I don't forget about it while cooking, then cool it in the kitchen. Helps keep the onion aroma out of the house, and the yummy aroma drives the neighbors crazy!
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Soup and Salad!
This time of year, I am all about comfort food. However, my goal is to get more greens into my meals after the indulgent holidays and Valentine's Day. I love making a big pot of soup, and having a crisp bright salad to pair with it! A little bit of fine cheese goes a long way in making that salad more satisfying!
Some favorites include Buttermilk Blue by Roth's. This nice big blue has a lovely crumbly texture, classic blue flavor with a great hit of buttermilk on the finish! This is a good choice to incorporate into a blue cheese salad dressing.
Looking to switch up your Caesar salad? Try Kasseri cheese as a substitute for Parmigiano. Kasseri is a Greek-style cow's milk cheese with a firm dry texture, a nice bit of salt and rich mouth feel.
Cream cheese on salad?! Yes! Our Gina Marie cream cheese has a lovely texture similar to fresh chevre, spreadable but slighty crumbly. Pairs very well with a nice tangy vinaigrette and toasted nuts or seeds. Check out Homestead Favorites website for a recipe for Cherry Pepper Vinaigrette to be your salad drizzle.
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Monte Enebro Goat Cheese
New logs of Monte Enebro have arrived, and are quite young. This is a soft-ripened, pasteurized goat's milk cheese handmade exclusively by legendary cheese maker Rafael Baez and his daughter Paloma in Avila, Spain. The cheese is lactic towards the center, and the paste is more piquant and intense near the rind. This striking cheese has a smidge of Penicillium roqueforti in the ash rind giving it notes of blue cheese. The texture is velvety, firm but crumbly and the flavor is out of this world! Grab a slice and a take and bake baguette. Enjoy a pre-dinner bite!
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CHEESE CENTRAL
GIFT CERTIFICATES
....Always available
....Any dollar amount,
customized for you
....A great gift for any
holiday or occasion
....Can be ordered in
shop or by phone
....Phone payment easy
with VISA or MC
....Can be picked up in
shop, curbside or
mailed
Leprechauns and Easter Bunnies are good gift givers, as are the kids raised by our awesome Moms and Dads.
(The next four upcoming holidays, as a reminder from the "house mice" in our shop).
GIFT BASKETS by
CHEESE CENTRAL
So many gift baskets go to lucky recipients during the Christmas holidays, but food gifts are welcome all year! We customize your basket, choosing goodies totaling any budget you choose.
A shiny and crisp cellophane wrap with a bright bow, in a special box or basket, with goodies from our cold cases or shelves. Ask for a non-perishable basket of treats from the shelves, and insert a gift certificate for your recipient to come in and choose their favorite cheese to go with the boxed goodies! Or, let us pick the cheeses to go with the goodies, and give a cold basket gift.
Call today to schedule a basket pick-up, even if it is for a gift sometime in the future! We don't charge you until the basket is wrapped up, and YOU can check that chore off your To Do List.
209-368-3033 during shop hours.
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CALL 209 368-3033 Phone registration with VISA or MC |
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