MOUNTAINVIEWVOICE QFOOD FEATURE We ekend QMOVIE TIMES QBEST BETS FOR ENTERTAINMENT Say cheese STORY BY MY NGUYEN PHOTOS BY MICHELLE LE Above: FOODFEATURE A well-balanced Q cheese board with (clockwise from top left) a Wisconsin aged white cheddar, LOCAL EXPERTS DISH ON HOW TO CREATE cranberry-studded Wensleydale from England, THE ULTIMATE CHEESE BOARD Ewenique sheep- milk cheese, quince jelly, Castelveltrano rtfully arranged, a cheese plate can consist of olives, Dittmer’s Italian salami, fresh and/or dried fruits, olives, nuts, cured paprika sausage, German salami meats, crackers and, of course, cheese. and Big Rock Blue blue cheese. Right: A But it takes more than just chunking up cheddar into Dates stuffed with mascarpone cubes or scattering crackers around a wedge of Gouda to cheese, topped with walnuts and assemble a quality cheese plate. sprinkled with Continued on next page sea salt. September 25, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q 21 Weekend Happy Hour 4pm-9pm Sun-Thurs 2014 +TIZSM¼[*]ZOMZ[̆ WЄ .ZMVKP.ZQM[̆ WЄ WЄIVaLQVVMZ • Kids 12 & under - buy 1 get 1 free* *item from kids menu of equal or lessersser value NOW HIRING applications @clarkes.com th year and Restaurant 70 ANNIVERSARY! Open 7 days Clarkes.com Lunch & Dinner 11am-9pm; Fri ’til 10pm Breakfast on Weekends 8am-2pm Mountain View • 61561 W. El Camino Real • (650) 967-0851 Inspirations a guide to the spiritual community LOS ALTOS LUTHERAN To include your Bringing God’s Love and Hope to All Church in Children’s Nursery Inspirations John Nava, general manager at Sigona’s Farmers Market at Stanford Shopping Center, holds a wheel of Two 10:00 a.m. Worship Sisters Rosalina cheese. 10:10 Sunday School Please call 11:15 a.m. Fellowship Blanca Yoc Pastor David K. Bonde Outreach Pastor Gary Berkland at 650-223-6596 Continued from previous page well with the Gjetost, Rasmus- sweet with a rich finish. or email sen said) and manchego, a strong Other cheeses to look for: 460 South El Monte (at Cuesta) The endless types of cheese Spanish cheese made from “Moo-Na Lisa” (Sigona’s private 650-948-3012 www.losaltoslutheran.org [email protected] and various accompaniments sheep’s milk. label), a Gouda-Gruyere cheese; that create a spread can make John Nava, general manager truffle Gouda, a creamy and the task a little overwhelming, and cheese buyer for Sigona’s luxurious cheese infused with MOUNTAIN VIEW CENTRAL SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH so we sought tips from local Farmers Market at Stanford black truffles; and Fromager meat and cheese experts on how Shopping Center, looks to the d’Affinois, a French double- Sabbath School: 9:30 a.m. to craft an elegant cheese board old English rhyme often used cream soft cheese made from Saturday Services: Worship 10:45 a.m. that will charm your party for brides — “something old, cow’s milk. Wednesday Study Groups: 10-11 a.m. guests — and their tastebuds. something new and something Nava suggests serving enough blue” — to craft a cheese plate. of each type of cheese so that all Pastor Kenny Fraser, B.A.M. DIV WHAT TO BUY “Have a strong presence of guests can taste them, adding 1425 Springer Rd., Mtn. View - Office Hrs. M-F 9am-1pm blue cheese,” Nava recommend- that the best cheese boards are www.mtviewda.adventistfaith.org Phone: 650-967-2189 To assemble a fall cheese board, ed, adding that his favorite diverse. If you’re serving a small incorporate the character of the is “Big Rock Blue” from Paso party (five people), choose four to season, said Kai Rasmussen, Robles-based Central Coast five types of cheese. store manager of The Milk Pail Creamery, a small-batch cream- Expert’s tip: For an easy Market in Mountain View. One ery that specializes in aged and impressive treat to include of Rasmussen’s fall recommen- cow’s and goat’s milk chees- on a cheese board, purchase The Girls’ Middle School dations is Gjetost, a cheese from es. The blue cheese, which is Medjool dates and stuff them Norway that is primarly made ivory in color and laced with with mascarpone cheese and 3400 West Bayshore Road with whey and cow and goat teal veining, has a mild and walnuts, then top with salt. (If Palo Alto, CA 94303 milk. approachable flavor, he said. you’re going high-end, Nava 650.968.8338 x133 “It’s a very unusual cheese “It’s a universal blue and it’s got suggests “Salt of the Earth,” a www.girlsms.org because it’s kind of caramelized one or two notes,” Nava said as he 600-million-year-old salt from [email protected] so it doesn’t really taste like a nibbled on a sample. “You taste West Virginia.) normal cheese,” Rasmussen said. the blue, then it fades and then “It’s almost kind of sweet but you taste the creaminess. It has a ACCOMPANIMENTS it has a rich flavor that I feel is lingering blue on the backend but reminiscient of fall.” it’s not overpowering.” Once you’ve decided on which Another fall option is Wens- For something “old,” Nava cheeses to serve, it’s time to pick leydale, a handmade cheese recommends a seven-year aged the accompaniments. Rasmus- studded with cranberries. (It Wisconsin white cheddar, which sen keeps a seasonal eye, so in gets its name from a style of packs an intense flavor because the fall looks to fresh red and cheese originally produced in it’s been aged for so long, he said. green grapes, pears and quince Wensleydale in North Yorkshire, It’s “big and bold upfront,” but or quince paste, a sweet, thick OPEN England.) bitter on the backend, Nava said. jelly made from the pulp of the HOUSES “Wensleydale is a drier English The cheddar has a firm texture quince fruit. Or, serve fried cheese,” Rasmussen said, but but becomes smooth and creamy and salted Marcona almonds Saturday, the cranberries, characteristic of once eaten. for a salty crunch. Partner Oct. 17, 1–4 pm fall and holiday cooking, add a And for something “new,” the cheeses with honey, which sweetness to the cheese’s dry and Nava enjoys Ewenique, a sheep’s complements the salty nature of Sunday, crumbly texture. milk cheese made in Holland cheese and crackers. Rasmussen Dec. 6, 1–4 pm Other cheeses to consider: (also produced at Central Coast recommends serving a thinner Fourme d’Ambert, a raw cow’s Creamery). The cheese is ivory- cracker “so you can taste the milk cheese from the Auvergne white in color with a delicate cheese more.” region of France (it also works texture. The flavor is earthy and For carnivores, cured meat 22 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q September 25, 2015 Weekend can add substance to the cheese where you are just going to scoop, and act as a perfect vehicle for on the marble side,” she said. spreads. And don’t forget about the Mark Dittmer, whose father knives, said King, who recco- owns Dittmer’s Gourmet Meats mends putting out a few different & Wurst-Haus in Los Altos, kinds. recommends doubled-smoked Spreadable cheeses such as brie paprika sausages (a Dittmer or goat work best with a spreader speciality), whose spice and heat or butter knife, while harder goes well with white cheese or cheeses like parmesan work cheddar, he said. well with a square-shaped knife, “Especially with our heavy she said. And for softer cheeses, smoked stuff I like (a) nice mild like cheddar, King prefers a soft- cheese,” said Dittmer, who sug- cheese knife with a forked end to gests slicing links into quarter- pick up the slices. inch-thick coins for serving. King also reccomends put- Consider these other meats at ting out small serving bowls Dittmer’s for your cheese plate: filled with olives and almonds German salami, Italian salami, to add warmth and texture, as pepperoni and prosciutto. well as placing cheese markers For sweeter accompaniments, in the cheeses with the names Dittmer recommends a spread- so guests know what they’re able chutney or jam, including trying. red currant, quince or lingon- “The biggest thing is to have berry to add a contrasting flavor color,” King said. She recco- to the fatty, salty meats. mends placing a combination For garnishes, place pickles, of red and green grapes on the olives and other acidic accom- board or serving cheese on serv- paniments next to the meats, Omar Cruz slices into Jarlsberg cheese in the kitchen of Dittmer’s Gourmet Meats & Wurst-Haus in Los Altos. ing paper that resembles a slice of Dittmer suggested. wood or leaves. Expert’s tip: Let the cheese sit PRESENTATION Alto. King prefers an olivewood features a natural grain pattern cheese directly on the slate. out before serving time, Milk cheese board because of the and provides a rustic backdrop Another favorite of King’s are Pail Market’s Rasmussen said. Cheese is best displayed on a wood’s natural beauty, but “it’s a for the cheese. boards made of half wood and “Let them get adjusted to (room) natural surface, including wood, little more expensive because the Slate cheese boards are also a half marble. temperature, otherwise it’s a little slate or marble, said Alison King, wood is rare,” she noted. good option — and double as “You can put certain cheeses too cold or too hard (to serve).” V a sales associate at Sur La Table at A cheaper alternative is an aca- a writing surface. You can use you’ll be slicing on the wooden Email My Nguyen Town & Country Village in Palo cia wood cheese paddle, which chalk to write the names of the side and other ones like brie, at [email protected] DINNER BY THE MOVIES AT SHORELINE’S PRIVATE DINING LIVE MUSIC and CORPORATE CATERING NOW OPEN! Thursdays [email protected] 5–8pm Tuesday-Sunday Breakfast served daily) (except Saturdays The Voya Restaurant Cucina Venti Make your 1390 Pear Ave., Mountain View 1390 Pear Ave., Mountain View reservation on (650) 254-1120 (650) 386-6471 www.CucinaVenti.com For information on future events, follow us on www.TheVoyaRestaurant.com September 25, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q 23 Weekend QMOVIEOPENINGS QMOVIETIMES pany, as well as on shaky ground A Walk in the Woods (R) ++ Aquarius Theatre: 1:30 & 9:55 p.m.