68812 Wed Apr 27 13:25:41 -0700 2005 34 2 Los Angeles Area 0 374516 If you are interested in American Cheese, please pick up a copy of the new issue of Savuer. Savuer lists a number of good cheesemongers around the country who supposedly have good American cheese selections. One of the stores listed is Cheese Store of Beverly Hills where I shop frequently. Which is ridiculous. The CSBH does not have a good selection of artisanal American cheese. In fact, I find them to be grudging about American cheese at best. The last time I enquired about a good new American cheese I was offered cheddar from an enormous block-- the kind you would slice for a sandwich. (And yes, I tasted it, and it was unimpressive.) They do virtually nothing to promote American cheese and I have never had one suggested to me. They would far rather sell me an underripe or overripe European cheese than take the time to seek out and/or age some of the wonderful American cheeses being sold now. Whole Foods- with its lack of cheesemonger and poor cheese service- does a much better job stocking American cheese. La Brea Bakery probably does the best job. Their selection changes frequently but they often carry interesting raw milk American cheeses with intense flavor. This is all especially galling given my recent trips to SF and buying cheese at the Cowgirl Creamery. Delicious, properly aged Red Hawk*, Vella Dry Jack (extra aged), and perfect, exceptional, difficult to obtain sheep's milk ricotta from Bellwether Farms. * Related SF Cheese Gripe: the Red Hawk on display was not ripe. I had to ask for a ripe Red Hawk from the back and insist, that yes, I wanted a RIPE one. Do I not look like a person who likes stinky cheese? Red Hawk isn't even what I would call super stinky. Gripe over. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/300190#1666862 Wed Apr 27 13:25:41 -0700 2005 0 JudiAU 1 374525 Gripe affirmed. For a huge city with some great food, LA lacks a great cheese store. I'm talking a Murray's Cheese Shop (NYC), a Cheese Board (Berkeley) or a Cowgirl Creamery (SF and Marin). BH and SilverLake are good for continental European cheese, but they have almost nothing in the way of English cheeses or, as you note, American artisinal. It's embarressing that a chain (Whole Foods) has better selections of American and British cheeses than any cheese shop in the entire city. Someone, please, open a shop that will offer great American artisinal cheese along with European standards. Side note: There is a burgeoning artisinal cheese movement in...El Salvador. Strong, salty and pungent, Salvadoran cheese is generally made by small producers or home-made. For years Salvadorans in the US have carried duro blanco and other local favorites here after visits home, but now they are starting to show in the US. A trip to various markets on Beverly Blvd. between Western and Vermont has yielded a wealth of Salvadoran cheese which I will eventually report on. Wed Apr 27 13:49:06 -0700 2005 374516 0 sku 2 374572 try Wallys Wine on Westwood. the woman at the cheese counter used to make goat cheese commercially. Her name is Emily. for a while. She seems nice and very knowledgeable. Wed Apr 27 16:28:43 -0700 2005 374525 0 troy 3 374613 EMILY????? the one who used to sell at the Hollywood Farmer's Market? you mean she is alive??? She used to sell tasty little goat cheeses at the sunday hollywood market. but one day she just vanished. nice to know she is still in the foodish world. Hey, now you've made me sad about the paucity of cheese. Wed Apr 27 19:03:49 -0700 2005 374572 0 jenn 4 374736 Yeah, I used to buy from her at the Hollywood Sunday market myself....she would very occasionally carry an "aged" or perhaps just very ripe goat cheese that just knocked my socks off.....Wally's in Westwood you say? Thu Apr 28 14:00:31 -0700 2005 374613 0 L 1 374533 It's a typical gambit for a reporter trying to write for a national audience without the resources to investigate their thesis anywhere but where they live (NYC, I imagine.) They know BHCS is the #1 cheese store in LA, so they think they can get away with claiming it's the place to get American cheese in LA. Airplane mags are big on this trick. Wed Apr 27 14:03:32 -0700 2005 374516 0 Len 1 374534 How are you defining American cheese? Longhorn? Colby? Both are pretty mild, unassuming cheeses. Sorry to hear the cheddar was disappointing at CSBH. Extra sharp is usually the way to go. Wed Apr 27 14:04:16 -0700 2005 374516 0 Redshirt 1 374537 I read that article as well. I guess BHCS isn't that great in the Am cheese department (compared to the likes of Cheeseboard which I think does a way better job than Cowgirl Creamery BTW) but they do regularly carry the American blues, like for instance Humboldt Fog, Roaring 40's, Maytag. I know there are others, but I forget the names. I've gotten way unripe Red Hawk from Cowgirl Creamery as well. I'm not as assertive as you though though. Ugh, who wants to take the time and trouble to ripen the cheese themselves? Isn't that the job of the vendor? Wed Apr 27 14:19:48 -0700 2005 374516 0 jschyun 2 374549 I hear your pain. Actually, it was your comment on the SF board which caused me to demand the ripened cheese. It was wonderful when we got home. And it wouldn't be a plane flight unless my carry on luggage didn't stink of cheese. I will give Cowgirl Creamery credit for their excellent selection of British cheeses. And they have always been able to select raw milk cheeses for me as well. I know that CSBH does carry some American cheese. But you can tell they don't care about them and they never suggest them. And as for the LAT article this morning on ricotta, I have been trying to get sheep's milk ricotta for YEARS in LA and they have never carried it. You would have thought that I was some perverse jerk every time I asked. Wed Apr 27 15:11:49 -0700 2005 374537 0 JudiAU 3 374570 You can get buffalo milk ricotta directly from Bubalus Bubalis in Gardena. It is probably the best dairy item I have ever eaten = well, fresh-tasting dairy item. Wed Apr 27 16:17:50 -0700 2005 374549 0 Jerome 4 374612 Do they sell out of the plant? Wed Apr 27 19:03:40 -0700 2005 374570 0 JudiAU 5 374644 They do mail order. If you talk to them, you might be able to order and pick up yourself. Wed Apr 27 20:22:20 -0700 2005 374612 0 JEROME 4 2334470 No kidding - and to think it's not only American, but it's made the old fashioned way right here in LA! Can't wait for summer and all the great tomatoes just waiting to be lavished by those tender quivering slices of Bubalus Bubalis! Tue Feb 27 12:47:18 -0800 2007 374570 64003 bulavinaka 3 375245 I was just up in SF and was dying to bring back some sheep's milk ricotta from Cheeseboard. I've been reading about it for years; unfortunately, the combination of me having eaten through the entire trip and the 12 hours it would take to get home stopped me. I did get some fromage blanc and plum yogurt from Cowgirl later, though. The cheese selections up north (from Cheeseboard to Cowgirl to Dean & Deluca and Oakville Grocery) are amazing. And they put signs on everything, unlike that annoying BHCH! Sun May 01 13:25:46 -0700 2005 374549 0 emily 2 374708 I was rereadng the posts this morning and something sunk in. Roaring 40s, which I like quite a lot, is from New Zealand. Thu Apr 28 11:11:54 -0700 2005 374537 0 JudiAU 3 374715 Argh, you're right. Actually it might be Australian. My bad. I really need to do some memory exercises. Good cheese though. Thu Apr 28 12:06:31 -0700 2005 374708 0 jschyun 1 374630 definitely not as much collective passion for it here as up north. frustrating. i wish surfas would match their interesting selection of goods with an equally thoughtful full service cheese shop. Wed Apr 27 19:58:48 -0700 2005 374516 0 petradish 1 374670 JudiAu - have you seen this article? My mother sent it to me since she knows I'm cheese crazy and am always on the lookout for good cheeses. Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/27/dining/27chee.html?ex=1115265600&en=7dd876fccf373f14&ei=5070 Wed Apr 27 21:23:15 -0700 2005 374516 0 Bisou 2 374681 I did. And it didn't improve my mood. Stupid New York. =( The Fleur de Lis mentioned in the article is made by Bittersweet Plantation Dairy. Another fine aged triple creme that I have only eaten in Boston. Wed Apr 27 22:00:43 -0700 2005 374670 0 JudiAU 3 2176478 They are getting better!! SO just bought me a great selection of American Goats Cheese after telling Norbert about my love for Humboldt Fog!! I got a Bittersweet Plantation Evangeline aging on my counter and a Haute Goat Creamery Sweet Holmes from Texas!! :) I plan to snack on them this weekend! :) I will report on them for sure! :) --Dommy! Thu Jan 11 07:36:08 -0800 2007 374681 10659 Dommy 1 374686 Why would you need an American Cheese selection? Isn't Kraft the ne plus ultra of American cheese? (sorry. I just couldn't resist). Wed Apr 27 22:31:01 -0700 2005 374516 0 snackish 2 2335545 LOL - when I saw the heading, I opened with a bit of anticipatory terror. Process American Cheese Food Product in all its myriad forms is one of my few food no-nos! Tue Feb 27 16:52:42 -0800 2007 374686 18049 djquinnc 1 374760 EEERRR .....BHCS...last time I was there, when I asked for some British cheeses, he ( you know who, the guy with glasses ) replied, WHY would you want to do that? After waiting patiently behind multiple WEIRD celebrity clients being fawned over, that made me never want to go back, and the fact that I have only once had a properly aged hunk of British cheddar from BHCS, all other times it has been too young. Thanks for reminding me about Campanile...I have not been there for a while, I have been making do with the unfortunately plastic wrapped cheeses at Whole Foods. And try to plan another SF weekend soon.... Thu Apr 28 15:22:55 -0700 2005 374516 0 ciaolette 2 374780 *humph* Don't even get me started on their British cheese selection!!! Thu Apr 28 17:05:40 -0700 2005 374760 0 JudiAU 1 374803 Your cheese rec is only reason why I might consider going to La Brea Bakery again. I have no idea why people continue to patronize them for baked goods. Thu Apr 28 19:49:57 -0700 2005 374516 0 jschyun 2 374848 because they have caneles. Fri Apr 29 00:38:42 -0700 2005 374803 0 petradish 3 374876 they're too light. Fri Apr 29 02:55:15 -0700 2005 374848 0 jschyun 4 374925 where do you get 'em? they are a pain in the butt to make! Fri Apr 29 13:15:22 -0700 2005 374876 0 petradish 5 375056 Boule makes caneles as well. They have a heavier crust, if that is your preference. I still crave the twice baked brioche with sour cherries and rose water. Heavier, I think, than it once was but still very good out of my toaster oven. Fri Apr 29 22:07:54 -0700 2005 374925 0 JudiAU 6 375089 darn. those are the only two i knew of around town. yum, that brioche sounds good. i like the combo of sour cherries & rose water. recently at javan i had a frozen dessert (faloodeh) of iced rosewater w/starch noodles, topped w/sour cherries. you squeeze some fresh lemon juice over & it tastes like a perfumy italian ice. Sat Apr 30 01:42:17 -0700 2005 375056 0 petradish 7 375408 For a rosewater/faludeh/cherry syrup-type dessert-stop, two words: MASHTI MALONE'S. Link: http://www.ablowtothehead.blogspot.com Mon May 02 16:17:14 -0700 2005 375089 0 dwg 3 375136 ...and "twice baked sour cherry brioche" and "rustic apple tart." Sat Apr 30 15:56:56 -0700 2005 374848 0 LT from LF 4 2178592 I usually find an interesting selection of artisan American cheeses @ Artisan Cheese Gallery in Studio City; it's well worth checking out. Thu Jan 11 20:37:05 -0800 2007 375136 11456 archer 5 2179430 Yep, I second the recomendation for Artisan Cheese Gallery. It's one of the things I really miss about not living in Studio City any more. Thu Jan 11 23:40:19 -0800 2007 2178592 45387 GuidoTKP 2 2335082 Twice-baked sour cherry brioche. And caneles. Tue Feb 27 15:01:37 -0800 2007 374803 11734 LT from LF