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Tix Avail for Class TONIGHT! It's the fifth and final of our core principles at work: Improve Every Day. Some days, we rock it. Some days, we're all just glad we made it into bed. But as long as we live intentionally and set a new goal at the start of each day to better ourselves, we feel like that contributes to our overall community impact, as well as our personal and professional happiness. To that end, we wanted to share in the joys of some recent wins for our team. Each of the following are/were endeavors that our own team members outlined for themselves as personal goals...and they achieved them!  Congrats to Andrea Fazio, our Director of Purchasing & Inventory, who officially passed her American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional exam. Woohoo! That makes over 25% of our Antonelli's Cheese team CCPs. While you don't need a title to prove you know about cheese, this is validation for years of service, working in the industry, studying hard, and caring about cheese. Need another reason to shop with us? Hopefully, this is one small feat to reassure you that we are one of the most knowledgeable cheese teams in the great state of Texas. AND! We're still actively learning every day. Way to go, Andrea, ACS CCP! (also known for her dwarf goats, handywoman personality, and farm loving life.)
Shout outs to Nicholas Kadrlick, our Director of Retail and a fellow ACS CCP, who set a goal for himself to become a Certified Customer Experience Professional. Yes, that's a thing too! So you can add CSIA CCEP to his title. As you hopefully know, we take our service very seriously - and by seriously - we mean it's important that you don't take cheese too seriously! Our  goal is to "Be a Juggernaut of Awesome" (Core Principle #2), so that every interaction you have with one of our team members - or a bite from our shop - puts a smile on your face. We all have a superpower in this life. You either give energy to folks or take it away. And we want to always be your source of positive energy, so much so, that you may not need cheese, but you may find yourself walking to the Cheese Shop, just to see a smile. And Nicholas will always have a smile on his face. Go, Nicholas!
Lastly, we're thrilled and want to thank The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas for awarding Eleanor Jones (Production Lead Cheesemonger), John, and myself scholarships to pursue our Level 1 Sommelier Certification. We're all excited and nervous, but every "test" is an opportunity to make ourselves sit down, commit to doing the work, and bettering ourselves - so we can also be better for you. Wish us luck! The WWFT website says they're giving out over $10K in wine scholarships for various endeavors. In 2018, this included professional development of 20 sommeliers through scholarships and stipends, hosting classes and exams, proving master classes, and planning study groups. Thank you WFFT for providing resources to professionals and novices alike in our community! Upcoming Tastings & Classes  Tues 10/1 (6:30pm) - Cheese 101: The Seven Styles of Cheese - Wed 10/2 (6:30pm) - Balsamics & Cheese Pairings with Con'Olio - perfect pairings series - 4 seats left Thu 10/3 (6:30pm) - Prosciutto, Salami, and Cheese...Oh My! - 4 seats left Sat 10/5 (10-6) - Cheesey Bus Tour to Pure Luck Farm and Infinite Monkey Theorem - 8 seats left Sun 10/13 (6:30pm) - Cheesey Sunset Boat Cruise feat. Cheese & Wine Pairings with local maker Rae Wilson of Wine for the People We know it doesn't feel like it outside, but it really is "Fall in Austin," which of course means new cheeses! While it may not be cooling down much outside, we're prepping for a busy fall and holiday season by bringing in some of our favorite seasonal bites. How does seasonality affect the flavor profile of cheese? It depends on the timing of the dairy animal's lactation cycle (early after having babies versus later in the season - making milk composition vary), as well as what the animals are eating (first spring grasses, summer wildflowers, and winter hay, to name a few). For us in Texas, many of our animals get to graze on grass year-round and will receive supplemental nutrition to their diet at various times of the year. For our friends in the northern US with different climates, seasonality can play a huge impact. And with that, we are excited to announce that the first of your fave fall/winter seasonal cheeses have arrived: Rogue River Blue!  One of the most-limited cheeses we receive all year, Rogue River Blue is a certified-organic cheese made only during autumn when the cow's rich milk lends itself best to making this exquisite cheese. The wheels that are just arriving were made last year in the fall. If you're a brandy or whiskey sipper for those "cooler" temperatures and love bright and creamy blue cheeses, you'll savor this one. Each year the team at Rogue Creamery handpicks Syrah grape leaves from a nearby vineyard to wrap this 9 to 11-month-old cave-aged wheel. Immediately after its gorgeous dressing is applied, the cheese is dunked in an organic pear liqueur. Rogue River Blue holds the distinction of being the first American creamery to win Best Blue Cheese in the world in 2003, followed later by multiple Best of Show wins at the American Cheese Society annual competition. This year's version is bold and fruity, with notes of pear, hazelnut and a subtle smokiness. To accompany those bacony, almost chocolatey notes, we love cozying up Rogue River with a snifter of Saule Anniversary, an old ale from The Bruery clocking in at 16.1% ABV with notes of toffee and vanilla from its Bourbon barrel aging. This is just the beginning of what's sure to be a thrilling fall, keep an eye out for more seasonal delights and special Cheesemonger selections coming soon!
Oh, how we love a restaurant that loves cheese! Suerte - one of the coolest spots in Austin - uses all kinds of cheeses from all corners of the world. From Pure Luck Chevre made in  Dripping Springs on their Tetela Asada, to Mimolette from France on their Sweet Corn, and Fulvi Pecorino Romano DOP from Italy, which they use in their Shishito Tamal along with tomatillo salsa and sunflower sprouts. Swing by and dive in!
Announcements 10/2 (6:30 pm) - Party for the Parks to benefit Austin Parks Foundation Hit up Republic Square starting at 6:30 with music from Bob Schneider and DJ Mel, great food from the Peached Tortilla, beer from friends at Zilker Brewing Co., and cocktails from partners at FBR. It will be a casual and fun night orchestrated by the amazing Craven and Co. Get more info here.  A special shoutout for shop friends Stephanie Piland and Hector Gonzalez Hernandez for joining our Antonelli's #CurdHerd to #ChangeTheConversation at the NAMI Central Texas walk last weekend! Need a resource? The National Alliance on Mental Illness provides support groups for those family members and friends trying to help a loved one through challenging times. If this mission hits you in the gut and you're able to support the cause, you can do so here.
Welcome, Calvin, Isabelle, and Josh to the team! Marie - we'll miss you, and we wish you the best of luck at Indeed. Thanks for your years in the cheese industry supporting #GoodFoodMakers! Kendall & John & The Most Amazing, Hardworking, Passionate Team of Good Food Advocates Around... |