The doldrums of summer. The brown grass and the still, humid air have arrived, well except for today actually because now it's raining! This usually doesn't happen until August, but I've already found myself getting up with a plan only to find myself lounging on the deck exhausted. But! With summer comes tomatoes, and my greenhouse is loaded with a ton of them, still mostly green, but they'll start ripening this month. And what goes great with tomatoes?? Burrata. I bought my first big beefsteak tomato at the Comox Valley Farmer's market this weekend and I squirreled it away for Wednesday, when I will crack open my container of Burrata. There will be a few burrata in stock at the Mustard Lady deli, so get it while it's hot!
Some of you know that we had a fridge incident this month, resulting in very little cheese available in the deli for the past week. Sadly that meant we missed the rush of the Courtenay Market Days which would have been a great opportunity to connect with folks. There's always next year! Our cheese delivery is arriving tomorrow, which means we will be back up and running with a fully stocked deli in time for Thursday morning.
Deadline for ordering the monthly cheese box is July 26 @ 5pm. They will be delivered that week throughout the Comox Valley and Campbell River areas. Port Alberni - stay tuned! I am looking at courier options due to the highway closures.
Our In Stock page is updated with current stock as well as what is arriving next week.
WHAT'S NEW
We will be hosting another Wine & Cheese event at Beaufort Winery this coming September, date to be announced. This casual afternoon get together allows you to enjoy a selection of European and Canadian cheese paired with the amazing wines produced at Beaufort Winery in the Comox Valley. We will once again offer "dairy free" cheese platters for lactose free folks. These platters will contain sheep and goat cheese only. Last year we were lucky enough to enjoy a beautiful, sunny day while everyone nibbled and drank their way to a full belly. Watch for our announcement on social media (IG & Facebook) or if you are interested, let me know via email and I can contact you directly when we have a final date set and tickets become available.
Last November I did our very first Laliberté Cheese Co Advent Calendars! 36 boxes went out the door. It was a lot of work, a lot of cheese and it ended with a lot of happy people. I was thrilled with how they turned out, but I wasn't sure whether I would do it again due to the amount of labour involved. But like many things, time muddles the brain and fogs the memory, so I have decided to do them again!
24 days of European and Canadian cheese packed into a beautiful box. It's a great foodie gift for the cheese lover in your life. And if you ordered one last year for yourself, you can rest assured that it will be an entirely new selection of cheese this year.
I loved to hear people's feedback and the different ways the boxes were being eaten. Some folks couldn't help themselves and they ate the cheese early. Other's saved them up for a week or so and then had a big feast. Still others were eating their cheese well into January.
We will be offering delivery within the Comox Valley, Campbell River, Port Alberni and all the way down to Victoria. Ordering will be open through to end of October or until we sell out. Last year we sold out, but we will have a larger number available this year.
Also, with holiday cheese in mind, I have just released our 2023 Christmas Cheese list for pre-orders. Last year was our first Christmas and I had no idea how much cheese to order for the holiday rush, so I put out the pre-order option a) to help me order enough and b) to make sure my customers got the cheese they wanted for their holiday gatherings. We will be carrying a large stock of cheese throughout December in the deli, however for those that would like to claim some of the more speciality cheeses (Mont D'or, goat cheeses etc) you do have the option to pre-order.
MONTHLY CHEESE REVIEW
Even though the cheese was cut short this month, I did manage to sample all of the new cheese we brought in. And the winner goes to Prima Donna. I just had a customer remark that it is a great substitute for the soon to be discontinued Thea Sheep Cheddar. I'm going to go farther and say I like it better. It will be a staple in the deli from now on.
What can I say about it....other than it's a pain to cut. It's wrapped in wax which makes cutting difficult and it's prone to breakage, but it's worth it. This cheese is the perfect marriage of a Gruyere and Italian Parmesan speckled throughout with crystals. It has a caramel flavour and while it is a hard cheese, it has a creamy texture in the mouth.
We brought in the Comté - 18 month, another firm cheese. We did a taste comparison between the 18 and the 24 month cheeses as well as a visual comparison. The 18 month cheese had a brighter, more yellow colour profile and a creamier texture, which all makes sense with a younger cheese. I think it's a great option if you like the flavour of a Comté and want to include it on a cheese board that already contains a harder cheese. It has a fruitier flavour that the older versions and it doesn't "stick around" in the mouth as long.
THIS MONTH'S CHEESE LIST
New cheese this month are the Fourme d'Ambert AOP, the Kaamps Classic and the P'tit Ste-Maure d'Antan Cendré.
Fourme d'Ambert is a blue cheese from the Auvergne region of France. . Made with raw cow's milk, it has a semi-hard paste and a milder flavour than other blues such as Roquefort. It has a strong aroma, a bit fruity and a creamy texture. For those who have tried the Fleuron from Quebec, I am interested to see the differences.
Kaamps Classic is a Dutch Gouda style cheese made with goat milk. It is aged for 6 months, but it still has a smooth texture to it. Flavours of butterscotch (yum) with a bit of goatiness.
And lastly, the new soft goat cheese this month is P'tit Ste-Maure d'Antan Cendré. A big mouthful to describe this soft, wrinkly log of goat cheese that is covered in vegetable ash. It has a light, lemony flavour and the texture ranges from chalky to soft depending on the age.
Here is our list of in stock and soon to arrive cheese. You can pre-order online or visit the deli at the Mustard lady store, where you can also pick up some fine, locally made mustard, and some Vancouver Island based charcuterie meats (you can also add these onto your online order through our website).
(In Stock unless arrival date provided)
Canada
Le 14 Arpents - Cow (Quebec)
Triple Crème de Charlevoix (Quebec)
Grey Owl - Goat (Quebec)
Cheval Noir de L'Isle - Cow (Quebec)
Riopelle de L'isle (Quebec)
Thea Bandaged Cheddar -Sheep (Quebec)
Le Pizy (Quebec)
Europe
Delice de Bourgogne (France)
Comté 24 mth - Cow (France)
Brebirousse - Sheep (France)
Reblochon de Savoie (France)
Burrata di Puglia (France)
Chateau de Bourgogne (France)
Fourme d"Ambert AOP Les Rousses - Blue (France)
Cabécou (France)
Bleu D'Auvergne (France)
Munster (France)
St Nectaire (France)
Vacherin (France)
Morbier (France)
Butter (France)
Kaamps Classic (Netherlands)
Manchego 12 mth (Spain)
Keep it Cheesy!
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