CA Artisan Cheese Festival  - March 23 - 25, 2018


We have attended this event since the start, 12 years ago. It just keeps getting better and better.

For the first time, this event moved to Santa Rosa. More space, more parking, more central. We think it was a great move.

Friday evening, best bites competition starts it off for us. We had three wines ready to pour and pair. Before the crowds, I headed out to get some photos and taste.

This is such a nice sight, 3 wheels piled high of Pt. Reyes Blue. Love this cheese

 

Big boy blue has been a favorite in the past. We don't see it often locally, coming from South West Washington.

 

A new local cheese that has set up at the Barlow. Taken from a traditional English cheese style.

I will be visiting them very soon.

2^nd Place by the judges: Sara Payne of Whole Foods Market, Napa
Bite: Big McKinley’s Apple Pie Bite with a Kick: Pie Crust Cracker base baked with Apple Crumble Topping, Pink Lady Sliced Apple, Caramel Infused Honey, Wm Cofield Cheesemakers Big McKinley Clothbound, Habanero Honey Drizzle

I liked it but wouldn't have ranked it as high

One of my favorite bites, anything with lemon zest...

I love the signage. The only salad bite of the night.

The Sierra Nevada Bellacapra goat cheese, tasty, firm

The winning bite voted by the judges...

1^st Place: Chris Stone of Nugget Market
Bite: Fiscalini Cheese Co. Lionza on a slice of Olympia Provisions Chorizo Salami,

with a brûlée of Kelly's Jelly Marionberry Habanero Jelly

There was even cheese cones

Voted by the guests. I didn't try it because it was dessert. Not good for our wine.

Best Chef: Moustache Baked Goods, Healdsburg
Bite: Earl Grey Financier Bite with Fig & Date Butter and Beehive’s “Teahive” Cheese

Another of my personal fav's, Cousteaux Bakery: Brioche bun with egg salad top with

 Pt. Reyes, so good.

 

 Cypress Grove is awesome goat cheese producer in Humboldt County, north of us 3 hours. They had brulee cheese, which was really good. We use these cheeses a lot at home and for events.

A la Heart Catering, who did our wedding years ago, had beautiful cheese croquettes. So yummy.

 

 Another tasting treat although the cheese did not showcase.

 This display was well done. The lemons brought me in and the Rustic Bakery shortbread kept me coming back. Great combo.

 

 This next one was superb, topped with passionfruit and mint gellee

 

 Stuffed peppers on a crostini, nice balanced flavors.

Right behind our station and I never got the cheese name but this was a great idea and so good but not so much with wine. Cheese soaked in honey and coated with pistachio nuts. What a fun bite.

  A super great show from the Cheese Mongers! I wish I could have tasted all of the bites with the perfect wine. If you're a fan of cheese, put this event on your calendar for 2019.