Alpha II Alternative School - Cooking Class with CHEESE!

On January 29th, I had another great time volunteering at Alpha II Alternative School and combine a great learning opportunity with the students in the kitchen with my rekindled love of CHEESE!

So on that chilly morning we all went down to Alex Farm Products on the Danforth and picked the minds of the resident cheesemongers.    I had had a great time learning more about the different cheeses and I believe that the students were able to really enjoy the exposure to a wide variety of cheeses with samples and questions answered by Elios and James.  Special thanks goes to their manager Angela for giving the Alpha II students a great opportunity to step outside the classroom and expand their knowledge of cheese.

(Thanksfully no cheese string were in sight! - Special thanks to our Parent Guardian Natasha who provided us with these pictures!)

Once they students had a chance to sample, we went to work pricing and finding the best melting cheese for our prep and cooking portion to make Cheese Fondue with baguette and apples!

This particular Alex Farms Products is our official supplier for all our and our clients cheese needs.  Going there is always a new taste experience simply because they have such a relaxing atmosphere and really take the time to find out what your tastes and needs are.  Not only are they a local business but they also provide a wide variety of Ontario and Quebec produced cheeses in keeping with out mandate to support local business and locally produced food as part of our triple-bottom line.

Interested in widening your cheese horizons?  Your local cheesemonger beats generic grocery store cheese hands down.   Here are a few cheeses that we recommend

Appenzeller - Imported from Switzerland, this cheese is simply divine.  It has a sharp note, that works well to compliment a white, or can compliment a cracker and sliver of black forest ham.  Alternately, a light drizzle of honey will add to this taste bud wonder very well.

Alex Cheeses Chevre - Produced in Quebec, this cheese is very creamy and so versatile!  I'd recommend it on anything really, its strong enough not to overwhelm a dish, but at the same time pairs wonderfully with other foods.  (Even in a fajita!) It works well with a breakfast hash, sprinkled on a light and fresh salad or especially with pear.

Paillot de Chevre - (pronounced P'hay-yo) This chevre simply is stunning.  It has a premium creamy texture with a few notes of sharpness that really give you a unique taste experience.  Where as the Alex Cheeses Chevre is very versatile, I feel that this really elegant cheese is meant to be enjoyed with a complement of a smooth red or white wine, and even with a simple selection of crackers and cold luncheon meats.

Coming up:  Alpha II Alternative School  Open House - Wednesday, February 10th!