Curd on the Street Archives | Page 51 of 82

December 5, 2016November 29, 2017

2016 Murray’s Holiday Gift Guide

It’s that time of year again – time to think of the best, most thoughtful gift for the people in your life who mean something to you. And we have the perfect idea: Cheese! Murray’s has a number of fantastic gifts for practically everyone – from the cheese novice to the most discerning cheeselover, we bet you can find just the right kind of cheese to give this holiday season.

For the Cheese Novice

So you want to introduce someone into the world of cheese, but have no clue where to start? We introduce Murray’s Greatest Hits. Think of this as the Hall of Fame for cheeses. A crash course, if you will. Taking some of the most famous cheeses from around the world, we pair them with cherry jam, Blenheim apricots, and olive oil crackers for a truly blissful intro into the cheese world.

For the Patriot

America is sometimes overlooked when it comes to cheese, but no longer! The American Artisans gift set is packed with the tastes of America – delicate creamy Vermont goat cheese, sassy California blues, and even Murray’s own Calabrese salami. Take your loved one on a flavor tour from one coast to the other to enjoy the majestic flavors of the good ol’ USA.

For the World Traveler

Look no further than the Europass – a box full of everyone’s favorite European cheeses, delivered right to your giftee’s door. Everything from nutty Challerhocker from Switzerland, to delicately sweet French Persille de Rambouillet, and earthy Mrs. Quicke’s English Cheddar. The only thing that would make this group better is some caramely Ewephoria and creamy Taleggio, drizzled in decadent Serramel Oak Honey – oh wait, they get that too!

For the Cheeselover Who Has Everything

This is for your cheeselover with refined tastes, who has tried everything and wants only the best. We’re not saying they need to wear top hats and raise their pinkies as they dive into this gift, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt. The Top Shelf has it all – luxurious whipped honey, the best Jambon Iberico in the world, and beautiful aged blues will make the recipient of this luxe gift feel like royalty.

For the Meat Lover

Listen, we know not everyone loves cheese (we’re not sure why, exactly, but these things happen). But The Cure features no cheese – just meat, glorious meat! From Italian speck to Foie Gras to La Quercia’s spreadable Nduja, this box is packed with more varieties of carnivorous delight than your favorite meat-eater will know what to do with. 8 types of meat and a chutney, to boot!

But a gift from Murray’s doesn’t have to be just for the holiday season! With our Monthly Clubs, you can have meat and cheese delivered to your door each month. It’s the cheesy gift that keeps on giving!

December 1, 2016November 29, 2017

The Epoisses-abilities are Limitless

There’s an apocryphal story starring this unassuming looking cheese – so pungent, so stinky when its scent is allowed to waft through the air, it was apparently banned from being transported on the Paris Metro. There’s no truth behind it, of course, as Epoisses has always been considered one of France’s greatest traditional cheeses. But it’s a great story nonetheless. AOC protected – meaning that only certain areas in France can make Epoisses as we know it – this washed rind cheese is practically French royalty. Even Napoleon was a fan of this rosy beauty. And you can find it at Murray’s!

This unctuous, pasteurized cow’s milk round comes far from Burgundy, France to join us in our shops, and we’re glad it made the trip. This cheese dates back to the sixteenth century, and was popular all the way up until the early 1900s, when over 300 farms were making Epoisses. But when the Second World War hit France, production almost completely died out. It was nearly a decade after the war had ended before Epoisses was made again. Now, the cheese is just as treasured as it once was, returned to its pre-war glory.

To get its signature funk, this cheese’s curd are carefully hand-ladled into forms, then dry salted. Taking a turn in a French cave, it is washed daily in a mixture of water and a pomace brandy, which helps to develop its signature funk and rosy orange complexion. Flavorwise, it adds bacony, woodsy notes to each delectable bite.

When Epoisses arrives stateside, it has only been aging for a month or so, and should be so gooey and creamy that you can practically slurp up the paste. This custardy bacon bomb even gets shipped in a little wooden box – all you have to do is simply slice into the wheel, then spoon onto a crusty baguette. Or just start dunking into the paste – you’ll be happy you did. A fairly photogenic cheese, right?

November 29, 2016November 29, 2017

A Rich History of Butter

Think about the butter you have in your fridge for a minute. Shoved in its plastic cage on the refrigerator door, waiting to be let free, to spread on your morning toast or to melt over pasta. But other than that? It is left abandoned, used minimally because the world believes that butter is inherently bad for you. But as we’ve talked about before – dairy and full fat cheeses (cultured butters included) can actually be better for you than previously thought!

So why do we forget about butter? According to a new book by Elaine Khosrova, we shouldn’t be. The aptly named Butter: A Rich History, brings butter out of the fridge and to the forefront of our minds. Khosrova tells the storied history of this delectable kitchen staple, expanding on its role in food culture from around the world.

Butter – made from churning or fermenting fresh milk and cream to separate butter fat from buttermilk – has been a staple in cooking for as far back as humankind kept dairy animals. No two butters are alike, even from the same distributor. The nuances in color, consistency, salt content, sweetness, and freshness vary from batch to batch, creating a new experience each time you buy it – not dissimilar to cheese. It’s why we love butter – not only does it add flavor, it has a unique flavor all on its own.

But it isn’t just cuisine – butter has been used in religious ceremonies as part of sacred butter sculptures in Tibet. In Ireland and Scotland, butter continues to be unearthed from bogs, where the low temperatures and high levels of acidity with minimal oxygen act as both incubators and refrigerators. Khosrova weaves butter’s tales from ancient times, all the way up to butter’s modern-day battle with margarine and fat-free zealots.

And it’s not just Khosrova who is excited about butter. Last year, the average American ate more than 22 sticks of butter. US butter consumption has hit a 40-year high, meaning it is safe to say that butter is back and here to stay. Margarine, originally marketed as a healthy alternative to butter, has fallen by the wayside as unhealthy-trans fats in margarine were discovered to be linked to all kinds of health issues.

But the history of butter is not the only thing that Butter covers. With each story of butter’s origins, Khosrova includes contemporary and classic recipes that tie into butter’s story – anything from beurre manie, croissants, pate brisee, and a delectable buttercream frosting. Want to make butter at home? There’s a recipe for that too! And don’t worry, there’s no churning involved.

Want to leave butter-making up to the experts? We have a wide collection of only the best butters from around the world. Become a butter connoisseur, just like Khosrova.

November 23, 2016December 6, 2016

New York Times Says Give the Gift of Murray’s

With the holidays around the corner, the New York Times has already put out their 2016 Holiday Gift Guides. For a perfect experiences to give as a gift, the Times listed Murray’s Cheese 101 class as an ideal gift to give to your loved ones this year. Take a look!

November 17, 2016November 21, 2016

The Science World Reports Great News for Cheese Fans

Hey Cheesers! We’re happy to report great news for anyone prepping for some serious cheese snacking this holiday season. Recent studies out of Denmark show that cheese – from the creamy full-fat Brie to crumbly aged cheddars – are just as healthy for you as their low-fat versions.

This is a legit worry that people have, as they don’t want to have to deal with any health issues, particularly if it could be avoided (although no one really wants to give up cheese). But in all seriousness, your health is important, and you should make sure that you do everything that you can to take care of yourself. If you know that you have a serious illness, such as a heart problem, then you should take extra care of yourself, and maybe you should also look at getting critical illness insurance as well (you can take a look at Breeze critical illness insurance here for more information). But the good news is that you might not have to give up cheese for good!

It all comes down to the types of fats and cholesterol you find in cheese. The study split subjects into three groups, with one group eating 80 grams of regular, high-fat cheese every day for 12 weeks. The other group ate 80 grams of reduced fat cheese, and a third group somehow survived with no cheese at all – just bread and jam each day.

People who enjoyed the high-fat cheese diet actually saw an increase in their levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol – HDL cholesterol, or “good cholesterol”! This type of fat has been theorized to offer protection against heart diseases and to help jumpstart metabolism. Some looking to protect against certain heart diseases and conditions may turn to things like CBDVape Shot products due to their properties that can boost heart health and help to prevent various things like stroke, heart attack, and metabolic syndrome through its purported ability to lower blood pressure. Not only that, but compared to the people who ate the reduced-fat cheese diet, the high-fat cheese didn’t show any difference in the low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, which is “bad cholesterol”. With this being said, pretty much anything is good in moderation. It doesn’t mean that you can eat so much cheese, as it is important to realize that if you do overdo it, you could end up with high cholesterol and may need to take medication such as crestor generic to decrease the risk of any health issues.

The Danish investigation is the most recent in a long line of pro-cheese studies that have come out in recent years. A British study in 2012 showed that molded and blue cheeses, such as the famous French Roquefort, can help guard against cardiovascular disease. It turns out that these blue cheeses have an anti-inflammatory factor that works with the acidic environments of the body to help prevent heart disease. This is positive for cheese fans. Anything that works to reduce the risk of heart disease is beneficial. Of course, for those who aren’t as keen on cheese, it might be worth looking into alternatives, like hemp from PureHempFarms, to see if that could help people to lower their chances of heart disease.

Another study from Denmark from 2013 looked at the correlation between butyric acid levels in those who ate cheese and those who did not. Those who ate cheese had much higher levels of butyric acid, which has been linked to reducing obesity and raising metabolism.

In Japan, it was found that cheese consumption prevents fat accumulation in the liver – a very important measure for cardiovascular risk. This study also found the high HDL “good cholesterol” levels raised when eating cheese was a part of the subjects’ diet.

Between the boost in HDL cholesterol and no notable effect on the “bad” LDL cholesterol, as well as the anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, and metabolic benefits, it looks like there’s no need to skimp on delicious cheeses this holiday season in favor of their low fat variations.

Celebrate the holidays (and this great news) by checking out the wide variety of delectable cheese’s Murray’s has to offer – your body, science says, will thank you.