Secretly Scrumptious: The Murray’s Guide to Secret Santa

By:Summer Babiarz

Stumped by “Secret Santa” This year? Maybe you have to shop for someone that you really like and want them to feel the love. Or maybe you are stuck with the one person who only deserves a lump of goal. No matter who you are secretly shopping for, Murray’s has that perfect gift that will insure that the recipient knows you put some thought into it.

All of these products are available both in our New York stores, and Online. (Insider tip: Click on the picture of the product that fits your Secret Santa needs and be automatically directed to its product page)

 

 

Looking for other cheesy gifts this Holiday season? Check out our Gift Guide to see all of our gift collections!

Wanna learn more about cheese? Check out our Cheese 101 videos and become a real curd nerd!

Stink Up the Office: Murray’s Corporate Gifting

By:Michele Aquino, Corporate Gifting Specialist (Michele@murrayscheese.com

I have been on the receiving end of corporate gifts and promotional products. The experience was reminiscent of children gathering around the living room to voraciously open presents on a Christmas morning, only we were not children. Imagine heads popping up from cubicles to see what was being unwrapped from its cellophane. Sometimes it can be a set of Promotional Notebooks, and sometimes it can be something a little more out there.

No matter the gift, clients are VERY appreciative and it’s not a novel concept that building relationships are a tenet of growing a business. As an example, my friend, to this day still uses the very same insurance company years later, and still uses the corporate umbrella he received many years back too. That insurance company transformed him into a lifetime client with some simple gifting and offers over the years.

Gifts from Murray’s are often a bit more sophisticated, a bit more aromatic, and a bit more unique. Your recipients won’t have to fight over branded stress balls that will clutter their desks. Perhaps some savory cheese is a welcome change to the usual inundation of holiday sweets in many offices—yet, still a decadent treat for co-workers to taste together. Instead of arriving in a plastic-wrapped basket, we use a different format: a beautiful wooden cheese crate.

If your team is still contemplating how to stand out this season with corporate gifts singapore or any other place for that matter, consider such creative gifting options. People are always amazed at the many flavors that one experiences in a cheese box, despite the fact that the starting ingredients for these treats are mostly the same. The unique qualities of cheese often develop with time, and your gift recipients will certainly be thinking about your gift for a long time to come.

Cheers to Happy Holidays, both at home and in your workplace!

Looking for other cheesy gifts this Holiday season? Check out our Gift Guide to see all of our gift collections!

Wanna learn more about cheese? Check out our Cheese 101 videos and become a real curd nerd!

Cheese to be Thankful For: Must-Haves For Turkey Day

We get excited at Murray’s this time of year. Not only is it our busiest season, but we get some of our favorite cheeses in from around the world. From the super stinky, gooey stuff like Vacherin Mont D’or and Rush Creek Reserve, to beautifully aged 2 year Comté that is like a nutty, buttery bomb. Here are a few of our suggestions of must-have cheeses that will make all of your Thanksgiving guest thankful for you (and cheese)!

Hudson Flower: This Cavemaster Reserve cheese has been a labor of love. We have spent the last few years perfecting this guy and making sure that the balance of sheepy, earthy grassy flavors balance perfectly with its herb and hop flower covered rind.  Getting this balance right has been tricky, but we feel like the wheels that are coming out of the caves right now are the best we have ever seen, and we are so thankful! With its deep floral undertones, this cheese is a serious jaw dropping show stopper.

Truffle Tremor: Want your Thanksgiving crowed to know that you are all about opulence? This California goat cheese classic is  filled with little shaved bits of black truffle. The cheese itself tastes very similar to sister cheese Humboldt Fog, but the truffle adds a rich earthiness that really elevates the slightly tangy and fudgy paste.

Ardrahan: If you are dealing with a group of true cheese heads, this is the perfect way to impress the hell out of them! This guy is a super stinker from Ireland that is unbelievably rich, and has a pronounced flavor of boiled peanuts. Gotta nip on a bottle of whiskey to make it through dealing with the family? Ardrrahan will be your best friend on Thursday.

Fromager d’Affinois: Creamy, sweet, rich and spreadable like room temperature butter, this bloomy rind crowed pleaser from France will steal all the attention away from that turkey you just spent 8 hours cooking. Put a wedge out with the rest of your meal, it will pair beautifully your cranberry relish!

If you don’t have time to wait in line next week,  hop online and order ahead from both our Bleecker Street and Grand Central locations. Live outside of New York? No Problem! Check out our Thanksgiving collection and all of the other cheeses we have online. We ship nationwide!

Wanna learn more about cheese? Check out our Cheese 101 videos and become a real curd nerd!

 

So, What’s The Deal With Cheese 101?

Over the last few weeks, you might have noticed that we have been sharing a series of videos called “Cheese 101.” Earlier this year, we were trying to come up with new ways to share some basic cheese knowledge. If you look at the Murray’s mission statement, it ends with the phrase “… to continue to educate ourselves and customers on the pleasures of cheese.”

We take our mission seriously.  We’re here to put specialty cheese at the forefront of food conversations in America. While there is a bevy of cheese information out there, we wanted to make it quick, easy, and most importantly, fun to demystify cheese which led us to the “Cheese 101” video series.

Our first four videos covers the basics. From choosing the perfect wedge, the appropriate portioning size, and pairing with the perfect beverage, the videos help guide you through all the facets of buying cheese. Our first two videos are out, but look for “Cheese and Drink Pairings” on 11/19 and “Entertaining with Cheese” on 11/26.

Being a real curd nerd takes time and dedication, we hope that this series provides a a brief  introduction that you will need to dive into the land of curds and whey.

Still feeling a little anxious, and want a little help buying that first round of cheese? Check out our Cheese For Beginners selection, and get it delivered right to your door, or send it to a loved one for a funky holiday gift. You can view all of our 2013 holiday gift collections through our digital Gift Guide. Remember, you can order today, and schedule your delivery closer to the holidays!

Want to take your cheese education to the next level? We offer a variety of different cheese classes 6 days a week at our Bleecker street store!

Alpine By Me: Exploring the Latest and Greatest from the Alps

By:Summer Babiarz 

Recently we were treated with an Alpine Cheese course taught by Columbia Cheese. Jonathan Richardson started off as a Cheesemonger and has dedicated his professional life to building connections between Cheesemongers and Cheesemakers. He has a deep respect for those who are dedicated to selling what is good and we at Murray’s like guys like that.

Researching Alpines can be daunting and now we know why! The Swiss government subsidizes the production of only a handful of highly exported cheeses. The hope of these subsidies is that little Switzerland will supply the world with recognizable “Swiss Cheese”.  Swiss Cheesemaking Associations became popular in the  20th century and stabilized the craft of  Cheesemaking in Switzerland. 

However the downside is that those who had produced distinct regional styles stopped and started making the subsidized Swiss cheeses. Another is that there is simply no reward for products that stand out as excellent. But don’t worry check out these Brave Cheesemakers and you will see why we so passionately applaud their efforts!  

 

WALTER RASS: CHALLERHOCKER

Walter Rass’s dairy is located in St. Gallan, Switzerland. Here the elevation is 1005 m. The dairy was founded in 1896 and he has only approved the milk of 13 local farmers. By 2015 his dairy will produce more Challerhocker than Appenzeller for the first time in history and that’s a big deal. Walter’s creativity and hard work will move him out of association cheesemaking thus giving himself and his farmers an scalable opportunity to control their financial destiny.

 Challerhocker= “One Who Sits In a Cellar”.  Unlike traditional Appenzeller, Challerhocker milk  is not skimmed which accounts for its density and extremely white paste.  Walter then introduces house-processed calf rennet. After it is pressed and brined each wheel is hand-washed everyday to every week for at least 3 months. Cheeses are aged a total of at least 10 months on wooden planks in you guessed….a cellar!  

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: FONDUE FIXINGS, CORNICHONS, DATE CAKE, GENOA SALAMI, PICKLED PLUMS

 

EVELYN WYLDE: STERNSCHNUPPE & UR BERGKASE

 Evelyn Wylde was born and raised in Heidelberg and always dreamed of being a dairy farmer. She apprenticed first as a dairy farmer and then as a cheesemaker at Kaserei Zurwies. She originally made Raclette but after experiencing the worst of the mass produced cheese market began doing what she loved, making classic Bergkase.

Sternschnuppe = “Falling Star”: Located in the Allagau region of the Bavarian Alps, Kaskuche Isny was established in 1998 b y a group of like-minded farmers, wanting to make Organic cheeses in an ecologically friendly with fresh Alpine milk. The result is this craggy,  English muffin looking paste and a slightly tackier rind than you may expect. Its flavor profile makes you crave ramen soup as it is similar to broth or roasted meat.

 Ur Bergkase: This a classic Swiss table cheese consumed morning, noon and night in Switzerland. This clean and rounded out table cheese comes only from 7 local farmers within 5 km of the dairy. Bergkase is a new Murray’s product briefly replacing Adelegger. This cheese is great for a customer who wants something special but not overpowering.

 PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: GENOA SALAMI, ROASTED MEATS, PICKLED BEETS

 

ARTURO CHIRABOGA: CHIRABOGA BLUE

This dairy is located in Germany and run by Ecuadorian, Arturo Chiraboga. It was established in 1433 and has been kickin around since the 16th century. In the mid-1990’s it was converted into a guesthouse with a dairy.  Arturo insists that all milk be fully delivered within 1.5 hours of milking!

 Chiraboga Blue: Unskimmed milk is pasteurized and hand molded into shape.  Arturo does things his own way.  As you may know we always tell folks that blue mold is never injected into wheels. Well meet the exception to the rule. These wheels are hand pierced with needles dipped in this specific blue mold solution. 

 PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: BLACK CHERRY CONFIT, BUCKWHEAT HONEY, BEER, STEAK

 

ANTON HOLZINGER: BLAUROTER

Anton was born and raised in Zurwies Germany. His father was a dairy inspector. A true independent spirit, he is considered a bit of a mad professor of cheese. The dairy itself uses a modern tip system (like Jasper Hill).  

 Blauroter: An oddity from Anton! 1.5 pounds of cheese in an elongated rectangle format. Think of a stretched out Limburger shape or brick cheese, with a washy, sticky rind and an almost unbelievable custardy, runny, sweet paste. This cheese barely holds itself together and sports little naturally forming pockets of blue.

 PAIRING TODAY: BLACK CHERRY CONFIT, CARMELIZED ONIONS, TOASTED RYE BREAD, RUSTIC CRACKERS