Behind the Rinds: The Secrets of Little Big Apple

by Chris Roberts, photos: Paige Yim

 

There’s booze in there.
Little Big Apple!

Every year we roll out our Little Big Apple cheese and every year a group of dedicated Murray’s employees venture out to the Hudson Valley to visit the Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery. The task is to gather boxes and boxes of apple leaves, picked from their lush orchard, to  be boiled down and soaked in a local Apple Jack brandy. It was my first time going on this adventure and I was excited because my particular world of cheese so rarely expands beyond the walls of our Distribution Center in Long Island City, Queens. The Little Big Apple, for those who don’t know, takes the already delicious Champlain Valley Triple Cream (which we sell year-round) and adds a touch of Murray’s magic to it. We give it a bit more time in our specialized cheese caves to give it just the right amount of richness and then wrap in leaves to give it a touch of crisp sweetness.

My day in the orchard had a few more challenges than I was anticipating, but it certainly wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. Yes, the sun was especially aggressive that day and I simply wasn’t prepared for the sheer number of beetles that I would encounter but, for once, I had a small hand in the cheese making process. Our resident Cave Master, Brian Ralph, was leading the trip and gave us semi-specific instructions as to which leaves we were looking for, and while that caused some people on the trip to be overly cautious, I took a more liberal approach and tried to win the day with quantity.

 

After we finished up, we took lunch and enjoyed a more relaxed afternoon of exploration. There was a bit of shopping before we moved on to a tour of the distillery. The art of distillation is something I’m woefully ignorant about so it was exciting to learn the basic of basics and to obtain a an understanding of what goes into the process. We met many of the people who work at Warwick and they were happy to teach us about their craft. There was even a quick cider tasting squeezed in at the end of the day before we had to get back on the road. The trip back into the city was a quick one, as the sun had gotten the best of me, and I was forced to take a late afternoon nap—the true sign of a fruitful adventure.

The man. The myth. The Legend. Chris Roberts.

STAFF PICKS: What’s On Our Thanksgiving Cheese Plates

Nobody knows cheese like the mongers at Murray’s. That’s why we asked 10 cheesemongers what they’re bringing to Thanksgiving Dinner this week. Here are their recommendations, straight from the red jackets themselves!

Cielo – Keely’s Across the Pond*. God Bless America!

James – Jasper Hill Harbison has been tasting amazing, with a really delicate mustard flavor.

Eric – River’s Edge Up In Smoke, for post-Thanksgiving breakfast with turkey and stuffing!

Sydney – St. Maure*. They are super gooey right now, and the creamy texture means the flavor is even stronger.

Brian, Caves Manager at Murray’s Cheese – (Let it be noted that he had a very hard time deciding.) Consider Bardwell Pawlett*, because it’s savory with flavors of sauteed garlic and onion, and a slight tangy-ness. It’s a beautiful table cheese, on point right now, and a total crowd-pleaser.

Joshua – Colston Bassett Stilton, because it is just delicious.

Sarah – Tomme Chevre Aydius*. It’s light enough that it is a perfect appetizer, especially with crostini.

Kevin – Etivaz, it is a super-delicious flavor explosion!

Brian – Quadrello di Bufala is sweet and meaty like many Thanksgiving dishes. Most people don’t serve Italian cheese at Thanksgiving, so it’s nice to bring something unique and unexpected to the table.

Adam – Spring Brook Tarentaise, my baby. It’s a lovely, hearty cheese and is always great this time of year.

*These cheeses are available in our NYC retail stores but are not currently available for online purchase.