St. James Cheese Company

New Website, New Events Page, New Blog

2012-01-04T10:37:00.001-08:00

Thanks to all of you who have followed us here. We are excited to announce we have a new website with a blog section called Cheese Board and an events section where you can purchase spots to our classes online. Going forward, all events will be posted there. Check it out, we think its really beautiful! www.stjamescheese.com

St. James Cheese Gift Selections Are Here!

2011-11-21T10:09:00.000-08:00

All cheese selections come presented in a handmade wooden box with straw and ribbon. All cut cheeses are in 1/2 lb. pieces (unless indicated).

Audubon Gift Box
$78.00
Camembert de Normandie
Haystack Mountain Chevre
Comté Fort St. Antoine
White Wood Farms Louisiana Preserves
Fine Cheese Company Water Crackers
Wood handle cheese knife

Pontchartrain Gift Box
$135.00
Colston Basset Stilton
Abbaye de Belloc
Cabot Clothbound Cheddar
Sweet Grass Dairy Green Hill
White Wood Farms Louisiana Preserves
Creminelli Casalingo Salami
Sucré Chocolate Almond Toffee
Fine Cheese Company Water Crackers
Wood handle cheese knife

Southern Selection
$73.00
Sweetgrass Dairy Green Hill, GA
Meadow Creek Appalachian, VA
Belle Chevre, AL
White Wood Farms Preserves
Fine Cheese Company Water Crackers

French Selection
$67.00
Mimolette 12-month aged
Camembert de Normandie
Comté Fort St. Antoine
Au Fil du Fruit Preserves
Fine Cheese Company Water Crackers

British Selection
$78.00
Selected from Neal's Yard Dairy, London
Colston Basset Stilton
Linconlnshire Poacher
Sparkenhoe Red Leicester
Fine Cheese Company Water Crackers

Spanish Selection
$72.00
Manchego Reserva
Pata Cabra
Quince Paste
Roasted Marcona Almonds
Ortiz Bonito Tuna
Ines Rosales Tortas de Aceite

Chocolate & Cheese Pairing
$70.00
Three very different cheeses beautifully paired with stone ground,
organic Taza Chocolate Mexicano
O'Banon Goats Cheese (USA) with Cacao Puro Chocolate
Hawes Wensleydale (UK) 1/4 lb. with Guajillo Chili Chocolate
Cashel Blue (Ireland) 1/4 lb. with Vanilla Bean Chocolate
Fine Cheese Company Water Crackers

OTHER GIFT SELECTIONS

Fromage Lagniappe $45.00
A little something tasty to bring to your host or hostess, presented in a brown paper box with straw and ribbon. Cut cheeses are 1/2 lb. each.
Beemster XO Aged Gouda
Colston Basset Stilton
Cypress Grove Chevre Purple Haze
Au Fil du Fruit Preserves

Cheeses of the Month

Each month cheese club members will receive a half pound each of three of our carefully chosen cheeses in peak condition with descriptions and pairing suggestions.
Price includes shipping.
Louisiana $50 per month
Out of state $70 per month

The new St. James Cheese Company website is launching soon and you will be able to order online. Until then, call 504.899.4737 to place an order or order online through TAIGAN.com.
Prices do not reflect shipping. We can ship gifts anywhere in the US using FedEx. Shipping rates vary by destination and shipping class and will be quoted when order is placed.

November/December Classes

2011-10-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

At the shop

Dec 7
Chocolate, Champagne and Cheese with Bittersweet Confections
Local chocolatier Cheryl Scripter will be joining us to pair chocolates, cheese and champage for an educational and ever so slightly decadent evening.
$40 7pm SOLD OUT

December 8
Charcuterie, Cheese and Wine
One of the finest American producers of cured meats, Creminelli Fine Meats, will be joining us pairing their fabulous salamis and charcuterie with a variety of cheeses and wines for a spectacular evening.
$30 7pm

Call 899-4737 to reserve your spot or emailinfo@stjamescheese.com.

At other venues

Nov 17
6:30pm
Champagne and Cheese Pairing at Swirl Wines in Mid-City
Call Swirl at (504) 304-0635 for reservations.
3143 Ponce De Leon Street off Esplanade

****We usually have a waiting list for our classes, so no-shows make us cranky. Please call if you are not going to make it so that a lucky person on the wait list can have your spot. ****

Upcoming Cheese Classes

2011-10-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

Oct 19
Blue Cheeses from Rogue Creamery
7pm at St. James Cheese
This is a class for the true lover of blue cheeses. Rogue Creamery produces some of the best blue cheeses in the country at their creamery in Oregon. We are going to taste and compare blues such as Rogue River Blue, Oregon Blue, Crater Lake Blue, Caveman Blue and Oregonzola. They will be paired with wines, mostly of the sweet variety such as a Canadian Cabernet Franc Ice Wine, Hungarian Tokai, French Calais Nord farmhouse beer, and some other wine surprises.
$25

Nov 2
Novemberfest!
7pm at St. James Cheese
A late Germanic celebration with Wolf of Crescent City Brewhouse pairing his beers with Bavarian and artisan cheeses. Other Bavarian food offerings such as housemade wursts and sauerkraut will be served. Leiderhosen encouraged.

Call 899-4737 to reserve your spot or emailinfo@stjamescheese.com.

September Classes

2011-09-07T17:24:00.001-07:00

St. James Cheese School

Sept 14

How'da ya say Gouda?

7pm at St. James Cheese
More than any other cheese, people say they love Gouda. And do we have Gouda. At any one time we have up to 6 varieties and we will be sampling those with complementary wines. $25

Sept 21

Mediterranean Cheeses and Wines
featuring locally owned (also owns Dat Dog), Greek produced Georges olive oil and discussion with Constantine Georges.
7pm at St. James Cheese
$25

Call 899-4737 to reserve your spot or emailinfo@stjamescheese.com.

Sept 28
Italian Wines and Cheeese

7pm at Swirl Wines in Mid-City

Join at Swirl in Mid-City as Casey and Beth take you through the amazing cheeses and wines of Italy.

Call Swirl at 304-0635 for reservations.

****We usually have a waiting list for our classes, so no-shows make us cranky. Please call if you are not going to make it so that a lucky person on the wait list can have your spot. ****

July and August Cheese Classes

2011-07-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

Offsite Events

July 27
Wines, Cheese and Wine Pairings
Swirl in Mid-City (3143 Ponce de Leon)
6-8 pm $25
Call 504-304-0635 for reservations

Classes at our shop

August 3
St James Cheese School
featuring pairings from Uncorked Wines and beer
at St. James Cheese Company
7:00pm, $25

August 10, 17, 24
Summer Beer Series

We are putting on a 3-part series in August featuring 6 exceptional craft beers paired with up to 6 cheeses. At least one or two of the beers each night will featuring something new and exciting from one of our local breweries.

$25 per class, you can sign up for one or all of them.

Call 899-4737 to reserve your spot or email info@stjamescheese.com.

****We usually have a waiting list for our classes, so no-shows make us cranky. Please call if you are not going to make it so that a lucky person on the wait list can have your spot. ****

Classes this week - Oregon Pinot Noir

2011-06-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Love Pinot Noir?

We still have openings for our cheese and wine pairing class this week on June 16 (June 15 - SOLD OUT) featuring Moises Vineyards Pinot Noirs from Oregon. New Orleanian James Moises will be on hand to guide you through a vertical tasting of 6 of his fantastic Pinot Noir wines from years past and Casey will be pairing them with some tasty artisanal cheeses.
$30, includes wines and cheese, 7pm
Call 899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com to sign up.

St. James to compete in Cheesemonger Invitational

2011-05-25T13:05:00.001-07:00

Our own cheesemonger extraordinaire Ashley Finney will be competing in the Cheesemonger Invitational in New York on July 8. Go to her competitor page using the link below and "like" her to give her some extra points in the competition. She deserves it!
http://bit.ly/j3IOfl

Master Classes

2011-05-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

For two days in June we are excited to have world cheese authority and founder of the British Cheese Awards and Great British Cheese Festival Juliet Harbutt visiting us and leading two master classes.

**THERE ARE STILL SPOTS AVAILABLE FOR BOTH OF THESE CLASSES.**

Tuesday, June 21

Strange Bedfellows
This class will pair artisanal cheeses with unusual libations, liqueurs, aperitifs and other unexpected drinks.

Wednesday, June 22

An Evening at Purveyor
Local wine distributor Purveyor of Fine Wines will host an evening of, well, fine wine and cheese pairings at their warehouse on Magazine Street.

$35 per class, $60 for both classes.

Call 899-4737 to reserve your spot or email info@stjamescheese.com.

****We usually have a waiting list for our classes, so no-shows make us cranky. Please call if you are not going to make it so that a lucky person on the wait list can have your spot. ****

Juliet Harbutt's

WORLD CHEESE BOOK
WINNER of BEST FOOD BOOK 2010
at Guild of Food Writers Awards

Richard wrote the East Coast cheeses section of this wonderful book, so we are very proud to receive this accolade. Stop by the shop and pick up a copy or order it from us online at taigan.com.

Beer and Cheese Clases in May

2011-05-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

Its nigh on summertime in New Orleans, despite the weird cool weather. Did you know that May is Beer Garden Month?

To celebrate this most festive sounding of months, we are offering two classes pairing beer and cheese on May 18 & 19. And not just any beers. The classes also fall during Craft Brewers Week, so we will have Crescent City Brewhouse and Heiner Brau in the house as well as craft beers from Stouts Brewery in Pennsylvania.

Also joining us will be Sarah Zaborowski from Columbia Cheese, a specialist in German and Swiss cheeses, to talk us through the pairings.

And, if you haven't filled up on cheese and beer, we will be finishing off the night with brats and kraut.

So what's not to love? Its like a little Octoberfest in May.

$25, beer, cheese, brats and kraut included.

Classes start at 7:00 and go until we are finished. Sign up at our counter, call us at 504-899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com.

****We usually have a waiting list for our classes, so no-shows make us cranky. Please call if you are not going to make it so that a lucky person on the wait list can have your spot. ****

Special dinner at St. James Cheese

2011-04-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

St. James Cheese Company, in partnership with Rare Cuts and Vom Fass, will be hosting a seasonal 5-course dinner on Wednesday, May 4. Featuring premium cuts from Rare Cuts, fantastic ingredients from Vom Fass, dessert from Creole Creamery and artisanal cheeses from St. James Cheese.

5 courses
$50
Wine, beer and other beverages available for purchase

Here is a preview of the menu. Some of the dishes are being tweaked, but this is a close approximation of what it will be.

MENU
Salad of arugula, blackberries, toasted pecans, red onion, browned goat cheese, Star Date Vinegar / Orange Olive Oil dressing

Black Bean soup with cheese, wild boar bacon and Vom Fass Pumpkin Seed oil garnish

Rare Cuts Meat Entree

Artisanal Cheese Course

Crème Fraiche Sorbet w/ Riesling-Poached Peaches

Call 899.4737 to make reservations. Reservations can also be made at Rare Cuts, Vom Fass and Creole Creamery.

May cheese classes

2011-04-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

May 5
Cheese and Wine Pairing feat. Sommelier Michelle Geuydan $25

May 11 (No Thursday Class) SOLD OUT
Cheesemaking - Instruction and Demonstration. Call Justin directly for more info at 303.350.0983.

Classes start at 7:00 and last till 8:30ish. Sign up at our counter, call us at 504-899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com.

We usually have a waiting list for our classes, so no-shows make us cranky. Please call if you are not going to make it so that a lucky person on the wait list can have your spot.

More classes to be posted soon!

New Cheese School Classes!

2011-03-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

Don't panic! Once Mardi Gras madness is behind us, cheese classes will resume as normal. Casey and Justin have come up with some exciting new themes and have many cheese anecdotes with which to regale you.

March 16 & 17 - Capratastic: Spring is for Goat Cheese Lovers!

March 23 & 24 - Cheese and Wine Pairing featuring Moises Wines and winemaker James Moises (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

March 30 & 31 - Cheese and Wine Pairing featuring local Somellier Michelle Gueydan

April 6 & 7 - The Cheeses of Jean d'Alos featuring Affineur Jean d'Alos (all the way from France, y'all!)

Classes start at 7:00 and last till 8:30ish. $20 per person.
Sign up at our counter or call us at 504-899-4737.

We usually have a waiting list for our classes, so no-shows make us cranky. Please call if you are not going to make it so that a lucky person on the wait list can have your spot.

St. James at the Avenue Pub - Feb. 16

2011-02-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

We are going to host the cheese school at Avenue Pub on Feb 16. This will be the last event we do until after Mardi Gras. The parade schedule Uptown makes the planning too complicated.

Here's the info:

-Event is at Avenue Pub

-Starts at 7:30pm

-No reservation required

-5 Cheese paired with 5 different beers

-Cost is $20 per person

-Format will be an abbreviated and more casual version of cheese school

Hope to see you there!

January Cheese Classes

2010-12-28T09:04:00.000-08:00

Its a brand new year and we have a new series of classes to get it started on the right foot. Each class will feature 6 cheeses, paired with wine (or beer). All classes are $20 per person.

Jan 12/13 - Affinage... Aging Gracefully

Jan 19/20 - Beer and Cheese!

Jan 26/27 - The Cheeses of Ryals Rockin' R Dairy in Miss.

Feb 02/03 - France: The Auvergne

Classes start at 7:00 and last till 8:30ish
Sign up at our counter, call us at 504-899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com.

We usually have a waiting list for our classes, so no-shows make us cranky. Please call if you are not going to make it so that a lucky person on the wait list can have your spot.

December Cheese School

2010-11-29T20:01:00.000-08:00

December 1 (Wed)
Alpine Cheeses (with Fondue Bonus!)
Gruyere, Comte, Beaufort and other amazing cheeses of the Alps paired with wine. As a special bonus, learn how to make a traditional fondue.

December 8 (Wed)
Holiday Cheeses
Stilton, Vacherin and other cheeses at their seasonal peak during the holidays paired with wines and champagne.

Classes start at 7:00 and last till 8:30ish
Sign up at our counter or call us at 504-899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com.

November Cheese School

2010-11-09T19:31:00.000-08:00

Nov 10 & 11
Special Pairing with the Beers of Bayou Teche Brewery.
All five of the Bayou Teche craft beers paired with a carefully chosen selection of our cheeses.

Nov 17 & 18
All About Cheddar
(and we don't mean orange bricks)
Farmhouse cheddar cheesees from England, USA, Ireland, Australia and Canada.

Classes start at 7:00 and last till 8:30ish
Sign up at our counter or call us at 504-899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com.

October classes are posted! Now with more meat!

2010-09-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

St. James Cheese School

We have an exciting line up of classes in October. Each class will feature 6 cheeses, paired with wine (or beer when specified) and last for about an hour. All classes are $20 per person

Oct 6
Celtic Curds:
Cheeses of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall,Galicia and Bretagne

Oct 13* & 14
Octoberfest:
Germanic cheeses from Germany, Austria and Switzerland paired with beer and wine
(*Oct. 13 location at the Courtyard Cafe at New Orleans Museum of Art)

Oct 20
The Loire Valley:
Where happy goats roam, good cheese follows

Oct 27 & 28
Manifest Destiny (of Cheesemaking): Cheeses of The American West

Nov 10 & 11
Special Pairing with the Beers of Bayou Teche Brewery.
All five of the Bayou Teche craft beers paired with a carefully chosen selection of our cheeses.

**NEW** St. James Charcuterie School

Our newest educational offerings are charcuterie classes helmed by our house charcutier Andy Scurlock. Andy is the man behind our amazing housemade pates and smoked meats and he and chef Adrienne will be sharing their knowledge with you. We will be limiting class size to 20 people. $20 per class

Oct 7
Charcuterie 101Do you know the difference between a pate and a rillette? What exactly is a confit? Come and find out what they are, how they are made and then enjoy some with wine and beer.

Oct 21
Charcuterie Instruction
Andy will be giving a demonstration on how to make fresh sausage and pate and will send you home with the knowledge and confidence to do it yourself. Again, wine and beer will be offered while you learn.

Classes start at 7:00 and last till 8:30ish
Sign up at our counter or call us at 504-899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com.

We usually have a waiting list for our classes, so no-shows make us cranky. Please call if you are not going to make it so that a lucky person on the wait list can have your spot.

Cheese School - August and September

2010-08-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce the following schedule of upcoming classes for Cheese School.

August 11th Holy Swiss!
We will be exploring many glorious cheeses from Switzerland.

August 18th Northern Spain
The Spanish know a thing or two about enjoying cheese in a hot climate. We will see how they do against New Orleans in August!

September 1st and 2nd Lombardy and Piedmont
The cheeses of northern Italy.

September 8th and 9th BEER AND CHEESE
One of our favorites - beer and cheese school. The name says it all!

September 15th When the Sheep Hits the Fan
Glorious sheep's milk cheeses.

September 16th DON'T MISS THIS! Prosciutto Tasting
This class is not to be missed. Herb Eckhouse from La Quercia in Iowa will be conducting a tasting of several of his spectacular prosciuttos as well as other cured meats. We will be tasting and comparing side by side prosciutto made from different heirloom breeds of pig and different ages. The meats will be paired with wine, and I am sure we will find a way to sneak in some cheese too. You can read all about what they do at La Quercia HERE. This tasting will be $30.

September 22nd and 23rd ACS Award Winners
This class turns the tables and invites you to be the judge. We will be sampling award winning cheese from this year's American Cheese Society Conference (held the end of August) and discussing how judges grade cheese.

All classes are $20 and start at 7:00PM. Reservations are required.

St. James Cheese School - July classes!!

2010-06-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

July 14
Whistlin' Dixie: Cheeses of the American South
There are some amazing farmhouse cheeses made below the Mason-Dixon line and our class just scratches the surface and whets your appetite for more.

July 21
Capralicious: Goats Cheeses and their many incarnations
Think you hate goats milk cheese? Then this is the class that will change your mind.

July 28
Rind Type: The Origin of Species
Learn the difference between bloomy, washed, herbed, ashed and many other types of cheeses and the rinds that make them unique.

August 4
Northern Europe: Gouda and everything after
There is no question that northern Europe produces some amazing cheeses. Here are several of our favorites.

Price is $20 a person ($18/class if you sign up for more than one class)

Classes start at 7:00
Sign up at our counter or call us at 504-899-4737.

We always have a waiting list for our classes, so no shows make us sad. A credit card number will be required to hold your place in the class. No shows will incur a charge of $20.

Cheesemonger Invitational

2010-06-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

Check it out in the NY Daily News.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/queens/2010/06/25/2010-06-25_big_cheese_tourney_contest_of_tasting_cutting_plattermaking.html

Saturday, June 26, 7:30pm
Larkin Cold Storage Warehouse
47-55 27th street, Long Island City
Tickets, $30-$35

On June 26th some of the most important people in the specialty cheese business will congregate at a discreet warehouse in Long Island City to witness the first annual Cheesemonger Invitational. Nine of the top cheesemongers representing the finest cheese shops from around our country are set to compete in a no-holds barred cornucopia of coddled curd. Watch mongers from Zingerman’s, Murrays, Rubiners, DiBruno Brothers, Bi Rite, Liberty Heights Fresh, St.James Cheese Company, Bedford Cheese Shop, and Formaggio Kitchen go head to head in this event that will celebrate all things cheese.

St. James Cheese School - June classes are up!

2010-05-18T21:00:00.001-07:00

June 9 - Washed Rind: Put Some Stank On It
Stinky cheeses demystified. If you are afraid of strong cheeses, come to this class and overcome your fear.

June 16 - Auvergne: Cheeses of South Central France
Fairly self-explanatory. Great cheeses come from the Auvergne region.

June 23 - Blue Cheese: The Power of Penicillium
Not the antibiotic, but the mold that makes blue cheese, well, blue. If you love a good Stilton, Roquefort or any other veiny cheese, this one's for you.

June 30 - California Cheez'n
What a terrible name for a class, you say. But California does have some great artisanal cheeses, some of the oldest cheesemakers in the country, in fact. Paired with California wines, its suddenly not so cheesy.

Price is $20 a person ($18/class if you sign up for more than one class)

Classes start at 6:30 and last till 7:30 or 8
Sign up at our counter or call us at 504-899-4737.

Cheese and Beer - Tues, May 4

2010-04-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

A few spots are left for our "Cheese and Beer" class on Tues, May 4 with special guest Franklin Peluso, maker of the sublime Franklin's Telame from California. $20, 6:30pm. Call 899-4737 to sign up.

Wednesday Evening Cheese Classes - May

2010-04-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Evening Cheese Classes
Price is $20 a person ($18/class if you sign up for more than one class)

Classes start at 6:30 and last till 7:30 or 8
Sign up at our counter or call us at 504-899-4737.

May 4 (moved to Tuesday, due to special guest)
Beer and Cheese Pairing: Forget wine and cheese... at least just for a night. Beer can be just as good a match with cheese. We will taste 6 different cheeses paired with 6 craft beers and discuss the fundamentals of pairing food and beer. Franklin Peluso from Franklin's Telame cheese will be with us to talk about his craft.
SOLD OUT!

May 12
Northern Italy: The cheeses of Northern Italy are as fantastic as the cuisine. We will taste 6 of them and pair them with Italian wines.
SOLD OUT!

May 19
Odds and Sods: There are some really great cheeses that don't fit in a large category, such as Corsican cheeses. Join us to taste 6 wild cards with wine pairings.

May 26
You Say You Want a Revolution- Basque Cheeses: Heavy on the sheeps milk, we will taste 6 cheeses of the Pyrenees region paired with wines to complement their flavors.

Cheese Classes and Special Event

2010-03-08T10:46:00.000-08:00

St. James Cheese School

We are now offering a weekly class on Wednesdays evenings at 6:30pm exploring all things cheese related. Classes will be themed and include a tasting of 6 different cheeses paired up with 6 complimentary beverages. Our goal is to provide a fairly comprehensive understanding of cheese in a fun and open setting. We will include pictures, props and video clips when relevant. But most importantly, we will taste some delicious cheese and drink some great wine, beer and spirits!

Classes are filling very quickly, so sign up early!

March 10
Cheeses of Northern France: Cheeses from Bourgogne, Brittany, Normandy, Alsace, Loire. The soft, gooey, smelly delicious cheeses that we absolutely love! As well as some firmer favorites. SOLD OUT!

March 17
Beer and Cheese Pairing: Forget wine and cheese… at least just for a night. Beer can be just as good a match with cheese. We will taste 6 different cheeses paired with 6 craft beers and discuss the fundamentals of pairing food and beer. SOLD OUT!

March 31
British cheeses: The wonderful old cheeses of the British Isles are the basis for many modern cheeses. We will taste 6 of them and pair them with wine and beer.
SOLD OUT!

April 7
Bloomy rind cheeses: If you are a fan of Brie, this is the class for you. Lovely soft and gooey cheeses with that distinct fluffy "bloomy" rind are the focus and you will learn what makes them so good, paired with complementary wines.

April 14
Vermont cheeses: The Green Mountain state produces some of the finest artisanal American cheeses and we will expose you to 6 of them paired with wines to complement their flavors.

April 21
Aging means everything: A tutorial on the aging process of different types of cheese and what it means to the flavors in the end product, paired with wines.

Price is $20 a person ($18/class if you sign up for more than one class)
Classes start at 6:30 and last till 7:30 or 8
Sign up at our counter or call us at 504-899-4737.

SPECIAL EVENT

Raef Hodgson from Neal's Yard Dairy in London will be joining us for an informal discussion of the British Isles cheeses that they age and their special philosophy on aging cheeses. You will have the opportunity to taste some of their cheeses with local Nola Brewery beer and ask Raef your most burnign cheese questions.
March 18 6:30 - 8pm (come anytime between)
$10 per person
Call 899-4737 to sign up.

2010-01-28T09:19:00.000-08:00

St. James Cheese School

We are now offering a weekly class exploring all things cheese related. Classes will be themed and include a tasting of 6 different cheeses paired up with 6 complimentary beverages. Our goal is to provide a fairly comprehensive understanding of cheese in a fun and open setting. We will include pictures, props and video clips when relevant. But most importantly, we will taste some delicious cheese and drink some great wine, beer and spirits!

Wed – March 10
Cheeses of Northern France: Cheeses from Bourgogne, Brittany, Normandy, Alsace, Loire. The soft, gooey, smelly delicious cheeses that we absolutely love! As well as some firmer favorites. SOLD OUT!

Wed – March 17
Beer and Cheese Pairing: Forget wine and cheese… at least just for a night. Beer can be just as good a match with cheese. We will taste 6 different cheeses paired with 6 craft beers and discuss the fundamentals of pairing food and beer. SOLD OUT!

Wed - March 31
British cheeses: The wonderful old cheeses of the British Isles are the basis for many modern cheeses. We will taste 6 of them and pair them with wine and beer.
SOLD OUT!

Wed - April 7
Bloomy rind cheeses: If you are a fan of Brie, this is the class for you. Lovely soft and gooey cheeses with that distinct fluffy "bloomy" rind are the focus and you will learn what makes them so good, paired with complementary wines.

Wed - April 14
Vermont cheeses: The Green Mountain state produces some of the finest artisanal American cheeses and we will expose you to 6 of them paired with wines to complement their flavors.

Wed - April 21
Aging means everything: A tutorial on the aging process of different types of cheese and what it means to the flavors in the end product, paired with wines.

Price is $20 a person ($18/class if you sign up for more than one class)
Classes start at 6:30 and last till 7:30 or 8
Sign up at our counter or call us at 504-899-4737.

SPECIAL EVENT Raef Hodgson from Neal's Yard Dairy in London will be joining us for an informal discussion of the British Isles cheeses that they age and their special philosophy on aging cheeses. You will have the opportunity to taste some of their cheeses with local Nola Brewery beer and ask Raef your most burnign cheese questions.
March 18 6:30 - 8pm (come anytime between)
$10 per person
Call 899-4737 to sign up.

Cheese Class, Beer Tasting, etc.

2009-12-14T09:56:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, Dec. 15 Cheese Class:
"How to Prepare a Cheese Plate"
Featuring the cheeses of southwest France
Five cheeses paired with wines
6:00 pm
$20 per person
Call 899-4737 to register

Friday, Dec. 18
Beer and cheese pairing with
NOLA Brewing

NOLA Brewing beer paired with 5 beer friendly cheeses
$10 per person
6-8:00pm
Walk-ins welcome

Gift Boxes
The holiday season is approaching and our dazzling selection of gift boxes is now available for ordering. The perfect present for friends, family, colleagues, we ship anywhere in the country.

Go to
www.stjamescheese.com/giftboxes.html to choose the perfect combination for the foodies in your life.

Housemade Meat Pies and Pate
Our charcuterie wonder boy Andy Spurlock has broadened his reperatoire to making the best meat pies this side of the Atlantic Ocean. You can buy his pork, venison and pork and Stilton pies in our shop by the slice, or with 48 hours notice, Andy will bake one up for you to serve over the holidays. And if you get the chance, buy a slice of his fois gras and duck pate'. The stuff is flying out of our meat case as fast as he can make it.

Fondue Time
While New Orleans lacks the biting Alpine climate that makes fondue so satisfying, the slight dip in temperatue still makes us crave its warm, gooey, Kirsch spiked goodness. St. James can whip up our house mixture of grated cheeses for you to take home and create your own delicious fondue for any size group. Just call it in a few hours ahead of time and we will have it waiting with instructions on how to prepare it. We even have fondue sets if you don't already have one.

And for another cheesy Alpine treat, we now have a genuine Raclette machine available for rental, as well as some for sale. Now if there were only some snow....

Vacherin is here!
We wait for it every year and it has finally arrived, the-oooey- gooey-available-in-winter-only-heaven-in-a-wooden-box-cheesy-Swiss-treat. Vacherin makes a wonderful hostess gift or you can keep it all for yourself to enjoy, greedy.

St. James News

2009-11-20T12:55:00.000-08:00

Seasonal Cheese and Wine Pairing
Friday, Nov. 20
6-8pm

Purveyor of Fine Wines will be joining us on Friday, Nov. 20 to pair Port, Sherry and Temperanillo wines with holiday cheeses including Colston Basset Stilton, Brillat Savarin and several others.

The price is $12.50 per person and includes a cheese plate and a glass of each of the wines we will be tasting.

Gift Selections
The holiday season is approaching and our dazzling selection of gift boxes is now available for ordering. The perfect present for friends, family, colleagues, we ship anywhere in the country. Go to stjamescheese.com/giftboxes.html
to choose your favorite combination.

Fondue Time
While New Orleans lacks the biting Alpine climate that makes fondue so satisfying, the slight dip in temperatue still makes us crave its warm, gooey, Kirsch spiked goodness. St. James can whip up our house mixture of grated cheeses for you to take home and create your own delicious fondue for any size group. Just call it in a few hours ahead of time and we will have it waiting with instructions on how to prepare it. We even have fondue sets if you don't already have one.

And for another cheesy Alpine treat, we now have a genuine Raclette machine available for rental, as well as some for sale. Now if there were only some snow....

Vacherin is here!
We wait for it every year and it has finally arrived, the-oooey- gooey-available-in-winter-only-heaven-in-a-wooden-box-cheesy-Swiss-treat. Vacherin makes a wonderful hostess gift or you can keep it all for yourself to enjoy, greedy.

November News

2009-11-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

Small Plates with Chef Greg Sonnier

On Friday, Nov. 13, Chef Greg Sonnier will return to St. James to cook up some of his signature cuisine for us.

Menu
Stuffed Chicken Wings with Tangy and Sweet Dipping Sauce

Smoked Pork Ribs with Dirty Rice and Satsuma Mustard Sauce

Oyster and Artichoke Soup

And a few other surprise dishes...

Dinners will be served starting at 6 with last orders at 8:30.

We have over 35 beers to choose from and a lovely and varied wine list.

Regular menu items will not be served during the dinner with the exception of cheese and charcuterie boards.

Cheese and Wine Pairing
Friday, November 20
6-8pm
Purveyor of Fine Wines will be joining us on Nov. 20 to pair Port, Sherry and Temperanillo wines with holiday cheese including the classic Colston Basset Stilton, triple cream Brillat Savarin and several others. The price is $12 per person and includes a cheese plate and a glass of each of the wines we will be tasting.

Gift Selections
The holiday season is approaching and our dazzling selection of gift boxes is now available for ordering. The perfect present for friends, family, colleagues, we ship anywhere in the country. Go to
stjamescheese.com/giftboxes.html
to choose your favorite combination.

Fondue Time
While New Orleans lacks the biting Alpine climate that makes fondue so satisfying, the slight dip in temperatue still makes us crave its warm, gooey goodness. St. James can whip up our house mixture of grated cheeses for you to take home and create your own delicious fondue for any size group. Just call it in a few hours ahead of time and we will have it waiting with instructions on how to prepare it.

And for another cheesy Swiss treat, we will soon have a genuine Raclette machine available for rental. Now if there were only some snow....

October Dinners at St. James Cheese

2009-10-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

Fall weather is here and that makes it the perfect time for an al fresco dinner at St. James.

On Saturday, Oct. 24, Chef Dan Esses will be cooking another seasonal feast for us that sounds amazing as usual, featuring his handmade pastas.

Menu~~
Red Kuri squash soup with apple fritter $6

Warm spinach and duck confit salad with goat cheese toast $7

Smoked trout, satsuma marmalade and pickled onion crostini $6

Whole wheat spaghetti, acorn squash and arugula with a balsalmic vinegar brown butter sauce $10

Grilled quail with dried cherry, pancetta, parsnip stuffing and mustard greens $14

Mahi mahi with sweet potato gnocchi and mustard greens $14

Sweet potato flan $4

Dinners will be served starting at 6 with last orders at 8:30. Our regular menu will not be available during dinners, with the exception of cheese boards.

We have over 35 beers to choose from and a lovely and varied wine list.

November Dinner

On Friday, Nov. 13, Chef Greg Sonnier will return to St. James to cook up some of his signature cuisine for us. Keep an eye out for his menu.

October 17 Dinner w/ Chef Dan Esses

2009-10-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Fall weather is finally on the way this weekend and that makes it the perfect time for an al fresco dinner at St. James.

On Saturday, Oct. 17, Chef Dan Esses will be cooking a seasonal feast for us that sounds amazing as usual.

Menu
~~
Sun dried tomato, pistachio and goat cheese stuffed piquillo pepper-$5

Ceviche and chips-$6

Duck and beet salad with blue cheese and walnuts-$6

~~
Braised lamb shank over oregano lemon noodles-$12

Chickpea crusted gulf fish with roasted potatoes sauteed greens -$12

Squash ravioli with brown butter sage sauce-$10
~~
Dessert
Satsuma tart-$4

Dinners will be served starting at 6 with last orders at 8:30.

We have over 35 beers to choose from and a lovely and varied wine list.

Chef Dan will be back with us next Saturday evening, Oct. 23 for another fall dinner.

St. James Cheese Company News

2009-10-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

October Dinners at St. James Cheese
It may not feel like it outside, but autumn
is here and we are hosting a series of fall dinners at St. James Cheese with Chefs Greg Sonnier and Dan Esses.

This Friday, Oct. 9, Chef Greg Sonnier of the Uptowner and Gabrielle fame will be cooking a series of delicious small plates for us.

Menu
-Crab and corn bisque
-Grilled shrimp with honey pistachio dressing
-Andouille sausage with Creole mustard sauce and smothered cabbage
-Grilled pork tenderloin with roasted sweet potatoes and satsuma gastrique
-Mushrooms stuffed 2 ways - Spinach Rockefeller and Artichokes
-White chocolate bread pudding with hot buttered rum sauce

On Saturday, Oct. 10, Chef about town Dan Esses will be cooking a Bavarian feast for us that sounds amazing. Come get your Octoberfest cheer on with our extensive beer menu. Chicken dance optional.

Menu~~
-German-style beer braised duck legs with spaetzle
-Wit beer steamed mussels w/ caper Satsuma aoli on toasted bread
-Sage roasted apple salad
~~
-Bratwurst and pork belly with sauerkraut
-Smoked trout with horseradish creme fraiche
-Turkey shnitzel
(Entrees served with roasted potatoes and braised green cabbage with carraway seeds)
~~
Apple strudel

Dinners will be served starting at 6 with last orders at 8:30 and will be on a first come, first served basis, so mark your calendars.

During dinners, our regular menu will not be available, with the exception of cheese boards.

Blockparty Benefit for family of Postman Roy Rondeno
Sunday, October 11th, 1:00PM to 5:00PM
CVS parking lot, 4920 Prytania Street, between Upperline and Robert Streets.

At this time,Kyoto, Upperline, La Thai, Crepe Nanou, La Boulangerie, St. James
Cheese Company, The Wine Seller, King Pin, Felix's, Gumbo Shop, Galatoires, Vizards, Reginelli's, Mr. B's, Restaurant One, Mr. John's Steak House,Patout's, ASH Dad's Club and a host of shops are on board along with local music. Garland Robinette will MC the raffle and if enough items are donated, it may evolve into an auction format.

Wristbands, allowing entrance into the event, will be available for purchase beginning late Monday afternoon from participating merchants.
www.roythepostman.com

Film Premiere
Not a lot of people know this, but St. James was the inspiration for a local independent film called Let's Rob the Cheese Shop. After making the rounds this summer on the film festival circuit (and winning an award for Comedy in Cincinnati), the local premiere is scheduled to take place on Oct. 14 at One Eyed Jack's with performances from Happy Talk Band, Country Fried and the Unnaturals. Two screenings available, 7pm and 9:30. To book your tickets with a $5 cheese-lovers discount go to
www.cheeseshoppremiere.eventbrite.com/?discount=StJames

St. James News - Sept. 16

2009-09-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

October Dinners at St. James Cheese Company

We will be hosting 5 casual dinners during October and November with 2 fabulous local chefs.

Chef Greg Sonnier of the Uptowner and Gabrielle fame will be cooking two Friday night dinners for us on Oct. 9 and Nov 13. (slight change from dates in latest newsletter - no Oct. 23rd dinner)

Chef about town Dan Esses (he sells his amazing fresh pastas at the farmers markets)will be cooking for us on three Saturdays, Oct. 10, 17 and 24.

Dinners will be served starting at 6 with last orders at 8:30 and will be on a first come, first served basis, so mark your calendars.

We will be publishing the menus closer to the dates, so keep reading your newsletters and checking our blog(stjamescheese.blogspot.com).

Friday Evening Specials for September 18
6-8pm

Cheese Tasting (free)

This week our free Friday night tasting will feature the Italian cheese Ubriaco al Vino Rosso, in honor of our cheesemongers Richard and Casey who are on their way to the Slow Food cheese festival in Bra, Italy at this very moment.
http://www.cheese.slowfood.com/

From the Treviso province just above Venice, this is a firm textured semi-skimmed cow's milk cheese with its crust dipped and washed in red wine pressings. The resulting aromatic vinous aromas houses an alabaster white cheese of crumbly close texture and tasting deeply fruity. Ubriaco means 'drunken'.

Friday Evening Small Plates

We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's Italian themed offerings:

*Burrata and local lima bean mash on toasted baguette

*Marinated portobello mushroom bruschetta

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese or sample our small plates.

Friday Evening Specials for August 28

2009-08-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

6-8pm

Cheese Tasting (free)

This week our free Friday night tasting will feature two new Bavarian cheeses that we tried at the Fancy Food Show in New York, Anton's Leibe Blond and Allgauer Limburger.

The Liebe Blonde is a soft cow’s milk cheese made by Anton Holzinger using organic cow’s milk with a touch of organic cream. This cheese has a flat shape, a bloomy rind and a creamy texture. It has a medium-strong flavor with notes of hazelnuts and mushrooms.

But we think the packaging really says it all.

Allgauer Limburger is an organic cheese also made by Anton Holzinger who uses fresh, silo free cows milk from local farms. It is ripened for 3 - 4 weeks during which time the rind is washed daily. This treatment gives the cheese its characteristic peach coloring and full aroma. Despite being washed as it ages, this Limburger often develops a thin bloomy crust which gives it a mellow flavor and a beautifully creamy texture with flavors of hay and mushrooms. We can't be sure where Limburger picked up its bad reputation, as its not even as pungent as many other washed rinds out there, but this is a cheese to change your mind.

Friday Evening Small Plates

We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:
*Gazpacho - Andalusian Style

*Potted Crab Pate with Toast Points

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese or sample our small plates.

American Cheeses on Sale this week!

2009-08-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

From Monday, August 24 through the end of the month, all American artisanal cheeses will be discounted 20%! Now is the time to check out some of our domestic treasures, such as Coach Farm goats cheeses from New York State or perhaps a lovely blue cheese from our friends at the Rogue Creamery in Oregon.

Friday Evening Specials for August 14

2009-08-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

6-8pm

Cheese Tasting (free)

This week our free Friday night tasting will feature three sheep milk cheeses,
U Pecorinu, Blue de Brebis, and Fleur de Maquis.

U Pecorinu is a hard ewes milk cheese from Corsica with a palate coating nutty flavor.

Bleu de Brebis is a sheeps milk version of the deliciously creamy Bleu D'Auvergne.

Fleur de Maquis, another Corsican cheese, is a small creamy wheel encrusted with Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, fennel seeds and juniper berries.

Friday Evening Small Plates

We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

*Cheese gougeres w/ blue cheese cracker

*Pecorino and Ham gratin w/ baby green salad

August Cheese Sale

From August 10-22 all French cheeses will be 20% off the regular retail price.

August News

2009-07-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

August Hours
During the month of August,
we will be closed on Sundays. We will resume regular hours
in September.

August Sales
As promised, the first of our
August sales starts tomorrow!
Check your newsletter and our blog (stjamescheese.blogspot.com)
every week in August for what is on sale.

August 1 - 8
All Italian cheeses will be 20% off the regular
retail price.

Friday Night Specials - July 31

2009-07-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

Cheese Tasting (free)

This week our free Friday night tasting will feature the Italian blue cheese Gorgonzola Dolce.

Gorgonzola Dolce is the 'sweeter' gorgonzola - milder and much softer than its Natuale or Piccante counterparts with less blue veining. It is made using pasteurized cow's milk and is aged for 3 months. It is very creamy and almost spreadable in texture with a light piquancy. It is produced in the Piemonte region of Italy.

Friday Evening Small Plates
We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

*Chilled creamy summer squash soup

*Flatbreads with
- Manchego, sausage and red onion confit
- Ardrahan and fingerling potato
- Coach Farm green peppercorn goat cheese with white peaches

Friday Night Specials - July 24

2009-07-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

6-8pm
Cheese Tasting (free)

This week our free Friday night tasting will feature Mimolette cheese from affineur Cesar Losfeld.

Mimolette originated in Holland and is made in a similar way to Edam. It is believed to have been introduced to France when Flanders was a part of that country. Some believe that in the 17th century the French minister Colbert forbade the importation of foreign goods, including cheese, and so the French began making it for themselves. It is now made in Flanders and also in other parts of France, particularly Brittany, and it is often known as 'Boule de Lille'. The texture is firm and oily and the colour a vivid orange. With ageing it slowly hardens and dries and the colour changes from carrot to orange-brown. It has a firm texture with a very nutty flavour and a thick brown-grey crust. many people comment that it looks like a ripe canteloupe when cut open.

Friday Night Small Plates

We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

*North Florida Chanterelle mushrooms(foraged by my own mother) in a Cantal cream sauce over toasted crostini with Maras farm sprouts

*Cold cucumber soup

*Crudite plate with crispy summer vegetables, mushroom chevre pate and anchovy butter

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese or sample our small plates.

Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation Brunch

Don't forget to order your tickets for the upcoming brunch on August 2 at Redfish Grill featuring the city's top chefs. All proceeds go towards ending childhood hunger in Lousiana.

Tickets available at http://strength.org/neworleans

Friday Night Specials - July 17

2009-07-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

6-8pm

Cheese Tasting (free) This week our free Friday night tasting will feature two aged cheddar cheeses, Montgomery's and Hook's.

Montgomery's award winning cheddar is produced in the heart of England's West Country, Somerset, where cheddar cheese originated. It is a fantastically complex cheese with rich, sweet, fruity, nutty, and beefy flavors. The texture tends to be drier than many cheddars with a crystalline crunch that many people find appealing. The wheels we carry are specially selected by Neal's Yard Dairy for St. James Cheese Company according to Richard's exacting specifications.

Hook's Cheddar is an American classic from Wisconsin, aged for 10 years. Made in a building built into the side of a hill, Hook's production facility came with ideal cave-like conditions for aging cheese, and the Hooks have made doing so an art form. It won 1st place at the 2006 American Cheese Society Show and has a full, rich cheddar flavor and a smooth finish with the crunch of calcium crystals found in aged hard cheeses.

Friday Evening Small Plates
We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

*Fontina and Cantal cheese baked pasta with pork belly and fresh herbs, topped with shredded Speck.

*Roasted vegetables over handmade pasta with red wine sauce

*Summer white peach salad with ricotta cheese, Broadmoor honey, almonds, arugula and lemon ginger vinaigrette.

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese or sample our small plates.

August News

2009-07-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

August HoursDuring the uber-steamy month of August, we will be closed on Sundays. We will resume regular hours in September.

Hurricane Season Sales
To keep our inventory a little lighter during hurrication season, we will be having weekly sales on tons of cheeses during August. Watch your emails for details.

Events

Taste of the Nation New Orleans

100% of ticket sales help ensure no kid in America grows up hungry.

Sunday, August 2, 2009
Red Fish Grill
115 Bourbon Street

Enjoy a delicious 5-course seated “boy/girl” brunch with specialties prepared by New Orleans’ top “boy and girl chefs” including Frank Brigtsen, Gregg Collier, Susan Spicer, Haley Bitterman, Darin Nesbit, Adolfo Garcia, Leah Chase, and Danielle & Richard Sutton. Help us ensure that NO boys and girls go hungry in Louisiana by bidding generously on the mouth-watering and wallet-tempting silent and live auction prizes to include items that will appeal to boys and girls of all ages. Share Our Strength will be presenting its annual Fleur de Lis award to writer Gene Bourg, to honor his contributions to New Orleans hospitality and culture.

Please join us at 11 am for a VIP reception featuring passed hors d’oevres accompanied by champagne, wine, cocktails and Stella Artois. Your early admission will also offer a preview of the fantastic silent and live auctions.

Purchase tickets at http://strength.org/neworleans/

White Linen Night
Visit us at the CAC on August 1 for White Linen Night, the hottest evening of art in New Orleans (literally).

Friday Evening Specials for July 10

2009-07-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

6-8pm

Cheese Tasting (free)
This week our free Friday night tasting will feature two blue cheeses with contrasting textures, Bayley Hazen Blue and Fourme D'Ambert.

Bayley Hazen Blue from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont is a natural rinded blue cheese. It is made with whole raw milk every other day, primarily with morning milk, which is lower in fat. Though drier and crumblier than most blues, its texture reminds one of chocolate and butter. It is aged between 4 and 6 months.

Fourme d'Ambert is one of France's oldest cheeses, and dates from as far back as Roman times. It is a pasteurized cow's milk blue cheese from the Auvergne region of France, with a distinct, narrow cylindrical shape. The creamy and sweet cheese is inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti spores and aged for at least 28 days. During this aging time, at weekly intervals, the cheese is injected with Vouvray moelleux, a sweet white wine.

Friday Evening Small Plates
We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

Crostini with local figs, Broadmoor honey and prosciutto

Watermelon, mint and chevre salad with crispy serrano ham

Duck confit ravioli

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese or sample our small plates.

Independence Day Festivities

2009-07-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

Friday Evening Specials
July 3
6-8pm

Cheese Tasting (free)

This week our free Friday night tasting will feature three artisanal American cheeses from three American regions from three of the oldest American cheesemakers to kick off Independence Day weekend.

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar from Vermont
Vella Dry Jack from California
Buttermilk Blue from Wisconsin

Friday Evening Small Plates

We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

Duck Confit Ravioli with Cantal Cream Sauce and a side of fresh peaches and frozen blueberries

Ravioli trio
*Fontina and finnochiona salami
*Gorgonzola and pesto
*Ricotta w/ rosewater, herbs and pinenuts

Summer peach and fig salad

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese or sample our small plates.

Independence Day Cookout
Saturday, July 4
11am - 3:30pm

Too hot to stand over the grill cooking up burgers? Let St. James do the sweating and come on over and enjoy the best cheeseburgers in town. We only break the grill out on special occasions and nowhere else will you get the finest cheeses melted on top of your burger. And did we mention that we will have lots of cold beer and wine?

Friday Evening specials for June 26

2009-06-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

6-8pm

Cheese Tasting (free)
This week our free Friday night tasting will feature Beemster Graskaas.
Beemster Graskaas is a very special Dutch cheese produced each spring when the Dutch cows have their first taste of the fresh young spring pastures.

The lush young grasses give their milk a special creamy flavor and texture and this is reflected in this special cheese. Produced in limited quantities and for only a limited time; Beemster Graskaas is considered a special treat among Dutch cheese afficionados.

This special cheese, made from pasteurized cow's milk is matured for one month before being sold and is easily recognized by its grass green rind.

Friday Evening Small Plates
We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

Vichysoisse

Watermelon, mint and Greek feta salad

Grilled flatbreads
*Prosciutto, Piave and fig
*Mushroom, fontina and red onion confit

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese or sample our small plates.

Friday Evening specials for June 19

2009-06-16T14:31:00.001-07:00

6-8pm

Cheese Tasting (free)

This week our free Friday night tasting will feature a fantastic farmstead cheese from New Hampshire called Landaff.

Landaff is based on the traditional Welsh recipe for Caerphilly. Landaff is a mild, semi-firm cheese with a delicious combination of flavors, tangy with a clean finish. The open and buttery texture comes with a natural, cave-aged rind. It melts beautifully for cooking, and makes a wonderful addition to any cheese plate.

Friday Evening Small Plates

We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

Cold avocado soup

Prosciutto and grilled figs with arugula salad

Grilled flatbreads
*Gorgonzola, pine nut and arugula
*Creole tomato, mozzerella and basil pesto

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese or sample our small plates.

Friday Evening specials for June 12

2009-06-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

6-8pm

Cheese Tasting (free)

This week our free Friday night tasting will feature two washed rind cheeses from Burgundy, Epoisses and Affidelice.

Epoisses is a soft and creamy cow's milk cheese which has been washed, or continuously coated, with brine and finished with marc de Bourgogne, an eu de vie spirit made from grapes.

Affidelice is a similar cheese, however, the rind is washed with local Chablis wine to give it some sweeter characteristics.

Both cheeses are silky smooth, with a pungent aroma and savoury flavor with woodland undertones.

Friday Evening Small Plates

We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

Vichysoisse (chilled leek and potato soup) with local sorrel

Canteloupe and prosciutto salad

Grilled flatbreads
*Fig, prosciutto and piave
*Ricotta, mortadella and arugula

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese or sample our small plates.

Friday Nights, Summer Fun

2009-06-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

Cheese Tasting 6-8pm (free)
6-8pm

This week our free Friday night tasting will feature Ardrahan and Appleby's Cheshire cheeses. Ardrahan is a soft, washed rind cheese from County Cork, Ireland with a fudgy texture and pungent aroma. Appleby's Cheshire cheese is a wonderfully crumbly cheese with a savoury and minerally flavor.

Both cheeses are aged by Neal's Yard Dairy in London and specially selected for St. James Cheese Company. Eric Cusimano, our manager, just returned from a week working in the cellars at Neal's Yard and is eager to tell tales of his gustatory adventures in London.

Friday Evening Small Plates

We will be offering small plates on Friday evenings in addition to our regular menu.

This week's offerings:

Spanish-style gazpacho

Stuffed and grilled poblano pepper with peppadews and chevre

We will also be offering beer and wine specials, discounts on featured cheeses and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some cheese.

Cheese and Beer Tasting

2009-05-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

Cheese and Beer Tasting
Sunday, May 17 @ 3pm

In celebration of Craft Brewers Week we will be teaming up with NOLA Brewing Company and sampling their beers along with 4 other American micro brews. Beers will be paired with a selection of 6 artisan American cheeses.

$15 per person
Reservations suggested but not required.

Front Yard Farming

2009-04-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

One of our fabulous employees, Jordan Shay, is an urban homesteader right here in the heart of New Orleans, and my food idol. Inspired by the idea of eating locally and knowing exactly where her food comes from, she and her boyfriend started their own farm, right in the heart of Broadmoor. She keeps bees, harvests their honey, raises ducks and chickens for food and eggs and keeps a year-round garden. I am always grilling her about her newest farming activities and plan on consulting with her heavily when we move to our new place with our own small plot of grass. You can read all about Jordan's urban farm in her blog, http://jordaneshay.wordpress.com/.

A Slow Food Gathering - April 15

2009-04-06T07:24:00.000-07:00

Artisan American Cheeses, A Slow Food Gathering with Jeff Roberts

Wednesday April 15, 5 to 7pm

St. James Cheese Company
5004 Prytania Street, New Orleans

Free!

Please join Jeff Roberts, author of The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese, for a Slow Food New Orleans event at St. James Cheese Company. This evenings “American” themed festivities will include small plates by local chef Bart Bell of Huevos, samplings of sustainable and organic California wines by Swirl Wines, accompanied by artisan American cheeses and beer by St. James Cheese Company.

Jeff will be in the house to tell his story and sign copies of his book, The Atlas of American Cheese. His book provides an indispensable road map to American cheeses and helps navigate the ever-growing collection of artisan cheeses made from California to Maine. The Atlas is the first reference book of its kind and a must-have for every foodie's library. Jeffrey P. Roberts lavishes loving attention on the growing local food and farmstead movement in what is fast becoming a national trend.

Jeff is active in Slow Food USA as a director and treasurer of the national board and a Northeast Regional Governor. He co-chaired "Artisan Cheeses of America" at Cheese 2001 and 2003 and the US presence at Salone del Gusto 2002 and 2004. He is one of organizers of Slow Food USA's American Raw Milk Cheese Presidium. Jeff is a frequent speaker on artisan cheese, sustainable agriculture, and the working landscape. He serves as a director of the Vermont Arts Council and previously was on the Vermont Fresh Network board.

Interested in learning more about or joining Slow Food? This is the perfect event to see what it’s all about, supporting good, clean and fair food!

Beer Pairing Dinner - March 26

2009-03-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

The food produced at our Slow Food dinner last month by Chef Dan Esses was so lick-the-plate good that we are bringing him back and do another dinner.

And now that we are legally allowed to serve wine and beer, we are also bringing beer guru Dan Stein from Stein's Market and Deli in to pair beer with Esses' dishes and our cheeses. This is sure to be a delicious and highly entertaining evening, so make your reservations soon.

Menu (with pairings)
Braised Fudge Farm Pork Belly with Saurkraut and a mustard beer sauce (Fullers' ESB)
Beef Cheek Ravioli, Lacianto kale and pickled beet Vinaigrette (Caracole Nostradamus)
or
Seared Yellow Snapper over ginger beer dashi broth (Brasserie Lefebvre Blanche De Bruxelles)
Cheese course (Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan and Bear Republic Razor Five)
Ayianger beer ice cream flourless chocolate cake and strawberry sauce (Hitichino espresso stout)

March 26 @ 7pm
$65 inclusive of beer
Call 899-4737 for reservations.

Friday Night Cheese Tastings

2009-03-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

Our last Friday night cheese tasting was so unexpectedly popular (we are always delightfully surprised when people show up for things) that we have decided to make them regular events. Starting this Friday night, March 13 from 6-8pm we will be holding a free cheese tasting featuring a selection of washed rind cheeses to taste and learn about from our cheesemongers.

We will also be offering beer and wine specials and our full menu will be available. Please drop in for a visit and have a glass (or bottle) of wine or beer with us while you taste some delicious, creamy and sometimes stinky artisanal cheeses.

This is very casual, so no reservations or fancy clothes are required.

Slow Food Dinner and Book Signing - Feb. 5

2009-01-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Slow Food Dinner and Book Signing
Thursday, February 5 7:00pm
Author and Investor’s Circle founder Woody Tasch will discuss his new book, Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered, at a dinner event held at St. James Cheese Company. The dinner, talk, and book signing is generously co-sponsored by Slow Food New Orleans. Local chef Daniel Esses will prepare a menu based on locally-sourced ingredients.

Menu
Saffron-cauliflower mousse
Bacon, collard green and pecan soup
Jasmine tea smoked cornish game hen with sausage and white bean ragout
or
Broccoli gnocchi over caramelized carrot puree and greens
Artisanal regional cheese course
Sweet potato flan.

Tickets for the event are $50.00, and seating is limited. Reservations can be made by calling the St. James Cheese Company at (504)-899-4737.

January News and Events

2009-01-14T11:28:00.000-08:00

After a very hectic holiday season, we have had a brief rest and have thrown ourselves into the new year.

Cheese Tasting
Friday, January 23 6-8pm (ish)
FREE!
Our dear friend Giorgio Cravero, Parmigiano Reggiano ager extrordinaire, is in town from Bra, Italy and will be joining Daphne Zephos of NY's Essex Street Cheese at our shop in January to talk about their cheeses and allow you to taste these extraordinary artisanal creations.

Daphne, the nation's premier importer of Comte cheese, will be talking about her newest import, L'Amuse Gouda.

We will also be featuring some special small plates on our menu available for purchase during the tasting. We will also have some Italian wines selected by Purveyor of Fine Wines available to purchase.

To learn more about Giorgio and Daphne and what they do, visit

http://www.cravero-cheese.it/welcome_eng.lasso
www.essexcheese.com

Zagat 2009
We feel very honored to have the won the top rating in the sandwich category in the newest issue of the Zagat New Orleans guide. We work very hard to keep our quality consistent, so thank you to all of our customers who took part in the survey in giving us this honor.

Times-Picayune
We are also very flattered by restaurant critic Brett Anderson's love of our Smokey Blue Sandwich. He liked it so much on his visit that he named it one of his meals to remember for 2008. http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/1230272494195690.xml&coll=1

Holiday Gift Selections

2008-11-29T16:54:00.000-08:00

Our new holiday gift brochure is now available. We have cheese selections to suit every taste and price range and can ship anywhere in the country. Take a look at them here and give us a call at 899-4737 to place an order. All gift selections are packed in a wooden crate with straw and wrapped in cellophane. Prices do not include shipping. And for the easiest gift of all, we offer gift certificates in any denomination.

Small Gift Box ~ $47.00 (above)
Camembert de Normandie
Cypress Grove Chevre
Marcel Petit Comté (1/2 lb)
Water Wheel Wafers
Folies Fromage Preserves
Laguiole cheese spreader

Medium Gift Box ~ $72.00 (above)
Colston Basset Stilton (1/2 lb)
Marcel Petit Comté (1/2 lb)
Montgomery's Cheddar (1/2 lb)
Jasper Hill Constant Bliss
Folies Fromages Preserves
Laguiole spreader
Water Wheel Wafers

Large Gift Box ~ $130.00 (above)
Colston Basset Stilton (1/2 lb)
Lincolnshire Poacher (1/2 lb)
Tome de Laguiole (1/2 lb)
Jasper Hill Constant Bliss
Robiola Bosina due Latte
Cypress Grove Chevre
Columbus Cacciatore Salami
Zatarain's Creole Mustard
Carr's Crackers
Folies Fromages Preserves
Michel Cluizel Single Plantation
Chocolate Assortment
Laguiole spreader
Fromage Cocktail Napkins
Lowcountry Produce Pear Chutney

In addition to the three gift boxes above, we have an array of European and domestic artisanal cheese selections to suit every cheeselovers' taste. Packed in a wooden box with straw, we can ship these anywhere in the US.

American Selection $34.00
Pleasant Ridge Reserve (Wisconsin)
Rogue Creamery Oregonzola
(Oregon)
Jasper Hill Farm Constant Bliss
(Vermont)

Italian Selection $36.00
Robiola Bosina due Latte
Pecorino Toscana
Toma Blue

French Selection $30.00
Fourme D'Ambert
Selles sur Cher
Marcel Petit Comté

British Selection $34.00
(Tasted and picked by us at Neal's Yard Dairy in London)
Colston Basset Stilton
Montgomery's Cheddar
Sparkenhoe Red Leicester

Southern Selection $26.00
Thomasville Tomme (Georgia)
Grayson (Virginia)
Belle Chevre (Alabama)

House Favorites $67.00
Marcel Petit Comté
Roquefort
Jasper Hill Constant Bliss
Montgomery's Cheddar
Colston Basset Stilton
Cravero Parmigiano Reggiano
Tome de Laguiole

Swiss Vacherin Gift Box $33.00
Vacherin Mont-D'Or
in wooden tub
Laguiole cheese knife
Water Wheel Wafer
Crispbreads

Chef Ashbell Dinner Rescheduled and a Saturday Jerk BBQ too!

2008-10-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

The previously scheduled dinner with Chef Ashbell McElveen will now take place on Nov. 6, as mentioned in the Times-Picayune on Thursday. Thanks to the newspaper mention, the dinner sold out in record time. Here is what he will be preparing for us.

Grilled Louisiana Crevette w/ Ashbells Hand made Bacon aux sauce Rum Nouvelle Orleans
w/ 3 French Cheeses Cornbread Croutons

Matatu de Crabbe la Guadeloupe Aux Mirlitons Grille
Curried Crab w plantain dumplings from Guadeloupe

Salad de Legumes Grille w Garlic, Virgin Olive Oil, & Herbs
Seasonal Grilled vegetables

Artisanal French Cheese Plate

Gateaux de PècheTartan aux FormageDoux
Caramelized Peach Cake Tartan

$60 for 5 courses
BYOB

For those who didn't get a chance to grab a reservation for the Thursday dinner, we will be hosting a second Chef Ashbell appearance at the shop on Saturday, Nov. 8 from 12-3 where he will be preparing a special Taste of Jamaica BBQ menu. Items can be ordered along our regular St. James lunch items. Reservations are not required.

Assorted Smoked Cheeses w Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies
Jamaican Style Jerk Chicken
Festival Bread (Sweet fried bread ideal for spicy jerk)
Ashbells Crawfish Corn Pudding (as featured in Times-Picayune)
Warm Grilled Banana Pudding w Pound Cake Croutons

"Viva the New Big Easy" in Newsweek

2008-10-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

Julia Reed wrote a great article in this week's Newsweek about the renaissance of New Orleans cuisine. We are very flattered to be included.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/160099

New Hours and September Dinners

2008-09-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

Between dodging hurricanes and watching Saints games, we have a couple of special events happening this month at St. James Cheese.

September 20
Chef Anne Churchill cooks up another fabulous 5 course dinner, this time sponsored by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Anne will be using some fabulous artisanal Wisconsin cheeses in her cooking and we will be serving a Wisconsin-centric cheese course. The menu will be posted on 9/16 at www.stjamescheese.blogspot.com

5 Courses - $40
BYOB
Call 899-4737 for reservations or email info@stjamescheese.com

September 25
Chef Ashbell McElveen Cooks French with a Southern Accent

Chef Ashbell McElveen is a South Carolina native with a very popular restaurant in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London. He is spending some time in our fair city, and we are delighted to have him come cook for us. Here is what he has to say about the menu he has prepared.

This menu is inspired by my Southern Roots and the foods from the old French Colonial Empire. New Orleans was the Queen City of the French aspirations in the Americas, so it is fitting that we start close to home. I love sharing the foods of my travels with the people of New Orleans. The dinner starts with Grilled Shrimp New Orleans with a sauce of New Orleans Rum and roasted garlic. Three French cheeses infuse the cornbread croutons that garnish the dish. The next course takes us to la Guadeloupe for a wonderful dish of Jumbo lump crab in a curry cream sauce with fluffy light plantain dumplings, this is a dish I learned from my mother-in-law, a caterer in Paris and a native of la Guadeloupe. When living in Aix-en-Provence my land lady Mme. Pusey made a peach tarte tartan and this peach cake is inspired by her and my Carolina cobbler roots.

Menu

Grilled Louisiana Crevette w/ Ashbells Hand made Bacon aux sauce Rum Nouvelle Orleans
w 3 Italian Cheeses Cornbread Croutons

Matatu de Crabbe la Guadeloupe Aux Mirlitons Grille
Curried Crab w plantain dumplings from Guadeloupe

Salad de Legumes Grille w Garlic, Virgin Olive Oil, & Herbs
Seasonal Grilled vegetables

Artisanal French Cheese Plate

Gateaux de PècheTartan aux FormageDoux
Caramelized Peach Cake Tartan

$60 for 5 courses
BYOB

Call 899-4737 for reservations or email info@stjamescheese.com

St. James Cheese Company is back open...

2008-09-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

We are back from our hurrication and open for business. We will have an abbreviated menu through the weekend until all of our regular suppliers get up and running. Someone up there must be a fan of artisanal dairy products, because all the cheese made it through the storm. So if struck by a craving for some Somerset Cheddar or perhaps a Basque sheep cheese while you are clearing large branches out of your yard, you know where to go to find satisfaction. The Wine Seller next door is open too.

Hours this week
Fri, 9/5 11am - 6pm
Sat, 9/6 11am - 7pm

Vegetarian locavore dinner - Thurs, July 17

2008-07-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

Here is the menu for this week's Vegetarian Locavore dinner cooked by the very talented Anne Churchill of Karma Kitchen. Anne is no stranger to the local farmers markets and is using the summer bounty to her advantage. Check out the menu below and give us a call to reserve your spot.

Purple Hull Bean Soup
Puréed and chilled with preserved lemon créma and crispy eggplant chips

Watermelon Salad
Cubes atop local lettuces with basil mint vinaigrette and feta crumbles

Summer Veggie Plate
Okra in coconut curry, minted heirloom tomatoes, Indian eggplant, Thai cucumber salad and grilled flatbread

Local and regional cheese plate

“Hot” chocolate pudding with a hint of cayenne, Himalayan pink salt, topped with whipped cream and canella dust with a cranberry walnut chocolate cookie
Or
Peaches and cream cake
Chilton county peaches layered with freshly whipped Smith Creamery cream and layers of delicate white cake.

5 Courses - $50
BYOB
Call 899-4737 for reservations or email info@stjamescheese.com

Hot 10 Sandwich Shops

2008-07-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

When you are flipping through your August issue of Bon Appetit magazine, please take note that we have been listed among the "hot 10" sandwich shops in the nation. Our Gruyere and caramelized onion confit sandwich was given special mention. It has been described by some as "French onion soup meets grilled cheese". Bon Appetit says they wish it was the grilled cheese they grew up on. We're just happy someone noticed the deliciousness.

Also of note, Bastille Day is almost upon us. There are several celebrations of this most Gallic of holidays taking place around town, several of which we will be attending. Come see us at the Saturday Crescent City Farmers Market from 10-11am on July 12, where we will be sampling some fantastic French cheeses and telling market shoppers all about their provenance.

New Arrivals

2008-07-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to announce the arrival of some new local cheeses. The name of the cheese maker is Belle Ecorce and all the cheeses are hand made by Wanda Barras in St Martinville, Louisiana. All of the cheeses are 100% goat's milk from her own mixed herd of 125 LaMancha and Nubian goats. She makes several varieties of cheese ranging from in texture from hard to very creamy and most have a thick, soft white mold rind. The distinct flavor of the cheeses is stunning. The Bouche de Chevre (Taunte Cecile) is an 8oz log and is medium firm. They have a beautiful white pate and a wonderful chestnut like flavor, exhibiting excellent balance, that is to say, not too salty, and just rustic enough to remind you they are made from goat's milk. We also received a few Bayou Blue cheeses which are very creamy and soft with hint of blue mold. Excellent all around! Wanda is constantly experimenting with new styles, but she doesn't make a huge volume, so these will come and go quickly.

Also new in the shop is a very special 2 year old Gouda. It's called L'Amuse Gouda and is a pasteurized cow's milk cheese. We know there is a lot of Gouda out there on the market, and some of it is pretty good. But this one we feel is truly special. Typical large production Goudas have a modestly appealing candy-like flavor. In time I feel such flavors grow tiresome and mundane. This Gouda offers an altogether more exciting flavor that is thrilling in its complexity, richness, and depth. The cheeses are aged for about two years, which is relatively short compared to some cheeses on the market. But we always say that age isn't everything with cheese, and this one is no exception. While older cheeses lose some of their most appealing flavors as they age, the affineur believes the peak of flavor for this cheese is achieved after two years. The cheeses are all made by a co-op of farmers, and aged at the L'Amuse Fromagerie in Beemster, Holland.

Summer Events

2008-06-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

Summer is getting exciting here at St. James. Chefs Greg Sonnier and Anne Churchill will be joining us on Thursday evenings to cook up some fabulous al fresco meals in our leafy courtyard.

July 17 - Vegetarian dinner with Chef Anne Churchill

July 31 - Dinner with Chef Greg Sonnier

August 14 - Dinner with Chef Greg Sonnier

August 21 - Vegetarian dinner with Anne Churchill

5 Courses - $50
BYOB
Call 899-4737 for reservations.

Dinner menus are determined by what is in season and available at the local farmers markets.
Menus are posted here the week of the dinner and in the shop.

We're trying to keep cool here at St. James with some tasty specials featuring some fantastic seasonal produce from our local farmers markets. We're using Creole and heirloom tomatoes (salmonella free!) on everything we can think of and we are loving the delicious blueberries from the Northshore and Mississippi on our Manchego salad. Our summery canteloupe and prosciutto salad is back too, so stop in and see what's new.

Thursday Dinner - May 22

2008-05-18T12:02:00.001-07:00

Here is the delicious sounding menu for this week's dinner with Chef Corbin Evans. Corbin is hitting the road for the summer so this will be one of his last dinners before he goes. Look out for menus from some exciting guest chef's throughout the summer though.

Crab Noodle Soup

Crispy Rice Cakes w/ Asparagus Salsa

Slow-cooked Pork with Field Pea, Vidalia Onion & Beef Jerky Ragout

OR

Pesto Grilled Louisiana Shrimp w/ New Potato & Yard Egg Salad

Artisanal American Cheese Plate

Louisiana Mixed Berry Cake w/ creme fraiche

5 courses - $40
BYOB

Thursday Night Dinner - April 24

2008-04-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

There is still room at our pre-Jazzfest Thursday night dinner with Chef Corbin Evans. Check out this week's menu.

1st COURSE
Chilled Spring Pea & Mint Soup with Farmers Cheese Crouton

2nd COURSE
Green Risotto with Fava Beans and Garlic Chives

ENTREE (choice of)
Crawfish Smothered Wild Catfish with Shiitake Mushroom "Dirty" Rice
OR
-Grilled Farmers Market Chicken Panzanella

CHEESE COURSE

DESSERT
Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)

5 Courses - $40
BYOB
Call 899.4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com for reservations.

Dinner Menu, Thursday April 10

2008-04-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Green Garbure Stew

Louisiana Shrimp Ravigote

Pan-fried Louisiana Gulf Fish Meuniere with Fried Cabbage

OR

Lamb Masala

Artisanal American Cheese Course

Snickerdoodles with Strawberry Gelato and Chocolate-Mint Sauce

$40 for 5 courses
$3 corkage

Dinner Menu, Thursday March 27

2008-03-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

Check out the amazing looking dinner menu from Chef Corbin Evans for our next dinner. Call 899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com for reservations.

Louisiana Shrimp & 3 Bean Soup

Goat Cheese, Beet and Fennel Salad with Local Lettuces and Citrus Vinaigrette

Seared Wild Coho Salmon with Tomato CousCous and Salsa Verde
or
Smothered Baby Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower Puree

Artisanal American Cheese Course

Mocha Cake with Creole Cream cheese Icing and Coffee sauce

5 Courses for $40
BYOB

Dinner Menu, Thursday, March 13

2008-03-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

Chef Corbin Evans is back with us this Thursday cooking a five-course feast made with ingredients from the Crescent City Farmer's Market and other local producers. Check out the menu and give us a call at 899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com to book your spot.

Oyster Mushroom Minestrone

Louisiana Strawberry and Ricotta Salata Salad with Shaved Criminis, Sweet Onions and Cane Vinegar & Pecan Oil Dressing

Piney Woods Beef Ragu w/ Braised Celery and Roasted Green Garlic Toasts
OR
Crawfish Shepherd's Pie

Artisanal American Cheese Course

Cinnamon Apple Crumble with Caramelized Bread Crumbs and Sweet Cream

$40 for 5 courses
$3 corkage- BYOB

Vegetarian Dinner - Feb. 28

2008-02-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

We will be hosting another fantastic vegetarian dinner with Chef Anne Churchill on Feb. 28. Anne sources her ingredients from local farmers and always pulls out the stops with her creativity. Take a look at the menu and give us a call at 899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com to make reservations.

-Mushroom barley soup with grilled Beecher's cheddar mini-sandwich
-Louisiana strawberry salad with ricotta salata, toffeed almonds, Meyer lemon vinaigrette and balsamic glaze
-Green garlic and goat cheese enchiladas with root veggies in brown butter
-Artisanal American cheese plate
-Iranian pistachio cake with Louisiana citrus, galangal caramel and whipped Smith Creamery Cream

$45 for 5 courses
BYOB

February Events

2008-02-11T10:29:00.000-08:00

We have a variety of exciting events happening at the shop this month.

Feb. 14 - A special Valentine's Day (or not) menu with Chef Corbin Evans
Beet Soup with Creme Fraiche
Louisiana Oyster & Edemame Pan Roast
Grilled Lamb Chops with Sweet Mash and Creamed Greens
or
Pan-fried Gulf fish with Crawfish-Green Onion Hash
Artisanal American Cheese Course
Caramel Coconut Cake
Chocolate-dipped Louisiana Strawberries

$45 for 5 courses
$3 corkage

Feb. 21 - We will be giving a cheese class on Alpin and winter cheeses and wine pairings

Feb. 28 - We will be doing a Vegetarian dinner with guest chef Anne Churchill from Karma Kitchen.

Call 899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com for reservations to any or all of these events.

Thursday Dinner Menu - Feb. 7

2008-02-07T08:59:00.001-08:00

Mardi Gras is over and things are getting back to normal. Our Thursday dinner is back on this week with Chef Corbin Evans. Take a look at this week's menu and give us a call if you would like to join us, 899-4737.

Chicken & Andouille Gumbo

Wilted Escarole & Roasted Beet Salad with Ruby Red Grapefruit and Cojita cheese

Louisiana Piney Woods Braised Beef Stew
OR
Louisiana Wild-caught Gulf Shrimp w/ Sweet Potato, Oyster Mushroom & Crawfish Ragout

American Cheese course

Cinnamon-Apple Crisp w/ Hard Sauce

$40 for 5 courses
BYOB

Dinner menu - Thursday, Jan. 24

2008-01-22T12:20:00.000-08:00

Here is this week's menu for our Thursday night "localvore" dinner with Chef Corbin Evans. Call 899-4737 for reservations.

SOUP
Chicken tortilla soup with avocado

APPETIZER
Grilled sausage w/ lentils and creole mustard

ENTREE
Smothered pork w/ smoked bacon, cabbage and apples
or
Roasted gulf fish w/ cauliflower, capers and Meyer lemon over little ear pasta

Artisanal American Cheese Plate

DESSERT
Chocolate-roasted banana bread pudding with rum sauce

5 courses - $40
BYOB

Dinner Menu, Thursday Jan. 17

2008-01-16T07:48:00.000-08:00

Here is this week's dinner menu prepared in house by Chef Corbin Evans. There are still a few spaces left, so make som reservations!

Winter Minestrone

Roasted Pear & Pecan Salad with Paw Paw's Honey-Creole Mustard Vinaigrette

Louisiana Shrimp Curry & Cashew Rice
or
Bacon & Balsamic Braised Chicken over Buttermilk Smashed Potatoes

Artisanal American Cheese Plate

Crepes with Apple Butter and Kumquats

5 courses - $40
BYOB

We're back with Thursday Dinners....

2008-01-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for all of your interest in our business over the past year. It has been a pleasure to meet all of you and if you haven't had a chance to come to our shop, we encourage you to do so.
Chef Corbin Evans is back after the holidays to cook dinner at the shop on Thursday evenings. Corbin just returned from Mexico, which you can see influenced his dishes in this week's menu.

5 courses - $40
BYOB

Green Chile Soup
Chayote-Crab Slaw with LA Citrus-Herb dressing

ENTREE
Pork with Pumpkin & Spaghetti Verde
OR
Louisiana Shrimp Enchiladas

Artisanal American Cheese Course

DESSERT
Creme Caramel

Dec. 20 Dinner with Chef Corbin Evans

2007-12-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

Here is this Thursday's dinner menu. Call 899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com for reservations.

1st - Oyster Mushroom and Black Eyed Pea Soup
2nd - Roasted Beet, Satsuma and Pecan Salad with Cane Vinaigrette
3rd - "Granny LuLu's" Chicken and Dumplings OR Pan-fried gulf fish with roasted winter squash, wilted Kale and shrimp salsa
4th - Artisanal American cheese course
DESSERT
Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Sundae

$40 for 5 courses
BYOB

Vegetarian Dinner Menu - Dec. 13

2007-12-12T13:27:00.001-08:00

Here it is, the menu for tomorrow night's vegetarian dinner at our shop. Call 899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com for reservations.

Satsuma salad
With local lettuces, Satsuma sections, candied pecans, fig balsamic vinaigrette and Rogue River Blue cheese crumbles

Roasted half acorn squash,
With walnut /bread stuffing, goat cheese, a Meyer lemon cream quenelle and cranberry chutney

Roasted garlic and oyster mushroom lasagna
House-made semolina pasta a selection of St. James’ cheeses, garlic and sauteed oyster mushrooms and drizzled with white truffle oil
with
Braised rainbow chard
Flash seared, seasoned with red chili flakes and garnished with pickled turnips and crispy garlic

Artisanal american cheese plate with papaya chutney

Meyer lemon tart
Traditional French tart with mascarpone cream

$40 for 5 courses
BYOB

Vegetarian Dinner at St. James

2007-12-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

We have something special coming up this week for all our vegetarian customers. Chef Anne Churchill from Karma Kitchen will be cooking at our shop on Thursday, Dec. 13. The usual 5 courses for $40 format using locally sourced ingredients will apply. The menu will be posted Tuesday afternoon. Call 899-4737 or email info@stjamescheese.com for reservations.

Dinner Menu - Thursday, Dec. 6

2007-12-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

Here is this week's dinner menu featuring all locally sourced produce, meat and seafood and cooked by Chef Corbin Evans. Call 899-4737 for reservations.

Sweet Potato, kale and turkey tasso soup
Oyster pan roast with Creole mustard and green onions

CHOICE of
Slow roasted pork with oyster mushrooms & "bright light" chard
OR
Cajun Bouillibaise

Artisanal American Cheese Plate

Louisiana strawberry and satsuma shortcakes

5 courses - $40
BYOB, $3 corkage

Dinner Menu, Thursday Nov. 15

2007-11-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

Here is our dinner menu for this Thursday evening, prepared by Chef Corbin Evans with local ingredients from our Crescent City Farmers Market.

Sausage, Red Potato and Black Kale Soup

Spice Roasted Louisiana Wild Shrimp with Creamy Garlic Slaw

Stewed Poussin with Cauliflower, Turnip and Sweet Potato
or
Wild Catfish Courtbouillon

American Artisanal Cheese Plate
featuring local and regional cheeses

Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding with Candied Yams and Toasted Pecans

$40 for 5 courses
$3 corkage

Call 504-899-4737 for reservations.

St. James at the Crescent City Farmers Market

2007-11-06T13:47:00.000-08:00

During the month of November, we will be doing the Green Plate Special at the Tuesday Crescent City Farmers Market. Stop by and pick up lunch or dinner, made to order using fresh, local ingredients.

Menu
Nov 13
Tartiflette w/ potatoes, Reblochon cheese and smoked bacon
French onion soup with Gruyere cheese and croutons
Butternut squash and goat cheese salad
Three cheese plate with bread and chutney

Nov 20
Squash Chowder w/ Bacon and Garlic
Blue cheese, fig and garlic salad
Roasted seasonal vegetables and Comte cheese on ciabatta
Three cheese plate with bread and chutney

Nov 27
Baked squash and carrots with raclette cheese
Abita beer and cheese soup
Goats cheese, beet and satsuma salad
Three cheese plate with bread and chutney

We are also still doing our Thursday dinners with Chef Corbin Evans at the shop, so call today for reservations. 504-899-4737
5 courses using locally sourced ingredients
$40
BYOB

2007-10-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

Here's the menu for this week's dinner with Chef Corbin Evans.

5 courses - $35 (BYOB)

Avocado - Cucumber Gazpacho

Fried Green Tomato BLT

Braised Piney Woods Beef w/ Michelli Greens and Roasted Cushaw over Giant Couscous
or
Grilled Louisiana Shrimp on Lemongrass Skewers

American Artisanal Cheeses

Caramel Apple and Toasted Pecan Cake

There are still a few spots available, so call 504-899-4737 for reservations or email me at danielle@stjamescheese.com.

2007-09-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

Here's the menu for this week's Thursday dinner with Chef Corbin Evans. We have 4 spots left at 7:30pm. Call 899-4737 for reservations. As always, we are BYOB.

3 courses $30
4 courses $35

Amuse Bouche
Jacob's Cattle Bean Soup

First course:
Panzanella with roasted tomatoes, cucumbers and olives

Second course:
Choice of...
Grilled Gulf drum with local chanterelle and oyster mushrooms and greens
or
Local pork chile adobo with grilled tostada

Third course:
Cinnamon pound cake with roasted apples and whipped cream

Fourth course:
Cheese plate featuring local and regional cheeses

2007-09-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

We have reopened after a little summer vacation and are back to our normal hours of M-W 11am-7pm and Thurs-Sat 11am-8pm.

Buenos Aires was fantastic. It was the end of winter there, so a blessed break from the 100+ August temps of New Orleans. We ate our yearly quota of beef and were surprised at the high concentration of Italian cuisine. If you are planning a trip there, we can't recommend highly enough a stay at the Home Hotel in Palermo Viejo. Super friendly staff, great included breakfast, some the best cocktails we've ever had, lovely spa and great location for shopping and dining. http://www.homebuenosaires.com/

Rich took off today for a 10 day jaunt to Europe, first stopping in San Sebastian in Spanish Basque country to eat pinxtos, tour an anchovy canning factory and eat at Arzak among other restaurants. Then he's off to Bra in Piemonte for the Slow Food Cheese Festival, which should be spectacular. We'll post lots of exciting pictures when he gets back.

A new fall addition to our little business is Thursday night dinners at the shop. We had our first one last week with Chef Corbin Evans cooking a four-course menu using local ingredients. We will be doing this every Thursday night now starting Sept. 27, with Corbin joining us again next week. Three courses for $30 and four for $35, BYOB. Seatings at 7:30, 8:00, and 8:30. Call 899-4737 for reservations. If you want to call the Wine Seller (899-6000) next door and buy a bottle of wine over the phone, we will have it waiting here for you.

Here is last weeks menu to give you an idea of what we are doing:

Roasted Oyster Mushroom and Creole Tomato Bruschetta

Louisiana Fried Oyster Salad with local greens

Salt & Pepper Louisiana Shrimp with Popcorn Rice
or Barbecued Half Cornish Game Hen w/ Ratatouille

Bananas Foster w/ Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream

St. James Cheese Plate featuring local cheeses and pickled watermelon rind

2007-08-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new blog. Our new website at http://www.stjamescheese.com/ is also up and we hope to have it tweaked and polished in the next few weeks. We want to thank all of our great customers who have supported us in our first year of business, from those who live in the neighborhood to visitors trekking to us from the Gulf Coast and beyond.

We're closing up for a week for some rest and adventure and heading down to Argentina to see what all the hype is about. We will be closed from Sept. 3 - 8, reopening on Monday, Sept. 10.

Once back, Richard barely catches his breath before heading off again, this time to Turin, Italy for Cheese!, the Slow Food International Cheese Festival. He will be taking copious notes and photos which we will post here on his return. He will also be taking a detour over to Spain to revisit San Sebastian and its amazing pinxto bars and cutting edge cuisine.

Our lunch customers will no doubt see many of the exciting flavors we discover on our travels reflected in our ever changing menu.