This was Ted Plemons response in a July interview in Atlanta when asked what Cass Winery is all about. And this talented, fun-loving, Hawaiian-shirt-wearing, Jimmy Buffet-listening owner and winemaker will be all yours for the questioning on September 16th at 7pm! We’re pairing five of his killer wines with some delicious tapas for a night to remember…all for only 40 bucks, including the tip! Call us for your reservation…

Check out Ted on Youtube!

(And yes….that’s Ted in the middle!)

Let me just say, I love this cheese!

Hirtenkäse, or “herder’s cheese”, is a rustic and savory hard cheese, traditionally handmade in the Allgäu mountain region in the South of Germany. It is an authentic mountain cheese with a rugged, earthy aroma.

The rich cow’s milk for this yummy gem comes from mountain farmers. There are only about 12-15 cows per farm, so they are very well cared for, resulting in wonderful, rich milk. In mid-September there is a big festival in the Allgäu, where the lead cow is decorated with flowers and she is herded down from the mountains to the barn.

This cheese itself is a rich golden, buttery-yellow color. The texture is firm and rustic, the flavor savory and earthy, with a lovely waxy sweetness.

Try it with whole grain breads, fresh apples or dried figs. Delicious when shaved over a crisp salad, coarsely grated over roasted potatoes, or mixed into hot pasta with chunks of ripe, local tomatoes. Excellent with a full-bodied red wine, or follow my lead and celebrate the fall season and have it with Hofbrau Munchen’s Oktoberfestbier!

We still have a few pieces of Roquefort cheese at our Plank Road store (next to Ukrops). In case you were not aware, this cheese is not currently being imported into America because of a trade war with France. Many people consider this the best blue cheese in the world and many recipes call for it. This is fair warning because I know I will get phone calls later this year asking if we have any Roquefort. While it will probably get imported again some time in the future, nobody really knows when that is. This cheese will be gone in another week so this is your last chance!

Came across this…..good advice!

How To Buy Wine For A Crowd

Freelance photographer James Kim was in this morning to shoot Kyle’s entry for an easy 30 minute meal-Thai Beef Salad.

James’ images have appeared on the covers and in the pages of numerous publications, as well as having sold commercial advertising and stock photos to markets worldwide. His list of clients include Marie Claire Magazine, the Washington Business Journal, US Dept. of Transportation, Bethesda Magazine, Southwest Airlines, Smith Barney, Lockheed Martin, and Sport & Health Clubs to name a few.

James’ commercial stock photos are internationally distributed thru such agencies as Getty, Corbis and Image Source. He has also provided affordable wedding photo packages to newlyweds in the greater Washington DC area, as well as producing portfolio images for upcoming and established professional models.

Check out his website….great stuff. http://www.jameskimphotography.com/

(And by the way, Kyle’s Thai Beef Salad was delish!)

On my way in to the shop today, I noticed two men on ladders, lifting a large, flat, rectangular object across the street. Watching from below, squinting in the sun was a very happy-looking gentleman who had come in to the shop several weeks ago and introduced himself as Lee Russell, butcher and future owner of Olde Towne Butcher at 405 William Street. I ran across the street to say hello and admire the new signage…simple black on white lettering, with a silhouette of a farmer herding a pig. Hopefully, a perfect start to what we hope will be a very successful business.

Here at kybecca, we are huge supporters of locally grown foods. Mr. Russell shares this sentiment, and hopes to bring Fredericksburg a variety of meats raised on nearby farms. He will be making his own fresh ground beef, as well as sausage using old world recipes.

There are many great reasons to support local, independent butchers, and the first is quality. While supermarkets provide a good range of food at a low cost, they are more concerned about shelf life and profitability. In contrast, a local butcher is usually extremely concerned about the quality of the meat. You may have to pay a little more for the cut you are purchasing, but the freshness, flavor and texture will be well worth it.

Also, a local butcher will be able to trace source of their meat and tell you exactly where it came from, which is really good, considering all of the health scares in regards to factory farming. And most of them will prefer to source the majority of their product locally which is environmentally responsible, as they are not shipping in from around the world. It also keeps our money in the community, instead of being skimmed off to investors in the form of profits.

If you are a regular customer, chances are that you may become favored with special deals or cuts that may not be on public view. Butchers, like all small businesses, enjoy rewarding their best customers and want to keep them happy and coming back.

We are looking forward to being one of Mr. Russell’s first loyal customers. Best of luck to you, Lee!

We like to talk about under-rated food and wine here to share our appreciation. As a change of pace, and because I feel like a bit of a curmudgeon at the moment, I wanted to address the topic of over-rated foods. These are foods people queue for or restaurants charge high fees for that really just don’t deliver. Here are a few that deserve special attention:

The Philly Cheese Steak – Never have I waited so long in such a long line to eat something I could have made better myself in 15 minutes. So-so bread, meat, and cheese whiz, yuck. Sorry to any people from Philadelphia out there, but really I don’t see the point. The meat was decent quality, and that’s about the best thing I can say about it. And before you ask, yes I’ve had it with the Provolone and that’s no good either. Please note: I’m not talking about Cheese Steak sandwiches in general, I’m talking specifically about the joints in Philadelphia with huge lines.

Raw Oysters – It’s not that raw oysters don’t taste good – they do. I just don’t understand what the big deal is. If I was right by the ocean and could get them super-fresh that would be one thing, but in Fredericksburg (or anywhere inland)? Why? With the added risk of sickness I really, really don’t see the point. Respectable people can disagree with me on this, it’s just my opinion. But this next one is another thing entirely….

Caviar – Super salty, mediocre flavor and it destroys precious fish stocks by the millions? Where do I sign up? It doesn’t pair well with Champagne, despite what the movies tell you. One of the most pointless and socially irresponsible foods there is, and it’s expensive too.

So there you have it. Feel free to add your own over-rated foods in the comments.

The Police Department is in the process of being evaluated by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in an attempt to achieve nationally accredited status.Representatives from the Commission will be in town for a public c…

At least not in the summer. I buy (almost) all my produce from the local farmers’ markets. Below is a picture of a gumbo I made yesterday. I used onions, red pepper, jalapeno peppers, and okra, all locally grown (and tasty). Not only are they cheap, but it supports local farmers and is better for you because they don’t have to mess with it to make it withstand long trips. Just last Wednesday, I saw for sale okra, numerous varieties of peppers, numerous varieties of tomatoes, potatoes, corn, melons, eggplants, and a bunch of other stuff near Hurkamp Park. And that’s not even the full Saturday morning farmer’s market. I’m especially fond of the tomatoes, which are bigger, riper, and far more flavorful than the hydroponically grown stuff that grocery stores sell. Probably more nutrients, too.

Incidentally, the beer pictured is the one I enjoyed with my Gumbo, Maredsous Abbey Blonde Ale from Belgium. I’m a huge fan of Belgian ales and they pair very well with certain foods, spicy seafood dishes being at the top of the list. This is one of my new favorite beers and the slight malty sweetness was a great pairing. It’s availabe by the bottle or in 4 packs.

Harvested from mid-November through February, this delicious, fruity oil comes from the first cold pressing of Koroneiki and Psilolia olives. The oil is gold-green in color with a maximum acidity of 0.6% and has an intensely fruity, equilibrated and pleasant taste.Both traditional and modern methods of cultivation are blended to produce an oil of distinct quality and ecological orientation. Perfect for dressings and fresh bread dipping!

An amazing deal at only $9.95 (and beautiful packaging, I might add.) In the spirit of keeping it green, bring back your clean, dry bottle and cork and we’ll give you a refill for just $8.