Celebrated wine aficionado, Ron Kapon, who is known in wine circles as the Peripatetic Oenophile, the traveling wine expert, answers questions that Cheese Connoisseur readers have asked.
CC Reader: I love Bourbon, but where did Bourbon get its name?
You have to love a true cheese connoisseur who describes himself as a grease-ball. He may pepper his conversation with references to hoagies and cheese steaks, but don’t let that fool you. Emilio Mignucci, 48, with his cousin Bill, owns the multi-million dollar Di Bruno Bros., which consists of five stores in the Philadelphia area and an online shop, dibruno.com, that’s pulling in a million dollars a year in sales. Mignucci also serves on the board of directors of the American Cheese Society, which is dedicated to promoting and supporting American cheeses.
Dallas’ cheese scene came into being on a quiet corner in Deep Ellum 33 years ago when Paula Lambert founded Mozzarella Company. A visit by day to the tiny factory — still on the corner of Elm and Walton — is on the bucket list of every cheese lover or chef who lands here. This is where we’ll begin our first day in Dallas.
Today, Deep Ellum is one of the trendiest places for an after-dark crawl. Pubs, clubs, the chef’s tasting menu at Local, the Taproom at Deep Ellum Brewing Company — there’s something for everyone. The Traveling Man sculptures and music venues ranging from indie to alt, dance, blues and jazz remind us that legendary music permeated these streets a century ago.
As Americans became exposed to some of the great Blue cheeses of Europe, the demand for higher quality in domestic blues followed. There were several fine blue cheeses already being produced in the United States 20 years ago, but they simply did not have national recognition or appreciation. The same held true for many other fine American cheeses; the quality was already there, but most everyone seemed to think that our cheeses could not compare with the Old World varieties.
When we think of specialty cheese, we think of its accompaniments—wine, beer, fruit, jam and perhaps a platter of charcuterie—but the cheese itself is generally always served fresh and in its original form, served pure and simple.
It’s like the world hit the refresh button. Everything is coming alive, babies are being born, daffodils and spring onions are peeping up through the soil that has been opened due to the freezing and thawing of winter months.