A Perfect Maui Wine: For the Perfect Gourmet Cheese Shop

This wine, with a bright pale gold colour, is notable for its strong bouquet of wild flowers, honey and musk, with hints of creamy almonds. The wine has a medium sweet flavour, very soft, but fresh and lively with a gentle aftertaste of ripe fruit.  The finish is dry yet pleasant. Called, "sole d’Italia in bottiglia” (“Italian sun in a bottle”),Orvieto is a very ancient wine produced in a very high rocky landscape and over the century has become one of the worldwide symbols of Orvieto. Bigi’s Orvieto, today in the unmistakeable specially designed “Gaudy” bottle, represents the cellar’s flagship wine, which is considered one of its most prestigious products. The grapes are Trebbiano Toscano (locally called Procanico), Verdello, Grechetto, Malvasia Toscana and Drupeggia and are probably the oldest oenological expression of Orvieto available today.  We pour this wine in the Wine Tasting Bar on many warm nights here on Maui.  It is a lovely wine to pair with gourmet cheese and perfect for the beach or a barbecue, the lanai, or an Italian Feast.  The Cheese Shop has many cheeses that pair perfectly, we recommend the italians,  Robiola, Reggiano, and any Italian Goat Cheese.  

Global Cheese Offering on Maui: The List Goes On!

Limburger Cheese on Maui?  You betcha!

It's associated with many things, but it's origin takes us to modern day Belgium, Germany and Netherlands.  It is a cows milk cheese that we love to spread on dark bread and even better with a burger - A Limburger Burger with dark mustard!  Cornichon on the side and you'll be transported to another place and time.  The cheese is known for being on the stinky side and is often compared to the scent of body or foot odor.  Not surprising since the bacteria used to ferment this cheese is the same on found in human skin, Brevibacterium.  Okay, so it probably doesn't sound like the sexiest cheese, but is most definitely one of our more "manly" cheeses.

Sottocenere: Becoming a Maui Holiday Classic

Italian Cows provide the milk for this memorable and decadent cheese 

that we always carry during the holiday months of the Year!

The rind is a finely ground layer of 12 spices, including truffles, 

and the fleshy body is tickled with truffle shavings throughout. 

Don't let this one slip by you if ever confronted with it's delicious smile.

"La Tur:"  Another reason Italians love to Boast

We wish we had this cheese in the case at all times.  The flavor is like no other and neither is it's texture-we especially love the firm but soft center and powdery dry yet damp exterior (it ages from the outside in).  Check out our Facebook page and know when we have this handsome cheese available.  He travels a long way to get here, not unlike many of it's fellow cheese case vacationers, and we are always so pleased he makes it the distance, all the way to Maui, most times unscathed. 

Unreal Housewives of Wailea: Gorganzola Bread Pudding

Nancy’s Gorganzola Bread Pudding

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

2 Red Onions Chopped

1 Cup Red wine

1 Tbs. Fresh Thyme – minced

1 One pound loaf of good bread – cut into 1/3 inch slices

4 eggs

4 cups whole milk or cream

8 oz. Gorgonzola, crumbled

salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauté pan, sauté onions in olive oil until beginning to brown.

Add Wine and and cook until all liquid is evaporated.

Stir in Fresh Thyme.

In a large bowl, beat eggs.

Add milk, salt and peper.

In an 8x14 casserole dish, cover bottom with 1 layer of bread

Sprinkle ½ of Gorgonzola and 1@ of onion mixture over bread.

Repaeat. 

Pour egg mixture over the bread layers and press down with hands to allow top layer absorbe liquid.

Sit for 4 hours min.  better over night.

Bake for 45 minutes – and hour, until brown on top

Rest 10-20 minutes before serving

Serves 10-12