Bin 36, home of my favorite cheese

A friend was in town and we had ladies' night out at Bin 36, a Chicago wine bar we frequent with amazing wine and cheese flights. Jordan was so jealous and asked if he could put a wig on and come along, but I unfortunately had to deny him. Nevertheless, I had another great meal and made a point of sampling my favorites again to share with all of you.

I love their bubbly flight and found to my delight that they had introduced a new group of selections:

Left to right:

- NV Brut Gruner Veltliner: Crisp, juicy green apples, tiny bubbles and a delicious lime curd finish.
- NV Brut Blanc de Noirs: Elegant and bright with fresh-picked cherries and green apples all wrapped in a blanket of smooth, tiny bubbles.
- NV Brut Chenin Blanc: This elegant and silky smooth little gem took us by surprise.  Gorgeous bright citrus notes surrounded by juicy white peach flavors make this a real keeper.
- NV Rose, Varichon Et Clerc: Party up!  Vibrant and lively flavors of ripe strawberries guarentee a good time for all.

Nice selection, not too sweet, lots of crispness and the slight tang of  fruit. I followed up with an Endive, Watercress & Pear Salad with Roth Kase Buttermilk Blue Cheese, Mustard-Pear Vinaigrette:

The bleu with this salad was nice and tangy, not too feety or strong, and played well with the fruit and sharp mustard. I will definitely order this again. And then my favorite, a cheese selection I picked out ala carte:

What can I say? I know what I like. From previous experiences here I picked out the following left to right:

- Chef’s Chevre, Laura Chenel, Sonoma, California (Goat) - One of American’s 1st artisinal cheese producers still going strong.

- Nancy’s Camembert, Old Chatham Shepherding Co., NY (Sheep & Cow) - Soft serve ice cream-like, sweet, light and airy with a hint of hazelnuts.
- Cocoa Cardona, Carr Valley, WI (goat) - Crusted in cocoa powder to keep it moist, the cheese has coffee, cream and maple flavors. 

- Barely Buzzed Cheddar, Beehive Cheese Co.,UT (Cow) - Crusted with lavender and ground coffee beans - it’s surprisingly delicious.  

These are pretty good descriptions, and you might notice they're all American cheeses, served with crostini, fig compote, some kind of little jelly whosits (great with the camembert) and apple slices. I feel really strongly about supporting the American cheese tradition, and don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good authentic Manchego or Brie. But I think that American cheeses just don't get enough good press and small dairies like these have so much creativity to offer. 

Each of these cheeses to me is an example of that. The chevre is more delicate and less tangy than a standard goat cheese, the camembert is similarly mild and creamy and unexpectedly not as "stinky" as washed rind cheeses can be. I think the cheddar is among the most imaginative and wonderful cheeses I've tried, with the sharpness of it playing well off the nutty coffee and the aromatic lavender, pairing well with the crunch of the apple slices. And then there's the Cocoa Cardona, which is legitimately my favorite cheese I've ever had so far:

Looks dirty, you might say. But as Carr Valley describes it, "Two hedonistic indulgences embrace in this very singular goat cheese. Carr Valley's original Cardona cheese is aged with a rind that has been rubbed with velvety cocoa powder. The cocoa powder infuses the smooth and snowy cheese with a subtle chocolate flavor, which is balanced by the cheese's natural sharpness."

It's not sweet in the way you might think, but the cocoa powder adds just the right amount of earthy nuttiness to a really darned amazing smooth, buttery and just sharp enough goat cheese. This is an award-winning creation, and for good reason in my opinion. I didn't bother to eat it with anything else, just straight up enjoying every bite. 

So that would be it, my favorite cheese in the whole world! For those of you that are just that curious you can also order it online at their website, and it's surprisingly affordable. Just goes to show you that the best cheeses might just be something in your neighborhood. Hopefully one of theses days I can get out to Carr Valley Farms to pick up a wheel or two for myself.