WHAT we eat, WHO we work with
Rush Creek Reserve This is a seasonal cheese and only available for a short time. It’s also a bit on the pricey side, we have it at $29.95 (though that lower than most other places). However, good news for you! I over ordered. So, we are taking 20% OFF . It’s your chance to give something new a whirl. And…since the weather forecast seems to be reporting snow, grab some now to curl up with. Rush Creek is from Uplands area of Wisconsin. Actually near Dodgeville Wi where executive chef Justin Schoville is from. Two families bought a farmin the rolling hills and valleys that were left untouched by the Ice Age glaciers. They grazed their mixed herd of cows seasonally on beautiful fields of grasses, legumes and herbs, and soon began to realize that the milk their herd produced was exceptional and likely perfect for cheesemaking. Step in cheesemaker Andy Hatch, who was inspired by Vacherin Mont d’Or,. Andy wanted to make a seasonal cheese that reflected the region’s terroir. He tailored the Mont d’Or process to the farm’s own milk supply and ripening environments, and created a soft, raw cow’s milk cheese made from the rich milk that the herd gives in the fall. The wheels, which are washed as they ripen, are wrapped in thin strips of spruce bark. Rush Creek Reserve is a gorgeous wheel of cheese that can be scooped out with a spoon. The flavor is savory, almost meat like, rich and salty. The paste creamy and luscious with notes of sour cream and grass. Pair this cheese with great winter starches like...
WHAT we eat, WHERE we do it, WHO we work with
Hey! It’s been awhile. We have been sorting through the different restaurants getting each one up and running and tweaked. Seems to me the best blog posts are going to come from ZZest Market from now on. So check in often for featured products, amazing cheeses and some really great gift ideas. My rule of thumb is if you are still thinking about a food days after you’ve eaten it, you better sit up and take notice. I have been thinking about Blue Jay for 1 week now! I am seriously OBSESSED with this cheese. My cheese favorites change almost daily. As a Certified Cheese Professionalist (yeah, I know… who knew that was a thing ??!!) I really hate to admit to not loving every kind of cheese there is. But, blues are weird for me. Those big bold blues, are really not my go-to cheeses on a board. Though I will say, added to recipes, they can shine. Like a salad of greens, walnuts and apples or with roasted pears, Rosemary Shortbread Cookies (another obsession!) and a drizzle of honey for dessert. Blue Jay is different. First, check out the spectacular label! That alone seals the deal for me! From there we have a triple cream, so smooth, rich, decedent, much like chocolate. For me, I need textured, and I love something unexpected! That’s where the juniper berries come in. There’s a nice little crunch and a citrusy, piney sharp flavor of juniper. Yep, like gin. I happen to love a good gin and tonic too, so there is that. But, juniper and blue cheese? remarkable! Do yourself...
HOW we work, WHO we work with
The Price family is RIGHT up there with our fave families! I actually remember when Katharine and Dan got married because it was one of Broadstreet’s first (if not the first), catering gigs with Rochester Art Center. Now a few years later we got to meet Charlotte, Ben and Henry! Charlotte and Ben were regulars coming long before Henry was born. Just wee ones coming in with their parents and always well mannered. The thing we love best about the Price’s is that they understand what ZZest was intended to be. The neighborhood gem where you could drop in any time and get something wonderful to eat. They may come in for special occasion but they will come in on Tuesdays as well. To them, it’s place for the family and we love that! The Price family comes winter, spring, summer and fall. It’s not about the patio or pizza! And… they always order vegetables! Right now avocado toast is a hit, but I’ve been told Ben is a bread and cheese sort of guy. They welcome the menu changes and always find something that works for each family member. The kiddos each have a very fun personalties, The boys grow their hair out. I love this, so much!! Henry must have chosen to cut his but not Ben! Henry often sports tall rubber boots. Charlotte is a reader. The whole family bikes over in the summer months and often meet other families. Last week after being closed for a week our front door was very dusty. Someone wrote I heart ZZest so much! in the dust. I asked...
WHAT we eat, WHEN we play, WHERE we do it, WHO we work with
Amy came in for her birthday. I asked her and Josh if I could take their picture for a blog post. She said, “Sure! I wondered how someone would make the cut, ha,ha.” I said, “I have to have a story to tell and I have a good one on you!” Once upon a time, several years ago, Amy and Josh came in and sat at the chefs counter. We were all feeling like we were getting to know Amy and Josh and none so more than Bre. Bre could say the darndest things. At the time Bre greeted everyone with Heeey, Girl! I think Josh was taken back at first but played along. We all felt comfortable around Amy and Josh. Josh ordered his entree, (long forgotten what it was, except it had micro greens on it). When it came out Josh had a few bites and really started to heat up. He asked the chef if there was something spicy in the dish. No, no peppers, nothing. Bre breezed by and Josh told her the dish was really, really, really hot. Bre told him there were no peppers and what a girl he was thinking it was hot!. She laughed, I laughed, and we all went about our business while poor Josh got warmer and warmer. Finally, we got to thinking he might be in some discomfort. I told Bre to bring him a bit of ice cream. What you need to remember is the story sounds like really bad service, but, Josh and Amy are like your next door neighbors, we felt REALLY COMFORTABLE around them!...
HOW we work, WHO we work with
Here’s Joe and Debbie, Mary and George. They are serious about sitting on the patio. Debbie and I go way back to the days of choreographed exercise classes at Rochester Ballet, circa 1984-ish. I should remind her how she actually used a favorite song of mine for a routine, I was so thrilled! I’m sure no one else in the class had any idea who Jerry Jeff Walker was, nor cared. But, Debbie did that for me. Don’t it make you Wanna Dance. It did! George, although I should have ran into him sooner as like me, a native Rochesterite, I only came to know of him through mutual friends. The one thing I didn’t know for quite some time is that George and Debbie are brother and sister! Both families are incredibly loyal customers. In fact, I thought each winter I should award them “points” for every time they came in. The “points” could be used to secure a patio table in the summer, because the patio, is what they really love! When a fair amount of people enjoy the patio only in it’s perfection, George, Mary, Debbie and Joe are the first ones out there come spring when there’s not a leaf on the tree. All summer, heat or not and come fall, once agian until there’s not a leaf on the tree. I’ve usually workout a patio seat when they come in! For that kind of customer loyalty, I’m going to work hard, turning my rubics cube to make that happen. Thank you for enjoying our patio but also for enjoying the booths in the winter....
HOW we work, WHO we work with
came in and it was a blast from the past! Love this group!! I first met them in my little shop, Culinary Market on 1st Ave in 2008. So…they go back to almost the beginning. Martha favored goat cheese and Tammy had adventourous cheese tastes. They each made weekly stops to see what was new. Debbi brought her daughter Danielle in for dinner at ZZest ay least a couple times in the summer when she was home from college. Cindy frequented ZZest for lunch. They ALL did their part to keep ZZest Market and Cafe going!Thank you, thank you so much! I was also extremely lucky to score an invite to one of Tammy’s wonderful dinners a couple years ago. This particular one featured foraged mushrooms and was served in her wine cave. So fun and so delicious! I dined with several of the ladies in the photo and it will be one of my more treasured memories of ZZest. Awfully glad I met you...
HOW we work, WHO we work with
Meet Kaely and Dylan. I first met them shortly after ZZest opened. Kaely is the daughter of a high school classmate of mine. It was fun seeing Sally again to to learn about her daughter Kaely, who at the time, just got married. When Kaely and Dylan come in they always lavish us with compiments, and thumbs up on facebook. And, even though they were newlweds they would come in fairly frequently. It turns out Kaely and Dylan came in frequently because, they had things to celebrate. Dylan was all set to join the marines feeling like this was his best choice for the future. But Sally and Kaely surprised him with tearing up his papers and offering to pay for college. #1 celebration! College graduation was another and soon their first baby girl in 2014. It was particularily fun to listen to Sally gush about the wonders of holding a grandchild for the first time (something I can’t wait for!!). Baby David was born last Nov. and that gave Kaely and Dylan one more reason to celebrate and come to ZZest. Tonight when I caught them for the photo its was yet another occasion. Their 7 year anniversary, dinner at ZZest and on to Las Vegas! Such a special couple and thank you for sharing your special occasions with...
HOW we work, WHO we work with
Here’s an awesome family! They may have slipped my radar the first few years. I’m pretty good at faces, sadly names elude me, but, I’m really good at remembering what cheese you like! Thank goodness after awhile I started to realize, something was up with these folks and New Years Eve. It turns out the Parkers have not missed our New Year’s Eve Chef Tastings, since we began them! That’s at least 7 of them! And… if it couldn’t get any sweeter than that, New Years Eve is their anniversary. A couple years ago they brought the whole crew in to celebrate their anniversary and of course New Years Eve. All the kids were decked out and every one of them had the chefs dinner, that’s 6 courses and not one course is a burger. That makes my heart sing! I’m glad I connected the dots a few years in, is was fun to look forward to them coming each year. The Parkers live in Winona and do pop in now and again beyond NYE. When they learned we were closing, Chris called and made a reservation for the whole group again. Here are their smiling faces! Thanks for sharing life’s celebrations with...
