La Chasse is hosting a Capriole Farms Goat Cheese Dinner on November 14, and you need to go.

I seldom promote events occurring across the wide expanse of water, over yonder in the big city, but this one's special for numerous Hoosier reasons.

La Chasse is a restaurant located at 1359 Bardstown Road in Louisville, in the space where Palermo Viejo operated for many years.

Rustic wood-fired European cuisine, located in the heart of the heart of the Highlands, with boutique wines and craft cocktails.

On Monday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m., La Chasse is hosting a Capriole Farms Goat Cheese Dinner.

Most readers already know about Capriole Farms in Greenville, Indiana, and its legendary Capriole Farmstead Goat Cheeses, as crafted by the equally renowned Judy Schad.

But there's more: The acclaimed La Chasse is Isaac Fox's restaurant. Old-timers will remember Isaac from Bistro New Albany and Speakeasy.

Finally, the evening's wine is from Vintner Select, employer of my longtime friend Kevin Lowber, who'll be on hand, too. Because there seem to be few images of Kevin on the Interwebz, let's embarrass him with a shot from 2001, aboard a speeding train in Belgium -- with beers and salami.

As for the dinner, the Confidentials have reserved, and you can, too. The La Chasse phone number is 502.822.3963

Three cheers for delicious goat cheese as Capriole celebrates a silver anniversary in 2013.

I remember listening to NPR probably 15 years ago, and hearing an expert on cheese proclaim the greatness of Capriole. At the time, I knew the Schads made goat cheese, but realizing that their product was nationally renowned was a kick. It made me proud for our area.

Last year was NABC's 25th, and this year it's Capriole's turn. Following is their e-newsletter, which recounts the turning of a page formerly filled with goats as the next Capriole chapter begins.

Reinventing, transitioning, evolving ... these are the notions that keep small business owners awake at night. I suspect that the unexpected closure of Lynn's Paradise Cafe represents one way of her moving to a different phase. Capriole's solution to the logistical task of maintaining a herd of living creatures, milking them and making beautiful cheese is another. Satchel Paige was right when he warned against looking back, lest we see someone gaining on us.

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CAPRIOLE'S SILVER ANNIVERSARY

Wishing you a Happy & Cheesey 2013 ... (2013 is also) Capriole's Silver Anniversary, and 25 years of cheese making on our southern Indiana farm. It's been quite a family journey . . . and still is!

A little 4-H project that began in on our farm in 1977 with 2 goats grew over those years to a herd of 500. We've made wonderful milk and developed signature cheeses over those years, and 2012 was a year of even greater change. While the animals have always been a big part of our identity, we realized we still didn't have enough milk and that the farm couldn't sustain more animals. After months of angst, we were approached by a young, Indiana dairy family. They had years of goat experience and their own herd, but needed to grow and establish a more reliable market for their milk. In December, they moved the majority of our herd to their farm. While it's been a big change, it's also an exciting opportunity to grow and still work closely with our milk source, encourage goat milk producers in our area, and help preserve family farms . We're jazzed for a new adventure!

We've also been inspired over the years by the efforts of the cowgirls, Peggy Smith and Sue Connelly, to preserve the heritage of family farms through Farmland Trust oganizations. In 2012 we granted a conservation easement to the Sycamore Land Trust. The trust insures that our land will remain farmland, and its upland forests, open fields and caves, and natural springs will be preserved in perpetuity and provide habitat for a wide range of animals, as well as native and endangered plants.

In 2012 Sycamore Land Trust honored Capriole with their "Conservation Business of the Year" award.

We live where we work, and that's made a definite difference in both our business and our life style. My father and mother (Larry and Judy, who started Capriole) and now my son (Sam) and I, have homes here. The great -- and the not-so-great -- thing is that when the cheese needs us at 1 am, we're here. Our goal has always been to produce sustainable, artisan cheeses that can sit comfortably on shelves and cheese boards next to the best of Europe. Our life style has been part of making that happen. Over the years we've been honored with numerous national and international awards, including a Best-of-Show from the American Cheese Society and the designation "prudhomme' in La Guilde du Fromagers. 

The success of our cheeses has always, and will continue to, reflect the people who live and work here as a family, in close connection to the land, and in a place we call home.

Kate Schad and Judy Schad
Capriole, Inc.

We'll be celebrating 2013 with some very special, "reserve", aged cheeses

Capriole's aged, cheeses represent a very unique family of signature cheeses made with goat milk--a niche that's difficult to fill in the cheese case. Semi-hard to semi-soft, they run a flavor range from mushroomy and herbal to beefy--and always earthy, but clean.











Old Kentucky Tomme ... 4-5 lb. wheel with penicillium rind

 

Mont St. Francis 1 lb. washed rind



Julianna 1 lb. penicillium rind with herbes de Provence and pepper

Capriole
10329 New Cut Rd.
Greenville, IN 47124
P:812.923.9408
812.923.8901
caprioleinc(at)aol(dot)com

Fetch your calendars for NABC's forthcoming week in beer.

Here comes another weekend packed with craft beer events. I'll try to use this space each week to preview the busiest summer schedule in NABC's history. Are you ready?

THURSDAY, JUNE 2

In Huntingburg:
Dubois County Bombers vs. Nashville Outlaws
It's summer collegiate-level baseball, and NABC is on tap at League Stadium in Huntingburg as the Bombers begin the Prospect League season. Look for Beak's Best, Community Dark and Tafel Bier at the Craft Beer Bullpen down the third base line. From New Albany, it's about an hour's drive down scenic I-64 to Dubois County.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3

In New Albany:
Schad Bash: Rock for Rauch 2011
The law office of Schad & Schad is right across the parking lot from Bank Street Brewhouse, and we're happy to join the fun at the first annual Schad Bash, which begins at 8:00 p.m. Music will be provided by the Louisville Crashers, and Rosa L. Stumblebus will be on hand for the pouring of NABC drafts. The beneficiary is Rauch, Inc., for 63 years providing opportunities for the physically and mentally handicapped in Southern Indiana.

In Lawrenceburg, Indiana:
First Friday "Party in the Street"
Our brewing friends from Great Crescent (Aurora) and Powerhouse (Columbus) will be vending Indiana-brewed craft beer, including some of NABC's -- Dan from GCB brokered the deal, and we're thanking him for thinking about us.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4

In Clarksville, Indiana:
6th Annual Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
Keg Liquors owner Todd Antz didn't waste time complaining when he learned that the BIG fest in Bloomington was to be held on the same day as his own gathering. He just went out and assembled the best Fest of Ale lineup ever, including this year's newest innovation: The House of Hops. Rock on, Todd, and read this news item from Daniel Suddeath in the News and Tribune: Hey you, beer me! Fest of Ales set for Saturday.

In Bloomington, Indiana:
First Annual Bloomington Craft Beer Fest
Formerly Rad Fest at Upland Brewing, this event has morphed into an officially sanctioned Brewers of Indiana Guild fest, and more than 30 of Indiana's 40-ish breweries are expected to attend, including the newest of the bunch. Purely exhaustive information can be found here, and online/venueSearch.jsp?venue_id=7895" target="_blank">tickets are on sale now.

In New Albany, Indiana (also on Sunday):
Fifth Annual Art on the Parish Green
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, located just around the corner from my house, is the oldest Episcopalian congregation in Indiana, dating back approximately 175 years. For Art on the Parish Green, the church's lovely historic grounds are given over to a multitude of arts and crafts, with live music, food and NABC beer. It takes place on Saturday and Sunday, and you can let them know you're coming at the Art on the Parish Green Facebook site.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5

In (outside of) Greenville, Indiana:
Capriole Spring Open House
It's the semi-annual open house at Capriole Farms, makers of the sublime goat cheese, without which my household would cease to function in a culinary sense. I'll be there, packing NABC beers for pairing with goat cheeses, and using the cheat sheet that Chef Matt and I devised last week. My advice is to get there early, because folks come from miles around for this one.

In Huntingburg:
Dubois County Bombers vs. Danville Dans

In New Albany:
Fifth Annual Art on the Parish Green

Am I forgetting anything? Let me know.

One fine autumn day at Capriole Farm.

The goats were fully available for viewing, Judy Schad and her crew prepared an incredible lunch, and Oliver Winery brought its A-list Creekbend wines. The weather was gorgeous. Anyone ready to wash some cheese with beer?

As an addendum, here is the lunch menu:

Birria di Chivo (Mexican marinated/stewed young goat) in a Cornmeal Crepe with Cilantro 'creme fraiche'

Succotash of Fresh Corn, pickled green beans, and Three Sister's Black Beans

Persimmon Pudding with Brown Sugar Sauce & Chantilly

Orange-Passionfruit Iced Tea/Coffee (and wine)

Another packed weekend: Coffee, anniversaries, hops, goats and pizza.

I'm told that the new Dueling Grounds Cafe is open for patronage in advance of tomorrow's bigger event. Check it out, and report back.

Tomorrow: 5th Anniversary of Destinations Booksellers, Sunday, October 18.

The Confidentials will be there at the bookstore/cafe on Sunday, but first we're driving out to Greenville for quality time at Capriole Farm's Fall Open House.

In other weekend event news, Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming is under way at NABC's Public House & Pizzeria, and the BBC Taproom (Main & Clay in downtown Louisville) is staging its Volksfest today.

As a final note, the NABC staff made a lunchtime sales call to Wick's on State yesterday (Friday), and when we left at 12:25 p.m., I counted 95 customers dining in or carrying out. That's very impressive, and I view it as another fistful of garlic waved in the faces of the bloodsucking naysayers.

SAVOR in DC this weekend, and NABC will be there.

Brewers Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson of the New Albanian Brewing Company will be traveling to Washington, D.C., this weekend to man the NABC booth at SAVOR (see details below), which is a big-ticket effort on the part of the craft brewing industry to lay claim to turf previously thought to be the exclusive domain of wine – namely, pairing good food with good beer, and not pretending that America’s biggest-selling megabrews even matter at all when it comes to such considerations.

And hoppy ale’s still better with hot wings than mass-market beer.

But I digress.

Given the prestigious nature of this inaugural event (we’re one of only 48 breweries participating), it’s quite exciting to have another local craft producer, Capriole Farms, included under the auspices of SAVOR. We were asked to make pairing recommendations, and suggested Capriole’s heavenly Mont St. Francis goat cheese to accompany our Hoptimus double IPA. Our wish was SAVOR's command.

I would have like to attend SAVOR, not so much to schmooze, but to tickle the taste buds, but we’d already committed to the annual Ohio River Valley Folk Festival in Madison (IN) this weekend. Rest assured that Jesse and Jared will do just fine without me along for the ride. Meanwhile, John Campbell and I are free to beervangelize in Madison on Friday and Saturday, then motor to Greenville on Sunday for Capriole’s annual Spring Farm Day. DC or no DC, it isn’t looking like a weight-loss weekend for the Publican.

Here’s the full press release from the organizers of SAVOR.

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SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience Comes to Nation's Capital in May

Independent Craft Brewers Harmonize Beer and Food Showcasing Why Craft Beer is So Sought After

Boulder, CO – March 7, 2008 - Four dozen independent craft brewers have been selected to showcase the pleasures of fine food enjoyed with world-class beer in Washington, D.C., May 16-17. SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience will highlight the culinary delights of beer as part of the Brewers Association's annual American Craft Beer Week

“SAVOR offers a truly unique opportunity to be personally served by many of America’s most innovative and famous brewery owners and brewers," said Julia Herz, a spokesperson for the association. "Meeting the makers, access to the educational salons, and the pairing menu are why SAVOR is a must attend event.

http://www.savorcraftbeer.com/

Today, American beers are judged to be among the world’s best and have earned a respected place at the table alongside wine. In fact, two-thirds of today’s wine drinkers also consume beer. In the summer of 2007, National Public Radio observed, "Beer has gone from the House of Commons to the House of the Lords.” Additionally, in July 2007, Gallup Poll confirmed beer is still the most popular adult beverage in the U.S. ¹

SAVOR tickets are available to the public for three different tasting sessions scheduled May 16th and 17th at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington D.C. Tickets are $85 each and will include a wide variety of sweet and savory appetizers crafted to match the taste profiles of craft beers. Federal City Caterers, who have catered many State Department functions and Congressional receptions, will orchestrate the food menu.

In addition to the main attraction of sampling in the great hall, SAVOR will also feature educational salons, which will offer live presentations by brewers, journalists and chefs who have helped advance the American craft beer revolution.

Scheduled speakers include: Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery; Jim Koch of Boston Beer; Dave Lieberman of Here’s To Beer; Randy Mosher author of “Radical Brewing”; Marnie Old, Assistant Dean of Wine Studies at the French Culinary Institute; Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery; Hugh Sisson of Clipper City; and several savvy cross drinkers including Lauren Buzzeo of Wine Enthusiast magazine; Ray Isle of Food & Wine magazine; and Ken Wells of Conde’ Nast Portfolio.

Jimmy Reyes of Reyes Beverage Group, Supporting Partner of the event, said, "This is going to be a tremendous celebration. Everyone from true beer aficionados to those who simply enjoy flavorful food and drink will take pleasure in a day of rubbing shoulders and sharing craft beer with acclaimed American brewers in Washington D.C., a beer-loving city since its inception."