What’s more craveable than cheese, luxurious cheese? How about cheese that is heated, cooked, and fried, releasing next level aromas and textures. MELT, STRETCH, & SIZZLE is so much more than grilled cheese, fondue, and mozzarella sticks: these easy yet decadent recipes will change the way you eat and cook with cheese.  A workhorse of the kitchen, cheese adds depth, flavor, and texture to sauces, soups, sandwiches, dips and snacks, and every dish you truly love.

MELT, STRETCH, & SIZZLE demystifies recipes for delicate baked ricotta with herbs, a perfectly puffed Dutch baby with bacon, pecorino popovers fit for any holiday party, and Brazil’s crave-inducing pao de quiejo. The humble potato becomes an elegant gratin, or is buried under cheese curds and gravy for poutine, or melts into the ultimate aligot. Renowned cheese specialist Tia Keenan refreshes old favorites, such as studding traditional baked pasta with a whole burrata, and whipping up a host of creative grilled cheese combinations.

Last, but not least, Keenan’s raclette spread with multiple menu options will make your next dinner party legendary. Keenan imparts useful expertise on the ways the different types of cheese age and melt, directing readers to the right ones to source for each technique.  Complete with dozens of tips on tasting notes, wine and beer pairings, producer recommendations, and more make MELT, STRETCH, & SIZZLE a must-have for cheese lovers who are looking for all-new avenues of cheesy bliss or modern twists on well-loved dishes.

The best culinary stories use food as a starting point, a way into topics as juicy and diverse as loss, grief, injustice, and the beautiful, terrible and strange nuances of our culture. Tia Keenan, author of The Art of the Cheese Plate and the forthcoming Melt, Stretch & Sizzle; Soleil Ho, host of the Racist Sandwich Podcast and co-writer of the graphic novel MEAL; and Carrie Helms Tippen, author of Inventing Authenticity: How Cookbook Writers Redefine Southern Identity, discuss the challenges, possibilities, and the power of food writing with moderator Hannah Howard, author of Feast: True Love in and out of the Kitchen.

Come meet the Author of The Art of the Cheese Plate! Tia Keenan will be in the store to answer all of your questions abotu cheese. We'll have samples of delicious NYS cheeses for you to taste and books for sale.

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Cheese and Beer: These newfound friends in fermentation are all the rage in foodie circles. Why? Because while some cheese and wine pairings can set off fireworks, many are duds. Beer is easier to pair with cheese; it is a more forgiving medium allowing us to taste the subtleties of dairy.   Joining us will be Tia Keenan, author of The Art of the Cheese Plate: Pairings, Recipes, Style, Attitude. 

In addition, you’ll have representatives on both sides. Flying Belgian brews beers that can be described as having big, bold flavor and elevated alcohol levels.  Belgian beers have long been known for their originality and experimentation.  Kevin Connelly, Flying Belgian’s brewmaster, will discuss this tradition and his take on the science of brewing.

Slates & Plates has selected cheeses that will both highlight and complement Flying Belgian’s style. They’ll be there to breakdown and explain the process of cheese making, from milk and curds to aging. They’ll add interesting trivia and make your experience tasting through these pairings one to remember. Copies of The Art of the Cheese Plate: Pairings, Recipes, Style, Attitude will be available for purchase. Please reserve your spot: Price: $36 per person.

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We are proud to announce an exciting, one-of-a-kind event with acclaimed chef-fromager and Queens resident, Tia Keenan, for her new book The Art of the Cheese Plate. This is a ticketed event and will take place at Astoria Bier and Cheese - Ditmars. Each ticket includes a copy of The Art of the Cheese Plate as well as a three cheese tasting with beer pairings selected by Tia Keenan and the wonderful staff of Astoria Bier & Cheese. Tia will walk attendees through the cheese tasting, sharing knowledge gained from over ten years in the industry. Don't miss out on your chance to talk with one of the best cheese specialists in the business and allow yourself to kick up your feet and enjoy some cheese after the holiday season. 

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The Great Northeast Cheese & Dairy Fest returns to Queens for the second year in a row as top toques and top tommes transform historic Flushing Town Hall into a cheese lover’s paradise!

A half dozen top New York City chefs will create exquisite cheese-highlighted dishes at 2016’s premier cheese and event, The Great Northeast Cheese & Dairy Fest on Saturday, December 10th at historic Flushing Town Hall from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

More than 30 artisanal creameries, including Vulto Creamery, Beecher's Handmade Cheese, Crown Finish Caves and Bovina Valley Farm Creamery will have guests sampling the region’s finest cheeses from nutty sheep's milk tommes and Cheddars to luscious triple cremes and tangy goat cheeses.

In addition there will demos and workshops, including a primer on how to prepare the perfect cheese plate just in time for the holidays.

All-inclusive $60 tickets entitle guests to unlimited cheese sampling and beverage pairings plus tastings from the chefs.

Additionally, there will be a limited amount of first-come, first-serve $100 VIP tickets sold, which will allow exclusive access to special earlier culinary demonstrations and discussions about cheeses from acclaimed cheese experts, including the mongers of Brooklyn’s Crown Finish Caves. VIP guests will also have early access to the rest of the festival.
And don’t forget—the early bird gets the fromage—discounted $40 tickets are available until October 31.

RSVP to Free Event

The adage holds true: cheese, glorious cheese! Occupying the space between grocery staple and a luxury purchase, cheese can be a simple snack or the centerpiece of a fantasy feast. No matter where you fall on the cheese appreciation spectrum, from mild and creamy to fierce and funky, respect must be given to the art and thought thatgoes into composing the perfect plate. THE ART OF THE CHEESE PLATE offers clear directions and expert tips forperfect assortments and creative accompaniments. Think of this as a “doing” book that removes all of the guesswork,offering 37 different cheese plates, featuring 100 cheeses, 111 pairings, and 84 recipes.

Acclaimed chef-fromager Tia Keenan’s foolproof pairings and quick recipes for elegant cheese plates and inspired accompaniments will help you master the art of delicious and sophisticated entertaining. Come meet Tia and have her sign a copy. It makes a wonderful gift for the cheese lover on your list.

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We're proud to host Tia Keenan, author of The Art of the Cheese Plate: Pairings, Recipes, Style, Attitude" for a tasting and tutorial on entertaining with cheese and making killer cheese plates.  Tia will focus on ideas for holiday entertaining with cheese and condiments, highlighting some quick and easy recipes and super fun purchased condiments.  Oh yeah, and there'll be baked Brie.

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Join Tia Keenan, cheese expert and author of "The Art of the Cheese Plate: Pairings, Recipes, Style, Attitude" for an intimate evening of tasting, pairing, experimentation, and conversation about the flavor, culture and context of selling, serving, and eating cheese in the United States.  Keenan's work redefined the cheese plate, and she continues to be a provocative yet populist voice in the industry.  This is a unique opportunity to share insight and cheese (and booze!) with an industry pioneer.  

This is an industry-focused event, though non-industry folks are welcome to attend.  Explore plating, pairing, and creating your own thoughtful cheese experiences, and how to introduce consumers (and sell them) on the "cheese as lifestyle" concept.

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Join acclaimed cheese specialist and author Tia Keenan and Nicolas Rafa, Maitre Charcutier at Le District for an inspiring evening of tasting, pairing, and sharing inspired by her book "The Art of the Cheese Plate: Pairings, Recipes, Style, Attitude" (Rizzoli, 2016).  

Keenan will guide you through the fundamentals of foolproof pairings for elegant cheese plates and inspired accompaniments to master the art of delicious and sophisticated entertaining. Each guest will receive a signed copy of "The Art of the Cheese Plate" to take home. 

Tia Keenan will be reading from her newly released book, "The Art of the Cheese Plate".
A tasting of cheese and pairings will be enjoyed.  Wine will be served.

"With The Art of the Cheese Plate, a delicious and thoughtful guide to enlightened entertaining, Tia [Keenan] shares her unmatched fluency with a creative spirit and versatility that lets readers make each pairing special and memorable. This book should serve as a must-have reference for professionals and home entertainers alike—any way you slice it.
—Danny Meyer, CEO and founder of Union Square Hospitality Group and author, 
Setting the Table

This event is free

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Learn About American Cheeses From The Experts!

American artisan cheese has blossomed in the last decade, and the story of how that's happened - and is still happening - is a fascinating one. How have innovations in making, aging, mongering and communicating about cheese evolved in recent years? What does it mean for the consumer? With everything from insights into how one of our country's greatest food products is made and marketed, to tips on cheeses to seek out and how to build a better cheese plate, this lively and informative panel that will leave you hungry for the cheese and wine tasting to follow.

Moderator: Beth Kracklauer, WSJ Food and Drinks editor
Panelists: Aaron Foster, Owner of Foster Sundry, Brooklyn, NY; Tia Keenan, Fromager and Writer