EUREAKA

Hello Carmen, Jennifer and Nicole!

Eureaka and I are having a great time. However are missing the Great Chesses and your company.

AM and Eureaka!

Eureka, getting up close and personal ~~ Interior of BC July 2008

Just hanging out between two horse ears. ~~ Interior BC July 2008

Our First Hospice Wine & Cheese Fundraiser!

Thank you everyone who attended our first Hospice Fundraiser.

It was a great success.

This event raised over $1600.00

Thank you to the following people and companies who supported us!

Special thanks to;
Ken Baker—Scene about Town
Sandy & Stella—Victoria Conservatory of Music
Eric Beddard- Cool Magic Dude
Jeanne Aten– Silverside Winery
Kathleen Shandley-PMA Canada
Tracey Erickson-Philippe Dandurand Wines
Michael Gelling—International Cellars
Keith Watt-Morning Bay Vineyard & Estate
Suzanne Price - Lesley Stowes Fine Foods
Alfons Obererlacher— Freehouse
Benjamin Philips— Stile Wines
Bonnie and Bea—Bonnie & Bea’s Oatcakes

I could not have been done with their support and especially you our Guests!!!

Cheers,
Carmen & Nicole
Until the next event!

Remember you can support Hospice through Charelli’s on the 8th and 26th of each month.
20% of cheese sales support hospice palliative care programs.

JUST CHEESE

JUST CHEESE

Colston Bassett
Colston Bassett are one of the smallest Stilton Dairies in the country. They buy milk from 5 farms surrounding the dairy. They have been buying from the same farms since the 1920s. Since 1920, there have only been 4 head cheesemakers at Colston Bassett: Tom Coy, Ernie Wagstaff, Richard Rowlett and now Billy Kevan.
Their Stilton is more traditional than any other. The curd is hand-ladled before draining. This treats the curd more gently and preserves its structure, which results in a luscious, creamy texture when the cheeses are mature.
The cheeses they make for us are made with traditional animal rennet rather than vegetable rennet. Animal rennet is used by the most exacting cheesemakers because it makes better cheese. With Colston Bassett Stilton, the texture is more full-bodied when made with animal rennet and the flavour is deeper, more complex and longer lasting than that of cheeses made with vegetable rennet.

Brie de Meaux-France
Brie de Meaux has a tender, nutty in flavour, creamy texture and rustic rind. In the 19th century is was considered the finest cheese in Europe, thanks to the French statesman, Talleyrand, who introduced it at a diplomats' dinner. It is produced near Paris which has no doubt helped its reputation. Its color is pale yellow, reminiscent of straw. Its rind looks like white velvet. The taste is creamy and as the maturing process continues, one detects a subtle, nutty flavor.

Chevre de Palliot-Canada, Quebec
A slight tangy flavour that becomes more pronounced with age. Chevre de Paillot is a lactic cheese with a crumbly hard central core, and creamy brie like edges.

Cheshire-England
This dense, crumbly cheese derives its mild saltiness from the pastures of Cheshire. England's oldest-known cheese, it is reddish-orange in color and has a slightly tangy flavor. Cheshire is ripened for two to three month. Immensely popular and widely copied,

Mirabella-France
Pale yellow in color with a white-orange rind, it is a very rich and soft cheese with a supple yet firm consistency. It is well known for its delicate bouquet, however it does tend to have a strong, pungent aroma.. The flavour is creamy and full-bodied, especially if you choose to eat the rind (some prefer to trim it).

Oka-Canada, Quebec
Oka, a semi-soft, unpasteurized cow's milk cheese, is known as one of the most popular Canadian cheeses. It is produced from an original recipe brought by the Benedictine monks. These monks originated in Brittany, France, then moved to the village of Oka just outside of Montreal in Quebec to start a new monastery. Oka has a distinctive, full flavour, filled with delicate subtleties. It is mellow, smooth, creamy and a little bit nutty. However, it does tend to have a strong, pungent aroma.

Corsica-France
Corsica is a factory-produced soft cheese with a soft rind, made from ewe's milk. This cheese is very creamy inside in spite of is firmness

Cave Aged Gruyere- Switzerland
Made from rich, unpasteurized, Alpine cow's milk, this Grand Gruyere Reserve has been aged for at least 1 year, compared with the average 4-6 months. A rustic, somewhat oily rind gives way to firm, smooth textured cheese which is slightly aromatic with a robust, assertive flavour.

Etorki-France
Etorki is supple and close textured. Etorki is aged from 3-6 months from fine, cut curd pressed in plastic molds, vertically stacked to press curd and expel whey. After a two-hour brine bath, it is rubbed with salt and later in brine soaked cloths. Etorki is oily with butterfat, yet firm and supple with a burnt caramel sweetness and a creamy texture.

Manchego-Spain
Manchego is Spain's most famous cheese. Produced in La Mancha in Central Spain, true Manchego is made from 100% sheep's milk. The abundance of wild herbs on Central Spain's grazing lands gives Manchego a special taste and aroma. Its flavour is zesty and exuberant while its texture is firm but not dry. Manchego can be recognized by the zigzag pattern etched into its rind. This is created by the rippled surface of the press used in the manufacture of the cheese. Underneath the inedible rind, the interior is ivory colour with few small holes.

Customized Gourmet Gift Packaging!

Gourmet Customized Gift Packaging for that special person!

Each year our demand for our gourmet packaging is growing.

We will help you create a customized gourmet gift package for your special person. Come in and browe and choose items or let us do the work for you. We can add whatever you like, including wines, or other specialized items. If you would like to incorporate other items in your package bring them in and we will package them up for you.

It's fabulous for those people who have everything! For those who love food. Just perfect for businesses and offices.

Yes we can deliver as well!

Enjoyable Moments with Griottines from France

AVAILABLE AT CHARELLI'S

Grandes Distilleries Peureux is the world's leading producer of fruit eaux-de-vie and the world leader in the maceration of
fruit (including 3,000 tonnes of morello cherries). The company sells the equivalent of 300,000 crates of fruit eaux-de-vie per
year (or almost 4 million 70 cl bottles) with in particular, the La Cigogne brand of eaux-de-vie. It produces almost one million
jars of Griottines (wild morello cherries macerated in liqueur and Kirsch) and offers a range of traditional liqueurs. At the present time, Mister Bernard BAUD is chairman of Grandes Distilleries Peureux. Auguste Peureux founded his Distillery in 1864 in Fougerolles, at the foot of the Vosges, in a magnificent valley on Triassic terrain. The Distilleries specialised in the production of fruit eaux-de-vie, including the famous Kirsch, which rapidly gained a considerable reputation under the brand name La Cigogne®. The homeland of Kirsch and fruit eau-de-vie, the town of Fougerolles benefits from virtually pure water, free of mineral salts, exceptional for the adjustment and quality of eaux-de-vie, and demonstrates solid know-how. Its Kirsch cherry orchards (gean, obtained by grafting wild cherry trees) are renowned the world over.
Grandes Distilleries Peureux annually uses some 10.000 tonnes of carefully selected fruit. In common with the rest of the sector, it is subject to climatic fluctuations and this average figure, depending on the caprices of nature, may be either divided of Grandes Distilleries Peureux, from the outset, was intent on preserving and codifying the great Franc-Comtois traditions of eaux-de-vie preparation (Kirsch, Pear, Quetsch plum, etc.) and liqueur making (blackcurrant, cherry, etc.), perpetuating its know-how. On the other hand, the company is committed to researching and formulating new products. In 1980, Claude PEUREUX and Pierre BAUD launched wild Morello cherries macerated in a light Kirsch syrup : GRIOTTINES®, a speciality product which rapidly achieved a worldwide reputation on the tables of starred restaurants, with patissiers and confectioners and in high quality grocers. In 2003, Griottines® were launched on the national market through all distribution channels.
FRUIT QUALITY ASSURANCE IS GIVEN HIGH PRIORITY
IN THE COMPANY’S OVERALL QUALITY POLICY.
With Griottines®, the company’s commitment is at a very deep level, as it is involved in monitoring the wild Morello cherries from flowering through to the ripening of the fruits and their harvest. http://www.griottines.com/

STRATHDON BLUE

STRATHDON BLUE


MILK
Pasteurised Cows Milk
RENNET
Traditional Animal Rennet
MADE BY
Ruaraidh Stone
REGION
Tain, Ross-shire
SEASON
All year round
APPEARANCE & RIND
Sticky blue-green millstone shaped cheeses with a
wrinkled rind. The interior is a whitish-cream with distinct lines of blueing.
FLAVOUR & TEXTURE
When ripe, this cheese has a soft, yielding texture more like a continental blue than a Stilton. The flavours are milky and savoury – sometimes quite salty – alleviated by the blue.
Until recently, Ruaridh (pronounced Rory)’s family were best known for a simple, traditional Caboc allegedly made from a recipe of family ancestor Mariota de Ile, daughter of The MacDonald, Lord of the Isles. In the past 3 or 4 years however, in his converted brewery by the sea (now a cheese dairy), he's begun making a blue cheese he calls Strathdon Blue.
Milk is bought from a local six-herd cooperative, which includes one herd of Ayrshires and the rest are Holstein-Friesians. Ayrshires are a traditional Scottish dairy breed and reputedly produce excellent milk for cheesemaking and Ruaraidh believes that this adds a touch or richness to the cheese.
The recipe is still in progress as Ruaraidh likes to experiment. He has changed rennet and ways of salting, to name but two things, and the cheese has developed over the couple of years in which we’ve sold it from a crumbly cheese to one that is rich, full and creamy.

We've got traveling mice!!!

TRAVELING MICE.... THE ADVENTURES OF THE WORLD IN THE EYES OF A MOUSE...

Bonjour Carmen,

Maintenant, nous sommes ensemble dans ma chambre d'Hotel apres prendre une verre avec mes amies. L'hotel s'appelle le Hilton Lac Leamy...Mes amies m'amener dans un degustation de biere et fromage c'est apres midi. On a gouter neuf sortes de fromages est bieres. Dans le moment je bois une cidre est je danse partout la chambre pour faire rire le monde. Inquietez vous pas pour moi, elles ont pris beaucoup des photos pour vous montrer.
J'ai jamais eux du bons temps comme ca. On va rester en contact.

Monsier le souri
hic...hic...hic

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Chez in Cuba!!! Playing cat n mouse!!!

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Roquefort in the Netherlands and Africa!_______________________________________________

Little Missy Meaux in the Netherlands!

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Good old Britian, wine and cheese what more can a mouse ask for?

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CHEESEE RECIPES

Recipes contributed my you....
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Artichoke Crab Dip*

1 ½- 8 oz. packages cream cheese
1- 6 oz. tin of crab meat, drained
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. icing sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. minced red onion
¼ cup sherry or red wine
1 can artichokes, drained and diced

Combine all ingredients (excluding crab and artichokes) in a double boiler. Heat gently. Add crab and artichoke just before serving.

*recipe can be doubled

Danielle (and Shea)
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Mexican Beer & Cheese Dip

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Makes 3 ½ cups

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
¾ cup Mexican beer
¾ cup canned tomatoes, drained & chopped
4 oz. can diced green chilies, drained
12 oz (or 3 ½ cups) grated cheddar cheese
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1- 14 oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
pita wedges or nacho chips

Preheat the oven to 250F. Place an oven proof chafing dish or casserole in the oven to be pre-warmed for the hot dip.

Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and when bubbly, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the all-purpose flour and blend well with a wooden spoon. Pour in the beer and continue to stir until smooth. Add the tomatoes and chilies and continue to cook until the mixture begins to thicken slightly. Add the two cheeses and continue to stir until the cheese melts and the mixture begins to bubble. Add the black beans and continue to stir. Place in a heated oven-proof bowl and serve with pita wedges or nacho chips.

Danielle (and Shea)
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Salsa Verde

1 Hass avocado, peeled and sliced
6 tomatillos, husked and finely diced (or 1 can tomatillos, drained and diced)
2 serrano chiles, finely diced
2 tsp. fresh oregano, minced or ½ tsp. dried oregano
dash of ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. salt
juice of ½ lime

Using a fork, mash and stir the avocado, tomatillos, serranos and garlic in a medium sized bowl for several minutes, adding the salt, cumin and oregano as the mixture becomes uniformly creamy. Alternatively, you can use a blender to combine the ingredients. Serve with corn chips, tortillas or burritos.

This recipe makes about 2 ½ cups and will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.

Danielle (and Shea)
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Yam Stacks

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 55-65 minutes
Makes 6 servings

2 medium yams (preferably long)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper to taste
125 grams goat cheese (preferably goat gouda)

Preheat oven to 300F. Prick yams several times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake until just tender, about 45-60 minutes depending on size.

Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in a small pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, about 7-10 minutes, until golden and sticky. Remove from heat and set aside.

When cooked, cool the yams until safe enough to handle and then carefully remove the skin with a small knife. Slice each yam into 9 even rounds.

Season each round with salt and pepper. Spread the goat cheese on one side of 12 of the yam rounds. Place 6 goat cheese topped yams in a parchment-lined baking dish. Top with half the onion/garlic mixture. Set the remaining goat cheese topped yams on the onions, gently pressing it down. Top with remaining onions and then set on the remaining yam slices. Drizzle with remaining butter. (Can be made to this point several hours in advance and kept stored in the fridge until needed.) Bake in 300F oven for 15 minutes, or until yams, cheese and onions heat through.

Danielle (and Shea)
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Creamed Stilton & Onion Soup

¼ Cup Butter
3 Onions thinly sliced
Sauté above

2 TBSP Flour
4 Cups Chicken Broth
Add flour, stir, and add chicken broth, stir until boiling remove from heat

6 oz Stilton Cheese
salt, pepper & nutmeg to taste.
Add to above

Reheat add
½ Cup Cream
Chopped Parsley

Can be made a day ahead
Enjoy with fresh bread

Carmen Lassooij ~ Charelli’s Delicatessen

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Vij's at Charelli's

Vij's dinner entrees available at Charelli's!

Kalonji Chicken Curry
Kalonji seeds give a toasted onion flavor to this curry and compliment the sweetness of the sautéed onions.

Mild Chicken CurryThe chicken is cooked in a gentle tomato broth with sautéed onions and small amounts of spices.

Natural Chicken in Vij’s Masala
A combination of mango powder and cayenne pepper. The masala is based on a 40 year-old family recipe from India.

Punjabi Lamb Curry
We use our own home made garam masala for this traditional, north Indian curry.

Jalepeno Pepper & Ginger Lamb Curry This is our own, milder version of a Goan style meat curry.

Raw Sugar, Garlic & Garam Masala Beef Curry
This is a rich, sweet and spicy curry. Raw sugar is used in India for all types of savoury and sweet dishes.

Coconut Beef CurryThe delicate flavour of coconut milk balances the whole cumin, coriander and ajwain (Indian thyme) to make a velvety, medium spiced curry.

Coconut and Natural Beef Curry
The delicate flavour of coconut milk balances the cumin, coriander and ajwain seeds (Indian thyme) to make a velvety, medium spiced curry

Mother In-law’s Pork Curry
Our pork curry has a distinctive onion flavor, with a slight tang coming from the combination of coriander spice with yogurt.

Wild Salmon Cakes
Salmon combined with ajwain (Indian thyme) is the predominant taste in our cakes. Serve these cakes with any chutney or with another curry.

Garnet Yam and Green Chilli DumplingsThese dumplings are hearty and delicious either on their own or mixed in our Creamy Tomato and Onion Curry.

Spicy Chopped Kale and PotatoesWe chop the kale so that it soaks in the flavors of the tomato, cayenne pepper and garam masala curry.

Coconut & Ginger Green BeansThis spicy vegetarian dish is a combination of northern and southern Indian spices and cooking techniques.

Black Chickpea and Ginger Curry
Black chickpeas have a nuttier flavor than the better known yellow chick peas. We make this curry with vegetable stock and thinly sliced ginger.

Curried ChickpeasOnion and Ginger flavours stand out in this hearty vegetarian curry.

Punjabi Daal It is rare that any Indian home will serve a meal without an accompanying lentil or vegetable curry. Our punjabi daal is comfort food at its best.

Saag and PaneerThis is a labor-intensive delicacy for Indian vegetarians. After slowly cooking the spinach, rapini and mustard greens, we add onion, garlic and green chillies sautéed in ghee.

Paneer & Red Bell Pepper Curry
Oven roasted, dried and lightly crushed bitter melon with a few juicy raisins.

Creamy Onion and Tomato CurryWe made this curry for those who wish to add their own vegetables, meats or seafood. At Vij’s it was served with our Garnet Yam and Chilli Dumplings (available separately).

Creamy Bengali Five Spice Curry Tomatoes, water, whipping cream, canola oil, panch poran {fennel, kalonji seed, cumin, yellow mustard seed, fenugreek seed}, salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper.

We also sell the following chutneys to accompany any of our packaged meals:
Mint Mango Chutney,
Tamarind and Date Chutney
Coconut Chutney

Thank you! Here's what they say about us! Just a few of the thanks we received from many of our clients!

Dear Nicole & Carmen,
Thank you for your generous support for "Sexy in the City"
Last night's event was attended by 30 guests and other businesses and was a great success!
Your wonderful cheese platters were raved about and greatly enjoyed.
Many thanks,
Anna & Rebecca
B&K Photography
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Thank you so much for the awesome "cheese board" and for the delivery! You made it so easy for me to appear like an organized hostess. Both couples now know where you are located and were impressed with you selections!

With love and appreciation
SR Victoria, BC
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Dear Carmen & Nicole,
We send you are sincere thanks for providing lunch for us. Everything was delicious and thoroughly enjoyed by all who partook.
Thank you so much!
Everyone at Grant Thornton, Victoria, BC



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Thanks Charelli's
Its always great doing business with you.
Alana SD61
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We are glad to recommend Charelli's. There a few things you will notice about Charelli's:
1. Food will be ample.
2. The presentation is very professional.
3. They are punctual.
4. Clean.
5. The food is delicious.
6. They will be there throughout the function - they will set-up and clean-up. They will do their own stuff and not be in your way.
7. Their turn around time is never over 24 hours.
You would not regret booking them for your function - we were very pleased. I will definitely work with them again. I gave Charelli's contacts from our VIP night who met, had their food and who eventually can use Charelli's for their functions.
All the best,
Regards,
Jennifer A., Victoria, BC
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I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful job you did. What you did was a work of art and delicious to boot!
I just knew that it would be great but it was WONDERFUL. Not only was everything perfect, but your support to me, was really appreciated. Even my kids loved you!

Warmest regards,
Debra, Victoria, BC




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Thanks so much Carmen & Nicole for everything yesterday! The food was incredible (everyone was exclaiming over how fabulous it was!) and the service was excellent.

Cheers!
Jaie S. Victoria, BC



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Hello Carmen and Nicole,
The 5 trays were just perfection and so beautiful to look at and so delicious to eat. Every guest complimented the food and the presentation of it.
Nelles is just a gem , so professional and so good at being the 'shadow hostess'. Quite frankly I don't think I could have done it without her. She saw to every need and relieved me of absolutely everything so I could just relax.
Thank, you again. Warmly , Annley K., Victoria, BC
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Hello Charelli’s
when we started discussing about catering, i told them that i had been invited to a party where i was quite impressed by the assortment of spread and the taste of the food - and the hostess told me that she had used your services - so, the committee asked me to contact you for information
you see, keep up the good work, Carmen - word does get around!
good luck in the new year, take care and until the next one -
Tina M, Victoria, BC
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Hi Nicole,
Thank you so much for helping us with yesterday’s Wine & Cheese. It was a great success and it was wonderful to have you there with us! We look forward to working with you in the future.

Thank you again,
Laura U., Victoria, BC
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Hello Charelli’s
Thanks so much, you did as usual a fantastic job!
Regards,
Michael., Victoria, BC




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Hi Guys.
Our party was a huge success! Thank you so much. the food was a huge hit. It was our best Christmas party ever.
Regards,
K.P. Nan A., Victoria, BC




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Hi Carmen and Nicole,
Thank you for the cheese platters; they were a big hit. The presentation was beautiful, too. Most employees here are scientists, including several geologists, and they've been analyzing the slabs all morning, which has been amusing to watch!

I'm sure we'll be in touch again for more catering.

Laurie K., Victoria, BC
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Dinner was absolutely fabulous. Everyone thought the food was great and they really liked the presentation.

Thanks again.

Cathy N, Victoria, BC






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Hi Carmen and Nicole,
I just wanted you to know that your brown bag lunches were a huge hit at the Itinerant Conference. Everyone was thrilled with the quality, freshness, variety. The special order lunches you made were especially appreciated. I had one participant come up to me and say that she had never before had anyone take such care to make sure she had a lunch that met her dietary needs and she was extremely impressed.

Thank-you for making that possible.
Pam G., Victoria, BC

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Dear Nicole and Carmen,
Feed back is coming plentiful! All the people thanking for the conference have a word of thanks specially for the food and many envy us, in Victoria, for having you! It was not only delicious, plenty and tasty, but also wonderfully presented.

Again, merci merci merci
Helene, Victoria, BC
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Dear Carmen and Nicole,
Thank you so much for your generous support for our Victoria Guest Services Network 10th Anniversary. I was very much looking forward to seeing you at our event. The cheese displays you provided were outstanding! You definitely left an impression with your wonderful selection of cheeses. Your business cards were very popular and I am certain you have gained some new business. A good time was had by all.

Warm Regards,
Deborah S
Guest Service Coordinator
Concierge Desk
The Fairmont Empress
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The lunch yesterday was absolutely wonderful. It caused quite the buzz and people took your business cards.
Thank you so much for everything.

Holly, Victoria, BC

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Hello Charelli’s!

It was a huge success and the food (just as we expected) was exceptional both in selection & presentation. It certainly gave us an idea for future.Thank you for including some of your business cards. We'll definitely be a repeat customer and new customers will follow.Again - thank you so much for making Danielle's event everything she could have hoped for.
Have a good day.
Dinning Hunter, Victoria, BC
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Hi, Nicole, Carmen
The event was a huge success! The pairings were very well received and the selection of cheeses was amazing! We had so many compliments about the cheeses and the presentation - everything looked so beautiful.
Thank you so much for making our event so enjoyable for everyone. On a personal note, it was an absolute pleasure working with you - you made my job a little bit easier!
Best to all, Cindy-Lou, USA
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Wasn't that a party!
I'm always so sad when it is all over!
Thanks again for all your hard work and kindness. Your expertise and calmness is so much appreciated.

Thanks again for another fabulous job. Everyone raves about your cheeses and we have kept your cards so we can pass on the good news.
We'll stay in touch!
Justa K.
Urbana, Victoria, BC


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Hello Ladies
Just wanted to let you know that the food was fantastic. Everybody just raved about it. I thought the presentation was outstanding and also the food. It was sooo good. The two people that helped were fabulous. We couldn't have been more pleased. I would highly recommend you to anybody and everybody.
Thanks again for everything.
Bonnie L.., Victoria, BC

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Hi Carmen & Nicole,
Your "executive lunch" menu won raves at the meeting, so much so that we'd like to also have you cater our lunch on Tuesday, Aug. 7.
Cheers
Karol, Victoria, BC



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Dear Carmen and Nicole,
Thank you so much for preparing the lovely basket for my brother and my sister-in-law. Jackie phoned yesterday to say it was amazing and contained wonderful treats! Gordon will be home today from a business trip and she was sure he would be thrilled, too.

Sincerely,
Linda T., Edmonton, AB

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Hi Carmen Hi Nicole:):)
First off, I want to Thank you again for ALL the "above and beyond" service you so graciously and generously gave me last week!!!!! I have been raving about you both ever since and I am sure that your lineups are going to be even longer now:):):)

Take care and I look forward to seeing you both soon.
Sincerely,
Marina R., Victoria, BC
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As usual the service was impeccable, the smiles great and the hug wonderful.

I also very much appreciated the offer of a coffee. Now that is paying attention to a customer's needs after a long, long drive from Curteis Point, just to buy at Charelli's in Victoria .

But we also came for the "Old European Charm" albeit it is from Dutch origin.

It was true pleasure again to visit, very nice purchases, as always excellent quality. The Swedish Vodka Currant a superb choice.
Peter, Victoria, BC
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Hi Carmen & Nicole
We loved your food for the party Sunday. It was a smash hit!! Everything was perfect and just the right amount. We'll definitely recommend you to others and hope to have you cater other events at our house.
Thanks again for everything!
Cheers!
Suzie

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Dear Nicole and Carmen,
A brief note to say hello and also to tell you how much we miss your cheeses and other products and especially the pleasant service. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Victoria in March and are looking forward to seeing you again next March.

Best wishes, Donna and Des.
Donna and Des I., Winnipeg MB
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Hi Carmen and Nicole,
Thank you very much for your excellent service. Everybody was very pleased with the food and presentation.
I'm very sorry I still don't have the pleasure to meet you. I think I have been in at least 4 events that you guys have catered and I still don't have the pleasure to meet any of you in person.
Thanks again for your help!
Regards,
Jenny R., Victoria, BC
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Good morning, Carmen and Nicole!I want to thank you both from the bottom of my heart for the lovely food and service you provided for our event last Thursday. We and our guests really enjoyed the food and its presentation. All of the businesses involved in the event were very pleased. We are happy to have found you for our caterers.
Thanks again and hope you find time for some holidays!Best,Jonalyn S., Victoria, BC
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Good morning Carmen & Nicole! Thank you so much for accommodating our request on such short notice. We have heard wonderful reviews about Charelli’s, so I’m sure the lunch will be fabulous.
Thanks again!
Zoria, Victoria, BC



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Small Batches

Neal’s Yard Dairy in London works as a dairy co-operative that stocks and distributes some 80+ artisan cheeses produced in small batches around Ireland and Great Britain.

These small produced cheeses are made by hand with natural ingredients and traditional methods. They have subtle flavours that vary from batch to batch but showcase their uniqueness with grassy notes, sharp flavours, and often a slightly gamey, earthy flavour. Often artisan cheeses reveal characteristics of the environment they are produced. The cattle are fed draft in some cases because grass is sparse, or at certain times of the year cheeses like Morbier and Comte taste better and look different in colour because of what the season and what the cattle is eating. Cows who graze on fresh aromatic herbs give a distinctive flavour to the milk which in turn affects the cheeses flavours.

Unpasteurized milk also provides another distinct taste in cheeses. Although often difficult to obtain in Canada because of trade regulations, raw milk cheeses tend to be creamier and carry more character than their counterparts.

Colston Bassett Stilton and Colston Bassett Shropshire Blue are prime examples of this. Compared side by side with those made industrially the difference is immediately present. Stiltons from Neal's Yard Dairy are made in a more traditional method with traditional rennet and an allowed a slower ripening time. The result is a distinctive cheese that is nuttier, creamier, and richer and presents more character than supermarket stiltons.

Good things are often worth the wait, and these small batches of special cheeses definitely deserve more attention as hand made classics and to be savoured as one would savour a special vintage of wine.

Olive Oil

The House of the Álvarez de Toledo: much more than olive oil

How can we give you a brief vision of a family that has participated in nearly every event of importance in Western Civilization for the last thousand years? You may only know about the House of the Álvarez de Toledo because of the extra virgin olive oil they produce under the title and crest of the head of the household, the Marquis de Valdueza. With these words, we hope to show you that when you use our extra virgin olive oils, you are doing more than enjoying a jewel of gastronomic perfection – you are participating in a historical legacy that has probably already touched you in ways you may never have even imagined!

The Álvarez de Toledo family has owned the Perales estate where they produce their olive oils for a little over 500 years. The estate occupies several thousand acres, of which about 450 are dedicated to the Marquis’ olive groves and mill. About 15 years ago, the Marquis decided to modernise his olive oil production and began by replacing the old groves with trees of the arbequina, hojiblanca, picual, and morisca varieties. This last type is native to the Marquis’ estate and is only grown is a small area of Extremadura. It has very low yields and is expensive to use, but it is the source of the buttery feel that fills your mouth when you taste our oils.

The mill, inaugurated in November of 2004, was built on the site of a 150 year-old mill, which, in turn was erected where olive oil had been produced since the Romans occupied the area over 2,000 years ago. Only a few miles from Mérida, the Roman city of Augusta Emerita founded in 25 BC and overrun by Islamic invaders of the Iberian peninsula in 713 AD, the land, which today forms the Marquis’ estate, has been providing a coveted olive oil for caesars, sultans, and kings uninterruptedly for two millennia.

The new mill, when finished in 2004, was reputed to be among the most modern in Europe, as were the harvest and production techniques, which allow the first olives to be chosen and handpicked and pressed within an hour. The oil that results from this process is tested and the best is bottled as MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA. After a few more days of maturing on the tree under the Extremeñan sun, the rest of the olives are harvested to produce MERULA.

The first olives, greener and less mature, with lower, more costly yields, produce the sharp, clean, complex taste profile, which characterises MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA. This is clearly a finishing oil to be used raw, for cold applications on salads, toast, cheese, cold cuts, steamed fish and grilled meats and vegetables. It is also excellent on citrus fruit salads, and raw, steamed, and stir-fried vegetables, and there are several dessert chefs and cooking schools that only use MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA for their chocolate sauces and ice creams.

MERULA was born from the request of some chefs who finish their dishes with MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA and were looking for an oil with a similar taste profile for both hot and cold applications in the kitchen. MERULA, a little more mature with an open, subtle taste, fit their request in that it is based on the MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA coupage, but with a less taste-dominating blend that allows the chefs to combine flavours and aromas without overpowering them.

The MERULA blend, using higher yield, more mature olives, is also more economic to buy than MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA, making it the perfect every-day olive oil, whereas MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA can be reserved as a drizzling oil to finish that special dish.

Although MERULA can also be used as an excellent finishing oil, especially for dishes with subtle tastes and aromas, we tend to use MERULA in the kitchen and MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA on the table for that last finishing touch.

As the very stringent IOOC panel testing in Córdoba testifies, both oils have been rated among the best in the world. While MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA has consistently received 8.5 points or better on the IOOC 9 point scale since it was first marketed to the public in 2004, MERULA was awarded an equally spectacular 8.2 points in each of its first two testings.

Although there are many exceptional olive oils in the world and the great chef will always have several of them in the kitchen at any one time, our objective with MARQUÉS DE VALDUEZA and MERULA, is to provide the gourmet cook at home the possibility of having only two oils to cover the majority of their cooking and finishing needs. We think that we have met that objective and we hope that you are pleased with the result of our efforts.

As for the history behind the House of the Álvarez de Toledo that produces these two oils, let me give you the following brief and far from complete summary:

The earliest Álvarez de Toledo whose records I have found in my own investigations is Pedro, Count of Carrión, although his origins are very obscure. Some say he accompanied Alfonso VI when Castille reconquered the old Visigoth capital of Toledo in 1085, and there he remained as the City’s mayor and royal representative. Other accounts say that Pedro was a Christian noble of ancient lineage who lived under the Islamic domination until Alfonso liberated the City.

The Chronicles of the Reconquest, however, relate how Pedro, the son of the Byzantine Emperor, Issac Commeno, went to Toledo to aid Alfonso fight the infidels and it is this prince who founded the Álvarez de Toledo lineage. The Chronicles tell how Pedro, the Byzantine prince, also fought alongside Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, el Cid, and, later, after the liberation of Toledo, Alfonso rewarded him with properties and titles, that would form the foundation of the House of the Álvarez de Toledo.

By the time of the united Spain under Ferdinand and Isabel in the 15th century, the Álvarez de Toledo family ruled over thousands of square miles of different parts of the Iberian peninsula, including the Perales estate near Mérida.

Related to both Ferdinand and Isabel, Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo, the II Duke of Alba, was one of their principle advisors and participated in the reconquest of Granada in 1492 as well as in the decision to send Christopher Columbus to America.

Such was the relation between the Álvarez de Toledo and the discoverer of the American continent, that Columbus’ only legitimate son, Diego, married Fadrique’s granddaughter, María in 1508. The seven legitimate heirs to the Grand Admiral legacy from the union of Diego Columbus and María Álvarez de Toledo have descendents who live today in many countries, including Mexico, Cuba, and Spain.

Fadrique’s son, Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, was a personal advisor to Emperor Charles V and travelled with him to Flanders, Italy and the German princedoms of the Holy Roman Empire. Later, he served Philip II as his Army’s Capitan General in Europe and finally as the Virrey of the Kingdom of the Two Siciles, a kingdom whose rulers during its centuries of existence were always from the House of the Álvarez de Toledo.

While Fernando ruled Naples and Sicily, another Álvarez de Toledo, Francisco, did the same as Virrey of Spanish Peru. Francisco became a personal friend of Charles V and he accompanied the Emperor at his deathbed in 1558.

There were also Álvarez de Toledo ruling Milan, Sardegna, and the Low Countries as well as rebellious parts of the Iberian peninsula, such as Catalonia and Portugal, during the turbulent years of Spain’s domination of the known world.

Related to saints, poets, conquistadores, kings and Europe’s most powerful clergy, the Álvarez de Toledo wrote and continue to write important chapters of the history of Western civilization. Allied through marriage to Europe’s most important families, such as the Mantua, Saboya and de Medici, few Western events of any weight have occurred since 1085 without the participation of an Álvarez de Toledo or one of their relatives. Even the English Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, though his ancestor Carlos Fernando Fitz-James Stuart y Silva Álvarez de Toledo, the IV Duke of Berwick, shares the blood that runs through the veins of most of European nobility.

As great patrons of the arts, portraits of numerous Álvarez de Toledo, painted by artists as famous as el Greco and Francisco de Goya, can be found on the walls of the great museums and private collections of the world. Las Majas of Goya, for example, are an Álvarez de Toledo, as was the husband of that Duchess of Alba, whose direct descendents include today’s Marquis de Valdueza, Don Alonso Álvarez de Toledo.

One really can go on and on – there are hundreds of famous people related to the Marquis, such as Cabeza de Vaca, the discoverer of the Falls of Iguazú or Ponce de León, who searched for the Fountain of Youth in Florida with one of his cousins, an Álvarez de Toledo, or Leonor Álvarez de Toledo, who, when married to Cosimo I de Medici, personally bought the Pitti Palace for the de Medici’s, which today is the symbol par excellence of the Florentine dynasty.

Leonor was also the grandmother of another famous Álvarez de Toledo, Maria de Medici, wife of Henri IV and Queen of France. Maria was the mother of Louis XIII, perpetuating the Álvarez de Toledo lineage on the throne of France, and of Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I of England, putting the Álvarez de Toledo bloodline on the English throne as well.

You’d be surprised at the influence that the Álvarez de Toledo family has had on the course of history. There are little details of that influence in the most unexpected places… In fact, the next time you’re in Spain and you have a Gran Duque de Alba brandy, raise your glass to the portrait on the label – it’s an Álvarez de Toledo!