Cheese. So lush and inviting. Such creamy, delicious goodness. You would like to venture beyond what may be your regular cheese choices, but there are so many cheeses to choose from. On top of that, deciding what cheeses go best with dried fruit, nuts or chutney, is not easy. Do you want a blue or a washed-rind? Does anxiety set in when you want to store or handle the cheese correctly? So many questions that can all be answered by one gal who is popping up all over Hancock Park. Her name? Paige Handler and she is known as The Cheese Handler.
Paige Handler moved here from Brooklyn, New York about 8 years ago to launch her acting career. Needing to supplement her acting income, she took a job as the restaurant manager at Luna Park during its heyday. Soon after, she became their wine buyer. Paige then felt that her wine experience needed to be accompanied by an expertise in cheese. She quickly began her education. She devoured every book, took classes and simply, tasted a lot of cheese. This all seemed like a natural progression for her. Paige comes from a family whose love for good food trumps just about everything. Her fondest memories as a child were of skipping school on her birthday, year after year, to enjoy celebratory lunches with her parents at some of the most hailed restaurants in New York City. Her excuse to her teachers, “I’m sorry that I won’t be at school today, my parents are taking me to Bouley for my birthday!”
Now, she is LA’s “premier Cheesestress”. Paige can take you on your own educational cheese journey or lead a private party with wine pairings in the comfort of your own home. My suggestion? Gather 8 – 10 of your closest, most food adventurous friends and host an evening tasting. This is a perfect event for a bridal or baby shower, birthday celebration or just a night of increasing your cheese knowledge. It is an all out learning experience and a ton of fun. Before you know it, you will know the difference between a surface ripened, semi-soft or bloomy rind. Goat or Sheep milk? You might be able to answer that question. She will pair the cheeses with your choices of wines or you can have her take the lead. Paige will discuss with you beforehand what some of your likes and dislikes are and then tailor a list of the most delicious and eclectic cheeses you have ever tasted. She will bring everything you need for the pairings, you just simply supply the plates and the wine glasses. Your syllabus of cheeses and wines for the evening will be presented upon arrival so you can make notes during the party.
Paige Handler is delightful, entertaining and full of smarts. We enjoyed her company, her wit and most certainly, the cheese.
Call to schedule your next event with:
The Cheese Handler www.cheesehandler.com Email: [email protected] Twitter: @cheesehandler
Alison Dinerstein is a resident of Windsor Square, a NY JETS fan and a professional foodie. She is the co-founder of Artisan Kitchen. You may email Alison at [email protected] or follow her on twitter: @adinerstein.
