Kosher cheese for Passover by The Cheese Guy. (Photo by Evan Caplan)

By DCist contributor Evan Caplan

Dish of the Week: Cheese (Kosher for Passover)
 
From: The Cheese Guy
 
In our humble opinion, cheese should be an integral part of any well-balanced meal, but, with Passover celebrations imminent, it doesn’t typically make an appearance on the festive Jewish table. The cheese-shunning happens because meat usually takes pride of place, and, with the meat-milk prohibition, cheese gets the shaft. On top of that, making sure cheese is kosher is a complex undertaking. For instance, the base mold cannot be grown on bread and there are prohibitions regarding the use of animal rennet, a common ingredient in the cheesemaking process.
 
But The Cheese Guy, a specialty cheese producer and affineur based in New York, is now ensuring that kosher cheese is ready for Passover. The actual Cheese Guy is Brent Delman, who got his MBA at George Washington University and put his international business acumen to good use by bringing cheesemakers and rabbis around the world together to produce his kosher recipes, which he then ages in two cheese caves in Yonkers.
 
Available for purchase online and several locations around D.C., we were able to taste a variety of kosher cheeses that could be perfect for the Passover table, particularly when complemented with fresh fruit, matzo, and fig compote. The Vermont Bloom, a farmstead brie, was liberatingly velvety and pungent after standing at room temperature, while the Wisconsin Monterey Jack was surprisingly mild. The Pecorino Romano, made to Delman’s specifications in Sardinia, is slightly flaky to the touch, milky and peppery with a punchy bite, while the Saw Mill River Pecorino is grassy and earthy, bringing us straight to the barnyard ranch.
 
The most fascinating cheese may have been the Double Ale Cheddar, made by soaking the curds in Schmaltz Brewing Company’s IPA and nut brown ale. Sadly, even beer that is considered kosher is off-limits at Passover, but we cheated and had it with an oak-aged Allagash ale (don’t tell Mom). The beery notes came across strongly, earthy and warm with serious umami, an impeccable pairing with the ale.
  
Delman’s Passover cheese tasting tips: Serve on wood or slate cutting boards, each with a separate knife; don’t precut the cheeses until ready to serve; and use crackers without herbs or spices (easy enough when using matzo).

The Cheese Guy’s kosher cheese can be found locally at Shalom Strictly Kosher Meats, Seven Mile Market, and Moti’s Market.
 
Small Bites:

Passover dinner and brunch at Equinox
Equinox (818 Connecticut Avenue NW) mixes it up with a somewhat non-traditional Seder celebration tonight, starting at a traditional time of “sundown-ish”, led by co-owner Ellen Kassoff and her father, Ed. The Seder will be loosely based on Sephardic Jewish rituals, and the related menu will highlight Middle Eastern and Mediterranean ingredients and preparation. Highlights include saffron spiced lamb saddle with medjool dates and matzo fritters with housemade sweet cinnamon ricotta; $55 per person, $80 with wine pairings. Come back Sunday, April 24th for brunch, an all-vegan affair whose selections include falafel salad and a DIY matzo brei station. $35 per person. — Evan Caplan

More Passover
Met Bethesda (7101 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda) is also serving a la carte Passover-style dishes during its dinner service, April 22nd to 29th. Spice up your holiday with the avocado-chili matzo ball soup or get your comfort food fix with the glazed corned beef brisket served with matzo meal popovers. If you want it a bit boozy, head straight for the chocolate kugel (noodle pudding) soaked in warm whiskey sauce. — Evan Caplan

Poste Patio Farewell
Try to hold it together, but Poste Moderne Brasserie (555 8th Street NW) is closing their patio for renovations until this fall, meaning that, sadly, we’ll have to spend the warm summer evenings somewhere else instead of camping out on those oh-so-comfy outdoor couches. Say goodbye this Saturday, April 23rd, from 7 – 10:30 p.m. with basil lemontinis and truffle frites, along with live music from the David Throng Trio. Dry your eyes, dear ones. — Kristen Hartke

Cocktails for a Cause
Before you make your way over to Poste’s patio for that final drink, you can pre-game at Commissary (1443 P Street NW), where they are hosting a happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m. in support of The Grassroot Project, a local non-profit organization that focuses on using the mentorship of Division 1 student-athletes to teach at-risk school-aged children about HIV/AIDS awareness and protection. All food and drink will be priced at $3 to $7, with 15 percent of total sales donated to the non-profit, along with 100 percent of proceeds from the “Skyy’s No Limit” cocktail, made with Skyy Vodka, grapefruit shrub, lime, and ginger beer. — Kristen Hartke