Saturday, July 27, 2019

More Cheese, Please! - Tillamook and #MeltyFest come to Baltimore!


This post is in partnership with Tillamook. All opinions expressed are my own.

If you follow along on Instagram, it's no secret that I recently had the chance to attend the menu takeover at The Food Market to celebrate Tillamook coming to Baltimore. It was my first time at The Food Market, much less the "secret" private dining room in the basement. 

Owner and head chef Chad Gauss treated us to an incredible menu full of smoky, savory, cheese-y goodness. In fact, my mouth is starting to water at the thought of the delicious meals he created. Not one to keep anything to myself, you too, will have the chance to sample these amazing meals THIS WEEK at The Food Market, Baltimore as well as try out some of Tillamook's world famous ice cream at several of the Baltimore Ceremony Coffee Roasters locations. Not sure where to find Tillamook? Click here to see where it's carried in your local grocer!


 
Back to the good stuff...

Chef Chad is a pretty cool guy. Super chill and down to earth, really appreciates hospitality and making people happy through food. It's no wonder he's so good at what he does. His plan for our intimate Tillamook dinner was to "make food to make the cheese pop rather than the other way around. It's almost a sin to manipulate Tillamook in a way, the cheese is just that good."

With my glass full of expertly paired Boordy Vineyard wines, I was more than ready to begin this extraordinary food journey. 


It all started with our own personal serving of Habanero Crab Dip. If you know anything about us Marylanders, you know we sure do love our crab. Prepared with Tillamook's Extra Sharp White Cheddar, this dish was the perfect balance of creamy and spicy. 


We then moved on to my absolute favorite course of the night, the Reuben Charred Salad. Growing up in New Jersey, the best place to get a Reuben is the local diner. There are so many emotions tied to this one simple sandwich for me. Eating at the diner with my Dad on Saturday mornings, bringing my Nanny there on special holidays and gathering there after every school mixer, formal and social event. 

Chef Chad's spin on this traditional staple was to die for. The charred cabbage lent a smoky element that complimented the melty swiss cheese and corned beef perfectly.

Oh but wait. Then came the scallops and if you know anything about me, you know that if there are scallops on the menu, I'm ordering them. These scallops arrived over a bed of the creamiest, savoriest risotto prepared with Tillamook white cheddar, tomato butter and charred zucchini. If I wasn't so sure I'd ruin the scallops on my own, this would most definitely be a dish that I try to recreate at home. 

 
Chef Chad's take on grilled cheese "steak" was nothing like I've ever had before. Wagu beef over a grilled slice of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar was simply amazing. Straight forward and with a side of vinegar shoe string fries, much of the table enjoyed this course the most. 





Whether it's savory or sweet that you desire, Baltimore's Melty Fest has something for everyone. You can find these meals at The Food Market or if it's ice cream you're after, Ceremony Coffee Roasters will be dishing out delicious nitro ice cream floats. Bring your girlfriends, bring your family, it's something everyone can enjoy!

Looking for a way to bring Tillamook cheese into your home? Here's Chef Chad's famous recipe for Beer Cheese Fondue, typically served with their house made Amish soft pretzels: 




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