Head to
Bluehour in Portland, Oregon and ask for Amanda. She’s the new maître fromager (aka cheese wiz) with a serious
cheese menu and captivating personality.
Amanda
DeMann is pretty intense about her cheese – she is self taught and landed her
current position by cramming as much cheese knowledge as she could. Her method
of study? Flash cards. “You know, like we did in college,” she tells me. Ah, a
nerd after my own heart. How could I not write about this girl?
Now Amanda
rules the floor of Bluehour with her meticulous and thoughtful cheese cart. She
carries artisan cheeses from all around the world, with a strong representation
of American artisan cheeses, featuring specimens such as Wabash Cannonball from
Indiana, and Hooligan from Connecticut.
The best
part of the job for Amanda is educating people. When guests are uninspired,
Amanda introduces them to Epoisses, one of the most notoriously stinky (and
delicious) cheeses from France. And her customers keep coming back for more. “I
like to start people where they are comfortable, and then explore from there”.
Just as I
was getting ready to leave, I spot a tattoo on her wrist “memento mori”
(remember death). “It’s not as morbid as it seems”, she assures me, “it reminds
me to live life to the fullest every day”. Some words, and cheese, we should
all live by.
Bluehour is located at 250 Northwest 13th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209. Tel: (503) 226-3394, http://www.bluehouronline.com
Wow. That is impressive. She does know her cheeses. :) Kudos to her! Must've been a bit of a challenge for her to get all of that information crammed up in her head.
She'll go very far in the food business.
Posted by: Rhodes Ranch Las Vegas | January 04, 2012 at 07:38 AM
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Posted by: MONCLER TAPAJOS Blue | October 28, 2011 at 10:00 PM
“I like to start people where they are comfortable, and then explore from there”.
Posted by: oakley frogskins | July 18, 2011 at 10:53 PM
Cool! I love Wabash Cannonball's... I get them at a local farm's market here in Chicago. Very nice.
I'll have to check out Bluehour when I'm in Portland next.
Posted by: Dave! | July 28, 2006 at 10:38 PM