Reading Frenzy ~ An Independent Press Emporium

We are so lucky to have Gordon Edgar stop by this Sunday to read from his new book Cheesemonger and share some of his favorite cheeses. Edgar is a long time activist and resident cheese aficionado at Rainbow Grocery in SF. I recently chatted with Gordon in anticipation for his reading. Cheesemonger is both informative and charming, as is Edgar himself, so definitely head to the shop this Sunday!

How would you describe the growing cheese movement, an expanding number of people interested in cheese, people experimenting with different cultures?

In my 15+ years of cheese work the interest has really exploded. It seems a lot like the beginnings of the craft beer/microbrew era where all of a sudden questions I get asked went from very basic to extremely esoteric. American cheesemaking has exploded. The first year I went to the American Cheese Society Conference I think there were a couple hundred cheeses in the cheese competition. Last year there were 1300! Oregon is actually a particular hotbed. Tami Parr does a good job of chronicling this on her blog, the Pacific Northwest Cheese Project http://pnwcheese.typepad.com/

Is SF in particular a hotbed for this growing interest in cheese?

I think so. It's a "foodie" town because of its long history of food activists and hedonism. We also have amazing distribution and are able to get -- far more easily than some cities -- a wide variety of cheese.

For someone who isn't a connoisseur of cheese, diving in might seem overwhelming, where do you suggest people start?

Go to a place where they sell a lot of cheese and ask for a taste of whatever they have behind the counter. If they are rude to you, go someplace else and try again. Or, you can go into a store (or cheese bar) and say, "I like sharp cheddar, what should I try next?" Any good cheese seller will be happy to help!

You say you began knowing next to nothing, what moment sparked your need to know more/discover the world of artisan cheeses?

Tasting a year-old Gruyere (Swiss mountain cheese) and realizing how amazing and complex food could be. A lot of people who work in food have their moments and that was mine. It's like when you have your first good beer or decent coffee. It awakens the senses and it made me want to explore.

You've corrected the description "punk activist", saying that you are more post-punk than anything, can you elaborate briefly on your roots in activism and how they've evolved and translated to where you are today?

Really I was correcting "former punk" and jokingly said that I'd rather be called "post punk", mostly because that Rough Trade era of punk is my favorite. I was always more interested in the political end of punk rock and that led me (in the '80s) to anti-apartheid, anti-intervention in Central America, and pro-reproductive rights activism. Through those political collectives I became interested in worker cooperatives and got a job at Rainbow Grocery Cooperative. That's where I found cheese.

I hear there have been cheese samples on your tour so far, what kind of treat can we look forward to?

We have an assortment of things, I'm packing the cooler right now! We have some Rogue Creamery Blues and Cheddars from up your way, some Harley Farms fresh goat cheese with edible flowers (hella pretty!), a Gouda from Wisconsin with nettles, a sweet Cheddar from Iowa, and an oozy, mild French Brie.

interview by Anika Sabin

Hey! Did you know March is Small Press Month? It's true, and the folks behind it all have got quite a line-up of events in store. Sponsored by the the New York Center for Independent Publishing, IndieBound, and the Association for American Publishers among others, the events are widespread across the nation and diverse in topic. Keep your eyes especially open for the Canarium Books tour as they make their way north from Los Angeles and through the midwest.

Check out the March is Small Press Month website for the full-breadth of events.

A librarian at the Central Branch of Multnomah County Library has put together a wonderful site of custom bound books currently circulating in their collection. Up until the early 80s the Library Association operated its own bindery and Steal This Library is documenting these gems through stark photographs. From periodicals, to reference books to sets of books, you'll see beautiful renditions that mark the passing, but still avid appreciation of mainstream custom book binds.

Every second Thursday the Portland Art Museum invites an artist to speak about a few pieces from the permanent collection, and this upcoming Thursday we have Matthew Stadler to look forward to! He'll be giving a tour centered around two paintings: Mark Tobey's Western Town, 1944, and Whiting Tennis' Bitter Lake Compound, 2007. Both paintings address urban environments and growth within the context of their respective time periods.

Matthew Stadler is a novelist and editor here in Portland and is known most recently to have opened up the Publication Studio, a pop-up, print-on-demand bookshop across the way from Reading frenzy. Stadler's work has also appeared in Frieze and ArtForum, among others!

Chicago's first ever Zine Fest is less than a week away! If you are even remotely in the midwestern region, I suggest high-tailing it over to the windy city for an overwhelming mix of workshops, panels and tables upon tables of self-publishing zinesters. Check out the full breadth of events on their website!

Reading Local and the Writer's Dojo in St.Johns have teamed up to bring you a wonderful night of entertainment to benefit relief in Haiti. Kevin Sampsell and Ariel Gore, among other Portland greats, will give readings; and a few of Mercy Corps finest will also be on hand to share their experiences rebuilding Haiti. To round out the night acoustic duo Sweeter than Later will perform!

Suggested donation is $10 and includes participation in a raffle.

More information is at Reading Local.

The wondrous Dill Pickle Club has teamed up with PDX Pop Now! to present a slew of lecture series this spring, beginning March 11th with Northwest Passage. The night, hosted by the Waypost, will focus on the rich history of independent music in our region, and includes a vegetarian dinner. Later this spring we'll hear from Fred and Toody of Dead Moon and Clavin Johnson among other greats! But till then, here's the equally awesome line-up for next Thursday!

"A Life in Soul"/ URAL THOMAS/ Longtime Portland R & B and soul singer

"Rock n' Roll, Race & Poster Art"/ JOE KREGAL/ Slide lecture of 60s/ 70s Portland rock posters w/ music clips

"Hippies, psychedelics and the 60s Portland folk/ acid rock scene"/ VALERIE BROWN/ Writer and cultural historian

Guest interviewer ERIC ISAACSON/ Founder and proprietor of Mississippi Records

For more information and in-depth presenter biographies, hit up their website!