Discover an array of flavorful artisanal cheeses that have been aged in our unique cheese cave by our very own Maitre d'Fromage. Accompanied by dessert wines and vintage port, make it the beginning or grand finale of a memorable evening.
Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center
When Passion Meets Profession
Carolyn Stromberg’s family should have known from the beginning what their little girl was destined to become. That’s because as a toddler, Carolyn’s very first word was “cheese.” Honestly.
As the Maitre d’Fromage for Old Hickory Steakhouse at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center, she’s in the perfect place to share her passion. Whether it’s to dinner guests or just about anyone who is willing to listen, Stromberg can talk for hours about the fine complexities of cheese – its flavor, texture, heritage, and aging process, and how it works well with a particular wine. Read her tips on how to select, shop for, serve and savor fine cheeses.
Stromberg, who has held this new distinguished position since March 2008, is the first person with this title in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. Prior to joining the Gaylord National, she ran the wholesale operation for Cheesetique, a small Del Ray, Virginia cheese shop, where she provided gourmet and quality cheeses to select Washington area restaurants.
At Gaylord National, Stromberg oversees the procurement, care-taking and presentation of more than two dozen artisanal cheeses. The varieties change monthly depending upon what is available. On any given night, the entire collection is worth an estimated $8,000 to $10,000, and is housed in the restaurant’s own cheese cave – itself another rarity in the Washington D.C. region.
Stromberg works diligently with her purveyors to make sure she has the “best of seasonal cheeses, and a selection of different textures and flavors from a variety of countries,” including cheese from Meadow Creek Dairy, “a family run farm in Galax, Virginia. They make raw milk cheeses. It’s tough to make really good soft raw milk cheeses because they have to be aged so long (60 days according to U.S. regulations),” says Stromberg, “but they do it well while practicing sustainable agriculture.”
What you won’t find in her cave, she says, is “anything that’s mass produced or industrial, such as Havarti, Pepperjack, or smoked Gouda.”
Nightly, Stromberg prepares fifteen or more varieties that are arranged on a custom-made cheese trolley which is wheeled alongside guests’ tables as part of the restaurant’s signature cheese course. The presentation – which is just as entertaining and educational as it is tantalizing – is offered to guests as either a starter course or the grand finale (in true French cuisine style).
After Stromberg’s presentation, guests choose among the offerings to create their own customized cheese plate, or sometimes simply ask her to “surprise them.” According to Stromberg, adventurous guests are her favorite because it allows her to really be creative and provide them a memorable experience.
Stromberg grew up in the Buffalo, New York area, and moved to Washington in 1997 to experience a bigger, more cosmopolitan atmosphere. She majored in creative writing and sociology while attending George Washington University. Aspiring to be a writer, she started writing about food while in school.
After graduating college, she continued writing, as well as developing her strong affinity for the food and beverage field by working at several restaurants in the Washington D.C. area. She began to understand there was a whole world of cheese to discover while working with the cheese program at Palena restaurant alongside former White House executive Sous Chef Frank A. Ruta. It was there that she met Sue Conley, owner of the famed California-based, cheese-maker Cowgirl Creamery. It was fate. Shortly thereafter, Conley hired her to work for the company when they opened a D.C. store.
Stromberg’s first, true cheese-appreciation moment came about that same time when she tasted Purple Haze, a California goat cheese made with lavender and fennel pollen. Her second “aha” moment came not much later when she tried an Italian Pecorino Foglie di Noce, a pressed sheep’s milk cheese from Tuscany wrapped and aged in walnut leaves, and rubbed with olive oil. Little did she know what those two moments would do to help get her career started.
Today, Stromberg’s all-time favorite cheese is Sofia, a goat’s milk cheese that’s dusted in vegetable ash, from Capriole Farms in Indiana. “It’s somewhat perishable and hard to get here, but I hope to get it soon,” she says.
It’s no wonder Stromberg always has a smile on her face … she’s always saying cheese.
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Fine Dining Restaurants at Gaylord National
