Tuesday, November 11, 2008

More cheese, please!

I don't know about you - but I love cheese.
Love, love, LOVE cheese.
As a matter of fact, next to peanut butter -- cheese is an addiction of mine.

That is partly the reason why when we open a second location -- we will have cheese incorporated as a staple. It will not only feed my obsession -- but it complements wine so perfectly.

We all have our favorites -- just as with wine; but also like wine, the more we sample the more we enjoy - the longer our list of "favorites" becomes. My "favorite" cheese is the Parrano Rubosto; a Dutch cheese that is a cousin to Gouda, but who tastes like an outstanding Parmigiano Reggiano.

White wines hardly ever clash with cheese, whether they are mild or strong - soft or firm. Dry whites pair well with soft textured cheeses, espedially those with mild flavors such as Brie. Whites with a crisp acidity go well with acidic goat cheeses. For an experiment, try pairing a softer Chardonnay from Sonoma with cheeses such as a triple cream Brie, Brunet, Valencay or Hoch Ybrig.

Red wines tend to match best with firm mellow cheeses. Although hard cow's milk cheeses do well with red wines as well. Try sampling a typical California style Cabernet Sauvignon with a variety of cheese such as a Dry Jack, Marisa, Manchego -- or my favorite, the Parrano.

Next time...what to pair with Ports and Sweet Wine.

1 comment:

Vividblack said...

Oh yes, I just ate a chunk of the Rubosto cheese - it's truly amazing. Such a great mouth feel and full, rich flavor! I just discovered the joys of this cheese and Kenny's Farmhouse Blue (produced in my home state of Kentucky). Also amazing stuff. Cheese is a gift!