cheese/wine pairings

my favorite cheese to have with wine is cheddar goat cheese... i like the sharpness of it, and think it compliments the full, thick reds i like to drink. my favorite goat cheese if from the farmer's market in the Promenade on 3rd St., in Santa Monica. if i remember correctly (i usually throw away the wrap it comes in and keep in my own...) from the label they do maybe sell by phone/internet, will let u know

I stumbled my way thru this same topic a year or so back.

Like wine, I've not found many cheeses that I just plain don't like - w/the exception of some of the 'enhanced' feta cheeses, there's always some redeeming quality about the various types of cheeses I've tried.

I'm not good w/the names (Meunier comes to mind)but my present kick is for some of the dried goat cheeses of Spain, as well as some of the really stinky double-cream cheeses from France. Mrs. K and I often make light summer meals of assorted cheeses, olives, flatbreads, and wines. I don't get to fussy about wine pairings, either; I find I like my stilton w/cab, shiraz, zin, and chardonnay. But what the hell, I'm weird that way.

"Letters are like wine; if they are sound they ripen with keeping. A man should lay down letters as he does a cellar of wine." - Samuel Butler

grunhauser, your posts on the dining and cooking forum are the best. I have yet to find one in which I'm not interested. I prefer reds with cheese, though on occasion we'll have an oaky Chardonnay. I don't like strongly flavored cheese with unfortified wines, opting instead for creamier, more delicate cheeses. My favorites are Epoisses, Pierre Robert, St. Andre, triple creme Brie, etc. I also like like some goat cheese like Tomme Verte, but my most favorite are cheeses made from the raw milk of sheep and cows. With them, I like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rhone and Rhone-type blends. If I were to have a Stilton or similar cheese and not with a fortified wine, I'd choose a concentrated Zinfandel or Syrah/Shiraz. I've never been a fan of Pinot Noir with cheese, though I acknowledge many people enjoy the combination.

Just one more sip.

and i thought i did the macarena on the MDH.

i love cheese, and i take it pretty seriously. there is nothing more rewarding and exciting than discovering a new producer, or stumbling upon a new shop with great selection.
while in Europe we never miss the cheese cart, the unpasterized cheeses are true miracles of nature and we are constantly deprived of it here in the US. some do slip through. and i make it my mission to seek the illeagals out and boy, do i bring them to justice.
i hope this thread stays alive and i'll be happy to share my sources and matches with all of you. but more than that, now that Martha is not going to be around for awhile, share your experiences and finds with the rest of the crowd.

here is what i bought today:
Pierre Robert triple
Chaubier 1/2 goat 1/2 cow milk
Cantal AOC

all from Rainbow co-op, the most freaking radical commie shop in the USA, where cashiers are wearing "Stop Aid to Israel" t-shirts and you have to bag your own stuff or else... nevertheless, the cheese counter blooms like the cactus in the desert, the guys are really devoted to their trade and are wiling to an extra mile to accomodate some of the fruitier customers. they carried a funky chocolate colored cheese from Sweden for Volvo mechanic that has a shop nearby, and while the cheese was revolting, i'm sure many appreciated the effort.
i turned them onto soft and fresh goat cheeses and now LaTur and the like are a permanent feature, and sometimes they are actually affordable.
anyway,
Pierre Robert is a kids cheese, soft, mild, not multi-dimensional, and can be very different depending on its age. it's best at three weeks of age and goes really well with a young Bordeaux.
Cantal is one of the oldest cheeses in the world, its great texture and superb aromatic qualities are a perfect match with Moulin-a-Vent, like Jadot's St.Jacques, for example.( others too, but go find them here)
Chaubier was a newbie for me, i liked the simplicity of it, but did not find it goaty enough, although the texture and creaminess were all there. it will sure please many!
thanks again! look forward to your posts.

grun-

do you know of any books that are considered definitive on the topic?
i would love to learn more about the world of cheese- and a recommended starting point would be appreciated.

thanks-

I still like an old reliable - chevre and sauvignon blanc.

And I am becoming a bit disenchanted with another old reliable, namely port and blue cheeses. We'll try this again on Wednesday with a better Stilton than I usually get, as well as a German blue that begins with "b" (Bergen-something? ) and see how it goes.

We also like hard salty Italian cheeses, like Pecorino Romano and Parmesano with earthy reds like southern Rhones and amarones.

Pistons rule!

I still like an old reliable - chevre and sauvignon blanc.

And I am becoming a bit disenchanted with another old reliable, namely port and blue cheeses. We'll try this again on Wednesday with a better Stilton than I usually get, as well as a German blue that begins with "b" (Bergen-something? ) and see how it goes.

We also like hard salty Italian cheeses, like Pecorino Romano and Parmesano with earthy reds like southern Rhones and amarones.

Pistons rule!

"Encyclopedie des Fromages" Guide illustre de plus de 350 fromages de toutes les regions de France, published by Grund.
of course, it's available in English too, but it's probably only half the fun.

Explorateur (triple cream) and Cabernet. For some reason, I really enjoy the combination. The cheese is absolutely to die for! And the Cab, any Cab, well....

Cheers!

quote:

---

all from Rainbow co-op, the most freaking radical commie shop in the USA, where cashiers are wearing "Stop Aid to Israel" t-shirts and you have to bag your own stuff or else

---

That place sounds excellent!

"Holiday Schedule - Rainbow will be closed Sunday, June 27th for Gay Pride Day."

BRR,
you are absolutely right, it is a great match. try it with Bordeaux too!
cheerios!


p.s. Rainbow...did i mention they don't sell meat either?

I too am a "cheesehead" not that I come from Wisconsin but cheese is one of my all time favorite foods. I like all kinds and my favorite changes from time to time. Currently I have two new favorites, parrano which is a holland gouda with a parmasan culture. I fell in love with this cheese at a wine tasting and can't get enough. Another new favorite is antique gruyere. I like both of these cheeses with dessert wines like maderia and port or a late harvest something. I also like them with a big cali cab or a big zin. I have also had the parrano with a white burgandy, pouilly fuisse to be exact last week.

I am also partial to the soft cheeses like fresh mozzerala drizzled with a touch of extra virgin olive oil and some fresh herbs. I like that with a riesling or a sauvignon blanc. I could go on and on but I'll stop here for now. I shop at many places for cheeses some of my favorites are Whole foods and Zingermans. At both places you can sample the cheeses and have them cut fresh from wheels instead of pre packaged. It does make a difference in the taste. Below is a link to Zingermans and they do ship worldwide and also a link tothe to parrano site. Enjoy! Happy shopping!

http://www.zingermans.com/Category.pasp?Category=cheeses

http://www.parrano.com/

ks

p.s. I also love a very cold brut champagne with a dry hard cheese

First a question... anyone know of a gourmet cheese shop in Boston that sells gift certificates. May sound weird, but I like gifting cheese as much as I do wine.

That said, some of my favorite cheeses:

Cypress Grove Midnight Moon is my new thing. It is a hard cheese with flavor crystals? embedded in it. So strange, so delicious. Everything else from this company is really good as well.

Roaring 40's blue. From Australia IIRC, it is kind of grey in color, but has an excellent blue flavor. Not too expensive, I have been seeing it at Trader Joe's recently.

Also really like Epoisse that was previously mentioned.

With wine, I love fondue (even the cheap stuff)... especially with Pinot Noir.

i came across a nice one yesterday - Exqui Lor from Jura at Whole Foods. great creamy texture, full flavored, and not pungent at all. superb cheese.

cheeses are great on their own, but they can also be fantastic additions to everyday dishes.
i've made two things today with cheeses. first, it was fennel soup with a slice of grilled chabatta topped generous amount of grated Grana Padano and chopped fennel fronds. charming simplicity! no cheese in squid, beans and arugula salad, but i seriously contemplated the possibilities... nah, just kidding.
and then i've made a cake with almonds, lemon zest and fresh ricotta - nice and easy. it went nice with a glass of prosecco/strawberry concoction.
my point, you may ask? well, i like cheesy stuff.

One thing I'm curious about: I've read that many French cheeses imported to the US are inferior to the ones in France, because of USDA pasteurization requirements. Anybody have any opinions on this?

iheidt: this store (http://www.formaggiokitchen.com/) was listed in a recent Wine Spectator article on Swiss-style cheeses. I've never been there, but I'm moving to Cambridge in a couple of weeks so I'm looking forward to checking it out.

Favorite combo lately:

White Chedder with Aussie Shiraz.

Cluricaun-

The Cheese Primer by Stephen Jenkins is a good start. Available for $13.50 plus shipping at the Public Radio Bookstore (pbrs.org).

i hate the fact that most milk products are pasteurized. walking past Pasteur's maison natale in Dole this year, i had very mixed feelings. so much good came from his discovery, but unfortunatelly a lot of nonsense as well.
pasteurized milk and milk products are a step above of dead matter. sure, possibly harmful bacterias are destroyed, but along with changing lactose into beta-lactose, destroying parts of vitamin C, and making parts of calcium insoluable. and changing the way the final products(cheeses) taste, which is mostly important, imho. that's why imported cheeses are funky a lot of times - they're dead, sitting on shelves rotting away instead of maturing.

p.s. " Stop Pasteurization of Milk!"

rmalloy
Thanks for the link, I missed that one in the magazine. Seems like just what I was looking for.

it is available from Organic Pastures on the West Coast. really, really good stuff. allow 1-2 days to adjust to it. cheap too, about $7.00 per 1/2 gallon.

Just because I enjoy your posts as well
And because I love cheese - and love this thread

This is from the Best of France Cookbook I posted on the Cookbook Thread - its made with goat cheese - the stronger the better. I am not even crazy about goat cheese, but love this dish - as does everyone who I serve it too

Goat Cheese Timbale

1 pound goat cheese such as Montrachet or Boucheron - crumbled
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor combine the goat cheese and eggs and process until smooth.

Divide the cheese mixture among six well buttered ramekins and smooth the top* Set in a shallow baking pan and fill with hot water to halfway up the sides. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges are puffed and golden . Remove from water bath and let cool to warm - 15 minutes or so.
Run a knife around edges of ramekin and unmold -

Serve with a mescalin salad. Pears or apple slices are good with the salad and this dish.

* As there are just two of us I make this with
half a pound of cheese and three eggs -
Also make sure you fill the ramekins to the top - they puff up like a souffle and look wonderful - and hold their shape throughout dinner which is great.

Haven't tried it with other cheeses but a friend did - used good strong aged cheddar and said it was brilliant.

Simplicity rules
Kath

quote:

---

Serve with a mescalin salad

---

No wonder you like this meal!

Seriously though, the recipe sounds wonderful. The salad may be a bit intense....

PH

Nobody likes mesclun.

Just one more sip.

Kath, thanks for the recipe. i agree simplicity is king, but! one must procure the freshest and finest ingridients if one chooses the easy way out.
generally, anything involving food processor is off my radar right away. i'm used to the old fashioned tools (hands and knives) and even make my own bread crumbs by hand. the problem with food processor is in the blade. metallic blades heat up and raise the temperature of your ingridients, changing the way the final product tastes. mayonese, pesto, simple salsas, all are better when prepared by hand and with as little contact with metal as possible.
here is how i make it,
take few slices of rustic bread (levain), cover each slice with two slices of aged goat cheese(log shape), place under the grill for few minutes.
for the dressing comnbine half&half with Dijon, some Sherry vinegar and some walnut or hazelnut oil, whisk and season.
for the salad i usually choose what's the freshest, but my favorite right now is mixed lettuces. drizzle the dressing over your greens, place the grilled bread&cheese on top and sprinkle with chives.

who needs a food processor? especially when energy is in high demand. just remember every time you turn your small appliance you're supporting...oops, wrong venue.
cheerios, Kath.

p.s. i'm going to keep my mesclun comments for future use in MTH.

Did I really write that -

Of course I meant mesclun - (through truthfully I use arugula instead - but tried to copy the recipe from the book.)

However I agree the consequences of my original
post might be a little more "experimental" dudes

Once more - I know it doesn't sound like much - with only two ingredients - but trust me it is
superb -

Grunhauser - going to try your rustic bread tonight - but I am curious now - phillistine that I seem to be - just what DO you use to beat your eggs. Please try to keep it clean.

Kath

a wooden fork.

Awesome - good for you - I am a huge fan of this kind of thinking - so will try it your way and tell you if I think there is a difference.
Kath

i had nine cheeses for cheese course last night. the look my wife gave me...

i'm gonna have to scale down somewhat.

what were they?

I bought an Epoisses today. Now what to pair it with....

Just one more sip.

not in alphabetical order:
Tetilla(oh, mama)
Morbier
Cabecou de Rocamadour
Camembert ( de Chateilan)
Valencay
Perail
Brebis de something
Vacherin
and a Tomme de Savoie

not ...........................

sorry, had to attend an emergency kitchen session, i completely forgot about the lamb tongues i bought yesterday and my wife gently reminded me about it...
ouch!
in go the mirepoix, wine, water, bay leaf, peppercorns and sea salt. tomorrow - lamb tongues and roasted beets salad.
any wine suggestions?

quote:

---

Originally posted by grunhauser:
..... i completely forgot about the lamb tongues i bought yesterday and my wife gently reminded me about it...ouch!
in go the mirepoix, wine, water, bay leaf, peppercorns and sea salt. tomorrow - lamb tongues and roasted beets salad.
any wine suggestions?

---

Sure;
'02 EURODOON Domaine des Blagueurs Syrah-Sirrah

Hey, I'm not saying, I'm just saying .....

Mr.B,
something white, regional( need i say it, i don't think so) and nothing too fancy(Pouilly or Montagny). the cheese will be doing the talking.
got any Marc?

My 3 favs:

Pecorino
Manchego
Parm. Regianno

all paired with a nice Riesling

try Campo de Montalban with white Rioja.

We had the Epoisses with a 1988 Beaucastel tonight. Great pairing.

Just one more sip.

once again...the rules are there for breaking

This was the "Wine / Cheese" table


'00 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Reserve
w/ brie de meaux

'03 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc Stellenbosch
w/ fresh goat cheese

'02 Antinori Orvieto Classico Superiore Castello della Sala
w/ young pecorino

'02 Chateau Souverain Chardonnay Sonoma County
w/ gruyere

'01 Isenhower Syrah Columbia Valley Wild Alfalfa
w/ aged cheddar

'01 Marchesi di Barolo Barbera d'Alba Ruvei
w/ brin d'amore

'01 Bonny Doon Muscat California Vin de Glacière
w/ roquefort

##
- no politics