I may or may not be obsessed with
cheese (are you, too?), so the fact that we live down the street from
Murray's Cheese, the most amazing cheese shop that ever existed, is fabulous and a little dangerous. The shop is packed with incredible cheeses, meats, chocolates, breads and ice creams, and the cheesemongers are geniuses (and give samples!).
Toby and I venture over there at least twice a week, and we're both fatter and happier for it.
So, my darlings, I'm thrilled to present this handy guide to creating the perfect cheese plate! I met with Murray's head cheesemonger Sydney Willcox to discover her tried-and-true tips, and the lovely
Jamie Beck took photos. Here goes...
Overall pointers for putting together a cheese plate:* When you invite friends over, buy one ounce per person per cheese; and stick to five to six cheeses total.
* Choose a fun variety of cheeses: different textures, countries, and all three milk types (goat, sheep, cow).
* Serve all the cheeses on one big board. You want your guests to start with the mildest and work up to the strongest, so place the cheeses in "clock order"--12 o'clock being the mildest and 11 o'clock being the strongest.
* Take the cheese out of the fridge at least an hour before serving. Cheese should be eaten at room temperature, when it's at its full flavor and texture.
* Put out a few different knives. Goat and blue cheeses crumble if you use a regular knife, so
cheese wires are the best thing to use--if you don't have one, you can use dental floss! Softer cheeses work best with a
butter knife. Harder cheeses, like parmesan, are good with a
triangle-shaped knife. Cut circular cheeses in wedges, like a pizza.
* If you have leftovers, don't store the cheese in Saran Wrap, which will make the cheese sweat and leave a plastic-y taste. Cheese is living and needs to breathe, so wrap it in parchment or wax paper, and keep it in the most humid part of the fridge (usually the vegetable drawer).
Six cheeses for the perfect basic cheese plate:
(
pictured clockwise from top)
1.
Cremont is a bloomy, rindy, mild cheese, which debuted last year in Vermont. (The name "cremont" is a mix of "cream" and "Vermont"!) The cheese has both cow and goat milk. Luscious, coats your tongue, fudge-y, cake-y.
2.
La Tur is the little black dress of cheeses! Everyone loves it. It's a mix of goat, sheep and cow--which is is pretty unusual. Flavorwise, you get a hint of all three animals--tang from the goat, lingering buttery fat from the sheep, milky sweetness from the cow. The texture feels almost whipped, like savory ice cream! At a party, this insanely popular Italian cheese will disappear first.
3.
Pyrenees Brebis. Every single person I've has ever met loves this sheep's milk cheese. It's a huge crowd-pleaser. A lot of flavor, but very harmonious. Nutty, salty, floral, semi-soft. From the southwest region of France, where there are huge herds of sheep.
4.
Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. Cabot makes lots of cheddars, but this is their artisanal (read: fancy!) line. What's cool about this cheese is that it's a partnership between Cabot and the Cellars at Jasper Hill--Cabot makes the cheese, which is then aged in the Cellars at Jasper Hill. There's actually a staff of guys (football-player size!) who flip these cheeses everyday, so they'll age evenly. The cheese is wrapped in cloth, which is a more English style of making cheese. Super strong cheddar; you get little crystals. You'll taste peanuts, caramel, earthy flavors. Eat from the inside out; then take the cloth off and then eat the rind--it almost takes like dirt, but it works so well with the other flavors. (P.S. It would make the best grilled cheese you'd ever have in your life.)
5.
Pleasant Ridge Reserve. Made with raw Jersey cow's milk in Wisconsin. Very fruity and smooth. The American Cheese Society just named it "Best in Show" for the
third time (it's the only cheese to have been awarded Best in Show more than once!). You've gotta try it.
6.
Cambozola Black Label is a very, very delicate blue cheese. Just a tinge of that mineral flavor; very buttery with a bit of a cashew flavor. A great beginning cheese for people who think they might not like blue cheeses. (Once you put it on bread and add a grape, it will mellow out, if you’re feeling timid!) Blue cheeses and chocolate also go together really well--a great balance of salty and sweet.
Pair cheeses with: Dried cherries, walnuts,
marcona almonds (I love these!), fresh grapes, crackers and French bread.
Yummy! Thank you so much, Sydney and
Murray's! Have you tried any of these cheeses before? Do you have a different favorite cheese that you'd recommend? I'd love to hear...
P.S. More
cheese-y posts!
(Photos by
Jamie Beck for
Cup of Jo)
Source URL: http://sparesomeribs.blogspot.com/search/label/foodVisit Spare Some Ribs for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection
Claudia Lucero moved to Portland in search of slower, happier life. She started pickling vegetables and making cheese, and now she runs an etsy shop with DIY cheese kits! You can make the fresh cheeses in your kitchen in under an hour with just a gallon of milk.
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Ooooh, yes please.
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The avocado popsicle was surprisingly sweet and refreshing...
...and the Greek yogurt with blackberry popsicle was creamy and tart.
Here are the recipes, if you'd like to try them out. Enjoy!
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My lovelies, here's our third (and final) cheese tutorial! If you're planning a romantic night at home, or a fun evening with friends, here are three cheese + drink pairings that will knock your socks off...
The stinky French cow's milk cheese Langres comes in a wooden container. The traditional way to eat it is to pour Champagne into the little dip (or "fountain") on the top of the cheese -- which makes it effervescent and delicious! (Confession: We used Prosecco to save some coin, but it was still fabulous.)
There are two types of people in the world: Those who love smoky flavors, and those who hate them. (Which are you?) This smoked goat cheese, Up in Smoke, packs a major punch--and almost tastes like bacon! The award-winning cheese is bright, tangy and smoky, since it's wrapped in smoked maple leaves spritzed with bourbon. Double the intensity by pairing it with a really smoky beer. (Alex was obsessed with this combo.)
I never drink coffee (which is ironic considering my blog's name), but I made an exception for this amazing cheese. Barely Buzzed is a cheddar-style cheese made by two brothers-in-law in Utah, and the rind is rubbed with espresso coffee grounds and lavender. The flavors permeate the milky cheese--it's incredible. Barely Buzzed won a Blue Ribbon at the American Cheese Society three years in a row. Pair it with a strong cup of coffee for a taste explosion...and a serious spring in your step. :)
How rad are these wine bottles? They would be great to bring to a dinner party or celebration.
How sweet is this idea for brownies? (You could do it with letters, too.)
My sweets, a couple weeks ago, we figured out how to make the perfect cheese plate. But what about really those change-your-life strong cheeses? Well, Murray's Cheese helped us put together a cheese plate for brave souls that will blow your mind (and stink up your living room). The only question is: Can you handle it? :)
Overall rule of thumb: Typically it's OK to eat the rind of any cheese, as long as you can handle the stronger flavor (exceptions, of course, are cloth-bound or wax rinds).
I may or may not be obsessed with cheese (are you, too?), so the fact that we live down the street from Murray's Cheese, the most amazing cheese shop that ever existed, is fabulous and a little dangerous. The shop is packed with incredible cheeses, meats, chocolates, breads and ice creams, and the cheesemongers are geniuses (and give samples!). Toby and I venture over there at least twice a week, and we're both fatter and happier for it.
Overall pointers for putting together a cheese plate:
Six cheeses for the perfect basic cheese plate:
Yummy! Thank you so much, Sydney and Murray's! Have you tried any of these cheeses before? Do you have a different favorite cheese that you'd recommend? I'd love to hear...
Alex and I were reminiscing last night and realized that we went on our very first date exactly four years ago! I remember feeling giddy and nervous as I walked over to meet him at the Angelika Film Center. We saw The Lives of Others, the suspenseful German film about the East Berlin secret police. It was really intense and my heart was in my throat as we watched it.
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