What goes well with cheese? Wedgewood Cheese Bar owner offers tips, menu ideas
Creating a cheese plate with the right add-ons can seem daunting, but a quality cheesemonger can be a helpful guide, Wedgewood Cheese Bar owner Stevie Webb says.
Visiting a cheese shop also gives you an opportunity to taste a variety of cheeses before deciding what you want. Mild cheese doesn’t have to be boring, Webb said, but if you have a more adventurous palate, you might savor a raw milk cheese, such as Taleggio.
A raw milk cheese “is going to have all those subtle nuances, all those flavors, all that depth of character,” that a pasteurized cheese doesn’t have, he said. Simple accompaniments might include cornichons and Marcona almonds, which have a more succulent, buttery and sweet flavor than a traditional almond.
“You don’t have to go crazy with your pairings,” Webb said. “Sometimes, particularly with a really good cheese, less is more.”
A good example is pickles and chutney with a good cheddar, he said.
“Cheddar is one of my favorites, because it hits all the parts of the mouth. It gets the savory, it gets the tangy, it gets a little bit of sweetness in there,” Webb said. “It’s just got tons of umami, and it adds minerality to it, as well.”
More cheese-plating tips
▪ Get the best quality cheese available, and look for varieties that shine alongside vegetables and fruits that are in season.
▪ Give star billing to one or two special cheeses when serving an appetizer before dinner.
▪ Serve cheese as a palate cleanser between the main course dessert, or serve it as dessert, with sweet or savory accompaniments.
▪ What grows together, goes together. If your menu is inspired by Spain, for instance, Webb suggested a manchego cheese plate with Serrano ham, breadsticks and membrillo, or quince jam.
▪ Choose a wine that is complementary, rather than redundant — a full, soft and earthy cheese paired with a light, crisp white wine, for example. The result can be a third, unexpected flavor that wows your guests.
Simple but flavorful
Start with a fresh, mild cheese, followed by a soft, “bloomy” cheese, washed rind or hard cheese, and lastly, something blue, such as:
▪ Buffalo mozzarella
▪ Fresh goat cheese
▪ A good American cheddar
▪ A light blue, such as a Fourme d’Ambert
Take it up a notch
If you’re planning a special dinner or a more formal get-together, Webb suggests this classic pairing:
▪ A Gorgonzola Dolce or Gorgonzola Piccante
▪ Fresh pear slices
▪ Toasted walnuts
