How better serve and enjoy cheese
A couple months ago I enrolled in the Fromager certification program at George Brown College. Taking that course was the highlight of my week. We would get together on Monday nights and taste many different types of cheese, enjoy and analyze them together. Each week we looked at different styles and types of milk that were made into cheese all over the world. So for this week I thought I would share some information to make your next cheese experience a great one!
Who doesn’t love cheese? I guess if you can’t eat it, then obviously you can’t enjoy it but if you can enjoy it then why not indulge!
Right now, I’m not going to get into huge specifics of types and the science behind making cheese. I am going to focus on how to better serve and enjoy cheese when you are by yourself or when serving to other people.
When putting together a cheese board or cheese course in a meal, where do you start? For me, depending on the number of people I usually choose between 3, 5 or 7 styles. I would say, three types of cheese for 2 -4 people, five kinds for 5-7 people and seven kinds for 8-12 people. If serving a large group and you need to make many platters to cover a room I would say 4 types on each tray is enough (you don’t want to crowd the amount you are serving. If you also want to serve more than 3 styles on a small board, just think about cutting down the portion size of the cheese.
When choosing the kinds of cheese here are a few quick points to remember when putting together your next cheese board
1) Always choose different cheeses with different consistencies (your guest should have the opportunity to try the different styles, with different textures)
Some options include: fresh cheese, firm cheese, washed rind, bloomy rind, blue or natural rind. Offer a range of textures, from luscious and liquid to toothy and brittle, so your guest’s palates will enjoy different sensations
2) Make sure that the cheese is served room temperature (that way more of the flavour profiles come out)
3) Every cheese has a good side, so present it on its best side for your guest to see
4) Don’t over complicate it by putting too many components on the board when serving (maybe some crostini, olives and preserves or mustard's) *don’t pile it up there!
Flavours of additions can be sweet, tart, savoury, herbal, fruity, nutty, toasty, spicy, or neutral
5) Allow the person who works at the cheese store or cheese counter to give their recommendations when purchasing a cheese (most of the time they may give you an opportunity to try something new and maybe it may also be at a good price)
6) When serving a cheese course, choose the cheeses according to the wine and serve with simple accompaniments and not too much bread
7) Try to serve the cheeses with some small utensils (big stuff will unfortunately get in the way and may fall off)
8) Choose cheeses that you enjoy, because after all you
*A quick rule you can always stick with if you are really confused and unsure what to buy; 1 cow, 1 sheep and 1 goat, then multiply this by however many people you are going to be serving. This is a great way to really mix of flavours and styles of cheeses
When storing cheese after you purchase it, remember to store it in paper or waxed paper. Once it becomes a small piece use plastic wrap to keep it fresh (change the plastic wrap every time you take from it)
I will go into pairing cheese and wine in another post. There is way too much information to talk about and go into when it comes to matching flavours and characteristics of the two things. I will however say that cheese goes wonderfully with wine as well as beer and cider, so think about that the next time you are serving it as well.
A few cheese places (global cheese and the cheese boutique to name a couple) are still open now to get some wonderful cheese at, so check out the local cheese store in your area and pay attention to what is new at your grocery store.
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