Wine Cheese Tasting

Hello Food. wine

I would like to put on a wine cheese tasting at a restaurant. Lets say eight wines with eight cheeses . What would the normal portion be ?( in ounces I am in California) What other items should accompany the tasting, like fruit bread ? Any links/urls would be appreciated

Thank You lotusart

Reply to
lotusart
Loading thread data ...

I generally add up the total intake. You don't want people to drink more than half a bottle...! So, eight wines, I would say count on serving 18-20 people with each bottle. This is ample for tasting. It works quite well (I do it all the time). That's about 39 ml, or 1.3 fl oz (US).

Good cheese does not need a bread support, unless it is really sloshy. But make some available anyhow, most people like bread. Sliced apples can help cleanse the palate between cheeses, but careful with the wines... Make sure you sequence the cheeses in the correct order, keep the lighter ones at the beginning, and the strong smelly ones at the end.

Wine is not easy to match to cheese, many cheeses don't match any wine, and whites tend to match cheeses much better than reds (I would keep the reds for the end, with hard cheeses like mimolette or parmigiano reggiano).

When you have a "menu", let us know, we can take a look at it and make our usual friendly comments on it... Where is the tasting?

Cheers

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France email link

formatting link

Reply to
Mike Tommasi

I've got two books that might be of some help in the choices: "The Cheese Course," by Janet Gletcher, Chronicle Books, ISBN 0-8118-2541-8, and "The All American Cheese and Wine Book," by Laura Werlin, Stewart Tabori & Chang, ISBN 1-58479-124-1. The latter does focus on American artisianal cheeses and wines, but one can easily read between the lines. Both should be available at both book sellers' and cooking stores. It seems (and looks by the dust jacket art), that the former might be in the Williams-Sonoma line of books.

Enjoy, Hunt

Reply to
Hunt

0-8118-2541-8,

A big "I second the motion" for the Werlin book. And if you live in California you will probably have access to some great artisanal cheeses.

Reply to
cutecat

Thanks for the input. I came up with these pairings after a little research. Thought 1 1/2 ounce would be a good portion for the cheese .

Riesling, Brie

Sauvignon Blanc, Asiago

Chardonnay, Harvati

Pinot Noir, Camembert

Cabernet, Cheddar sharp,

Syrah, Gouda

Port, Bleu

Botrytis Wine, Bleu

lotusart

Reply to
lotusart

Good choice. Another would be sparkling with Camembert/Brie type.

M.

Reply to
Michael Pronay

Funny how tastes can differ... I'm a total Pinot Noir nut and I wouldn't think twice to say no to Camembert with it (and I do like a good Camembert). I myself would get something like "old amsterdam" (gouda type of cheese) to go with it. I do see the sparkling going together with Camembert / Brie.

Reply to
Bas van Beek

As you said, it is a matter of taste. I approve of Champagne with Brie, ans I am a bit sceptical about Pinot Noir. If it has to be a red, a good Beaujolais? How 'bout a beer...

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France email link

formatting link

Reply to
Mike Tommasi

I've really been getting into cheese lately, and have noticed that raw, or unpasteurized cheeses have a HUGE flavor advantage over their pasteurized counterparts (for the most part). In the U.S., USDA requeres raw milk cheeses must be aged 60 days, so some that I have found are cheddar, reggiano parmigiano, gruyere, comte, raclette. In a brie like cheese, reblochon is available in my area. Also, I've found that you don't have to be that strict about marrying a wine and cheese...I like them all together. One recommendation from my cheese books (juliet harbut and steve jenkins) is to mix hard and soft cheeses, as well as cow, goat, and ewe cheeses to get a good variety.

Andy

Reply to
andy

Salut/Hi andy,

le/on 4 Aug 2004 20:17:22 -0700, tu disais/you said:-

Of course.

No accounting for tastes. I think most cheese/wine marriages are at best passable, very few are excellent, but then, I'm fussy.

Reply to
Ian Hoare

Hi Andy

I am always amazed at the selection of artisanal or raw milk cheese available in certain parts of the USA.

Regarding mixing all those cheeses, my experience makes me instead opt for a very limited choice of cheese, maximum 3-4, and to paying a lot more attention to the wine match. And that match is not an easy task. But when it works, it's great.

Again, I find reds hardest to match, and so I tend to experiment with certain whites. I also like to attempt matches with off-beat wines, especially wines that have been raised in an oxidative environment. Their nutty taste seems to match the most powerful of cheeses, especially goat.

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France email link

formatting link

Reply to
Mike Tommasi

] On 4 Aug 2004 20:17:22 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@att.net (andy) wrote: ] ] >I've really been getting into cheese lately, and have noticed that ] >raw, or unpasteurized cheeses have a HUGE flavor advantage over their ] >pasteurized counterparts (for the most part). In the U.S., USDA ] >requeres raw milk cheeses must be aged 60 days, so some that I have ] >found are cheddar, reggiano parmigiano, gruyere, comte, raclette. In ] >a brie like cheese, reblochon is available in my area. Also, I've ] >found that you don't have to be that strict about marrying a wine and ] >cheese...I like them all together. One recommendation from my cheese ] >books (juliet harbut and steve jenkins) is to mix hard and soft ] >cheeses, as well as cow, goat, and ewe cheeses to get a good variety. ] ] ] Hi Andy ] ] I am always amazed at the selection of artisanal or raw milk cheese ] available in certain parts of the USA. ]

There is no question that some very fine cheeses are being made in the US. The funny thing is that -- advertising campaigns aside -- I associate these more with the east coast than California. Not to say there are none; but even my SF "local" cheese store (when we lived there) Creighton's next to Tower Market, had trouble finding many interesting CA cheeses. There were some great ones, but out weighed by the east coast.

] Regarding mixing all those cheeses, my experience makes me instead opt ] for a very limited choice of cheese, maximum 3-4, and to paying a lot ] more attention to the wine match. And that match is not an easy task. ] But when it works, it's great. ]

I agree, too many is too hard. In France it is very common to only serve a single cheese after the meal, which simplifies things. The match is always tricky IMO -- not that I agree with Ian and Mike about the unmatchability of red and camembert. :)

] Again, I find reds hardest to match, and so I tend to experiment with ] certain whites. I also like to attempt matches with off-beat wines, ] especially wines that have been raised in an oxidative environment. ] Their nutty taste seems to match the most powerful of cheeses, ] especially goat. ]

Interesting, you mean as in vin de paille? I'll have to give that a try, sounds quite good. Anyway conventional wisdom is certainly that white is easier to match than red...

-E

Reply to
Emery Davis

"There is no question that some very fine cheeses are being made in the US. The funny thing is that -- advertising campaigns aside -- I associate these more with the east coast than California. "

Emery,

Some of my personal favorites are indeed East Coast (Vermont in particular), but there are certainly some fine cheeses from CA like Humboldt Fog. Actually, I might nominate Cowgirl Creamery as my favorite US cheese producer, except the prices are just outrageous.

Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Reply to
Dale Williams

particular),

I've never heard of either of those, but I'd bet that Whole Foods carries them. A new one just opened nearby, and their cheese department is _incredible_! I'll have to try them.

If you've never had Vella Dry Jack cheese, you should give it a try. It isn't Reggiano, but the texture is similar and it's quite good.

Tom S

Reply to
Tom S

I've found some terrific artisinal cheese in Vermont. I usually buy my cheese from

formatting link
(not an advertisment and I have no stake in the venture) They ship to the US overnight and I find the selection and quality to be outstanding if not pricey but one can't spent too much to find good cheese...:-) Bi!!

Reply to
RV WRLee
[] ] Some of my personal favorites are indeed East Coast (Vermont in particular),

Yes Vermont does seem to excel. I remember a number here have tried the great sheep's milk from Putney (Vermont not outside of London).

] but there are certainly some fine cheeses from CA like Humboldt Fog. Actually, ] I might nominate Cowgirl Creamery as my favorite US cheese producer, except the ] prices are just outrageous. ]

Love the name, I'll keep an eye out for Cowgirl when I'm back next. US cheese is, needless to say, unavailable in France.

-E

Reply to
Emery Davis

Emery, I'll second the recommendation for Cowgirl. I'm actually surprised that you didn't encounter it during your time in SF. Coastal Sonoma County is now a hotbed of artisanal cheese production, what with all those pampered, fog-drenched cows meandering the countryside. And while we're about it, I'll put in a plug for Indiana's own Capriole, a maker of outstanding goat cheeses, including a stupendous Banon knockoff, now known as "O'Banon" in honor of our late Governor Frank O'Bannon, who died in office last year. :(

Mark Lipton

Reply to
Mark Lipton

] Emery Davis wrote: ] > On 06 Aug 2004 13:20:13 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.comdamnspam (Dale Williams) said: ] > ] > [] ] > ] Some of my personal favorites are indeed East Coast (Vermont in particular), ] > ] > Yes Vermont does seem to excel. I remember a number here have tried the ] > great sheep's milk from Putney (Vermont not outside of London). ] > ] > ] but there are certainly some fine cheeses from CA like Humboldt Fog. Actually, ] > ] I might nominate Cowgirl Creamery as my favorite US cheese producer, except the ] > ] prices are just outrageous. ] > ] ] > ] > Love the name, I'll keep an eye out for Cowgirl when I'm back next. US cheese is, ] > needless to say, unavailable in France. ] ] Emery, ] I'll second the recommendation for Cowgirl. I'm actually surprised ] that you didn't encounter it during your time in SF. Coastal Sonoma ] County is now a hotbed of artisanal cheese production, what with all ] those pampered, fog-drenched cows meandering the countryside. And while ] we're about it, I'll put in a plug for Indiana's own Capriole, a maker ] of outstanding goat cheeses, including a stupendous Banon knockoff, now ] known as "O'Banon" in honor of our late Governor Frank O'Bannon, who ] died in office last year. :( ]

Mark, not saying I didn't have it, just that I didn't remember it! :) But indeed those local Humbolt crops can inspire cows, and other things...

The Capriole chevre is widely available, yes? I seem to think I had some on a trip home last summer, very nice.

Sorry about the governor, though.

-E

Reply to
Emery Davis

DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.