You sometimes wonder how to choose the right cheeses for a perfect cheese course. Here are some guidelines for success.
1. Choose a good cheese shop operated by a passionate cheese person who can tell you what is the best cheese in the shop at the moment and who will be happy to open everything you are interested in.
2. Choose 3 or 4 different varieties for a party of 4 to 6 guests and increase to 5 to 6 cheeses for a party of 8 guests.
3. Choose strengths from mild to strong, for example, a triple cream, a goat cheese aged a least one month like a Crottin or a Bucheret. Then proceed to a Gruyere de Comte, Abbaye de Belloc or an Appenzeller, and finish with a blue which has the most lingering flavors on your palate.
4. Be daring and include the three most popular milks: cow, goat and sheep.
5. Try to include color. Shropshire blue from Neal's Yard looks stunning on a tray. A lush Epoisses when in season is always a good choice for any reason, color or not.
6. We have been taught fresh fruit with cheese is a must when in reality it interferes with the flavors of wine and cheese. Dry fruits such as figs, dry pears, abricots and mangos can compliment wine and cheese, without saying "no sugar added."
The best way to serve cheese is with what we call a Sweet baguette. Avoid the flavored bread which interferes with the flavor of cheese. When it comes to crackers, there is only one I know that works well. It is called Falwasser and it is made in Australia. There are 85 crackers in one package. They are very thin and delicious. You can find them in speciality shops or at Oliver's Market in Santa-Rosa.
All your cheese wedges should face the guest and not the middle of the plate, it is very awkward to cut cheese when the rind faces you.
Serve on a nice piece of marble, on an attractive piece of wood or on a large plate. Flat is best so the cheese does not lose its shape. Make sure each piece has enough room to be appetizing. When the cheeses are cramped they seem to loose their identity.
All cheeses should be at room temperature in order to show all of their flavors. Please remember a creamy one will reach room temperature faster than a hard one and blues take about two hours to reach full flavor.
For an interesting experience try your cheese before dinner, and try them again as a cheese course. You will probably find that the flavors are much better after dinner than before. It is very possible that your taste buds were finally more open to receiving the complex flavors you can find in Artisanal cheese.
BON APPETIT... do not forget your favorite wine!
