This one is going out to Eric Kent and Tiffini Electra X, who recently made a generous donation to DFT and requested a post on wine and cheese pairings. You, too, can request a blog post if you donate here. Thanks a million, Eric and Tiffini!
Cheese + sauce + bread = happiness
+ booze = perfection
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Sharp cheeses (white cheddar, Irish cheddar) + spicy/sweet chutney (call me tacky, but I love cheap old Crosse and Blackwell's Major Grey's Chutney which is distributed by Smucker's in the States) + water crackers
Best with: lagers, crisp white wines, gin cocktails
Nutty cheeses (sharp cheddar, Parmesan, Asiago) + tangy mustard (preferrably whole grain with some heat) + pumpernickel or rye toasts
Best with: German beer! Maybe some cut up flavorful sausage and little dill pickles, too!
Salty, milky cheeses (queso fresco thinly sliced) + tamarind paste (also thinly sliced) + [cracker optional]
Best with: semi-sweet white wines, good rum or tequila on the rocks (This also works for dessert)
Stinky cheese (bleu, gorgonzola) + pear conserve or marinated grapes + rye or fennel crackers
Best with: Chardonnay, champagne
Creamy cheeses (brie, manchego, chevre) + balsamic fig spread + fluffy baguette slices
Best with: a chilled glass of rose or a smoky Scotch on the rocks
Fresh mozarella + tomato slices + basil leaves + crusty bread (= deconstructed Caprese)
Best with: Lambrusco or a fruity Merlot
I like to offer one of each--a sweet and a more pungent offering--and also put out a neutral nut like Tamari roasted almonds to act as a palate cleanser. You can try to get away with offering one drink that works with both plates, but why be stingy?
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