We at Gourmet Live couldn't be more thrilled about the current craze for cheese. Artisanal cheese making thrives both here in the United States and abroad, cheesemongers have multiplied in our foodier locales, and restaurants both haute and humble are presenting cheese courses that leave the stodgy trolleys of old way behind. And so, we've decided to indulge ourselves with this plan for a party that spotlights a sublime selection of cheeses, along with accompaniments such as crusty loaves, fruit and nuts, and generous lashings of wine.
One advantage to this method of entertaining is its versatility: You can make your buffet as simple or as elaborate as your imagination, your cheese shop, and your wallet will allow. Part of the fun (aside from the shopping, of course) is the planning. Do you want to showcase the products of a particular country—regional classics of Italy, for instance, or hand-crafted cheeses of the United States—or would you rather home in on a specific type such as Cheddars or blues, or perhaps the kind of milk used (cow's, sheep's, goat's)?
For our admittedly extravagant offering, we decided to put together an eclectic assortment of cheese types and textures. You can mix and match them to compose a platter full of variety, or try serving the cheeses in "flights," or one group at a time—an enlightening way to compare and contrast different examples of the same kind of cheese. In that case, it's best to start with the lighter chèvres, then progress through the soft, creamy, cheeses and the more piquant hard cheeses, and end with the noble blues. (As when tasting wines, if you begin with more powerful flavors, your palate won't be able to appreciate the subtler ones.)
Accompaniments: Cheese of such caliber as those we've chosen deserve the very best breads you can find—a crusty baguette, an honest multigrain, a tangy sourdough, a walnut-studded whole-wheat. We've also lavished the table with the most beautiful grapes we could find; or try rich, sweet dates or walnuts.
Sources: The recommended cheeses can be found at many cheese stores, specialty foods shops, or online.
Storage and serving tips: Chill cheese, wrapped loosely in wax paper—it needs to "breathe" in order to further develop—and then in foil, in the bottom of the refrigerator. Cheese should never be frozen. Bring cheese to room temperature before serving; if served too cool, much of the flavor will be lost and the texture will be off. While it stands, leave it wrapped so that any cut surfaces don't dry out.
A note on the wines: When matching cheeses and wines, white wine, dry Sherry, and a sweet wine such as Sauternes or Port often prove the perfect complement, preferable to red wine in many cases. Because cheese has the effect of softening the tannic character of red wine, a mellow red can taste flabby and dull with a creamy cheese. And many pungent cheeses are simply too strong for reds. They may be better accompanied by a spirit such as Calvados or Marc de Bourgogne.
For the light, tangy goat cheeses, the very best match is a crisp, fresh Sancerre from the Loire Valley. Sauvignon blanc is grown in many regions of the world, but nowhere does it have the zip or the special mineral quality it has when grown in the chalky soil of Sancerre.
Soft, creamy cheeses have a certain unctuous quality that calls for full-bodied, intense whites or lively, fruity reds. For the white, Pinot Gris and Tokay d' Alsace are ideal with Alsatian Muenster. Both have plenty of flesh and spice to counter and stand up to the buttery texture of soft cheeses. A good red choice would be a cru Beaujolais or Morgon with sufficient structure and ripe, juicy fruit so as not to be muted by the creaminess of the cheese.
The hard cheeses demand red wine. The cru Beaujolais would be fine, but perhaps better suited would be a bigger, more substantial red such as a Cornas with layered, lush fruit as well as great balance and class.
One of the culinary world's great taste sensations is the pairing of a Sauternes with a blue-veined cheese. It inspires the same charge one gets when detecting a touch of salt in a sweet cookie. The acidity and sweetness in Sauternes provide a comparable tension and energy when matches with a salty, creamy cheese. Fortified wines such as Port are also a classic accompaniment to blue cheeses.
An Eclectic Assortment
EDITORS' NOTE: We suggest serving 6 ounces of cheese per person (4 1/2 pounds total for 12 people). We chose 15 cheeses available in the U.S. and broke them down into the following classifications of texture and type.
Goat Cheeses
Chabichou du Poitou (Poitou, France)—Look for Le Chevrot, which comes pasteurized in the U.S., with a stark-white, creamy interior and a sharp citrusy flavor. Beige or light brown rind with faint mold.
Picandine Chèvre (Saint-Astier, France)—Pasteurized, with a white exterior and a sweet, mild flavor. Sometimes found wrapped in chestnut leaves.
Valençay (Berry, France)—Available pasteurized in the U.S. Short, four-sided, truncated pyramid sometimes covered in (edible) ash. The white interior is smooth, soft, and mild; flavor intensifies and rind hardens as cheese ages. A prize-winning American-made option is Bloomsdale, a Valençay-inspired pasteurized farmstead cheese from Baetje Farms in Missouri.
Soft Cheeses
Hudson Valley Camembert (New York State)— A pasteurized fresh cheese made with sheep's and cow's milk—from Old Chatham Sheepherding Company.
Muenster (Alsace, France)—Available pasteurized in the U.S., this cow's-milk cheese is characterized by a russet-colored rind and a nutty flavor; develops a pungent aroma as cheese ages.
Pierre Robert (Brie, France)—A triple-crème pasteurized cow's-milk cheese with a luscious, mild flavor. As it ripens, the rind becomes a mottled beige-brown.
Taleggio (Lombardy, Italy)—A cow's-milk cheese that is available pasteurized in the U.S. Refined, mild salty flavor; distinctive musky rind.
Firm/Hard Cheeses
Dry Jack (California)—Aged raw cow's milk cheese that resembles Parmigiano-Reggiano in its depth of flavor and firm texture. Distinctive cocoa-and-black-pepper-coated rind.
Farmhouse Cheddar (southern England)—A firm raw cow's-milk cheese. Two superb examples are Keen's (sharp flavor, closer to what most Americans are used to) and Montgomery (a little fruitier).
Parmigiano-Reggiano (Emilia-Romagna)—A raw cow's-milk cheese with a granular texture. Flavor is fruitiest when cheese is no more than two years old.
Vermont Shepherd (Vermont)—Aged raw sheep's-milk cheese from Major Farm. Buttery texture and herby flavor that reflects the wonderful pastureland.
Blue Cheeses
Cabrales (Asturias, Spain)—Mixture of raw cow's, goat's, and sheep's milk. Rich flavor and crumbly texture similar to that of Roquefort. Striking blue-purple veining.
Gorgonzola Dolce (Lombardy, Italy)—A mild, almost sweet raw or pasteurized cow's milk cheese with a creamy texture; differs from aged Gorgonzola (Gorgonzola naturale), which is sharper and firmer.
Maytag Blue (Iowa)—A raw cow's milk cheese with a peppery taste and a creamy texture. Becomes more piquant as it ages.
Roquefort (southern France)—Made from a raw sheep's milk, this ancient cheese has a moist, crumbly texture. Some brands are saltier than others; we like Le Papillon and Vieux Berger, which may be the least salty of all Roqueforts.