How to Prepare Wine and Cheese
Choose a variety of cheeses that range in flavor from mild to strong., Serve soft cheeses whole., Slice hard cheeses uniformly., Arrange cheeses according to intensity of flavor and milk content., Offer accompaniments with cheeses.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a variety of cheeses that range in flavor from mild to strong.
Serving a variety ensures that all of your guests can find something to suit their palates.
Choose 3 to 5 varieties of cheese for a party of 20 guests where the cheese will serve as an appetizer or first course.
Add 1 variety of cheese for every 10 additional guests.
If cheese is being served as the main meal at your gathering, start with 5 to 7 varieties and add 1 variety for every additional 10 guests.
Choose some mild cheeses, like a fresh buffalo mozzarella with a mild flavor and creamy texture.
Select others with strong flavors, like an herb Havarti.
This will allow guests to experience the difference between mild and strong cheeses from various regions.
Offer at least 1 commonly known cheese for every cheese that is lesser known.
Prepare cheddar or Swiss if you're offering Havarti or Emmentaler.
This will give guests who aren't familiar with rarer cheese varieties something that tastes familiar. -
Step 2: Serve soft cheeses whole.
Soft cheeses like Brie that are soft but encased in a hard rind are best served whole to keep them intact until eaten.
Place the whole round on a chilled serving platter with a cheese knife that guests can use to spread the cheese on crackers or fruit.
The chilled platter will prevent soft cheeses from running. , Use a sharp, non-serrated knife to slice hard cheeses into slices about 1/4-inch thick.
Slice round cheeses into thin triangular wedges.
Shave thin wafers off wedge-shaped cheeses.
Crumbly cheeses, like Bleu cheese, can be formed into small, bite-size pieces. , Keep cheeses like aged Cheddar and Brie together, because these flavors will be very intense.
Place milder, non-aged cheeses, like Mozzarella, on a separate platter.
Separate cheeses made from different milks.
Cow's milk cheese is balanced in fat and protein content, giving it a versatile creamy texture found in cheeses like Muenster and Gouda.
Sheep's milk has a higher lactose content that results in stronger cheeses like Roquefort and Pecorino Romano.
Goat's milk cheese is tangier than cow's milk or sheep's milk due to it's low potassium level, resulting in cheeses like Bucheron that have a tangy bite.
The flavors of cheeses that are made and then aged before being served, like Cheddar and Bleu, intensify as they are aged.
This is why non-aged cheeses tend to have a milder flavor than aged varieties.
Bring all cheeses to room temperature about a half hour before serving to enhance their flavor.
Serve hard cheeses on wooden cutting boards for a level cutting surface with a separate cheese knife for each selection. , Intersperse cheese selections with crackers, bread rounds, grapes or fruit slices.
These will enhance the flavors of the cheeses.
Unsalted nuts and whole-grain breads and crackers help cleanse the palate between wine and cheese selections.
Complement classic Italian cheeses like Asiago or Reggiano with Italian condiments like olives or bread cubes dipped in herb olive oil.
Pair strongly flavored or salty cheeses like Blue, Feta and Gorgonzola with honey, grapes or berries to balance out the saltiness with sweetness.
Soft cheeses like Brie pair well with condiments that have contrasting textures, like crackers or toasted bread.
Goat's milk and sheep's milk cheeses pair well with caramelized or salted pecans, walnuts or almonds.
Cow's and goat's milk cheeses also go well with chorizo or serrano ham. -
Step 3: Slice hard cheeses uniformly.
-
Step 4: Arrange cheeses according to intensity of flavor and milk content.
-
Step 5: Offer accompaniments with cheeses.
Detailed Guide
Serving a variety ensures that all of your guests can find something to suit their palates.
Choose 3 to 5 varieties of cheese for a party of 20 guests where the cheese will serve as an appetizer or first course.
Add 1 variety of cheese for every 10 additional guests.
If cheese is being served as the main meal at your gathering, start with 5 to 7 varieties and add 1 variety for every additional 10 guests.
Choose some mild cheeses, like a fresh buffalo mozzarella with a mild flavor and creamy texture.
Select others with strong flavors, like an herb Havarti.
This will allow guests to experience the difference between mild and strong cheeses from various regions.
Offer at least 1 commonly known cheese for every cheese that is lesser known.
Prepare cheddar or Swiss if you're offering Havarti or Emmentaler.
This will give guests who aren't familiar with rarer cheese varieties something that tastes familiar.
Soft cheeses like Brie that are soft but encased in a hard rind are best served whole to keep them intact until eaten.
Place the whole round on a chilled serving platter with a cheese knife that guests can use to spread the cheese on crackers or fruit.
The chilled platter will prevent soft cheeses from running. , Use a sharp, non-serrated knife to slice hard cheeses into slices about 1/4-inch thick.
Slice round cheeses into thin triangular wedges.
Shave thin wafers off wedge-shaped cheeses.
Crumbly cheeses, like Bleu cheese, can be formed into small, bite-size pieces. , Keep cheeses like aged Cheddar and Brie together, because these flavors will be very intense.
Place milder, non-aged cheeses, like Mozzarella, on a separate platter.
Separate cheeses made from different milks.
Cow's milk cheese is balanced in fat and protein content, giving it a versatile creamy texture found in cheeses like Muenster and Gouda.
Sheep's milk has a higher lactose content that results in stronger cheeses like Roquefort and Pecorino Romano.
Goat's milk cheese is tangier than cow's milk or sheep's milk due to it's low potassium level, resulting in cheeses like Bucheron that have a tangy bite.
The flavors of cheeses that are made and then aged before being served, like Cheddar and Bleu, intensify as they are aged.
This is why non-aged cheeses tend to have a milder flavor than aged varieties.
Bring all cheeses to room temperature about a half hour before serving to enhance their flavor.
Serve hard cheeses on wooden cutting boards for a level cutting surface with a separate cheese knife for each selection. , Intersperse cheese selections with crackers, bread rounds, grapes or fruit slices.
These will enhance the flavors of the cheeses.
Unsalted nuts and whole-grain breads and crackers help cleanse the palate between wine and cheese selections.
Complement classic Italian cheeses like Asiago or Reggiano with Italian condiments like olives or bread cubes dipped in herb olive oil.
Pair strongly flavored or salty cheeses like Blue, Feta and Gorgonzola with honey, grapes or berries to balance out the saltiness with sweetness.
Soft cheeses like Brie pair well with condiments that have contrasting textures, like crackers or toasted bread.
Goat's milk and sheep's milk cheeses pair well with caramelized or salted pecans, walnuts or almonds.
Cow's and goat's milk cheeses also go well with chorizo or serrano ham.
About the Author
Scott Richardson
Committed to making pet care accessible and understandable for everyone.
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