Recently I was lucky enough to be able to attend a cheese and wine tasting event hosted by
Warrnambool Cheese & Butter. There were a select group invited and the event was presented by David Mellor, who is the Cheese Barista at Warrnambool Cheese & Butter.
The presentation was very creative, with some large rustic cheese boards, laden with the cheese and some fruit and celery to cleanse your palate in between each tasting.
Although I am definitely a cheese and wine lover, I'd never taken the time to learn which cheese compliments which wine. I thought the event was just going to be someone talking about the cheeses and how they are made, but it was so much more and I came away with some great ideas and a better understanding of how to serve cheese and wine next time I hold a dinner party.
Warrnambool Cheese & Butter make brands that you can find in your local supermarket like Cracker Barrel, Coon and Mil Lel and part of David's job is to grade and taste these cheeses to make sure it is of the highest quality and meets customer expectations.
David talked us through what Warrnambool Cheese & Butter do, how much cheese they produce and his role as a Cheese Barista. He then took us through the cheeses and explained which wines are best to pair with each cheese.
Below are David's 'Top Ten Tips' for a great cheese platter:
1. Remember that everyone has different tastes - so mix it up!
Just like we all like different varieties of wine, we also have different palates when it comes to our favourite cheese. The ideal platter has a mix of hard cheddar, a creamy cheese such as brie or camembert, and a cheese flavoured with pepper or chilli to spice things up. When plating up, it's as much about the flavour as it is about the texture and contrast.
2. Cheese is a bit like wine... so know your audience
Wine preferences can vary between generations - and so do cheeses. Younger people will probably prefer milder cheese that is matured for a shorter period, while the older generations (or more seasoned cheese lovers) have more mature tastebuds through trial, so they are looking for stronger flavours, such as a strong flavoured cheddar like our limited edition Cracker Barrel Vintage 44, which has been matured for 44 months (a standard cheddar is aged for about half that time). To keep both the young and mature palates happy, make sure you include tasty and creamy cheeses, as well as vintage cheddars.
3. Shopping for cheeses
With so much variety on the market these days, consumers have a range of options to choose from and the good news is that there are many good quality cheeses for a reasonable price, which can be found in the dairy cases.
4. How to tell a superior cheese?
You can tell a good vintage cheese by the colour and texture of the surface. For a cheddar, look for white makings, a sign of calcium lactate which indicates a very mature cheese with an exceptional flavour. Alternatively for a Colby cheese, look for a more richer colour which shows the cheese would have a nice smooth, creamy texture.
5. Don't forget your accompaniments (but choose carefully)
While I personally love to eat cheese on its own, for the majority of cheese eaters, habit and lack of cheese knowledge leads them to accompany a square of cheese with all sorts of accompaniments! Whilst this is not totally taboo, it's important to ensure that whatever you're using as the vehicle t get the cheese into your mouth doesn't overpower it. I would recommend a plain biscuit/cracker, which really only serves the purpose of getting the cheese from the plate to your mouth, and for many, just adds a different texture layer.
6. Did you know...
Quince paste was actually invented as a palate cleanser between courses of cheese, similar to a mint sorbet so popular French degustations. However, the modern use of quince pasties great to have with your cheese, particularly as Australian cheese tends to have quite a strong flavour. My secret tip? Spread the quince paste and cheese on either side of the cracker to keep your flavours separate, but complimentary.
7. Behind every good cheese, there's a good wine!
You're likely to be enjoying a tipple with your cheese. My rule of thumb is that cheddar, vintage or tasty cheeses go ell with a glass of red wine as the flavours balance each other out, while creamy cheeses such as camembert or brie suit a sweet dessert wine, as it cuts through the freshness of the cheese.
If you're feeling adventurous or looking for something fresh, try a slice of brie with the crisp flavour of an Appletini, a gouda cheese with a San Francisco Sangria, a cheddar with a Star Gazer or a chèvre with Cool Melon Mint - the options are endless.
8. Storage before the big party
Ever wondered why your cheese can sometimes take on a flavour similar to last night's dinner? That's probably because you stored it in glad wrap. Cheese is composed of living cultures and is high in fat, so it is prone to absorbing the flavours of other food in the fridge. To avoid this (and other nasties like mould) keep your cheese wrapped and stored in a container. Cheddar doesn't technically have a shelf life so you can maintain its quality by storing it this way.
9. Cheese is a dish best served... at room temperature?
Most people would assume that you should take your cheese out of the fridge and onto a platter when you're about to serve it. However, in order to taste the full flavour of the cheese, it's actually best served at room temperature. So male sure yo take your cheese out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving. A good tip is to cover the cheese in a damp kitchen towel to prevent the cheese drying out. Also, it's one less thing to worry about when your friends arrive!
Cheese doesn't have to be served before the main meal. In fact, I prefer to have cheese after dinner with a glass of wine and a good conversation. Cheese is high in fat content, so if you have it before your meal you're likely to be too full to finish. Which , for many chefs, is the height of insult!
10. By all means try lots of cheeses... but cleanse your palate in between
For the cheese lovers who are sampling every variety on your platter, make sure you include some slices of apple in your spread, or celery. Apples and celery act as a great palate cleanser, and ensure that the flavours of the different cheeses don't compete against each other. Quince paste also serves this purpose, but as discovered, people now enjoy it as a cheese accompaniment so I say, let them have their cheese and eat it too!
The tips David gave were great. For instance I had no idea that you should wrap your cheese and store it in a container. I've actually noticed from time to time that some of the cheese stored in my fridge has been a little odd tasting and now I know why. Since the cheese and wine event I now wrap all my cheese in baking paper and place it in a plastic bag and pop in in the fridge away from anything it could potentially pick up flavour from.
Also, I found the tip to serve apple and celery very helpful and very effective. It really makes a difference if you cleanse your palate between cheese and wine tastings.
Here's an exact list of the cheese and wine we were lucky enough to taste...
Cheese and Wine List:
- Triple cream brie with a dessert wine Sirromet Late Harvest Pinot Gris (dessert wine)
- Gouda with Sirromet Vineyard Selection Sauvignon Blanc
- Cracker Barrel Vintage Cheddar Extra Sharp (aged 20 months) with Sirromet Vineyard Selection Shiraz
- Cracker Barrel Vintage Cheddar (aged 44 months) wit Sirromet Signature Collection Cabernet Sauvignon
- Blue Cheese with Sirromet Private Collection Sunwine
Cracker Barrel's Vintage 44 Cheddar is available from Woolworths Stores for a limited time over the festive season (or until stocks run out) and retails for $6.99.
All wines on the night were provided by
Sirromet.
Towards the end of the evening, David showed us some super simple, but very effective recipes to spice up the taste and presentation of your cheese platter. That's MEEE :-)
Cracker Barrel Vintage 44 Cheddar topped with honey, walnuts and dates...
- Place the block of cheese on a platter
- Drizzle with 1/4 cup of honey
- Top with 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup of chopped dates
- Serve with slices of apple
Top middle in the photo below...
Mil Lel Parmesan with Balsamic Glaze (my personal favourite)
- Drizzle some balsamic glaze over the top of some small pieces of parmesan.
- David recommends the Mazzetti Balsamic Vinegar Glaze.
Top right on the photo below...
Camembert Pintxos with Fruit Chutney
- Cut up a baguette and toast the slices
- Using a 220gm block of camembert, cut into 24 slices
- Place cheese onto bread and top with 1 tsp of chutney
Top left in the photo below...
These recipes are super easy but they really add some colour and texture to your cheese platter...
... and we all wanted photos of the cheese after David had 'done them up'.
It was a great fun night and I really loved the fact that I came out with new knowledge about cheese and wine pairings, palate cleansing and even cheese storage...
... which came in very useful as I was given a gorgeous cheese board and a selection of cheese to take home and try. I had one very happy husband when I got home.
I've included a few more photos and a short video that I took on the night.
Enjoy,
Dixie Girlxox
