Have you heard of The Cheese Twins? If you’ve seen Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race (they were the Season 7 winners!), or Chopped (they were finalists on the “Twins for the Win” episode!), then you probably have!
Well, I had the privilege of learning about all things cheese from the twins themselves at the Wine Bloggers Conference this month. They led us through pairings and plating techniques using Cheeses of Europe (check out their App!!). Not only did I eat some of the best cheeses EVER, but I learned how to pair them with different wines, and how to create a perfect cheese platter, too! Just in time for the holiday season.
P.S. Cheeses of Europe is quality cheese. Not all cheese is quality cheese. Sad, but true. I recommend spending a couple extra dollars and purchasing from Cheeses of Europe next time you’re assembling a fromage board. The Cheeses of Europe app will tell you exactly where you can buy their cheese in your area, but they are stocked in many Whole Foods stores nation-wide. Their cheese can also be ordered online.
Here are the pairings we did, along with a description of why they work together:
Pairing 1: Brie with Meiomi Sparkling Wine
Why it works: Brie is a rich cheese, and good brie contains a lot of butterfat. The sparkling wine cleanses the palate and helps cut through the butterfat as you enjoy the cheese and wine together.
Pairing 2: Camembert di Normandie with Meiomi Chardonnay
Why it works: Camembert is a slow-ripening cheese, which gives it a lot of earthy flavor. In fact, you can almost taste flavors of mushroom in the cheese as you enjoy it! Buttery Chardonnay compliments and contrasts the earthy Camembert flavor, giving your palate an entirely new (and delightful) flavor as they’re enjoyed simultaneously.
Pairing 3: Comté with Meiomi Chardonnay
Why it works: Comté isn’t a cheese we hear much about in America, but it deserves to be a star of the show. This firm cheese has a mellow, browned butter-like flavor to it. While the previous example used buttery Chardonnay to contrast earthy flavors, this pairing combines buttery cheese with buttery wine, instead enhancing the overall flavor profile.
Pairing 4: Bleu d’Auvergne with Meiomi Pinot Noir
Why it works: This bleu cheese was referred to as a “gateway bleu”, making it extremely enjoyable to bleu cheese lovers and non-lovers alike! Not overly pungent, it pairs well with sweet bites on a fromage board as well as lighter red wines like Pinot Noir. This cheese also pairs well with port wine!
Pairing 5: Mimolette with Meiomi Pinot Noir
Why it works: Yet another underrated cheese by Americans! Mimolette may look like cheddar but it is far from it. It is firm in texture and gets its color naturally (unlike many American cheddars) due to the nutritious milk and fats from the cow. With a slightly sharp, nutty bite to it, Mimolette needs a subtle, yet flavorful red wine to balance its flavor. Meiomi Pinot Noir does this well!
Next time you’re looking to host a party, try putting together these pairings for your guests. Sounds like a fun new spin on “Friendsgiving” or holiday gatherings if you ask me! With the help of the Cheeses of Europe app and this post, you’ll definitely sound like a cheese pro. Cheers to that!
Tried any of these pairings, or others you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments below!
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