PASTRY PARTY
Savoury tarts are a breeze to make
Master the art of cheese pairings with guidance from “cheese sommelier” Vanessa Simmons, accredited sommelier Debbie Trenholm, and Jesse Vallins, certified sommelier and executive chef at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Tavern.
1What to look for. “With any kind of pairing, you’re looking for balance. You’re looking for harmony in your mouth … You’re looking to make one or both sides of the pairing better,” Vallins says. “You can follow the rules and what experts say, (but) at the end of the day, listen to your own mouth.”
2Consider intensity. Vallins offers the example of Le Riopelle de l’Isle — “a big, rich, buttery, triple cream cheese” — made by Fromagerie Îleaux-Grues in Quebec. If you were to pair it with a light-bodied wine, the nuances in the beverage would be lost. Likewise, pairing buffalo mozzarella or ricotta with a bold red would “totally obliterate the flavour” of the fresh cheese.
3How much cheese should you buy? For a tasting of five or more cheeses, buy 30-60 grams (1-2 oz) of each cheese per person. Round up if your guests are cheese lovers or if you’re serving fewer cheeses. Round down if you’re serving other dishes or presenting more cheeses.
4What temperature should it be? Serve cheese at room temperature. Simmons recommends taking the cheese out of the fridge at least 45 minutes before guests arrive. As you’re taking the cheese out, put your white and sparkling wines in the fridge to chill, Trenholm says. While most reds will be stored and served at room temperature, she prefers to chill her Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving.
5Start with a tasting pour: (3060 mL/1-2 oz). “A variety of wine goes a long way. Not every bit of cheese has to have a swig of wine. They should be enjoyed on their own separately and then played together to discover that taste,” Trenholm says.
6“Red wine and cheese is a bit of a fallacy,” Vallins says. “It doesn’t actually work that well and it really shocks a lot of people.” As a rule of thumb, he suggests experimenting with dessert, fortified, sparkling, and off-dry white wines instead. “It’s a lot easier to make a great pairing than it is with reds. To me, the whole phrase ‘wine and cheese’ comes from sweet, sparkling and fortified wine.”
7Use a separate knife for each cheese — this will prevent the muddying of flavours. Additionally, make sure that each knife can stand up to actually cutting the cheeses it’s partnered with, especially with firmer varieties, Simmons says.
8What order do you go in? Basic principles of progression apply, whether composing vertical or horizontal flights, or a spectrum of styles: young to old; mild to strong; and blues are always last.
9It’s a cheese faux pas to cut the “nose.” The very tip of a wedge of cheese represents the heart of the wheel. It has a very different character than the rest of the cheese and is definitely worth sharing. If you’re cutting from a wedge, slice off the side and be sure to take the accompanying bit of rind, too. If it’s a wheel, cut a slice from centre to rind as you would a piece of cake (if it’s a soft cheese, don’t scoop out the centre).
10When do you eat the rind? If the rind is made of wax, don’t eat it, Simmons says. Otherwise the choice is entirely up to the eater.
11How should you wrap leftovers? Simmons recommends only buying what you need: “What’s good this week may not be great next week. It’s more like a ‘just in time’ type of experience.” If you do have leftovers, use cheese, parchment or wax paper, or a reusable product like Abeego. Avoid plastic wrap. You can also put wrapped cheese in a plastic bag or resealable container for a few days. Or better yet, make fromage fort — a French spread made by blending leftover cheeses, wine, garlic and seasonings (see Jacques Pépin’s recipe on food52.com).