31
FOOD
The big cheeses
Try some of these unusual pairings with your
continental cheeses this Christmas.
It's definitely the season to share
a cheese board. Which cheeses
will bring a sense of occasion
to our celebrations? But if the
struggle is still too great to decide
whether to choose a Stilton or a
Bleu d'Auvergne these experts guide
you on what should be the grands
fromages on your cheeseboard.
Chef and restaurateur Claude
Bosi, chef owner of Bibendum
which has held two Michelin-stars
since 2017 and his latest restaurant
Joséphine Bouchon, Bosi shares the
three ripe and rustic cheeses that he
considers essential for any Christmas
plateau de fromages.
Bosi has selected his festive
favourites: Comté; Fourme d'Ambert;
and Saint-Marcellin. His choices
are applauded by wine and cheese
pairing expert Jessica Summer,
founder of Mouse and Grape,
who holds an Academy of Cheese
certification. Below she shares
unusual pairings for the three
cheeses and which should surprise
and delight your guests.
An old fave
Aged Comté (48 months old) has
the moreish nuttiness of a younger
Comté but with flavours of sweet,
dried fruits perfectly balanced with
savoury notes. Charcuterie works
very well and for an extra special
touch, try accompanying with thin
slices of spiced, cured venison..
Depending on your tastes, you can
pair Comté with an Oaked White
Rioja, Dry Oloroso Sherry (very
festive!) and Appassimento* wines.
Fourme d'Ambert is a soft creamy
blue cheese which has the slightly
salty flavours and musty aroma of
blue cheese but is less overpowering
than Roquefort or Stilton. For a truly
indulgent accompaniment, a touch
of truffle honey will have guests
oohing and aahing at every mouthful.
For added texture try serving with
chocolate honeycomb. If you are still
looking to enjoy that festive port, a
Tawny port would pair perfectly with
it or a Bordeaux blend or a sparkling
rosé if you prefer something lighter
or are enjoying earlier in the day.
Saint-Marcellin is a white-rind
cheese which can be enjoyed at
all levels of maturity and becomes
runnier as it ages. The cheese melts
in the mouth with a slightly salty
taste, a nice freshness, and flavours
of fresh milk and hazelnut. To cut
through the creamy richness of the
cheese, serve with a bright red cherry
chutney. Wine-wise a Champagne
or Crémant, Pinot Noir or even
something as deep as a Barolo would
all complement this delicious creamy
cheese.
*Appassimento translates to
'fading' or 'withering' in Italian and
refers to a winemaking process where
dried grapes, instead of fresh grapes,
are fermented. When winemakers use
the appassimento process, they create
wines that are full-bodied and packed
with intense fruit, balanced acidity
and sometimes sweetness.
www.about-france.com/cheese