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ROCKIN’ AROUND the Christmas Brie AY CHEESE BOARD

Cheese (Pick 2): • Long Clawson Crimson • Manchego • Red Dragon English Cheddar with Wholegrain Mustard & Ale • Alp Blossom • Cave Aged Gruyere Condiments (Pick 1-2): • Cornichons/marinated artichokes • Rutherford & Meyer fruit pastes in any flavors • Preservation Society Pepper Jelly • Bella Maria Valencia Almonds • Fromage Ami Mango Chutney for Cheese • Divina Fig Spread • Divina Sour Cherry Spread STATION FOUR: DESSERT WINE The ultimate example of contrast- ing wine with cheese is the pairing of sweet dessert wines with salty, piquant cheeses. The best-known examples are Port with English Stilton (blue cheese) and Sauternes with French Roquefort (another blue cheese). Dessert wines are also exceptionally delicious with hard, nutty-tasting Swiss cheeses and salty, acidic Parmigiano-Reggiano types. Wine: Taylor Fladgate LBV Port Cheese (Pick 2): • Bleu d’Auvergne • Maytag Blue • Cave Aged Gruyere • Parmigiano-Reggiano Condiments (Pick 1-2): • Savannah Bee Company Whipped Honey • Dried fruits including figs, dates and berries • Tamarind

mouth-coating and rich, making them a challenge to pair with cheese, most of which is buttery, mouth- coating and rich. An unoaked white promises a refreshing and crisp acid- ity. For cheese, I go for buttery Brie types, fresh goat cheeses or the stinky, salty orange-rinded cheeses like Taleggio. Wine: Noble Vines 446 Single Vine- • La Bonne Vie Brie • Fromager d’Affinois • Fromager d’Affinois with Truffles • Saint Angel • Saint-André • La Bonne Vie Honey Goat Log • La Bonne Vie Goat Cheese Pyramid Condiments (Pick 1-2): • Mousse du Perigord pâté STATION THREE: RED WINE For reds I steer clear of the high- alcohol, full-bodied monsters like Malbec and Zinfandel.They’re so big and tannic that they mow down most cheeses. Instead, reach for light- to medium-bodied reds with fresh red fruit notes that still deliver a brac- ing acidity. This is where the aged cheeses like dense, nutty Manchego, Cheddar and Swiss really shine. The pairing bonus with firm cheeses is that cheese can replace cracker, and sticky, spreadable condiments can be layered right onto the cheese for one- handed snacking. Wine: Block Nine Pinot Noir yard Chardonnay Cheese (Pick 2): • Veroni meats • Green olives • Hearts of palm • Tamarind

59 everyday NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018