home&garden
ENTERTAINING
Some Cheese With Your Wine
the two go together,
as each brings out
the best in the other...
the protein in the cheese
will soften the tannins
in the wine
Plan to have one-half a bottle of wine
per person, along with six ounces of
assorted cheeses and lots of different
crusty, whole-grain breads and crackers.
Use a variety of wines, that range from
sweet ports to cabernet sauvignon. Include
some chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, shiraz,
pinot noir, a zinfandel or whatever you
like – even sake. Likewise, choose cheeses
such as aged goudas, brie, chèvre and
stilton. The better the wine and cheese,
the better the experience. Experiment
with some special cheddar and others
that sound interesting. Try some that are
mixed with fruits or nuts. The more unusual
AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, MANY
of us contemplate inviting a few
friends to our homes to celebrate
the new year. Generally, there is no need
for a theme or planned activities, as these
parties, both large or small, are for conversations
that go along with mingling
and mixing. Therefore, all that you really
need to do is decide how you are going
to invite your guests and what you are
going to serve them.
One of the simplest options for this
type of gathering is to host a wine and
cheese party, the two go together, as
each brings out the best in the other...
theprotein in the cheeses will soften the
tannins in the wine, as the two combine to
make a harmonious medley of flavors on
your palate. It is an easy way to entertain,
as it only takes a little preparation. Most
of the work is performed by your guests,
as they mix and match their own combinations.
As you open bottles of wine and
set them out next to a variety of cheeses,
along with some interesting breads and
crackers, your guests will do the rest.
This allows you to enjoy your own party,
without having to spend most of it in the
kitchen.
the better. Also, place bowls of assorted
olives, nuts and grapes around for your
friends to enjoy.
Give each guest two wine glasses as
they arrive, one for red and one for white;
and mark their glasses with wine glass
charms, stem stickers or some other
method, so they can keep track of their
glasses, and then set them free to roam.
Have rinsing and dumping stations
wherever you are serving wine, so that
the same glasses can be used. Since the
wines will be poured from their bottles,
you won’t need to mark them, but the
cheeses will need to be labeled clearly
so your guests will know how they are
pairing their wines. Remember to set the
cheeses out early, as they should be at
room temperature before they are eaten
to allow their full flavor to blossom. On
the other hand, chill your wines to room
temperature. For a red wine, it should
actually be served at about 60 degrees.
This is a simple and easy way to entertain
that is fun for both you and your friends;
and the better the friends, the better the
party.
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116 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015