Cows graze on the grass and people graze on the cheese the cows
produce. It is a relaxing thought. Grazing meals are fun to do on a
warm, late-summer afternoon while enjoying great music and perhaps
a competitive game of cards with family and friends. And it is
easy.
Cows graze on the grass and people graze on the cheese the cows produce. It is a relaxing thought. Grazing meals are fun to do on a warm, late-summer afternoon while enjoying great music and perhaps a competitive game of cards with family and friends. And it is easy.
Arrange some wonderful artisinal cheeses on some beautiful platters, scatter with fresh berries and grapes and put some neat crackers in a basket. Provide wines that pair perfectly with the cheeses and all you need is one of these perfect San Benito County evenings.
The sun is just setting, the cool breezes have blown in from the coast, and the cannery can only be heard in the distance. (Sorry, I just had to slip that in there.) With or without the cannery, our evenings are just perfect for the grazing meal that I am talking about. Relax and enjoy!
Artisinal cheeses have become the buzz word in the industry. It is pretty important as it goes along with our heightened awareness of wanting to know just what it is we are eating. Hopefully the “plastic” cheeses of the fast food and deli tables will be replaced in your home for your grazing table with cheeses that come from a designated area, have been hand-made by the dairy where the milk was produced or have been crafted by small cheesemakers that know what they are doing.
Taking a wonderful cheese, such as Point Reyes Blue which is a near perfect California cheese, and pairing it with a spicy zinfandel or pinot noir would make a grazing table proud. Add a few fresh pear slices and some torn baguettes and I guarantee your evening will be a success. You may even win that hand of no-trump.
Wine was made to drink with food.
Food will change the flavors of wine by enhancing or subduing different elements. No matter what, enjoy your wine and food, but try to develop those amazing taste buds so that it will be more fun and interesting to eat and drink. Enjoy the many wine and cheese events that will be taking place this fall.
Ask questions regarding the cheeses that will be served, so that you will understand just where they came from, what kind of milk they were made from (cow, sheep, goat, water buffalo), and what they would pair with. Here are a few suggestions.
– Sauvignon Blanc has flavor associations of grass, bell pepper, asparagus, pear, pea, celery, smoke, green olive and citrus. It is great matched with vegetables, oysters, fish, veal, pork, fish soups and cheeses such as Emmenthal, English Nutwood, Cotswald, cheese fondue and especially smoked cheeses. A wonderful cheese quiche would be a good match for a sauvignon blanc.
– Gewurztraminer has flavor associations of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, grapefruit, green apple and clover. It is wonderful matched with creamy cheeses like brie, fontina or even munster. Sliced apples are perfect to use for holders for the brie.
– Pinot Noir has flavor associations of cherry, cigar box, cedar, licorice, toast, wild strawberry and violets. It is fabulous with complex seafood dishes, light beef, pheasant, meat loaf, veal, pork roast, cheese fondue and the sharp cheeses such as an aged English or New York cheddar, Stilton, Huntsman as well as the Point Reyes as mentioned above.
– Cabernet Sauvignon has flavor associations of pepper, bell pepper, green olives, cherry, plum, mint, currant, tea, chocolate and herbs. This favorite wine is great served with beef, lamb, game, barbecued meats, spicy sauces, goose, game birds, ribs and robust cheeses such as Roquefort or Stilton. It is especially wonderful paired with Spanish manchego or Petit Basque, a cheese from the Pyrenees.
The lists can go on and on, so taste and test to discover what flavors you like together. And, gather some people together and have a wine and cheese grazing event.
STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS
These are perfect for a small gathering. This recipe is perfect for pairing with a chilled white wine, perhaps one from Spain or Italy. It is also wonderful with Merlot or Pinot Noir when you use the Stilton cheese.
1/2 cu flour
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup milk
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
cubes of cheese, such as Stilton or Fontina
1-2 teaspoons freshly snipped parsley
salt and pepper
vegetable or olive oil for frying
fresh zucchini blossoms
Combine flour, egg yolks, milk and garlic until smooth. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold gently into the flour mixture until well combined.
Clean the flowers carefully with a damp cloth, gently separating the petals to make sure the flowers are clean inside.
Place a cube of cheese along with some parsley, salt and pepper into each. Twist to seal.
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 365 degrees. Dip each flower into the batter making sure all sides are coated. Fry the stuffed flowers in batches about 1 minutes or until crisp and golden on all sides. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. It is best eaten within 10 minutes or so, but be careful as they will be too hot to eat right away.
CHEESE FONDUE
Why wait for winter? This is a perfect grazing food. Pair this with zinfandel, especially if you use Raclette and Gruyere cheeses.
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1 cup dry white wine, such as Chablis or Chardonnay
2 teaspoons cornstarch blended with 1 tablespoon of the wine
1/2 pound Emmenthal cheese
1/2 pound Raclette or Gruyere cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
bread cubes, about 1 inch in size with crust on at least one side
Rub the inside of the casserole with the garlic. Pour in the wine and heat on stove top until it barely simmers. Grate the cheese and over low heat, add the cheese a little at a time stirring with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, nutmeg and pepper and stir until mixture forms a thick smooth cream.
Transfer the casserole to the fondue stand with low heat in the burner. Provide long handled fondue forks and let everyone spear the cubes of bred to dunk into the fondue.
