What's on your Cheeseboard, EDF? #1

[StevieG]

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someone should post some ideas for noobs in this department. i have absolutely NO idea about wine OR cheese much less combinations of the two, but it seems like a fun and tasty hobby.

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tubasteve,

As always, trying some is your best bet. There are two easy ways to do this.

Lots of wine merchants also carry cheese, complete with staff to help you select something before they cut it and wrap it for you. Even without formal tastings, they will most likely let you try samples before you buy.

Another great way is doing a cheese course with dinner. Better French restaurants (and increasingly some Italian ones) offer cheese courses. Although in some places they just have a fixed selection, it's much more fun when they have a cheese cart or cheese board where you can see them and make your own choice of three or four.

Where do you live? Chances are someone on this forum will know a wine place or restaurant in your area that will hook you up.

[Rhone]

Some of my favorites at the moment:

Sottocenere
Firefly Mountain Top Blue
Idiazabal
Cabrales

[cbloom]

OP, you're missing a nice firm dry cheese. I think a Manchego would be great.


[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Stilton; I was turned onto it years ago by the British comedy "Chef" - such a great show.

[tubasteve]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
someone should post some ideas for noobs in this department. i have absolutely NO idea about wine OR cheese much less combinations of the two, but it seems like a fun and tasty hobby.

[/ QUOTE ]

tubasteve,

As always, trying some is your best bet. There are two easy ways to do this.

Lots of wine merchants also carry cheese, complete with staff to help you select something before they cut it and wrap it for you. Even without formal tastings, they will most likely let you try samples before you buy.

Another great way is doing a cheese course with dinner. Better French restaurants (and increasingly some Italian ones) offer cheese courses. Although in some places they just have a fixed selection, it's much more fun when they have a cheese cart or cheese board where you can see them and make your own choice of three or four.

Where do you live? Chances are someone on this forum will know a wine place or restaurant in your area that will hook you up.

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i go to the university of maryland, so i'm in the DC metro area

[vdomalip]

French Brie my god its good. For amazing cheeses go to Selfridges food section!

[StevieG]

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i go to the university of maryland, so i'm in the DC metro area

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I cannot speak for D.C., but I can for Baltimore.

Off the top of my head, here are two places that have cheese carts - Petit Louis and Brasserie Tatin. Both are very close to the Homewood campus of Johns Hopkins, which in turn is a few miles north of the Inner Harbor.

Petit Louis is where I first had mimolette, and I love that cheese.

If you have friends here, or can swing a combined trip with an O's game or something, this can work for you.

[Rhone]

A lot of restaurants in DC serve cheese courses. One of them is a favorite of mine, a very reasonably priced place called Bistro D'Oc across the street from the Ford's Theater. If you decide to try it, you might want to stop at a fantastic cheese shop just about a block away called Cowgirl Creamery. And these days it's not just French places that serve cheese courses, eg., Charlie Palmer Steak House.

[tubasteve]

thanks for the tips guys. my 1-year anniversary with my girlfriend is coming up soon and the bistro d'oc looks like the perfect place for the occasion. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[kutuz_off]

My favorite cheese is rarely if ever mentioned in this type of threads. It's a Spanish goat cheese called "Murcia al vino" AKA "drunken goat". It has very distinctive taste with great aftertaste, but doesn't overwhelm other flavors, so is good for mixing with other things.

[Aces McGee]

Saint-Andre is my favorite.

I am also loyal to Cabot cheddar, which I'm sure will earn some guffaws from many of you, but hey, the creamery is like ten minutes from where I grew up.

-McGee