The Artisanal Premium Cheese origins are rooted in fine dining where the old mahogany cart was pushed from table to table with an offering of cheeses and suggestion of perfect beverage pairings.
Like its natural companion wine, cheese should be consumed based on a Progression from Mild to Strong as displayed in our proprietary cheese selecting and pairing tool Artisanal CheeseClock®. The step-by-step selection journey will allow you to appreciate the subtleties of rich buttery double and triple cream cheese or soft goat’s milk cheeses before delving into stronger cheeses.
The four-quadrants of the CheeseClock® group our cheeses into these taste categories: MILD, MEDIUM, BOLD, STRONG – the pillars of building a thoughtful and amazing cheese platter based on flavor progression. The Artisanal CheeseClock® also guides your wine and beer pairings to marry and amplify the delicious characteristics of each.
You can still select cheese by Milk type or Country of Origin or your familiarity or intriguing new options but using the CheeseClock® you can select cheese based on Progression, or identify the types of wines and beers you prefer as described in the CheeseClock® and then select cheeses from those quadrants of the CheeseClock® and you will have found your perfect cheese pairing.
Often, I am asked, “What is your favorite cheese?” and my answer is usually – depends. My equivocation depends on the season we are in and since we are experiencing cooler weather when writing this blog, I like heartier cheeses that are found toward the “Red Wine Side” of the CheeseClock® progression:
1) MILD: St. Stephen, a rich, buttery triple cream cheese from upstate New York where the foliage is beautiful this time of year.
2) MEDIUM: Heublumenkäse, a rich cow’s milk cheese in a Bavarian style coated with organic flowers and herbs with a woodsy aroma reminiscent of a walk in the park or a forest hike.
3) BOLD: Doubleday's Choice, a cow’s milk cheese made in Cooperstown, NY when baseball is at its peak. We named this cheese after the traditions of its hometown. Once made it is hand-washed 2 times a week with a local apple cider for the first 7 weeks of aging to give it a distinct aroma and flavor. Think apples, great cheese, the World Series, and a crisp, cool evening.
4) STRONG: Fiore Sardo, a sheep’s milk cheese from Italian that is smoked during aging to impart a great aroma that makes it ideal with a glass of red wine, or to be slightly personal, a Johnnie Walker Black on the rocks as I do it. But, if the evening can merit a fire pit something about it makes enjoying this cheese all the better.
As you can see, the season has a lot to do with our selections and also adds to the fun of enjoying Artisanal. For more ideas on pairing wine and cheese, take a look inside our 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for our collections that pair different wines with cheese for a perfect way to celebrate the season!
I love Artisanal Cheese and enjoy sharing it even more – you can Taste the Difference!
DAN