Earlier this summer I shared some tips for creating summer a summer cheese plate from Carolyn Stromberg, the DC region’s only full-time Maitre d’Fromage (expert on the complexities of fine cheese, its flavors, textures, heritages, aging processes, and wine mates). The post was well-read so I thought I’d follow up with more tips from Carolyn–this time for fall cheese plates.
Autumn’s crisp temperatures, colorful harvests and cozy gatherings call for cheeses with warm, rich, savory flavors and luxurious mouth feel. Here are Carolyn’s suggestions for a fine European cheese plate:
- Aged sheep’s milk cheeses from the Pyrenees region are perfect autumn selections. From the French-Spanish border comes Roncal (the first name-protected cheese of Spain), an innovative cheese that is both rich and piquant. Manchego cheese from Spain’s LaMancha region features notes of nuts and olives. A third option is Abbaye de Belloc, produced by Benedictine monks at the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Belloc in France. It is a classic: smooth, semi-firm, and tangy.
- Certain cow’s milk cheeses are also good choices. Tomme de Savoie is a semi-soft to firm cheese from the Alps that is both earthy and nutty. Carolyn notes that she has never met a person who doesn’t like this cheese, so less adventurous guests are sure to find it appealing.
- British Cheddar is also a fun choice. In contrast to American Cheddar, it’s both fruity and sharp.
For the Mid-Atlantic locavore (someone who prefers food grown or produced locally) Carolyn suggests the following:
- Everona Marble, from Dr. Pat Elliott’s Everona Dairy in Rapidan, Virginia. It’s rich and fruity, with an ash layer running through the middle.
- Chapelle’s, from Chapel’s Country Creamery in Easton, Maryland. Similar to Tomme de Savoie and thus universally appealing, it is earthy, mushroomy and milky all at once.
- Also similar to Tomme de Savoie, is another locale favorite–Appalachian from Meadow Creek Dairy in Galax, Virginia. It is rich, savory and sweet.
Each of these cheeses, whether European or local, is best paired with a wine varietal that will complement its richness: merlot, pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon. And, fall fruits add the perfect balance, including: apples of almost any kind, Asian or Bartlett pears and grapes. If serving with apples, either green or red will do, so long as they’re big, plump, juicy and seedless (to avoid a tannic flavor).
If you lack the time or inclination to track down all these wines and cheeses, you could alternatively just visit Carolyn at the Old Hickory Steakhouse at Gaylord National Resort—her ever-changing variety of more than two dozen artisanal cheeses is painstakingly nurtured in the restaurant’s own cheese cave.
For more tips from Carolyn about buying and serving cheese (no matter what the season) follow the LINK to my earlier post.
For more information about Carolyn Stromberg, the Old Hickory Steakhouse, or the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, visit gaylordnational.com
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