Tips & Tricks
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Did you know that the word Charcuterie means Cooked Flesh !
When making a platter for you, your loved ones, or others below are a few tips to remember!
Variety
If you're preparing a board for a crowd, offering a variety of cheese types and textures is ideal to ensure there's something for everyone. We recommend starting with a soft cheese, a semi-soft cheese, and a firm cheese. From there, you can add variety by incorporating different milk types (cow, sheep, goat, or water buffalo) or cheese styles, such as washed rind, blues, and fresh cheeses.
How to Cut Cheese
Most of the time, the cheesemaker intends for you to eat both the rind (outer layer) and the paste (inner part) of the cheese. This combination creates a unique textural contrast in the mouth and can also offer a variety of flavors.
At our store, we will always inform you if a rind is inedible and should be removed, such as the wax rind on Manchego. This type of rind should never be left on the cheese when preparing your boards.
Photos courtesy of Murry's Cheese
Tips for Pairing
With both owners having backgrounds in Culinary Arts, Kathryn holding her Level 2 WSET, and Bret in the process of earning his Professional Cheesemonger designation, we have a broad range of expertise to offer sound and accurate pairing suggestions. Whether it's wine, beer, whiskey, tea, kombucha, or anything from candy and meats to preserves and beyond, we have the skills and knowledge to provide expert advice for any situation.
Our Number One Pairing Suggestion:
Eat and drink whatever you like! Even if an expert tells you it's a great pairing, if you don't enjoy it, that's perfectly okay!
Other Pairing Tips:
-
If it grows together, it goes together. Think of produce and wine from the same region. This concept ties back to the term "terroir," which refers to the unique qualities of a place that affect its food and drink. It’s a great starting point for combining flavors and products.
-
Consider your objective. Are you trying to elevate the food (cheese, chocolate, meat, etc.) or the beverage (wine, beer, coffee, kombucha)? Knowing this can help you decide how to approach the pairing.
A Simple Analogy for Pairings:
-
Lovers: These pairings elevate both elements, creating a beautiful balance of flavors.
-
Friends: The combination works well but doesn’t particularly elevate either side—it’s pleasant but not transformative.
-
Enemies: These pairings clash, where the flavors fight each other, and neither wins.
When doing a tasting or pairing, we always recommend saving a little of each combination to experiment further. You may discover that a different combination works even better for you!
Pairing Suggestions:
-
Contrasting Textures: Pairing contrasting textures can enhance the overall experience. For example, pairing a creamy cheese with a crunchy element.
-
Similar Flavors: Pairing similar flavors can enhance a specific profile. For example, pairing nutty cheeses with nuts creates a harmonious match—“Friends.”
-
Opposite Flavors: Opposing flavors can create the "Lovers" pairing, such as cutting through a creamy cheese with an acidic white wine, which helps cleanse the palate.