When it comes to curating cheese boards, Jessica Lawrenz, cheesemonger at Venissimo Cheese in San Diego, doesn’t mess around. Her motto for a holiday cheese spread – “The more the merrier!”
“An elaborate cheese display can completely set the tone for an event,” says Lawrenz. “The flavors, textures, colors and garnishes should work together to communicate a story and entrance guests.”
With a keen attention to detail and innovative pairing and styling choices, it’s no surprise that Lawrenz claimed the title of Best Cheesemonger at the Cheesemonger Invitational in San Francisco earlier this year.
“I love being a cheesemonger,” said Lawrenz. “Cheese is such a versatile food that is universally made and enjoyed throughout the world. The beauty of cheese boards is that they are each uniquely their own, offering a one-of-a-kind experience for people.”
When creating cheese boards, Lawrenz always starts with the stars of the show – the cheese. After selecting her cheeses, Lawrenz opts for an assortment of sweet and savory pairings, focusing on textures, colors, and smells.
“Cheese boards should be a journey for guests. You want to make sure that you touch all of their senses to give a complete experience.”
Lawrenz’s robust spread features a few of her favorites:
Nestled seamlessly into the larger display, Lawrenz created a smaller cheese board featuring Little Belgians Speculoos cookies with Roth® Buttermilk Blue®, sage, edible crystallized roses, honeycomb and a garnish of Pomegranate.
Lawrenz’s refers to her arrangement of Roth® Buttermilk Blue® as a “stairway to cheese heaven,” emphasizing that the steps punctuate the cheeseboard with dramatic height and sharp edges.
“When cutting your cheeses, embrace experimentation of shapes and sizes,” recommends Lawrenz. “The variation provides opportunity to stack and arrange cheeses in a variety of different ways, adding depth and character to boards.”
Touches of holiday décor and international specialty items like cookies and candies give her cheeseboards even more personality and draw warm, fond memories for many of her customers.
“Specialty holiday times can evoke memories of travel, family traditions or home,” suggests Lawrenz. “These special touches really stand out to customers and bring a unique quality to the board.”
When it comes to cutting the cheeses, Lawrenz recommends leaving a few cheeses that require guest participation.
“I love when guests not only try new foods, but get hands on with cutting and preparing their bites,” says Lawrenz. “Adding a fun tool like a girolle is a perfect interactive component to add to any cheese board or display.”
To add a finishing touch to cheese boards, Lawrenz incorporates fresh herbs, ribbons in holiday colors and other seasonal accents she finds at craft stores.
“Don’t feel like you need to use overtly Christmas or holiday colors. I often find that subtle combinations of golds or natural green and whites that are classically beautiful allow the food to remain the star of the display rather than becoming lost in chaos of competing focal points.”
When it comes to selecting cheese and pairings for cheese boards, Ellian Rohrbacher, Assistant Manager in the Cheese Department at New Seasons Market in Portland, Oregon, likes to include a wide assortment of offerings.
“I like to include a variety of cheeses with different milk types and styles on my cheese boards. Try offering a fresh or bloomy cheese, a washed rind cheese, a blue cheese and an aged or harder cheese,” said Rohrbacher. “Everyone has a different palette and taste when it comes to cheese, so I feel that offering more options is never a bad idea. In fact, it almost guarantees that guests will find something they love.”
For this cheese board, Rohrbacher opted for:
Emmi Alter Schweizer
Roth® Buttermilk Blue®
Emmi Füürtüfel
Roth® GranQueso
Roth® Grand Cru® Surchoix
Emmi Tête de Moine AOP
Roth’s Private Reserve
“Even though I’m offering more cheeses, I always make sure they work together harmoniously on the board,” said Rohrbacher. “You never want the cheeses to compete with each other.”
When it comes to accompaniments for cheese boards, Rohrbacher also suggests offering a variety of items that complement the cheeses in both flavor and texture.
“I love pairings that mix textures and flavors – try pairing something crunchy with a soft cheese, or an acidic pairing with a rich, creamy cheese,” says Rohrbacher. “For example, crisp, peppery radishes pair well with soft cheeses and pickled red onions are wonderful with the a meaty Alpine-style cheese like Alter Schweizer.”
Rohrbacher selected theses accompaniments for her holiday cheese board:
Photo Credit: Mia Nakano for Cheesemonger Invitational
Creative. Deliberate. Passionate. Champion. These words effortlessly depict Lilith Spencer of Cheesemongers of Santa Fe in New Mexico.
A self-described perfectionist and creative, Spencer has always had a passion for creating beautiful things. She’s also always had a love for cheese. The combination of her passions led her to where she is today, an award-winning cheesemonger.
Working at Cheesemongers of Santa Fe, Spencer has a treasure trove of cheeses and accompaniments to choose from when creating boards.
For this holiday cheese board, Spencer selected:
Roth® Buttermilk Blue®
Roth® Grand Cru® Surchoix
Roth® GranQueso®
Emmi Der scharfe Maxx
Roth® Prairie Sunset®
After selecting her cheeses, Spencer artfully chooses pairings to add to the cheese board.
“Sautéed mushrooms are a favorite of mine for platters,” shares Spencer. “Good at any temperature, just brown them with some butter, garlic, herbs and then marinate with salt, pepper, olive oil and sherry vinegar. You can either eat them right away or refrigerate and serve cold or at room temperature.”
Spencer also recommends roasted delicata squash on autumn and winter cheese boards as they can similarly be served warm or at room temperature.
“Delicata rings are not only delicious, but they make beautiful elements for serving. Crumbly cheeses such as a blue cheese fit perfectly inside the rings. Alternatively, other roasted vegetables such as turnips, parsnips, and potatoes work well too.”
When it comes to arranging cheeses, Spencer is deliberate in where she places items.
“Cheeses are the anchors on your board, so space them apart from one another and give them plenty of room,” recommends Spencer. “Next, place accompaniments that pair best with the cheeses. This suggests to guests that they are meant to be enjoyed with one another. Nuts, olives, dried and fresh fruits and vegetables can be spread throughout the board as they work with any of the cheeses.”
As far as the visual aesthetics of the board, Spencer suggests putting contrasting colors next to each other and steering clear of crazy patterns and designs.
“Neatly cut, equally-portioned pieces of cheese shine best when arranged in clean lines. Don’t get crazy with trying to create patterns and designs. Once the cheese board is fully arranged, all the lines will come together in a beautiful, mosaic-like design.”
Her key piece of advice for creating stunning cheeseboards is to be thoughtful in selections from start to finish and don’t rush the creative process of cutting and arranging.
“Take time to soak in the colors you are using and the items you are plating. This will allow you to become a part of the project, creating an overall better-finished project that you can be proud of.”
Cider is definitely having a moment, so the only thing we could think of to do is collaborate with Dan Pucci, the cider director for Wassail in NYC to develop cheese and cider pairings perfect for the harvest season. He paired six of his favorite ciders with three Emmi cheeses and wrote this guest post to tell about it.
(P.S. Scroll down to enter to win one of these cheese and cider pairings! Must be a U.S. resident and 21+ to enter. Void where prohibited.)
By: Dan Pucci, Cider Director, Wassail NYC
When thinking about pairing beverages with food, cheese is the first thing that comes to mind.
The infinite possibilities of simply milk, rennet, enzymes, and salt are matched only by those of fruit namely apples and grapes. The wonders of fermentation convert milk and fruits into some of the most lauded consumables.
Volumes have been written about the virtues of wine pairings but cider, in its tardy rise to prominence, has been overlooked in its role at the table. To quote a friend “cider is quiet”, its presence at the table is more subtle and subdued, rarely overwhelming its accompaniments. This makes cider an excellent partner for cheese, it lets the cheese shine without trying to steal the spotlight, while still holding its own and improving the sensory experience. Excellent pairings have the ability to elevate foods beyond the sum of their parts. I always think of it being 1+1 =3. These transformative experiences are very memorable and stay with you long after the labels have faded.
Cider is a particularly excellent pairing for alpine-style cheeses. These cheeses have loads of texture a unique flavor of butter, nuts, and fruit that can be easily lost to riper wines or hoppy beer. This marriage of flavors is similar to those found in excellent ciders especially those made with bittersweet and bittersharp apples. Bittersweet and bittersharp apples are a category of apples whose origin lies in the traditional cider regions of Western Europe. Apples like Yarlington Mill, Dabinett and Kingston Black produce ciders of concentrated texture, loads of tannin, with distinctive fruit aromas and flavors that we aren’t commonly found in the modern shiny grocery store apples of today. Ciders made from these apples have a tannin and acid backbone to accompany multitudes of flavors and smells. These ciders with their delicate concentration and firm but refreshing palette make them the ideal match for this delicate family of cheeses.
Appenzeller Emmi Appenzeller is a gentle cheese with a great springy texture filed with grassy notes. This cheese packs a punch of ginger and cardamom while remarkably clean on the palette and in the finish. It is washed in cider and wine which leaves the rind remarkably fruity – leading the cheese down this appley, green plum path which could be easily overwhelmed with the wrong accompaniment. I think that the ideal cider here will share in those gentle but spiced flavors while not being lost against the fats of the cheese.
Cider Pairing: Eve’s Northern Spy, 2015, Finger Lakes New York. This cider is made from estate grown Northern Spy, a 19th-century American heirloom apple. It is a brisk cider that has a ton of orchard fruit character along with all these light herbal notes like chervil, parsley, and thyme. The fresh Northern Spy character is carried through fermentation the same way the lush grassy of Appenzell maintains through the milk. It undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle which is then disgorged, removing all of the yeast solids. This classic method (or champagne method) ensures for a persistent, mouth-filling and long-lasting bubble that balances rich cheeses. This pairing is all about balance, similar flavors, texture, and weight. The classic meeting of complex and subtle flavors that harmonize rather than compete.
Cider Pairing: Snowdrift Red, East Wenatchee, WA . Located in the center of apple growing in the United States, Tim Larsen at Snowdrift has slowly converted his family’s conventional orchard towards cider making. Their Red Cider is easily one of the most distinctive ciders in North America. It is mostly made from an unnamed red-fleshed single variety originating in Kazakhstan. The cider is brilliant crimson in the glass and the nose is dominated by cranberries, tart cherries, and currants. The red flavors and slight sweetness offer a contrast in flavors to the cheese rather than matching them. Like the Northern Spy, it is focused more on acid than tannin so it will not overwhelm the delicate nature of the cheese. Snowdrift Red has a great crunchy berry quality that matches great against the chewy and creamy texture of the cheese. This cider is a nice contrast in flavors and takes the place of strawberry or cherry, which might be the ideal partners for the cheese while remaining dry and earthy.
Kaltbach™ Le Gruyère® AOP This cheese combines the grassy alpine valleys with a woodsy mushroom quality from over a year in a limestone cave aging deep below the surface. This full-flavored cheese leans more toward the cashew, almond end of the spectrum while having an intense dried pineapple and tropical fruit undertones. Through all the complexities of flavors and texture, the cheese remains balanced. The proper cider pairing will need to be able to hold up to those savory tones without masking them while being able to overcome that creamy, firm texture.
Cider Pairing: Farnum Hill Kingston Black, New Hampshire. This is a landmark cider marker who helped introduce bittersweet and bittersharp apples to American cider. Their rocky orchard in Western New Hampshire has helped define modern fine cider in America. This cider is made from solely from the noble bittersharp Kingston Black apple, a classic of the West Counties of England and one of the few cider apples that is traditionally being made as a single variety cider. The cider is rich and texture driven with a waxy roasted pineapple undertone. It shares many of the same flavors in common with the Kaltbach Gruyère, while the tannin and acid backbone of the cider keeps you refreshed and ready for another bite. This pairing emphasizes the tropical and weighty fruit of Kaltbach Gruyère while matching the earthy complexities and the weight of the cheese.
Cider Pairing: Tilted Shed Graviva 2015, Sonoma County, CA. Before Sonoma County was wine country it was home to the Gravenstein apple. Its Central European Native was brought to California by early European settlers and traders. This multi-use apple was mostly used for a wide range of purposes from juice, pies, snacks even cider. This cider is an homage to that apple’s past and is made from mostly Gravenstein blend with Nehou, Wickson and a number of other cider apples. Its earthy profile is a departure from the woodsy mushrooms found in the Farnum Hill and instead focuses on herbs de Provence and brush that is familiar to Coastal Northern California. The golden ripe fruit has been replaced with gooseberries and dried plums. This cider has remarkably high acid that keeps the weighty cider from feeling heavy on the palette. With the Gruyère the cider emphasis earthy dried undertones and bringing forward the nutty curried cashew note. This pairing looks to highlight the nutty and herbal notes of the cheese and balance the cheese with acid rather than tannin.
Der scharfe Maxx This washed-rind cheese is complex, savory, fruity and downright funky. The cheese starts with a preserved nectarine, roasted squash, dried herbal thing which quickly gives way to meaty, shiitake and barnyard. This cheese has that classic alpine texture, chewy but creamy, firm but delicate. It is amazing how concentrated the flavor is on the tongue while not being over the top. Funky and wild but with a pedigree and style.
Cider Pairing: Eden Dry, Vermont. This is a very unique cider that is made from concentrated heirloom apples that are barrel aged for almost a year before they are blended with Kingston Black. The result is a very full-bodied cider loaded with ripe to overripe tropical fruit, dried peaches, and log cabin. This cider can easily match the intensity of the Der scharfe Maxx, while allowing the subtle fruits of the cheese to shine. With 9.5% alcohol, it is higher in alcohol than every other pairing, but that only helps it match the high butter fats and chew of the cheese. This pairing matches the fruit and weight of the cheese, while keeping the funk in line. Their concentrations are matched only by their complexities.
Cider Pairing: EZ Orchards Poire Salem, OR. This cider is actually a perry which means that is it made from Forelle, Comice and Bosc pears. This slightly sweet cider brings all these melon, celery and tarragon flavors to the glass, which is a real departure from cider norms. Pears contain sorbitol which makes the cider natural, sweet and full of body. The honeyed mid-palate of ripe fruits and sugar with a slightly buttery finish is the perfect partner to this cheese. The golden warm ripe of the cider brings forward the pineapple and melons of the cheese. This pairing brings a balance of sweetness to the center and emphasizes those unusual fruits. The honey nature of the cider brings forward the sweet funk of the cheese.
ENTER TO WIN!
Enter to win a cheese and cider pairing! Three lucky winners will each win one of these pairings. Enter below!
Winners will be selected on Monday, November 27. Each winner will receive 1 lb of Emmi cheese and 1 bottle of cider, selected by Emmi USA. Must be a U.S. resident and 21+ to enter. Void where prohibited.*
* Offer only applies to residents of AK, AZ, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WV, MY, CA. Offer is void where prohibited
Join us at some of our favorite east coast Whole Foods stores while we crack open 200 lb wheels of Kaltbach Emmentaler Cave-Aged cheese from Switzerland.
There’s just something so comforting about a cheeseboard at the center of your holiday gathering, filled with rich flavors and adorned with seasonal accompaniments. Plus, it’s the perfect way to easily satisfy family and friends while Thanksgiving or holiday meals take up space in your oven. As you gear up for this time of year, we’re here to offer suggestions for the best holiday cheeses and how to arrange them on a cheeseboard that friends with think you picked up from your local cheesemonger.
First and foremost, ALWAYS start by choosing your cheese. This time of year, we love to select an array of cheeses with deep, complex flavors that can stand up to red wines, strong spirits, and hearty accompaniments.
Our favorite cheeses for the holidays are Kaltbach cheeses from Switzerland. These cave-aged cheeses spend extra time in the 22 million-year-old Kaltbach Cave for a deep, complex flavor not found anywhere else in the world. Choose from traditional Kaltbach Cave-aged Le Gruyére AOP or Emmentaler AOP or new Kaltbach Le Crémeux, a creamy new alpine-style cheese from the cave with flavors so complex, yet mild you’ll spend the night eating the entire wedge.
Here’s a look inside the cave:
Next, choose seasonal pairings like figs, dates, cranberry jams, comforting crusty bread, cured meats, honey, olives and spiced pecans.
Finally, provide an array of red wines and dark or amber beer to bring out the flavors of the cheese.
We joined forces with one of New York City’s most notable mixologists, John deBary to develop new cocktail pairings with our Kaltbach cave-aged cheeses. at an event held in the city this September. The results were nothing short of magical, so we asked John to write a guest post about how he paired cocktails with Kaltbach for the event.
Pairing drinks with cheese isn’t always easy. The most popular choice, wine, doesn’t always work. Sometimes the subtlety of the wine is overpowered by the cheese, and vice versa. Cocktails, however, can be an excellent companion to cheese, whether it’s before a meal, after, or whenever the mood strikes you.
When creating cocktails to accompany the Kaltbach cheeses I kept a few things in mind.
First, I wanted to create drinks that were expressive of the area around the Kaltbach cave, namely, The Alps. Alpine regions such as Switzerland, southern Germany, Western France, Northern Italy and Austria offer an abundance of fascinating spirits with which to make cocktails, many of these are bitter, which can be an excellent counterpoint to the salt content of the cheese.
Second, I wanted to create cocktails that were harmonious with the cheeses, not overpowering while not shying away. Drinks with assertive acidity, slight bitterness, and aromatic complexity are great companions to cheese or cheese-centric meals.
Lastly, I wanted to create a collection of drinks that were delicious no matter the occasion or time of day—cocktails to represent an aperitif, digestif, and one in between. Spirits are an excellent way of capturing and transmitting flavors, and by using alpine spirits, we can bring the Alps to us, no matter where we are.
The Santenberg Spritz Named after the mountain that houses the Kaltbach cave—pairs perfectly with Kaltbach as an aperitif. Gin is a natural choice as a versatile cocktail base, as it provides a welcoming canvass for a variety of flavor profiles. In this case, we paired it with Genépi de Alpes, a slightly bitter wormwood-based liqueur that is a popular après ski beverage. Grapefruit juice provides acidity and a touch of bitterness. The drink is lengthened with a sparkling mineral water, which gives it a great texture and lowers the alcohol concentration. Think of it as an enhanced Gin and Tonic—easy drinking at brunch or as an aperitif before dinner.
Ingredients:
1 oz Hendrick’s Gin
.75 oz Genepides Alpes
.75 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
Method: Built in a collins glass with ice, topped with sparkling water, preferably a high-mineral spring water like Gerolsteiner, and garnish with a grapefruit wheel.
The Kaltbach Athletic Club A nod to the classic cocktail, the Last Word, invented in the 1930s at the Detroit Athletic Club. Again, I started with a base of gin, true to the original Last Word recipe, and added Kirschwasser, a cherry eau-de-vie popular throughout the Alps, St. Germain, an elderflower liqueur, and lime juice. A garnish of cucumber wheel highlights the fresh, vegetal notes of the gin, and accompanies the fruity aromatics of the Kirschwasser.
Ingredients:
1 oz Hendrick’s Gin
.75 oz Clear Creek Kirschwasser
.75 oz Fresh lime juice
.5 oz St. Germain
Method: Combine all ingredients in a shaking tin, add ide and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon on a toothpick.
Via Alpina As a digestif, I created the Via Alpina, a Negroni riff with alpine flair. This drink mixes Gin with Gran Classico—a cousin of Campari, along with French Vermouth—made with an abundance of alpine botanicals, and a small amount of Zirbenz, an Austrian alpine liqueur made with the fruit of the stone pine tree. Served on the rocks, this drink is meant to be a great way to cap a satisfying meal.
Ingredients:
1 oz Gran Classico
.75 Dolin Dry Vermouth
.25 oz Zirbenz Pine Liquer
Method: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice and stir for 20 seconds. Strain into an old fashioned glass with fresh ice or one large cube.
The Alps are a fascinating region to explore, and with these cocktails, you can bring a taste of the Alps, no matter where you are.
I hope that you enjoy drinking these drinks as much as I enjoyed creating them.
