THE CHEESE COURSE AT ZUNI IS A MODEST ONE~I PAIR A SINGLE CHEESE WITH A fruit, nut, or condiment that complements it taste-wise, fragrance-wise, and texture-wise. It’s meant to be a balanced, pretty, and satisfying little plate of flavors and textures that can easily close a meal, or gracefully leave room for dessert. We offer five different cheeses each day, changing the selection to take advantage of whatever precariously wonderful cheeses become available to us. This strategy is in contrast to the grand plateau de fromage~an extravagant tradition whose magnificence can distract from the charms of individual cheeses. The seductions of variety and quantity are fun, but I find I can only really appreciate one or two cheeses after a meal, and then I usually carve off additional slivers of one or the other to get to know it better. This no doubt traces to the example of my French aunt Madeleine, who reliably sniffed out the prime cheese on any plateau and contented herself to a helping, or two, of that cheese alone.
Finding the affinity between a particular cheese and a specific variety of apple, pear, or cherry, or a type of nut, or dried fruit~plain or macerated in wine syrup or spirits~is a delight. And raw fennel~nutty-crunchy and quietly sweet~is surprisingly friendly to many different types of cheese. The affinity can be based in contrast or similarity, or a combination of both, and a successful pairing enhances the perfume, taste, and texture of both partners. In general, I find that low-acid fruit is friendliest to cheese~only the most pungent blue cheeses stand up to a hard tart {underripe} Granny Smith apple, and even those cheeses show better next to a mellow variety, like a Pippin. Or a honeyed Bosc pear. I don’t serve boldly fragrant, juicy, or sugary fruits~peaches, nectarines, or melon~with cheese, they tend to dominate or clash. Likewise, highly perfumed berries rarely flatter any but the freshest, sweetest cow’s or sheep’s milk cheeses, like ricotta, fromage blanc, or farmer’s cheese. On the other hand, moist, honey-sweet fruits~like figs or dates~can be perfect. Nuts are especially interesting; their subtle flavors blossom next to certain cheeses, hard ones in particular~and vice versa. This is fun to discover. {As is deciding whether they should be raw, toasted, or barely warmed, with or without their skins.} In any pairing, temperature matters; in most cases, the cheese and accompaniment are both at room temperature. Fruit, or fennel, should be impeccable and sliced seconds before serving; or leave your guests to cut to their own tastes. Nuts should be warmed or toasted within an hour of serving them. {For notes on buying and handling nuts, see here.}
I propose here dozens of pairings, all culled from our menu archives. I’ve arranged the cheeses primarily by milk type, and for the most part, I begin with harder cheeses and finish with softer ones. The cheeses are generally in groups, where some similarity of character suggests it and triggers how I choose a complement. The precise flavor, texture, and aroma of any cheese, fruit, or nut is of course subject to many variables, so not every pairing will always be successful. But the patterns and guidelines should make it easy to consider the choices yourself. Imported cheese is well represented in the mix, although domestic artisan-made cheeses are more abundant, varied, and delicious than could be imagined when I began offering this cheese course in 1987, and they steal one or more spots on my short menu these days. In particular, imported fresh cheeses and imported high milk-fat cheeses can be very salty, to satisfy FDA, and now, EU, scrutiny; their domestic counterparts are often more lightly seasoned.
Many of the combinations I propose can be incorporated into salads or combined with cured meats for antipasti.
CHOOSING & STORING CHEESE
WHEN CHOOSING A CHEESE, LOOK FOR SIGNS THAT IT HAS BEEN HANDLED WELL. The look of “perfect condition” is different for different cheeses, but there are some reliable commonsense guidelines. The cheese should not look overhandled {read: “beat up”}, oily, or dried out on the edges. Mold on the rind, however, is often a friendly sign, to be scraped off or enjoyed, depending on the cheese and the diner. As you taste and buy different cheeses, and return to the ones you like, you will learn what each type looks, smells, and feels like when you like it best. It is wisest to buy cheese that is ready to eat~it is difficult to ripen or age a cheese at home, unless you buy whole wheels and have a room that maintains a steady temperature between 50° and 60° {54° is ideal} and is neither too dry nor too humid~80 percent, or just over. {More likely, you will need to store cheese in the refrigerator. In that case, the cheese should be carefully wrapped to prevent dehydration, preferably in waxed or parchment paper; plastic wrap tends to make cheese sweat and damages the aroma. Store in the “crisper” if you have one.} I have successfully, if unscientifically, coaxed small nearly ripe cheeses, such as Camembert or Pérail, to ripeness at home, but the vagaries of temperature and humidity pose constant threats. In any case, a perfect ripe cheese of that sort is usually a fragile and volatile thing whose peak flavor lasts only a few hours once the cheese is brought to room temperature. Plan on eating all of it at one sitting.
WINE & CHEESE
AS A TRAINEE IN THE LONDON WINE TRADE, I WAS TAUGHT TO BUY on bread and sell on cheese. A mild cheese makes a young red wine seem softer and rounder. But there are cheeses that can make a mature wine seem thin or distort its flavor. That’s why at formal dinners in Bordeaux the oldest and most delicate of the red wines, always arriving on the table last with the cheese, is rarely seen at its best. Goat cheese, in particular, whether soft or hard, is usually best with youthfully vigorous red wines~Chinon, for example, stout Beaujolais crus like Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent, young California Zinfandels or Merlots~and brisk, fruity, dry whites, like Sancerre, produced from Sauvignon Blanc. For creamy cow’s milk cheeses, especially Brie and Camembert, an elegant red wine with some fruit and a little bite~a light California Cabernet Sauvignon of quality, for example, or a young Burgundy from Volnay or Savigny-les-Beaune~would be a good match. Creamy cheeses with a pungent crust~Pont l’Evêque, Livarot, Epoisses, Maroilles, and so on~need solid red wines with generous bouquet: the more substantial Burgundies of the Côte de Nuits, Pinot Noirs from Russian River Valley, or muscular wines from Roussillon and the northern Rhône. They sometimes go well with mellow and sweet white wines too, especially the kind for which blue cheeses have a known affinity: Coteaux du Layon from the Loire, or Sauternes and its neighboring wines from Loupiac and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, as well as Monbazillac and the sweeter versions of Jurançon. Firm, creamy cheeses~Reblochon, Tomme, Saint-Nectaire~are good with Beaujolais and soft white wines like Mâcon Blanc and Saint-Véran. But really fine white Burgundies and California’s most elegant Chardonnays, as well as mature red Bordeaux, show best against the hard cheeses of eastern France and Switzerland~Comté, Beaufort, and Emmenthal~and mild farmhouse English Cheddar. Parmigiano-Reggiano, hardly surprisingly, is best with the big, flavory Italian reds~Barolo, Barbaresco, and the Brunellos of Montalcino and Montepulciano. But whether at home or in a restaurant, when cheese is intended simply to accompany the last of the wine, the bottle already on the table should guide the choice.
COW’S MILK CHEESES
Parmigiano-Reggiano {Emilia-Romagna, Italy}. Serve a combination of thick shards, thin shavings, and crumbles with ripe dates~Medjool, Black Precioso, Zahidi, Bahri, Dayri, or Deglet Noor {see Sources and Resouces, here}. Nibbling all three “shapes” of the cheese gently forces you to savor its complex texture and flavor.
Pierre Dorée {Burgundy, France} is a richly flavored, golden, grana-like crottin made with the milk of the Montbéliard cow. Use a vegetable peeler to shave into satiny “petals” and serve with toasted almonds, fennel, or very wrinkly ripe Black Mission figs or soft, dried Black Mission figs. Also: Cowgirl Creamery’s Los Reyes {Marin County, California}, inspired by Pierre Dorée, and made with organic Holstein milk.
Tête de Moine, Gruyère, and L’Etivaz {Switzerland}, Beaufort {Savoy, France}, and Roth Käse USA Gruyère {Wisconsin}, all hard cow’s milk cheeses, are good with freshly shelled, warmed and skinned walnuts, firm, sweet ripe apples like Pippins, Russetted Goldens, or Ashmead’s Kernel, or ripe Bing or Van red cherries. Tête de Moine should be thinly shaved, and is particularly good with lightly toasted hazelnuts.
Truffled Crutin {Piedmont, Italy} is a richly perfumed, hard, humid mixed cow’s and sheep’s milk cheese, studded with black truffle. Good with warm hazelnuts or ribbons of fennel.
Morbier {Franche-Comté, France} is a mild, semi-hard cow’s milk cheese. Nice with slivered fennel or warmed and skinned fresh walnuts. Aged wheels, with a fuller, nuttier flavor, are good with Zante grapes or with chewy dried apples.
Tomme de Savoie {Savoy, France} is the firm cow’s milk cheese made throughout the High Alps. Individual cheeses often boast the locality of production. They generally have a thick gray rind, a pleasantly musty scent, and are generally mild in flavor. Age, size, and provenance determine precise flavor and texture, but I prefer well-aged tommes with rich yellow-gold interior paste and a mellow nutty flavor. Most are good with meaty, ripe Bing or Van cherries, raw, fresh walnuts, small ripe red wine grapes, or ripe, fine-textured Arkansas Black apples. Younger wheels with a stronger lactic flavor are good with quince poached in light sugar syrup or quince paste {membrillo, see Sources and Resources, here}.
Putney Tomme {Vermont} is an aged cow’s milk cheese with an earthy, vaguely Cheddary flavor. Made with Jersey milk, it has a rich, golden hue and an extraordinary packed-crumbly texture. Lovely with fennel or hard sweet apples.
Montgomery’s Cheddar {England} and Matos’ Saint George {Sonoma, California} are complex, not-too-sharp cow’s milk Cheddars. The sweetness of raw fennel is a good foil for that hint of sharpness, as are Pippin apples or nutty-tender, sweet pecans, barely warmed. Also: Cantal {Auvergne, France}.
Appleby’s Double Gloucester {England} is a hard cow’s milk cheese with a mellow nuttiness, sometimes a touch of sharpness. Good with just-warmed pecans or a sweet apple, such as Fuji, Mutsu, or very ripe Golden Delicious.
Mimolette {Flanders, France} is a bright orange, hard cow’s milk cheese with a floral note; I sometimes detect orange blossom. Look for Mimolette that has been aged for a year or longer. We serve it with just-warmed pecans or prunes, or both, or with French sugar plums.
Vella Aged Dry Jack, Special Reserve {Sonoma, California} is a hard cow’s milk cheese. Rich, nutty, saturated flavor and texture. Good with toasted almonds, lightly toasted pecans, prunes, or dried white figs.
Pont l’Evêque {Normandy}, Munster {Alsace}, Munster-Gérômé {Lorraine}, Livarot {Normandy}, and Maroilles {Picardy} are pungent French cow’s milk cheeses, which we serve with sliced fennel, not-too-crisp-apples, or meaty ripe cherries. Sweet ripe grapes, such as really ripe Riesling, Gewürztraminer, or Zante, are good as well. Nuts are usually too delicate for these strong cheeses.
Reblochon {Savoy, France} is a mild, supple, cow’s milk cheese with a delicate, nutty finish. Nice with fennel or raw pistachios. Just warm, this cheese is good with shaved black truffle.
L’Edel de Cléron and Vacherin {Franche-Comté, France} are rich cow’s milk cheeses that become almost syrupy when ripe. Wrapped in spruce bark, which can give the cheese a faintly resiny note. Sometimes taste musty or mushroomy. Good with raw hazelnuts or the first small, soft, ripe red Burlat or Larian cherries of the spring. Or little fennel wedges.
Artavaggio and Toma della Valcuvia {Lombardy, Italy} are unctuous, creamy, soft-ripening, bloomy cow’s milk cheeses. Sometimes mushroomy or truffley. Best with fennel wedges, or sometimes with tender, not-too-tart, red cherries.
Robiola di Mondovi {Piedmont, Italy} is a pungent, creamy-sticky, soft-ripening cow’s milk cheese. Sometimes has a pleasant trace bitterness; sometimes earthy, mushroomy, or truffley. We serve it with fennel, warm pistachios, or shaved black truffle. Also: Tuma dla Paja {Piedmont, Italy}, a mild sheep and cow’s milk cheese, and Pérail {Rouergue, France}, a tender sheep’s milk cheese.
Banon {Provence, France} is a tangy, lactic cow’s or goat’s milk cheese wrapped in a chestnut leaf; Saint-Marcellin {Rhône-Alpes, France} is a similarly tangy, lactic cow’s milk cheese. Both have a pleasant, fruity, grape-pit finish. The flavors and textures of both evolve dramatically as they age, but both are good with raisins in grappa or brandy, served with a little of the syrup clinging to them {see Drunken Raisins, here}.
Coulommiers, Brie, and Fougérus {Ile-de-France, France} are soft-ripening cow’s milk cheeses, lactic and salty sweet, the latter flavored and decorated with a fern {fougère} frond. Both present a combination of cakey and creamy textures. Offer fennel or, if the particular cheese is not too salty, pistachios.
Chaource {Champagne-Ardennes and Burgundy, France} is a suave, rich, creamy cow’s milk cheese with a pleasant, bloomy rind. I prefer Chaource young~just oozey and strong tasting beneath the rind, but still cakey and fresh, lactic-tasting inside. Good with red or white cherries and slivered fennel.
L’Ami du Chambertin and Epoisses {Burgundy, France} are rich cow’s milk cheeses, sticky and pungent when ripe. Often salty. Both are bathed with marc de Bourgogne, a potent grappa-like brandy. Good with honeyed, ripe Bosc pears, brandied raisins {see Drunken Raisins, here}, or red or white cherries. Also: Langres {Burgundy, Champagne, and Ardennes, France}.
SHEEP’S MILK CHEESES
Manchego {La Mancha, Spain} is a hard sheep’s milk cheese, firm, full-flavored, and nutty, with a characteristic pleasant sheepy taste I can only describe as barnyardy. Manchego is traditionally served with quince paste {membrillo, see Sources and Resources, here}, but it is also good with dried figs or really ripe, wrinkly Black Mission figs, or toasted almonds, blanched or not.
Petit Basque and Abbaye de Belloc {Pyrénées, France} are hard, aged sheep’s milk cheeses with a balanced, mellow flavor~fruity or nutty, or both, sometimes faintly lactic. They have a lingering, delicate aftertaste. Both are good with tender Burlat cherries, lightly toasted and blanched almonds, or raw almonds and fennel.
Vermont Shepherd Cheese {Vermont} is a hard sheep’s milk cheese with mellow, nutty, herbaceous flavors. Good with almonds, fennel, and dried apples~fresh apples can be so strong they shroud some of the subtle, elegant flavor notes.
Brin d’Amour and Fleur du Maquis {Corsica, France} are slightly tangy sheep’s milk cheeses, firm to oozing ripe, crusted with aromatic~rosemary, savory, juniper. They are good with fresh figs or dried figs in red wine {see here} and slivered fennel. Also: Sally Jackson’s Sheep’s Milk Cheese Wrapped in Chestnut Leaves {Washington}.
Fromage Blanc, Farmer’s Cheese, and Fresh Ricotta are fluffy, fresh cheeses. We serve sheep’s and cow’s milk varieties cool, with small, tender, ripe strawberries, wild strawberries, tender blueberries, perfumed red or golden raspberries, loganberries, or tayberries. Tangier goat’s milk versions often overwhelm delicate berries and are best with figs or the ever-friendly fennel, thinly slivered.
GOAT CHEESES
Among the many delicious fresh goat cheeses~domestic, French, and Italian~on the market, flavor varies widely, as does tanginess. Textures range from fluffy to cakey to dense and pasty. Aged goat cheeses range from just-firm, with slightly oozey rinds, to hard crottins {“little turds”}. Their character varies according to age, whether or not the surface is dusted with ash, and somewhat reliably, region of production. I love the flavor of Loire goat cheeses, particularly the rich, lactic Crottin de Chavignol and Selles-sur-Cher. Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog {Humboldt County, California} and pyramid-shaped Hy-Ku Baba {Napa County, California} are two ash-covered California goat cheeses we use frequently. Chevrier from Vermont Butter and Cheese is a lovely goat cheese with a tender white rind. The paste is creamy on the edges and cakey in the center, and it has a mellow, round flavor with notes of field mushroom. Nearly all of these fresh and aged goat cheeses taste good with ripe figs or fennel. I like freshest, fluffiest ones with freshly cracked black pepper.
Several aged goat cheeses merit separate attention:
Garrotxa {Catalonia, Spain} is a semi-hard goat’s milk cheese with a suedey-gray natural rind. Good with fresh Black Mission figs, it is also excellent with Dried Figs in Red Wine {here}. Also: Sally Jackson’s Goat Milk Cheese Wrapped in Grape Leaves {Washington} and Juniper Grove Tumalo Tomme {Oregon}.
Queso Majorero {Canary Islands, Spain} is a hard goat’s milk cheese that is particularly good with fresh Kadota figs, sometimes brushed with a few drops of Galliano liqueur. Also good with Adriatic figs or blanched toasted almonds.
A FEW BLUE CHEESES
Mountain Gorgonzola {Lombardy, Italy} is a firm, nutty, occasionally crumbly, cow’s milk cheese, much milder than the creamy, pasty Dolcelatte {“sweet-milk”} types, which don’t taste sweet at all to me. Serve with a puddle of wildflower or chestnut honey, or honey with a mixture of walnuts, pistachios, and pine nuts folded in. Also good with ripe Bosc, Seckel, or Winter Nelìs Pears, or dried pears.
Stilton {England} The mild, firm, nutty cow’s milk cheese is good with Pippin apples, dried apples soaked in Madeira, raisins soaked in brandy or port {see Drunken Raisins, here}, walnuts, black walnuts, or warm pecans. Also: Fourme d’Ambert, Fourme de Montbrison, and Bleu de Laqueuille {Auvergne, France}.
Roquefort {Rouergue, France}, the tangy, salty, sheep’s milk cheese. Good with toasted walnuts and intensely ripe pears~Bartletts, Comice, Anjou.
Picon and Queso Cabrales {Cantabria and Asturias, Spain}, made with mixed cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s milk, are very strong, very blue cheeses. They are good with Bartlett or Bosc pears, for different reasons: Bartletts have a fragrant fresh, almost tangy, flavor that survives and balances the forward, intense flavor of the cheese; Boscs have a deep, rich character that tempers and lasts through the long flavor of the cheese. Very ripe Muscat grapes show well too.
Montbriac and Rochebaron {Auvergne, France} are mild, creamy-sticky, slightly blue cow’s milk cheeses. We serve them with slivered fennel, Zante grapes, or warmed pistachios. Slightly musty or mushroomy specimens will be good with hazelnuts.