The Art of the Cheese Party

Wine and cheese parties became de rigueur in the 1970s, at a time when fine cheeses from around the world were not always readily available. In fact, they were nearly impossible to find unless you lived in the right city or ethnic neighborhood. The wine and cheese party has since become the de facto party to have when you have no better idea. It can also be a budget-friendly solution when a more elaborate cocktail party is not an option.
 
Well, this state of complete irreverence with regards to cheese is a gastronomic abomination and, frankly, an offense to the nations and regions that create these unique dairy products, which have become an invaluable part of culinary culture.
 
A wine and cheese party is not to be taken lightly; it may be thought of as a light, well-balanced meal, but planning such a soirée is a feat in itself. Everything begins with a theme, an idea of a part of the world you would like to celebrate, and then begins the craft of pairing the cheeses and wines in perfect harmony. Whether it is Italian, Spanish, English or French, curating the cheese is a skill akin to the fine art of conversation in the salons of the intelligentsia.
 
First, the basics. There are seven types of cheese: fresh cheese with no rind, like Feta or Ricotta; natural rind with a thin rind like a chèvre Sancerre; soft white cheese with a wrinkled rind like Brie or Camembert; semi-soft cheese, brownish-orange like a Tomme de Savoie. Then there are the hard cheeses: ones with a thick, dense rind, like English Cheddar, Parmigiano Reggiano or Spanish Manchiego; blue cheeses like English Stilton or  Roquefort; and flavored cheeses like Gouda with cumin.
 
Just because there are seven kinds of cheese, you do not need to have all seven on your table, but what is critical is that your selection is a flavor build, based on the intensity of each cheese, which must be curated with the palate and wine in mind. If you're serious, you will want to serve wine of a particular terroir with cheese of the same region—otherwise you can select an all-around full-bodied white or red. (The battle of white or red is an altogether different discussion that I will leave to Napaman to discuss).
 
Recently, I had a cousin visiting from overseas, and thought it might be lovely to have a French-themed wine and cheese soirée with about a dozen guests. I planned the evening with great ease, simply because I live in SoHo, N.Y., near Dean & Deluca and Balthazar Bakery. I used large, medium and small sourdough boules as the base for the cheeses, which made for a compelling presentation and appetite appeal.
 
This particular evening, with this particular menu, I decided to serve four kinds of cheese. I set about buying the complete wheel or block, which makes for great visual appeal. I selected a soft white cheese; A Brillat Savarin triple crème from Normandy; a Caruchon semi-soft brownish orange sheep’s milk from Aveyron; a Fourme D’Ambert raw blue cheese from the Auvergne region; and a Tomme du Berger dense-rind cheese made with raw sheep's and goat's milk from Provence.
 
There are two white elephants you should be aware of. The first is that your cheese should not be refrigerated. While this may seem the opposite of what makes sense, it is actually the way cheese is preserved. It should be left in a cool and dry pantry. If the temperature of the room is too hot then place the cheese in the fridge, but leave it out the day of the party so it is served at room temperature.
 
The other thing to keep in mind is the pasteurized vs. unpasteurized cheese debate. If you should be so lucky as to have a local cheese boutique that stocks unpasteurized imports, that is the way to go, just be aware that unpasteurized cheese is not recommended for pregnant women.
 
My soirée was a complete success; I served the selection of cheeses with a dry white Sancerre and a Pouilly-Fumé. The pairing, while controversial with those who drink only reds with cheese, stirred the guests into a tasting frenzy fuelled by nuanced debates over the subtleties of the wines and the character of the cheeses.