Whether or not your charcuterie board is meant as an appetizer earlier than dinner or a grazing-all-night scenario, there’s little doubt {that a} good cheese board makes a serious impression at a gathering. I’ve beloved good cheese for so long as I can keep in mind, and it’s an indulgence that by no means will get outdated.
Thankfully for me, charcuterie has by no means been hotter because of all of the beautiful boards floating round social media. As with every trending dish, it’s all the time higher to get an knowledgeable’s tackle what makes the very best cheese for charcuterie—to not point out, insights on game-changing pairings. On this mission, I linked with Sarah McIntosh, chef-owner of Épicerie in Austin, to speak all issues elevated snacking.
Sarah McIntosh
Government Chef-owner of Épicerie in Austin TX, Sarah McIntosh brings the simplicity of her beloved French-Louisiana fare along with seasonal choices that hold her patrons pleasantly stunned. After years of success and the restaurant surviving the pandemic, it developed from a grocery & cafe right into a bistro, bar & boulangerie.
An Professional Shares the Finest Cheeses for Charcuterie
When assembling the proper charcuterie board, choosing the right cheese is an artwork. On this information, we’ll discover McIntosh’s knowledgeable suggestions for choosing the right cheese for charcuterie, together with extra concerns for taste pairings and lesser-known cheese picks. Whether or not you’re a charcuterie novice or just drawn in by all the hype, put together your self to dive.
Understanding Totally different Forms of Cheese
“Generally speaking, there are five different types of cheeses,” says McIntosh.
Bloomy rind. A sort of cheese with a white, velvety rind that develops because the cheese ages
Washed rind. This cheese is washed in the course of the ripening course of to create a pungent aroma and flavorful rind.
Semi-soft. Count on a excessive moisture content material, a clean and creamy texture, and a taste that may vary from gentle to pungent.
Exhausting. Exhausting cheeses are aged longer than comfortable cheeses, leading to a drier, crumblier texture and better fats content material.
Blue. These cheeses are made with the addition of cultures of edible molds (learn: scrumptious molds).This creates the signature blue-green spots or veins by the cheese.
It’s additionally necessary to notice that there are 4 various kinds of milk used to make cheese: cow, sheep, goat, and water buffalo.
Learn how to Choose the Finest Cheese for Charcuterie
“Depending on your platter size, there are several different options for cheese amounts. I typically stick to three or five types of cheese. I like to select a different variety of styles and milk types,” says McIntosh.
When designing bigger platters, McIntosh additionally notes that she tends to pick out extra agency cheeses. “Firm cheeses are easier to cut and look nicer/cleaner especially when your guests start digging in!” Alternatively, she might put a softer cheese on a separate platter to stop any mess on the primary board.
How do you pair your cheese with different charcuterie substances?
McIntosh says agency cheese pairs properly with fruits/dried fruits, nuts, and arduous salami. For softer and blue cheeses, she likes to dive into various kinds of honey and jams.
“Bloomy rinds are typically your soft cheeses. These could be anything from Brie to Camembert or double creams.” Nevertheless, McIntosh notes that there are bloomy rinds which might be extra agency as properly. “Washed rinds like Raclette and Taleggio can range from soft, semi-soft, or to hard. These are what you think of as ‘stinky cheeses,’ and they tend to be orange in color,” she says.
“Semi-soft cheese like Gouda and Manchego, hards such as parm and Pecorino, and blue are all pretty straightforward. If blue cheese is scary to you, try a harder blue or one with less veining (the blue streaks) for a less pungent flavor.”
How do milks have an effect on the flavors of cheese?
McIntosh explains that every milk kind has its personal signature flavors and fats content material. “Goat milk is the leanest, followed by cow, sheep, and water buffalo,” she says. When deciding on milk kind, the next tasting notes are useful to contemplate:
Goat. Lean, bitter, tangy.
Cow. Nutty, buttery, mushroom, bread, wealthy.
Sheep. Barnyard, buttery, earthy, creamy.
Water buffalo. Candy, velvety, pudgy, wealthy.
“Oftentimes, producers create mixed milk cheese of two or more different types of milk,” says McIntosh. “One of my favorites being Campo De Montalban. It consists of goat, cow, and sheep milk creating a very complex Manchego-style cheese which is always a hit.”
An Underrated Cheese to Carry on Your Radar
McIntosh says her private favourite cheese of all time is Rush Creek Reserve from Upland Cheese Co. It’s necessary to notice that this cheese is simply out there within the fall when the cows’ weight loss program adjustments from inexperienced grass to hay. This transformation in weight loss program leads to richer milk, good for this custardy creation. The wheels of this cheese are wrapped in spruce bark in line with the custom of this number of washed rind cheese. This course of offers the cheese a pleasant woodsy/smoky taste. McIntosh additionally notes that this cheese is pricier and very restricted, making it an excellent vacation reward. It will possibly typically be discovered at Complete Meals or your native cheese retailer when you’d fairly not order on-line.
