Winter Cheese Board
With Truffle Gouda, Smoked Cheddar, Sheep and Cow’s Milk Brie, and More
THE INTRODUCTION
As a cheesemonger, I spend my working days with some of the finest, sharpest, stinkiest aged dairy products that humans have ever had the pleasure or displeasure of experiencing. Humans began producing cheese around 8,000 BCE, and the cultivation of its moldy, gooey, tangy goodness has grown alongside us through the rise and fall of many a civilization. Since cheese is a living organism of thriving bacteria cultures, I like to think of this as a symbiotic relationship: the cheese gets to exist and we get to enjoy it.
This season’s cheese board highlights this relationship through our shared experiences with winter. Rich, smokey flavors, earthy, mushroomy transcendence, and decadent, texture creaminess all speak to the experience of surviving the cold, grey months of January, February, and March. This board is a testament to those chilly nights where friends gather against the cold, to sample a reflection of the taste of all that wintery nature has to provide.
THE INGREDIENTS
Each ingredient selected for this board reflects an aspect of my favorite experiences of winter. As always, I want to pick at least three cheeses, at least one soft and one goat, sheep, or blue.
Beemster Truffle Gouda: A young cow’s milk cheese with rich, earthy truffle flavor. It reminds me of how sharp the earth smells during winter park walks in the freezing cold. And who doesn’t love that distinct truffle je ne sais quoi?
Beecher’s Smoked Cheddar: A hard, cow’s milk cheddar from Seattle, WA. I’m not typically a “smoke fan,” but its flavor is natural and subtle, reminiscent of the comforting scent of a fireplace as you return inside from shoveling snow.
Wegmans Professor’s Brie: This cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, cow’s cream combo is unique for its mild mushroom flavor and creamy texture. With fruit it becomes a delectable dessert treat. Paired with deli meat and it becomes a punchy, savory powerhouse.
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Roasted Hazelnuts: I’ve always been a huge fan of the earthy, caramel flavor of roasted hazelnuts. I bought them raw and roasted them myself, filling my apartment with the smell of the carts I pass by on 34th Street around Christmas.
Firehook Classic Sea Salt Crackers: These crackers are slightly salty and strong enough to withstand the strongest of scoops and the highest stacks. Firehook never detracts from the flavor of the cheese, somehow enhancing the quality with every bite.
Wegmans Whole Grain Dijon: “You’ve got to include whole grain mustard!” said one of my coworkers. Chosen for some vinegar to cut through the fattiness of my otherwise heavy board ingredients.
Pajarero Figs: These Spanish dried figs add a sweet note to the board, playing off of the Professor’s Brie’s versatility. They also add a new sensation to the overall experience: chewiness.
Granny Smith Apple: New York State is a huge apple-producing state, and what apple could be more famous than the Granny Smith? Its inclusion adds some acidity to the board, providing tartness, freshness, and a pop of green color amongst the muted tones of winter.
Piccante Olives: These olives, saturated in oil and red pepper flakes, provide a powerful kick with every bite. It reminds me of the painful sting—both physically and mentally — one feels when falling while ice-skating.
Fennel Salami: Slightly sweet, mild salami with an understated citrusy, bee pollen flavor. Made by artisanal sausage maker Josef Brunner in Canandaigua, New York based on traditional Italian methods.
Thyme: The peppery, pine smell of thyme is the perfect smell and visual accent for the board, bringing all of the disparate flavors together.
THE TASTE TEST
This cheese board exemplifies both the harmony and the tension of winter. The slight sweetness of the smoked cheddar playfully balances the earthiness of the truffle gouda. Both are countered texturally by the creaminess of the brie, while the vinegary mustard cuts through the fat of all three cheeses - especially when spread on the crackers. The roasted hazelnuts, sour apples, and spicy olives enhance the mellow, buttery notes of the cow and sheep’s milk combo. And the fatty, slightly citrous fennel salami refines the boldness of each cheese, transforming their notes of truffle, mushroom, and smoke into something fresh, earthy, and slightly grassy. The perfect plate to eat while warming your frostbitten toes by the fire.
“Oh! I love it, it is so tasty! Thank you thank you.” — Marthe K, Neighbor
