THE PERFECT ending to a fine meal doesn't have to be a sugary dessert. A pleasurable alternative is the European tradition of concluding dinner with a bit of cheese and some fruit or other suitable accompaniments.
An after-dinner cheese course can be as elaborate or simple as your tastes and budget allow. A festive spread for a holiday or other special occasion could include a cheese board with several varieties of cheese, a cornucopia of fruits and nuts, assorted breads and crackers, chocolates, and a selection of wines and other beverages. Even one or two good-quality cheeses and fruit or crackers can provide a satisfying finish to a meal.
Because cheese is a dense, concentrated food, the portions at the end of a meal should be small. If you're planning on serving at least two varieties, strive for a balance between hard and soft, pungent and mild, or aged and fresh (unripened) cheeses.
For example, a soft, unripened Camembert or Brie presents a welcome contrast to firm, strong-flavoured cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or aged cheddar. To expand the selection, you could add a mild-tasting, semi-soft cheese such as Monterey Jack, Tilsit or Port-Salut, or perhaps a full-flavoured veined cheese such as Gorgonzola, Maytag Blue, Romano or Stilton.
You can also vary the offerings by including one or two cheeses with distinctive shapes, for example, a square of Taleggio, small rounds of Reblochon, or a log of goat's milk cheese (chevre).
Cheese is most flavourful when served at room temperature, on small cutting boards or plates. Provide small spatulas or knives for serving soft varieties and a cheese plane or shaver for harder ones. Separate serving implements for each cheese keep the flavours from mixing.
Fresh seasonal fruits, especially ripe pears, crisp apples and seedless grapes, are a refreshing addition to a cheese board. Slice pears and apples into thin wedges or present them whole, with several small, sharp knives for slicing the fruit at the table. Snip grape clusters into small bunches to make them easier to manage. Any crackers or other breadstuffs should be plain (free of garlic or other strong flavours) and fresh-tasting. To make your own toasted rounds, see the recipe below.
STRONG TASTING CHEESE AND
RED WINES
Wine and cheese are a natural pairing, one that evokes many opinions on which cheese goes with which wine. Traditionally, strong-tasting cheeses are served with full-flavoured red wines, and milder cheeses with white wines or light, fruity reds. For example, strong-tasting veined cheeses (such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Maytag or Danish blue) are most often accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, and sometimes Pinot Noir or Zinfandel. Stilton, another famous veined variety, is traditionally served with port. But some aficionados of these robust cheeses prefer them with sweet white wines, such as Sauternes.
The age of a cheese is often the deciding factor in choosing a wine to drink with it. For example, Brie, Camembert or Taleggio cheeses that have matured (as evidenced by a yellow or brownish rind) are often served with soft reds such as Gamay Beaujolais or Sangiovese. When young and mild-tasting, the same cheeses may be eaten with dry or mildly sweet white wines.
According to some connoisseurs, fruit is incompatible with a number of the wines that traditionally are served with full-flavoured cheeses. Other authorities suggest cranberry, apple or blueberry wines as fitting complements to cheese.
Regardless of the cheese under consideration, there will always be cheese-lovers who drink only red wines, those who like only white wine, and still others who don't consume alcohol. At the end of the day (or the meal), the most reasonable recommendation is to honour your own good sense of taste and that of your guests. If a particular combination of cheese with fruit or wine tastes appealing, it should be enjoyed with gratitude and pleasure.
SUCCESS TIPS:
To estimate the amount of cheese to purchase for serving at the end of a meal, figure on approximately 1/8 pound cheese per person of each
variety.
To estimate the amount of alcohol to purchase for an after-dinner cheese and wine course, figure on approximately one 4-ounce glass of red or white table wine per person. For port, sherry or fortified wines (which have a higher alcohol content), figure on approximately one 2- or 3-ounce glass per person.
Check out Thomas Finnigan Wine Merchants, Kingston, and the cheese sections of larger supermarkets for a variety of cheeses.
The pleasing taste and crunch of this toast complements any cheese. For a subtle flavour variation that will not overpower milder varieties, substitute a tablespoon or two of cold-pressed walnut or hazelnut oil for part of the
olive oil.
Toasted Bread Rounds
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsps. unsalted butter
1 long day-old dense-textured French or sourdough baguette (or try Jamaican hardough bread)
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil and butter together until butter is melted.
2. With sharp, serrated knife, cut bread on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Brush slices liberally with butter-oil mixture; place on baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp (about 10 minutes). Serve warm.
Makes approximately 40 rounds.
