A Little Cheese with your Wine?
This time of year is wonderful for entertaining - not too cool, not too hot, and just before people start gearing up for those summer vacations. If you're planning on inviting some friends and family over for a small get together, take note of these great cheese serving tips from Provvista Specialty Foods in Portland, Oregon:
1. Take the cheese out of the refrigerator at least two hours prior to service.
2. Serve a few great cheeses - less is more, with three often being the perfect number.
3. Calculate 2 to 3 ounces per person per event.
4. Mix texture, style and milk source.
5. Serve with water crackers or thinly sliced baguette.
Deciding on cheeses to pair with wine has much to do with personal preference, but here are a few well-tasted local varieties that the Sokol Blosser staff enjoys:
Shepherd's Knoll by Willamette Valley Cheese Co. - Salem, OR
San Joaquin Cheddar by Fiscalini Cheese - Modesto, CA
Crater Lake Blue by Rogue Creamery - Ashland, OR
Organic Mt. Tam by Cowgirl Creamery - Point Reyes Station, CA
Tumalo Tomme by Juniper Grove Farms - Redmond, OR
Roasted Hazelnut and Frangelico Torte by Rivers Edge Chevre - Logsden, OR
If you live in or around NW Portland, a great place to purchase great quality, hand selected cheeses is Steve's Cheese, located inside Square Deal Wine Shop on NW 23rd and Thurman. The great guys manning the counter will take time to educate you about the varieties of cheese that they carry and also find you something to fit your party and your price range.
Have a great time planning your party - and as always, if you're sipping Sokol Blosser wines at your event, email us with your story and pictures!