A cheese platter accompanied by an excellent glass of wine is the sublime way of imagining any special moment dedicated to a relaxing and peaceful moment of meditation. It can naturally also be a most elegant solution for a last minute dinner invitation or a special evening meal for connoisseurs in this sector.
There are just a few but highly important rules to follow: Choose a good selection of small cuts of cheeses, except for the “slabs” of Parmesan or seasoned cheeses which have been sliced from large cheese forms; place fresh cheeses and those which may lose milky liquid on a separate platter; keep marble cheeses and those with strong scented moulds at a due distance, so that the fragrance of each of the different cheeses can be fully appreciated.
Think what other complementary foods you can serve, bearing in mind the old saying: don’t tell the farmer just how tasty his cheese is with pears. The taste of each type of cheese can be enhanced when served with fresh fruit, nuts, fruit preserves, spicy sauces, honey, savoury ingredients such as vegetables, pickles, aromatic herbs and spices, but at the end of a meal and for special "meditation" moments, it is recommended to serve with sweet foods.
Fresh robiola, caprino and mascarpone are perfect with fresh fruit and wines such as Prosecco di Cartizze, Roero Arneis e Soave; pies made with sweet gorgonzola and mascarpone, or raw milk caprino are ideal served with nuts and hazelnuts, together with a glass of Eiswein or Franciacorta Bianco. Fiorino or first salted cheeses, crescenza, quartirolo and Roccaverano robiola are all enhanced by the slightly bitter taste of an orange chutney or corbezzolo honey; the wine must be aromatic such as a Gewurztraminer or fresh such as a Pinot grigio or a Fiano d’Avellino. Seasoned caprino cheeses are ideal served with dates, dried figs, apricots, prunes and a glass of Natural Malvasia. If you have a tomato preserve (red or green), try it with marzolino, caciocavallo silano or pecorino sardo, and a glass of Franciacorta Brut. You can serve a goats milk lightly salted cheese or paglierina with some slices of candied quince and a glass of Merlot or Syrah toscani. Try serving Brie, Pont l’Eveque or goats milk ricotta with an onion preserve, Montafalco Rosso or Rosso di Montalcino.
Raschera or Bettelmatt summer alpine cheeses are enhanced by grape must, Chianti or Dolcetto d’Alba.
The chutneys and spicy fruit sauces are ideal for serving with cheeses and wines with intense and persistent aromas. Castelmagno, traditionally served with chestnut honey, is also excellent with a prune mustard and a glass of Barbaresco or Barolo; the same applies to Spicy gorgonzola, Stilton and Roquefort. If you serve these marble cheeses alongside a platter of seasoned quartirolo and other Introbio cheeses, you can add a spicy chestnut sauce, and choose a Valtellina Sforzato or Marsala Superiore.Asiago, Montasio and medium seasoned Bra or Caciocavallo ragusano are delicous served with pear chutney, Brunello di Montalcino or Nero d’Avola.
To conclude, never forget Taleggio on your platter served with fig chutney or acacia honey and a glass of 10 year Port.
