For The Love of Cheese

To give you a bit of background, The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) is an operation that promotes products made with Real California Milk. Because wholesome, quality dairy products contribute to the good health and well-being of all, the CMAB markets them through promotion, education and research.

"The best thing to do if you want to learn more about cheese is visit your local cheese merchant," said Devereaux. "He or she will probably let you sample a few different kinds of cheese and give you firsthand information about tastes and pairings."

Devereaux also said that most cheeses, especially hard cheeses, should be served at room temperature. "If you're serving them at a party, you can arrange your cheese plate about two hours before guests arrive."

So if you're planning to pair your favorite cheeses with wine or beer as a snack, apertif or light meal keep these tips in mind:

• Cheese is usually made from three different kinds of milk: cow, sheep and goat. For a nice variety of flavors, feature one of each cheese in your spread. 
• Use proper handling procedures for different cheeses. Soft cheese, like fresh goat cheese, should be kept as cold as possible without freezing. Ripened and creamy cheeses should be kept cold until just before serving. Firm cheeses should be served at room temperature.
  
• Pair lighter wines or beers with lighter cheeses and heavier, sharper cheeses with full-bodied wines. If a cheese has a lighter, acidic taste, like a goat cheese, it will pair best to a Sauvignon Blanc while a rich cheddar can stand up to a bold red wine.
  
• Let your taste buds guide you: if you don't like a certain type of cheese, don't force yourself to eat it because it's of a high quality. There are hundreds of kinds of cheeses.
  
• Good natural cheese should taste consistently good, but it may not always taste exactly the same. Natural cheese is a living food and will continue to change over its life. Also, a cheese maker may encourage variations in a cheese's flavor during the year based on milk selection and environmental factors - a practice known in wine making as "terroir."

For more information about cheese visit www.realcaliforniacheese.com. For information and to find out where to purchase Cypress Grove Chevre (which is produced in California and available throughout Chicago) visit  www.cypressgrovechevre.com.

*Cypress Grove sent me samples of several of their cheeses to try, however they did not tell me what to write and all opinions in this post are truthful and accurate.