Art Chowder November | December, Issue 24 | Page 43

D
oing the cheese math, it means that the freshest food diets
express themselves in fresh cheese between November and
March in the store.  In these months, including cheese is easy
— just choose your preference of ruminant and enjoy.
Sheep cheeses include Manchego or Roquefort, some Feta and
even Myzithra.  Sheep’s milk has the most fat content of the
milks we use.  In this, sheep milk cheese conveys this “terroir”
of diet the loudest; just as every chef trains his staff, “fat carries
flavor,” fresh sheep milk reflects diet the clearest. Favorite
pairings with these cheeses include gamier, spicier wines
like Syrah from Hermitage, California’s Central Coast or
Washington.  The Betz Family Winery produces a Cote Rousse
Syrah - it resonates the earthiness in these cheeses with enough
solidity to stand up to the increased fat without obliterating
flavor.
Artisan goat cheeses include Cathare, Bûcheron and Valencay. 
These and the always present Chevre (French for “goat”) are
the leanest cheeses and display a refreshing piquancy to the
flavors.  These play well with the crisper styles of Sauvignon
Blanc or Champagne — or try a sparkling wine like the bright,
lemon-y examples made by Oregon’s Argyle winery. 
November | December 2019
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