Last weekend we attended Cheese Club Med at the Palo Alto Cheese School. This was an opportunity to try a variety of Mediterranean cheeses with various wines and accompaniments. As we gathered, we enjoyed a refreshing cocktail made with Prosecco, chili, mint, lime and French vermouth. It had a kick, but was still light and perfect for a warm afternoon. It was served with warm pita bread and Saganaki, made from broiled Kefalograviera cheese.
Chef Jaimie Casey gathered the following cheeses for our afternoon adventure.
We each had plates of :
Greek Sheep’s Milk Feta
Mahon, a cow’s milk cheese from Spain
Perla Grigia with Truffle, a cow’s milk cheese from Italy
Pecorino Romano Pepato, sheep’s milk cheese from Italy
Pata Cabra Mitica, goat's milk from Spain
Montbriac, cow’s milk blue cheese from France
Accompaniments included olives, toasted almonds and pecans, quince paste, muscat grapes, French bread, cranberry walnut bread and a spoon of a Spanish chorizo and chick pea compote.
Our drinks for pairing included:
Casal Garcia Vinho Verde
Mas Que Vino Cercavio Tempranillo ‘07
Sandeman Sherry Cream Armada
We spent two lovely hours discussing the cheeses and trying the various pairings. My favorite cheese was the Perla Grigia with Truffle (about 4 o'clock on the plate). It has cinnamon and nutmeg as well as the black truffle and was absolutely divine with the cranberry bread and Tempranillo. Perfect for a winter holiday party. I'll keep it in mind for that purpose, but I liked it so much, I’ve already bought some to enjoy just for myself! No special occasion required.