Composing a one-of-a-kind cheese plate for a holiday party could be intimidating.
But it doesn’t have to be, and restaurateur Brian Keyser can attest to that.
Before he became a server at Chanterelle in New York City in 2004, Mr. Keyser didn’t know that much about cheese either. “The only cheese I knew were block cheddar, Kraft Singles and whatever was on pizza,” he writes in his new book, “Composing the Cheese Plate: Recipes, Pairings & Platings for the Inventive Cheese Course” (Running Press; September 2016; $22).
As he learned to serve serious cheese courses, all that changed. By tasting, asking questions and tasting some more, he gradually educated his palate and grew a love for all things cheese.
He’d learned enough about artisanal cheese by 2007 to open Casellula Cheese & Wine Cafe, a cheese-focused wine bar in Hell’s Kitchen, which is known for its curated cheese plates. He is bringing that knowledge to Casellula @ Alphabet City, a 24-seat restaurant at City of Asylum's new headquarters on the North Side that is scheduled to open in January. Like its New York counterpart, it will offer an ever-changing array of local cheeses paired with housemade accompaniments and small plates.
Mr. Keyser says a good cheese plate begins with a knowledgeable cheesemonger — someone who is well-versed in different cheese characteristics and can help create a nice pairing of cheeses. If the monger is certified by the American Cheese Society, it would be good but not essential, he says. It’s more important that the person really knows everything about the cheese.
“It’s kind of like finding a hairdresser,” he says. “You have to try a few until you find the one you’re most comfortable with and can develop a relationship with over time.”
He advises customers to start by asking questions and tasting samples. Tell the monger how much or little you know about cheese, and what you like and don’t like. “Over time, they’ll get to know your tastes, and you can ask more informed questions,” he says.
Unless you’re focusing on a specific variety — say, all Vermont or Western Pennsylvania cheeses — it’s good to draw on a broad variety of milks and regions, in the U.S. and Europe. And don’t forget about condiments. They should be complementary in flavor and also add texture — think crunchy pickles, crisp crackers, soft marshmallows. Each cheese can be paired with multiple accompaniments, and so be creative.
In “Composing the Cheese Plate,” Mr. Keyser notes the more condiments you play around with, the better you’ll get at choosing interesting pairings. For instance, did you know chocolate goes great with blue cheeses because its sweetness softens the intensity of the pungent mold?
“There aren’t any hard rules,” Mr. Keyser writes.
Keep in mind
• Plan between 1 and 3 ounces of cheese per person, depending on the menu.
• Temper cheese at least one hour before serving out of the refrigerator, especially if it’s a soft cheese. More flavors and aromas are released at room temperature.
• The cheeses can be presented on a platter for everyone to share or served on individual plates.
• Wine and microbrewed beer go well with cheese. Mr. Keyser prefers to serve cheese with a bubbly. The acidity in sparkling wine “cleanses your palate of the fat from the cheese, and that makes you want to take another bite,” he says. “It’s a dance on the palate.”
Perfect pairings
A cheese plate should be balanced, interesting and, of course, delicious. Brian Keyser suggests including a cheese from five broad categories: fresh (chevre, ricotta), bloomy (brie, Camembert), hard (Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano), washed-rind, aka stinky cheeses (taleggio, Muenster) and blue.
• Fresh: Green Dirt Farm’s fresh sheep’s milk cheese with kale pesto served separately or on a crostini.
• Bloomy: Boxcarr Cottonseed, a supersoft creamy cheese made with cow and goat milk, with parsnip puree or deviled-egg cream.
• Hard: Pleasant Ridge Reserve with cashew brittle.
• Washed Rind: Taleggio with red wine shallots.
• Blue: Rogue River Blue with chocolate graham crackers or chocolate fudge.
Gretchen McKay: gmckay@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1419 or on Twitter @gtmckay.
First Published: December 7, 2016, 5:00 a.m.
