Cheese Tips for the Holidays (and all the time!)
From My friends at Counter Cheesemongers
Hello! First off, I am sending some major love to everyone that’s felt the impact of this crazy storm, which hit Florida over the weekend and Charleston on Sunday. These storms hit me hard emotionally, and I know I am lucky compared to many! So just wanted to get this message out there before I start talking about the joy of the season and all that ;)
But it IS the holidays and I do want to wish you happy holidays – whichever and however you choose to celebrate! We only have a couple of newsletters this year, and I want to give thanks to everyone who has supported this fledgling enterprise of mine. If you are just picking up the Grape to Table newsletter, thanks so much for joining to learn more about wine, food, and life. We have just wrapped up my origin story (click here to read), and we are diving into fun content focused on meaningful time at the table with delicious wine and food. For now, my newsletter is free and you can find all the content by clicking here – basically a little Grape to Table website created by the great folks at Substack. Since the holidaze are officially upon us you might enjoy all my holiday content, which you can reference by clicking here. And speaking of the holidays, let’s dive into cheese tips for the holidays from my friend at Counter Cheesemongers.
If you follow my Instagram feed you have probably noticed my cheese addiction! I came by this quite naturally as my grandparents always set out cheese plates before dinner (and this was back in the 1980s when such things were definitely NOT commonplace!). Of course, back then it was exotic to serve Maytag blue cheese with guava jam and saltine crackers. Honestly, it’s only in the last 15 years that more truly artisanal cheeses have become commonly available in mid-size American towns (not everywhere has New York City caliber cheese shops!). And it is only in the past five years that there seems to be a significant rise in small creameries in the southeastern United States that are inspired by classic European cheese-makers.
So I consider myself lucky to know Eric Casella and Nora Granger, proprietors of Counter Cheesemongers, a Charleston, South Carolina based business focusing largely on these incredible Southern creameries. Eric and Nora worked in some of the top cheese shops in New York City before moving to Charleston eight years ago. Now they sell to many of the best restaurants; have an online shop that can ship around the country (the deadline has passed for Christmas – but shipping is available for New Year’s; plus, they have a cheese of the month club that you can still gift); AND they just opened a physical shop in North Charleston, 3973 Rivers Avenue (so still plenty of time for all you locals to stock up for the holidays – just note they are usually only open for retail on Fridays and Saturdays but for this pre-Christmas week they will be open Thursday through Saturday (December 21-23, from 11 to 4). All of this means it’s a perfect time to ask their advice on cheese boards for the holidays! I cannot imagine a festive occasion without this decadent start so let’s dig into their pro tips!
What is your general advice regarding cheese boards for the holidays?
Don't overthink it. Almost everyone is always happy to see cheese in whatever manner it's presented. It shouldn't be a source of stress, and no one will ever balk at your choices or presentation.
Variety?
Having a mix of styles, milk types, and textures is always appreciated. Alpine styles conjure holiday feelings for us since they characteristically match the intensity and flavors of most holiday foods - roasty, brothy, fruity, etc... If you can get your hands on one of the many spruce wrapped soft ripened cheeses around this time of year, those are great centerpieces and only really available around holidays. (At their shop or online look for Uplands Cheese Rush Creek Reserve or Sequatchie Cove Creamery Ebenezer).
Quantity?
Get more than you think you need. There is nothing worse than not having enough cheese. Our general rule is at least one ounce per person of each cheese you're serving (i.e. if you’re having a six person group, you will want at least ⅓ lb of each cheese). A large hunk of an English style cheddar or alpine style that can sit out all day to be continuously grazed on is always nice too.
If you are having a large party should you cut the cheeses into smaller, bite-size pieces? Or is that sacrilegious?
Maybe a bit of both! Large parties mean large pieces of cheese, which look great amidst crackers, veggies, fruit, and nuts; but they are frequently subject to ugly hack jobs by party guests. We like to portion some, while leaving a decent sized chunk whole.
Are there special cheeses that are released this time of the year?
Yes! The aforementioned spruce bark wrapped cheeses are only made with the milk of hay-fed cows. When cows switch from grazing on grass to hay (in the winter), their milk is even more packed with nutrients (hay=grass without the water weight).
Spruce bark wrapped cheeses are a traditional alpine cheesemaking practice, most notably showcased in France’s Vacherin Mont d'Or but replicated by a few fantastic American producers. Uplands Cheese Rush Creek Reserve and Jasper Hill Winnimere are the most well known, but our friends at Sequatchie Cove Creamery in Tennessee make our favorite – Ebenezer.
What is your general advice regarding beverage pairing with cheese? Rumor has it that some folks say that bubbles -- whether beer or sparkling wine -- really up the pairing game? But can still wines work as well?
Bubbles do some great palate scrubbing work, which is a definite plus when you are working with the heft of butterfat on the palate. Beer's grain background also works exceptionally well with cheese (as it has some similar flavors to crackers/bread), but wine is fantastic for really dialing in complementary and contrasting flavors. Generally stay clear of anything very tannic (i.e. big reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, some Syrah, some Italian varietals, etc.) Tannins and cream are not the best of buds. Chenin Blanc and other mineral-driven whites (perhaps with some funkiness) are some of our favorites.
What cheeses will y'all be enjoying at home this holiday season?
Definitely excited for Sequatchie's Ebenezer as we haven’t enjoyed one yet this holiday season. Otherwise, we both favor sheep’s milk cheeses and always seem to gravitate toward the velvety, tangy, semi-firm Anabasque from Landmark Creamery. And no holiday (or normal day) is complete without a hefty slab of Looking Glass Creamery’s Green River Blue, a true American original, barnyard-y, soft-ripened blue. (And you might be surprised but blue cheese and Champagne are magical together!)
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Okay y’all, get out there and buy some cheese! By the way, if you live in Charleston and can stop by Counter Cheesemongers my other favorite treats are their homemade crackers, the anchovy stuffed olives, all of their cured meats, AND Eric’s graham flour shortbread!! Pro tip: they also have some of the best sandwiches in town!
Also, I would love to hear what snacks you like to put out before big holiday meals! And of course what beverages you choose as well!
P.S. You can see more pics of the Counter Cheesemongers shop by clicking on the “notes” section of my Substack website. This is sort of an Instagram-esque feature that allows you to add more casual content. I have been pretty bad about using it in the past, but it is cool!
P.P.S. In case you missed it, and you are still looking for a last minute gift…there’s still some room in my winter wine class series here in Charleston! You can see the full schedule and buy tix by clicking here. Click on each class to learn more. It’s 50% off if you are actively working in the food and bev industry. Just email me for that discount code – sarah@grapetotable.com ! Also, I am curious to know if anyone would be interested in an online series of classes in the future? Please leave a comment if so or email me! The fee would obviously be much less as I would not be covering the cost of the wine. But I could suggest a type of wine for you to purchase to enjoy with the class. Then you (and friends) could join via zoom (or watch the zoom recording). I have very in depth powerpoint presentations I developed when I did this during the pandemic, and I would also email you the handouts for the class. Just a thought - since this would allow folks from all over the WORLD to participate — let me know what you think!
Cheers to y’all! And thanks again for reading and sharing my newsletter :)