Cheese and Wine Night

Let's face it. With a recession going on, not a whole lot of us can afford to host fancy dinner party anymore. So here's a swanky spin on an old fashioned potluck - host a food and wine night. That sounds expensive, doesn't it? Well, it's not. Here's how it works:

Think of who you want to invite and send out invitations ahead of time. Make sure the guests are at least 21, of course. Some people I know have invited their neighborhood, finding that it's a great way to get to know neighbors. Tell your guests that their ticket in is one bottle of wine and one artisan cheese per person or couple. There are A LOT of great wines and endless cheeses (I believe France alone has over 3,000 different varieties of cheeses, but don't quote me on that). Discourage guests from bringing anything processed like Kraft or Velveeta - yuck! Most supermarkets offer even a small assortment of artisan cheeses. Offer suggestions of what to look for. I'll include a list below of both cheese suggestions to start out with.

As the host, it will be your duty to provide the crackers and bread which the guests will sample cheese with. Make sure to have plenty of bread. I suggest french baguettes, sliced into 1 inch cubes. I buy mine at Safeway because they bake them fresh daily and it's only about $2 a loaf, but sometimes I bake my own, which might be what you would prefer. And having a variety of breads, including thin slices of french coated in olive oil and baked until crispy, would not be a bad idea.

You can also provide an assortment of grapes. Make sure to have plenty of water to clear the pallet and stay hydrated (alcohol is after all a diuretic). I like to pour water into pitchers with ice, and slices of lemon and cucumber. Yummy.

Encourage guests to only take a small amount of cheese and wine so that there is enough for everyone to try each. You can buy small plastic wine cups from super stores and even grocers, but it's much more elegant to use actual wine glasses. So if you don't have enough for all of your guests, you can always include a note in the invitation asking guests to bring their own.

Also, make sure to have note cards or place cards next to each cheese labeling what they are and who makes it. Give your guests their own note cards as well, along with a pencil or pen, so they can keep track of their favorite cheeses and wines, and take notes about each. Keeping a bowl or wine glass filled with coffee grounds next to each bottle of wine is a great idea. Guests can sniff the coffee in between wines to clear their pallet a bit better. You can also have plenty of dry kitchen towels next to the sink so that they can wash and dry their glasses when they are finished sipping on something good.

Finally, music is always a key part of setting an atmosphere. Choose something that is true to both yourself and your guests. You can put together a playlist ahead of time on iTunes, or go to www.pandora.com and type in songs or artists you think will suit the evening - then they will create a playlist for you. Suggestions for pandora? For a romantic couples evening, type in Claude Debussy, Stacey Kent or Jamie Cullum. For a laid back evening with old friends, type in Jack Johnson, Mick McAuley or She & Him. Light some candles and have fun!!! (Steer clear of scented candles).

Find a table of what cheeses pair with what wines at the following web address: http://www.artisanalcheese.com/cheeseclock/

Cheese suggestions:

Gorganzola
British Cheddars
Stilton Bleu
Stilton with fruits
Petite Basque
Le Chevrot
Gouda
Pecorino Romano
Provolone
Parmigiano Reggiano
Chevre
Smoked Cheddar
Flavored Cheddars
Jack and Pepperjack
Cheese Curds
Wine Soaked Cheeses
Camembert
Brie
Tomme de Savoie
Feta
Piave
Idiazabal
Campo de Montalban
Emmentaler
Appenzeller


The best bet for anyone who doesn't have a favorite artisan cheese or who has never ventured outside of the Kraft family is to simply go to the artisan cheese section of their local grocer and pick something that looks adventurous and unique. When selecting a wine to match their cheese, have them refer to the cheese and wine table found at the above link, or to read the wine and/or cheese label for suggestions.

Have fun!