December 2010 - Mariemont City Schools

V I L L A G ETempt Your Guests – Or Yourself – With Cheese PlatesBY SHELLEY PADEN & MIKE BENSONHoliday meals almost inevitably end withcandies, sweets, and other rich desserts. If you feellike you need a change of pace, consider serving acheese course at the end of some of your holidayfeasts. A well-constructed cheese plate can offer arefreshing and surprisingly satisfying break fromheavy sugar-laden cakes and pies. The secret,according to Julie Francis, owner and head chef ofNectar restaurant in Mt. Lookout Square, is to mixa variety of flavors and textures. While samplingone of the cheese plates that are always on themenu at Nectar, we had a chance to talk with Julieabout her approach to the cheese course.Beginning with the cheese, Julie recommendsusing an odd number of cheeses, usually three orfive, depending on the number of people you haveto serve. Plan on about one ounce per person. Inpicking the cheeses, one standard approach is tomix hard, semi-hard, and soft cheeses, such as,for example, Parmiagiano-Reggianno, Manchego,and Brie or Camembert. Another idea involvescombining cheeses that represent different kindsof milk (sheep, cow, and goat). Or you can try todo variations on a theme, such as, cheeses froma particular country or cheeses made from thesame milk but having different textures. Theidea is to try to achieve a harmonious variety.Of course, as with everything related to food, beguided primarily by your own tastes and those ofyour dinner partners. Cheese should be servedat room temperature. So, slice cheese thinly andplan to give it 20 minutes or more to rise to roomtemperature before you serve. Finally, if you’re indoubt about what to choose, ask for a taste and forsome guidance from the cheese monger.Most cheese courses also includeaccompaniments. In addition to bread or crackers,these accompaniments can include seasonal fruits:figs, nuts, chutneys, and cured meats like prosciuttoand chorizo sausage. At Nectar in the fall, Julie oftenserves thinly sliced local apples with a splash of localhoney on the plate.Although artisanal cheeses are oftenassociated with Europe, there are a number of verygood local producers in the southwestern Ohioarea whose products are available in local grocerystores. Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese (BarrenCounty, KY), Heini’s Cheese (Millersburg, OH),and Capriole Farmstead Goat Cheese (Greenville,IN) are some examples marketed at Whole Foodsas well as other grocery stores. Murray’s Cheese,a famous New York cheese purveyor, is openingoutlets in several local Kroger stores, including theone in Hyde Park.M A R I E M O N T T OW N C R I E R P AG E 1 9