Being locked up in small spaces during a very long, cold winter can be hard. We know! But now that the weather is getting better, there’s nothing more we want to do than to get outside. We don’t even care what we are doing, we just want fresh air, sunshine and green grass. So why not go to the park and enjoy a lovely picnic? And of course no picnic would be complete without some cheese. Cheese is the perfect addition to any meal, especially a meal in the great outdoors. It requires little preparation, will not spoil without refrigeration for a few hours, pairs well with other picnic foods like sliced meats, crusty bread and olives, and most of all, will be loved by all. The only question left to answer is, which cheeses to take? We have the answer! We have selected a few of our favorites to help make your picnic picture-perfect.
First is Brillat Savarin. Leave the butter at home and cover your baguette with this luscious, buttery triple crème. Pair with fresh berries and a glass of Champagne to welcome in the warm weather with a bang! Second is Arina, beautifully white, this young Goat Gouda is perfect for a picnic because its texture makes it easy to cut, its flavor is sweet yet slightly sharp, and with just a little bit of goat tang at the end to make it absolutely delicious. Vente d’estate is perhaps the poster child for picnic cheeses. Covered in hay, this firm cow’s milk cheese is nutty and tart with just hints of grass. Last but not least is Shropshire Blue. This blue’s stunning color reminds us of the beautiful flowers that are blooming everywhere. Strong but not overpowering and slightly crumbly, this blue is the perfect end to a cheese plate and a picnic.
Brillat Savarin
This rich, decadent cheese, created by Henri Androuet in the 1930’s, is named for the groundbreaking French gourmand, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, author of the 1825 tome “Physiologie du Gout” (“The Physiology of Taste.”) Made with pasteurized cow’s milk, it is covered with a bloomy rind, similar to Brie. Brillat-Savarin has a tongue-coating 75% butterfat content (m.g.), placing it in the triple-crème category. Velvety smooth, it is buttery with a moderate brininess and a very slight tang.
Arina
Are there people in your life who claim to not like goat cheese? Here's a great cheese to change their minds. Sweet and fruity with a mouth-pleasing creaminess, this young Gouda-style cheese will keep them guessing. Made in Holland, from pasteurized goat milk.
Vente d’Estate
It's the middle of summer. The fields are freshly mown, redolent of hay and flowers. Smells good, doesn't it? Eating this gentle cheese will give you a similar experience, as the semi-firm, granular paste tastes very herbaceous, floral, and fruity. It's also a bit nutty, has balanced salt, and ends on a lightly tangy note. Wheels are stacked in wooden wine barrels to age, cushioned by green hay, some of which is still stuck to the rind when we get it. Quite a striking cheese. From Treviso, Italy.
Shropshire Blue
Its bright, sunshiny-orange paste (colored with annatto, a seed from a bush indigenous to the Caribbean and Central America) brings to mind Double Gloucester, but this blue-veined cheese is closer to Stilton, but with a more assertive character. Shropshire Blue has a lactic, wine-like tang that lingers on the palate. Firm and crumbly, it is also creamy, lending itself nicely to cooking as well as on a cheese board.
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