| Letter from The Cheese Impresario | A Surprising Pairing: Artisanal Cheese & Rum by Barrie Lynn – The Cheese Impresario http://www.thecheeseimpre sario.com/ Experience ASAE’s Food & Wine Classic: VIP Artisanal Cheese, Spirits & Cocktail Pairing Adventure Lounge When I told my friends and family I was into pairing artisanal cheeses with fine sipping rum, they thought I had finally lost my marbles. That was until they tasted this surprisingly delicious pairing. I’ve been exploring this sugar cane spirit and the pairing it with all kinds of cheeses with great gusto. I was fascinated by the different flavors from country to country, Island to Island, and distiller to distiller. I like to drink Mount Gay’s Extra Old Rum from the Island of Barbados as a special treat when enjoying a fine cheese. Mount Gay has been crafting rum since 1703, making it the oldest rum brand on the planet . Their Master Blender creates a rum for connoisseurs delivering flavors of ripe banana, exotic spices and some vanilla along with a lingering finish. Aging this luscious libation in charred American oak barrels brings in a light smokiness to meld with the fruit and spices. This is not an inexpensive rum but it’s really well worth the price. I enjoy it served neat and I take a nice smell and think about what I’m experiencing. After I taste the complexity of this marvelous liquid, I add a few drops of spring water (no chlorine!) to the rum. This addition of water brings out even more delightful details to your senses. Now for the artisanal cheese. There are quite a number of successful cheese and rum pairings to enjoy with your friends and family. I’ll detail one of my favorites. Gouda is a delicious cheese to eat with rum. There’s an award-winning cheesemaking company from Wisconsin, Roth Käse. They make Vintage Van Gogh, a Gouda-style cheese that’s unique in the world. Vintage Van Gogh is creamier than most Goudas because it’s made with rich full-cream milk. The deep complexity of the cheese and the depth of flavors of the rum deliver tropical fruit, nuts, fruit, spices, caramel, coffee and smoke...all in one bite and one sip This is really a pairing I’d suggest you experience at least once in your life. My guess is that after you’ve tried this combination, you’ll continue to crave it for the rest of your days. I’ll be excited to serve you this pairing along with a variety of artisanal cheese and spirit pairings August 23rd at ASAE’s Food & Wine Classic VIP Artisanal Cheese, Spirits & Cocktail Pairing Adventure Lounge. Cheers! Barrie Lynn The Cheese Impresario PS: Cheese is the new black. |
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