Mark schooled me on the marriage of a French Roquefort cheese paired with a Sauternes wine. Recently, one of our staff told me a story about how her father used to keep a certain part of the kitchen to himself and no one was allowed to touch it. It was only for the dad, and they respected it. One day, the dad takes his daughter and proceeds to take out some stuff from his refrigerator and gives it to his daughter, it was cheese and apples. She found it to be a wonderful pairing, the two together were a perfect match according to her taste buds. It was a defining moment for her, little did she know that apples and cheese would go together, but on a bigger picture, that certain foods would pair with other certain flavors, let alone wines. We cooks have those defining moments as well in our careers. Early on we learn that tomatoes and basil go well, or with mozzarella, it’s a natural pairing, and with each new experience we discover new things and ideas are spawned. Today, this cheese and wine pairing reminded me of our current foie gras dish on the menu. Foie gras with aged cheddar cheese and maple syrup from Vermont, a great pairing, and great with sauternes.
