Whiskey and Cheese

[luv2hunt]

T M I !!!!!

[tsh3406]

Figure of speech, picked it up from a friend. You've never heard anybody say "wow, that was better than sex"?

[jspero]

Never having tried Gruyère cheese before, and loving Gouda, I had to rush to the Deli the other day to pick up some of each. Tried both with a little bourbon. Wow, that was almost damn sexual.

After reading about it here, I figured I'd give it a try. I don't know about "sexual" (what do you guys do out there in Missouri, anyway? ), but it was pretty darn good. I tried it with OGD 114 and the cheese seemed to compliment the bourbon well.

Jay

[TBoner]

One of my favorite writers is John Thorne, who has self-published a "foodletter" for almost 30 years, and has compiled his essays from that newsletter and some other writings into several books over the years. I recently found a first edition of the out-of-print (and pricey) Outlaw Cook at a local bookstore (for $11 - happy to brag about that).
There is an essay in the book entitled "How to Eat," in which Thorne details learning to enjoy food and to cook food. The beginning of that adventure, he writes, was consuming a "Plowman's Lunch" of ale, crackers, cheese, and thinly-sliced onions at a Greenwich Village brewpub. Later in the book, an essay entitled "The Plowman's Lunch" details his experimentation with variations on the four basic components of that meal. Various alcoholic beverages, artisanal bread, cheeses, and onion/pickled vegetables/mustards are discussed at length. The essay is a great read, and inspired me to spend my summer away from teaching on my own experimentation. I have had some very enjoyable meals in these two short weeks off (thus far). I hope to post more on combinations I enjoy, but in the meantime, the book is recommended (as are all of his writings), and I can say that rye whiskey seems to match up very well with soft, ripe cheeses, while bourbon (to me) cries out for aged cheddar and good hard cheese.
Regardless, there is tradition and good taste behind pairing whisk(e)y with cheese. Try it and be amazed.

[jburlowski]

The folks at Artisinal Cheese ( whom I highly endorse as a great place to orger great chesse) were nice enough to share the pairings that the y featured at Nells's:

Here are the pairings from last night:

Bernheim Original Straight Wheat Whiskey (90 proof)
PIPER'S PYRAMID

Old Gristmill Authentic American Corn Whiskey (80 proof)
SENTINELLE

Isaiah Morgan Rye Whiskey (80 proof)
ALP DRACKLOCH

St. George Single Malt (86 proof)
ISLE OF MULL CHEDDAR

Kentucky Bourbon Distillers' Vintage 21 Year Old Bourbon (94 proof)
ROGUE RIVER BLUE

Rittenhouse Rye (100 proof)
BERKSWELL

Please let me know if you would like any more information. Thanks so
much!

Best,

Jon Lundbom
Customer Service Manager
Artisanal Premium Cheese
500 West 37th Street
New York, NY 10018
212-871-3141 (ph)
212-239-1437 (fax)
www.ArtisanalCheese.com

[mier]

TBoner ,can you give me the ISBN number of the book?It has made me curious enough to read and try !Thanks,Eric.

[TBoner]

0-374-22836-1

There's a paperback available through Amazon from a seller in Maryland right now for $25. That's a good price.

[Pastor Bourbon]

My favourite cheese with Bourbon is a good crystalised aged cheddar; but at your suggestion I'll give it a go with a King Island Triple that I love with a good red wine.

[mier]

Surprisingly,Pappy van Winkle 15 yo with French Roquefort very smooth (cracker optional).Eric.

[polyamnesia]

funny, i just did this last night.

i was re-trying the original Bushmills (needed something light and different...and give my tongue a sort of breather) and, initially, was disappointed...at 80 proof, it is almost too drinkable. not bad. just not complex...or at least i wasn't catching it. plus, i haven't had irish whiskey in some time.

so i did the drop of water in it, sliced some Heluva sharp cheddar and some table water crackers (with poppy seeds AND cracked pepper!)...boy that combo with the OBushmills totally livened up the flavor and opened it up. maybe the tad bit of water helped, too. an apple slice, too, rounded out this "supper" very well! almost healthy...

like this was meant to be savored WITH food. quite a surprise.
seemed like a perfect marriage. decent cheese and very good, reliable OBushmills.

in this instant, the whole became greater than the parts...!