It's summer - can I still serve cheese?

I like to include cheese in my home entertaining all year round. But when the entertaining moves outdoors and the heat starts rising, some cheeses are best left behind. Even I would pass on a runny Epoisses on a hot and humid afternoon… and I’m cheese-obsessed. So do your guests a favor and stick to the mild side of the cheese spectrum and save the stinky ones for winter (or your well air-conditioned apartment). Here are some tips to get your cheese plate summer-ready:

• Goat’s milk cheeses are refreshingly mild and widely available during the summer time. Fresh chèvre logs covered with peppercorns or herbs make for a pretty presentation and are always a crowd pleaser.

• Pressed sheep’s milk cheeses (like Manchego from Spain) are great for summertime – just be sure to let them reach room temperature before cutting them. This will help reduce the “weeping” of the fat from the cheese.

• If you are barbecuing, dress up your burgers with a great farmstead cheddar, like Fiscalini Cheddar from Modesto, California. And keep a hunk on the cheese plate for people to graze on between burgers.

Enjoy your summer, enjoy your cheese.

Comments

[willi]

I also like cheese in all different kinds,
if you understand german, look at http://www.kaeseplatte.com
greetings

[Jack]

"pass on a runny Epoisses"? This is sacrilege! I'm revoking your cheese credentials!

-- Jack (who, fortunately, lacks the authority to revoke anything)

[Tana]

When I used to cater ("Beauty and the Feast"), one of my most popular finger foods was dried apricots (Royal Blenheims, not the ones that are like ear cartilage) with goat cheese and a basil chevron. The flavors combine to make an ethereal and potent blend that transcends the individual components. Hot weather wouldn't hurt the goat cheese that much, but the blistering sun would probably dry them out.

Try them and let me know if you love them.

Cheers!