Earth Hour Wine & Cheese Party

[ella/TO]

We're doing a wine and cheese party for 15-16 people. I've heard that one should not serve too many cheeses....maybe 5 or 6 different ones should do....what do you think?
How many different wines?....We'll have white and red....also will serve of course, different, rather plain crackers, some french loaf and maybe some slices of salami and grapes and dried fruits. Do you think that is enough?
I don't want to do too much.....Thanks in advance for your answers!

[GotGarlic]

I think 6 would be enough, with an equal number of wines chosen to go with them. You might consider having one kind of artisan bread, maybe with nuts or seeds in it. Since cheese is sticky, I like to serve juicy things with it - fresh fruit (sliced strawberries, pieces of canteloupe) or a fruity chutney. And a couple of bowls of nuts and olives would be nice, too. HTH.

[GotGarlic]

Oh, and if you have leftover cheese, this is delicious: Recipes : Fromage Fort : Food Network

[jennyema]

I'd do 6-8 cheeses of differing varieties. Differing textures, milks, ages, etc. But then I'm a cheese nut. 6 would be enough.

Fruit makes a good accompanyment, as does honey.

I usually serve an assortment of pre-sliced breads, generally baguettes and some browner, sweeter bread.

Olives, cornichons, cured meats, pates, simple white bean salad, nuts, roasted red peppers, marinated vegetables are things I like to put out with cheeses.

I'd probably serve 2 whites, 2 reds and a sparking wine.

[Jeff G.]

One of my favorite parties. I love wine and cheese.

Well if you have blue cheese you have to have port! Kind of a rule..
A Gewürztraminer goes really well with flavored soft cheeses.
Champagne and Brie is also quite common.

Cabernet's, Riesling's and Pinot Noir all go well with many cheeses so you can't go wrong with them.

Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonay are also go with many cheeses so are good choices for white.

Personally for cheeses I stay away from Chablis. It doesn't have the fruity qualities that work so well with the cheese. Often the flinty/acid edges of Chablis can fight with the flavors of cheese. Of course, just my opinion.

If you are serving sweet cheeses, a dessert wine or possible an Ice wine would not be a bad choice.

[*amy*]

Originally Posted by ella/TO

We're doing a wine and cheese party for 15-16 people. I've heard that one should not serve too many cheeses....maybe 5 or 6 different ones should do....what do you think?
How many different wines?....We'll have white and red....also will serve of course, different, rather plain crackers, some french loaf and maybe some slices of salami and grapes and dried fruits. Do you think that is enough?
I don't want to do too much.....Thanks in advance for your answers!

You could serve Brie en croute, with figs & walnuts. To go with - (one of my fave w wine & cheese) smoked oysters on crackers, or baguettes topped with avacado/tomato/red onions, melon slices wrapped with proscuitto, mini quiches, cold pencil asparagus wrapped in proscuitto, smoked salmon or gravlax.