Cheese experts would put together a cheese plate like this for Christmas. There is a perception associated with serving cheese, which can actually dry out the cheese.
Juustopöytä ry chairman Maininki Mettälä (left) and Rolling Cheese’s cheesemonger Nelli Steer give their tips for a Christmas cheese tray. Inka Soveri
For many, a cheese plate is an essential part of Christmas serving, whether it is the crown of the festive table or a casual evening snack.
Iltalehti asked two cheese experts to put together what they think is the ideal cheese plate for Christmas that suits many tastes.
The owner of the Rolling Cheese cheese shop in Helsinki Nelli Steerin I think the Christmas cheese plate should be quite classic.
He would choose one of the more mature cheeses on the plate. It can be, for example, a Swiss hard cheese, such as gruyère, or a French semi-hard comté.
– There is a bit of caramel in the cheese and maybe salt crystals, he describes.
Second, he would definitely choose stilton blue cheese for the Christmas cheese plate.
– It’s at its best now, because its season is right around Christmas, Steer justifies.
According to Steer, a good stilton is creamy soft. The taste should not be pungent at all.
To bring softness, he would choose a white cottage cheese such as brie or a creamy Brillat-Savarin.
According to Steer, a good rule of thumb is to combine slightly stronger and milder cheeses. If the cheese plate has only hard cheeses, the overall impression can be too abundant.
Various jams and chutneys are a delicious addition to a cheese plate. Roni Lehti
“Hard, soft, moldy”
Chairman of the Juustopöytä association for the promotion of cheese culture Meninki Mettälä the cheese plate would have, above all, Black Label Emmental, which according to him is “always a safe choice”.
When preparing a cheese plate, he would follow the basic principle “hard, soft, moldy”.
– This year I would put the Rector of Perho’s cheese factory on the cheese plate. It’s a blue cheese that has now received awards in the world as well as here, says Mettälä.
Iltalehti told about the success of Finnish cheeses in the world’s biggest cheese competition, the World Cheese Awards in November. Rehtori cheese won silver in its category.
As a soft cheese, Mettälä would choose Brie or, for example, a flavored cheese like cream cheese.
The cheese plate should have both harder and softer cheeses, both experts advise. PDO
Flavor pairings for cheeses
What about cheese flavor pairings?
Mettälä starts with cookies and fruit, of course.
According to Steer, jam or chutney go well with cheese. For example, cherry jam is a suitable choice for Christmas and tastes good with a variety of cheeses.
Most cheeses are usually paired with white wine. Semi-dry white wine is a good choice if you want a general wine suitable for several cheeses.
According to Mettälä, red wine and port wine are also suitable for many cheeses. Along with wines, you should also remember beer: lagers and darker beers are perfect flavor pairs for cheeses.
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Tips for serving cheese
According to Nelli Steer, cheeses should be brought to room temperature no more than three quarts before serving.
In Finland, it is often thought that cheeses should be at room temperature much longer. Many people agree that the cheese should be “wept”, i.e. let it stand at room temperature for so long that droplets form on the surface.
However, only Emmental-style cheeses should sweat, because it is characteristic of them.
– You should never make other cheeses cry, advises Steer.
In Finland, homes are very warm in winter and the room air is dry. If the cheeses are brought to room temperature for too long, they start to dry out.
When cheeses are instructed to be served at room temperature, we are talking about 15–18 degrees. The indoor temperature of a Finnish home can be almost 10 degrees higher in winter. It is not a favorable environment for cheese.
– If you ask the cheese makers themselves, they often want the cheese to be a little cooler. Especially if there is something cool to drink, for example white wine. Then it is better that the cheese and wine are at the same temperature, says Steer.