Happy February! Shall we get straight to those pickle results?
Let's first discuss the cheese that totally missed the boat, can you guess which one it was? Our second contestant, Rogue River's Smokey Blue. I threw that fabulous cheese in the mix because I thought the idea of a smoked cheese could present an interesting conundrum for those of you meat eaters out there who like faint smokey-ness in a sandwich setting but unfortunately this cheese is just too fantastic for our pickles. It will surely take control of the pickle's spotlight and the pairing will become all about the classic blue piquant punch and the woodsy smoke, not only overshadowing but also not really even having the opportunity to possibly create an interesting pairing -- a bit like oil and water.
That leaves the Fol Epi and Edwin's Munster, which will be the more unique and dynamic pairing partner? Although the Fol Epi is super versatile and an easy to please sort of a cheese, it will not challenge the pickle to allow it to coax out hidden flavor nuances. It will take a back seat to the pickle and just kind of blend in to its surroundings. That's not what you want in a pairing is it? No way! Fol Epi is a great snacking, go-to, every day sort of cheese, smooth, classic and delish but not dynamic enough for our dear pickles!
That leaves the washed rind king, Edwin's Munster as today's winner! These two actually have a lot in common -- they are both washed in brine, infusing each with a unique salty, brine-y, vinegar-y tang. The difference in that tang will bring each closer together -- it will be a marriage of brine and its effects on cheese and vegetable flavors. The gooey creaminess of the cheese will play off that nice crisp crunch of a classic pickle and the barnyardy farmy-ness of the cheese will be an excellent counter part to the vegetal herbaceousness of the pickles.
Enjoy a nice piece of Munster on a fluffy onion poppy seed roll with a dollop of honey mustard and a few pickles...an interesting flavor combination, definitely one that is in your face, but one that will bring to life that pickle who is this week's star.
No comments:
Post a Comment