Puigpedros
This ruddy, pink-orange washed rind comes out of Catalonia - known for its sheep and goat's milk cheeses. But from the hills and pastures of Catalonia, just beside the Segre River, 100 Friesian cows graze. Pere Pujol makes a washed rind, raw cow's milk cheese that embodies the pastures the cows enjoy, earthy, with a scent of fresh hay and grass. Biting into this unctuous, smooth paste, flavors of roasted chestnuts and just-cracked walnuts hit the palate before mellowing out into fresh cream. At room temperature, this cheese is perfection with a few slices of Prosciutto, or you can melt this nutty, meaty marvel atop a baked potato.
Just the Facts
Chenin Blanc
Crisp and acidic with light minerality. You may smell stone fruit, apples, pear, quince, even some fresh herbs.Pair with: Tangy Loire Valley goat cheese to bring out crisp, mineral qualities in both. Something like Selles-sur-Cher will work perfectly!
Pale Ales & IPAs
Hoppy Beers - Pale Ale, IPA, Amber, Red AleHops, glorious hops! Think of hops as the seasoning for beer: they lend the bitter yin to balance malt’s sugary yang. In IPAs and other hoppy beers this humble flower takes center stage. Flavors range from grassy to grapefruit, earthy and dry to resinous pine, depending on which hop varietals are used.
Pair with: Cheeses with enough body to stand up to the bitterness, like clothbound cheddar or aged Gouda.Porters and Stouts
Porter, Stout, Imperial StoutWelcome to the dark side of beer. Porters and Stouts are born of heavily roasted malted barley, which colors the beer and develops toasty flavors recalling chocolate, coffee, and chicory. Looks can be deceiving, though: dark doesn’t always mean strong. Porters and stouts can be incredibly light in body, or big boozy affairs that pour like syrup.
Pair with: A mild, creamy blue like Cambozola Black.