Cheese for Dessert? Oh yes…

Today we are going to chat about dessert cheese. I know, you’re thinking: “Cheese for Dessert?” Oh yes…once you try it, you will never look back. In the last post, The Spring Cheese Board, there was a discussion on putting together a gorgeous cheese board to compliment the spring season. Today in Part 2, we are discussing dessert cheese.We entertain frequently and after a fulfilling dinner, cheese has become the most sought after and requested dessert. If you follow Monica’s Table you will know that this blog was founded when we began our dining club and that each month we gather for dinner.It became clear in our monthly dinners the preferred dessert of choice was a cheese board. In preparation for our spring events I sought out the advice of Mia Jones, the Team Leader for Whole Foods Specialty Department. Under her expert guidance, the cheese selection is one of the best in town. Mia and her team helped me select and construct two different dessert cheese trays and the jury is still out on which one we like best. It’s a tough job but we will have to have them again to figure out our favorite…

Insiders tip:  

If you stop by any Saturday in May from 12:00 – 4:00 pm the Taste of Whole Foods Market will feature samplings of cheeses, specialty items and much more!

In constructing the dessert cheese board I found that the specialty biscuits are a must, along with Toschi Cherries, an Orange Blossom Honey and don’t forget the wine!As always, after shopping at Whole Foods I stop next door to Bin 201 for the perfect wine to go with my purchases. Here are two different options for dessert:

Baked Lemon Ricotta – Italy

Pasteurized buffalo milk with sugar and lemon

Baked into cheese cake deliciousness

Creamy and light in texture with a sweet lemon flavor

Delicious drizzled with Amarena Toschi Cherries and served on Effie’s Oat Cakes

Recommended Wine:

Petit Guiraud Sauternes 2009, Bordeaux, France $30.99
The second wine of Sauternes Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Guiraud, this is a 65/35 split of Sémillon and Sauvignon grown in a mixture of sand, gravel and clay soils. Raised in a combination of stainless steel tanks and new French oak barrels, there is a lovely contrast between freshness and sugar imparting a refined sense of sweetness. Notes of rich cream, pear, coconut and fig mingle with mixed tropical fruits and a touch of hazelnut before a luxurious mouthfeel coats and enlivens the palate.

Firefly Farms Mountain Top Blue – Accident, MD

Aged Goat Blue Cheese

Luscious and creamy in texture with a mild blue cheese flavor

Delicious with a drizzle of honey, a bit of prosciutto and a sip of wine!

Serve with Amarena Toschi Cherries, orange blossom honey and assorted biscuits and crackers.

*I would like to point out that Firefly Farms is a local producer in Maryland with excellent products.  Each Whole Foods market supports local producers and the selection may vary by location.

 Recommended Wine:

Yalumba “Antique Tawny – Museum Reserve” Dessert Wine NV, Australia $22.99

Yalumba, one of Australia oldest wineries, has been making this Tawny Port-inspired wine since the 19th century. Crafted from a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro (Mourvèdre) alongside true Port grapes Touriga Nacional and Tinta Coa, a full ten years of barrel aging imparts an elegance to this viscous treat. Look for aromas of brandy and dried fruit, followed by flavors of caramelized figs, spices, chocolate and a persistent nutty finish.

 I’m grateful for the Annapolis Whole Foods who provided all of the amazing cheese for the creation of this post. I’m a devoted Whole Foods shopper but any opinions or findings you read here are solely my own.  Many thanks to Pete and the staff at Bin 201 for the perfect pairings.

As always, I am most grateful for you, my community and will always do my best to serve you in introducing products that you will find the most useful, amazing, helpful, to keep you sane in the kitchen, at home and on the streets.