{"id":7046,"date":"2013-12-02T16:07:41","date_gmt":"2013-12-02T21:07:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/?p=7046"},"modified":"2014-04-15T16:20:49","modified_gmt":"2014-04-15T20:20:49","slug":"dreamy-decadent-daring-chocolate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/dreamy-decadent-daring-chocolate\/","title":{"rendered":"Dreamy, Decadent, Daring Chocolate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Americans don\u2019t typically serve cheese for dessert, and chocolate is hardly considered anything but\u2014though that\u2019s not stopping us from insisting you try the two together, immediately.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite their different mealtime roles, chocolate and cheese have plenty in common. Terroir, for example, is a major component of both cheese and cacao beans, from which chocolate is produced. Artisan chocolate bar packaging almost always denotes origin, since the beans\u2019 homeland can influence flavor: Chocolate from Peru is often bitter and fruity, while chocolate from Venezuela is known for its caramel notes. Terroir is also observed in cheese, with subtle local influences imparting a sense of place to individual wheels and wedges. Mountain-style cheeses wouldn\u2019t be their complex, sweet selves if the cows that provided their milk hadn\u2019t eaten high-altitude summer wildflowers and grasses.<\/p>\n

As both foods show such distinctive flavor profiles, it makes sense that pairing the two might produce some phenomenal partnerships. But don\u2019t go into it blindly, advises Gail Ambrosius, a chocolatier based in Madison, Wisconsin. Hit the books\u2014or the Internet, at the very least, she recommends. Ambrosius believes you should \u201cunderstand chocolate\u201d before attempting to pair it with cheese. Armed with a little knowledge about which flavors are generally attributed to which types and origins of chocolate, you can then let your taste buds take the lead. \u201cChocolate can have many notes,\u201d Ambrosius says. \u201cYou want to make harmonious pairings where the chocolate brings out more flavor of the cheese, and vice versa.\u201d<\/p>\n

In general, stick with dark chocolate when pairing with cheese. \u201cBecause dark chocolate does not have a lot of sugar or milk solids, you can taste more true flavors,\u201d Ambrosius says. More nuances means more pairing options, and thus, greater compatibility with cheese. (That\u2019s not to say milk chocolate can\u2019t work, however; check out the first of these four pairings for proof.)<\/p>\n

Which Do I Eat First?<\/strong>
\nIt depends on the pairing, and your taste buds; there aren\u2019t any rules, since everyone\u2019s different. As you might do when pairing cheese and booze, nibble a bit of cheese, then try the chocolate, and then switch it up in the opposite order. While you\u2019re at it, why not eat them both at the same time, too? Experiment. Keep in mind that you\u2019ll only need a small piece of chocolate to taste alongside your cheese\u2014both are exceptionally flavor-dense treats.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

FOUR STAR PAIRINGS<\/h3>\n

Coach Farm Triple Cream + Naive Milk Chocolate Papua New Guinea<\/strong>
\nHello, chocolate cheesecake. The silken, creamy paste of Coach Farm\u2019s Triple Cream snuggles right up to this luxurious chocolate. Meanwhile, the bright tang of goat\u2019s milk in the cheese wipes the palate clean between saccharine nibbles of candy. If you can\u2019t find Naive chocolate, your favorite milk chocolate bar should still work beautifully.<\/p>\n

\"Coach<\/a><\/p>\n

Beemster Extra Aged + Gail Ambrosius Caramels<\/strong>
\nThis pairing is, essentially, caramel on caramel. Beemster’s Extra Aged Gouda is famous for its sweet, butterscotch notes, which are mirrored by this salted, dark chocolate-covered confection. Even more delightful are the crystallized amino acids in the cheese, which mimic the crunchy grains of fleur de sel atop each caramel.<\/p>\n

\"Beemster<\/a><\/p>\n

Sartori Balsamic BellaVitano + Mast Brothers Stumptown Coffee Chocolate<\/strong>
\nSartori\u2019s original, nutty BellaVitano bathed in balsamic vinegar is a sweet complement to this bold, tobacco-noted dark chocolate from Brooklyn. Separately, the cheese and chocolate each boast strong flavors. Together, they coax out each other\u2019s fruity undertones. Think black coffee and nut bread\u2014 it’s like having cheese and chocolate for breakfast.<\/p>\n

\"Sartori<\/a><\/p>\n

Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue + Fine & Raw Mesquite<\/strong>
\nChocolate-noted Bayley Hazen Blue is sharp enough in flavor to compete with this dark, earthy bar, which tastes remarkably like a chocolate-coated espresso bean. The salty creaminess of the cheese easily slices through the bar\u2019s bitterness. The cheese’s blue veining gives the match an extra kick of spice.<\/p>\n

\"Jasper<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Which Do I Eat First?<\/h3>\n

It depends on the pairing, and your taste buds; there aren\u2019t any rules, since everyone\u2019s different. As you might do when pairing cheese and booze, nibble a bit of cheese, then try the chocolate, and then switch it up in the opposite order. While you\u2019re at it, why not eat them both at the same time, too? Experiment. Keep in mind that you\u2019ll only need a small piece of chocolate to taste alongside your cheese\u2014both are exceptionally flavor-dense treats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pair chocolate with cheese for powerful and surprising flavor combinations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7053,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"coauthors":[70,337],"class_list":["post-7046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cheese-pairings"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDreamy, Decadent, Daring Chocolate - culture: the word on cheese<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pair chocolate with cheese for powerful and surprising flavor combinations\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/dreamy-decadent-daring-chocolate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dreamy, Decadent, Daring Chocolate\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pair chocolate with cheese for powerful and surprising flavor combinations\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/dreamy-decadent-daring-chocolate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"culture: the word on cheese\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-12-02T21:07:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2014-04-15T20:20:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/chocolate-cheese-stack-750x368.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"750\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"368\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rebecca Haley-Park, Jen Quinn\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rebecca Haley-Park, Jen Quinn\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/dreamy-decadent-daring-chocolate\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/dreamy-decadent-daring-chocolate\/\",\"name\":\"Dreamy, Decadent, Daring Chocolate - 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