Is there anything better than a funky, aged goat cheese with layers of texture? Or maybe a bright orange Gouda bursting with salty, flavorful crystals. We love cheese, from stinky blue to buttery Parmigiano, from velvety ricotta to firm, English cheddar.
Whether you’re a cheese purist or looking for the perfect pairing for wine, beer, or charcuterie, here are four cheese plates that run the gamut from taleggio DOP to local Hudson Valley fare.
RiverMarket Bar and Kitchen
127 W Main St, Tarrytown; 914.631.3100
For Westchester cheese lovers, start local. Chef-owner Glenn Vogt’s RiverMarket showcases cheeses exclusively from the Hudson Valley. Everything is from New York, “even the [Cooperstown Cheese Company] Jersey Girl,” jokes GM Emilio Ugarte. The à la carte menu has goat-, sheep-, and cow-milk cheeses at $5 each, complemented by blueberry compote, cayenne-honey roasted almonds, and toasted cranberry filone bread (made in-house).
“You have to know where the food is coming from,” says Vogt, who can list the farm and creamery of every cheese in his restaurant. This platter is an ode to both cheese and place.
Cyprus Grove Truffle Tremor, Jasper Hill Harbison, 26-month Beemster Gouda, taleggio DOP, Brillat Savarin, and Tickler English cheddar.
Photo by Karen Sims
Boro6
549 Warburton Ave, Hastings-on-Hudson; 914.231.9200
Owners Jennifer Aaronson and Paul Molakides’ have a cheese obsession. Instead of picking cheeses based off their impressive wine selection, “we pick [the wine] because of the cheese,” says Molakides. With a selection from across America and Europe, patrons can choose three or six cheeses as their culinary passport.
Served with the platter are slices of EVOO-drizzled baguettes from Sullivan Street Bakery (gluten-free available), seasonal grapes, and double-cream Brittany butter topped with crunchy Maldon salt. Layer bread, butter, and “gooey cow-y funk” for the perfect bite.
Photo courtesy of Enormous Creative
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
444 Saw Mill River Rd, Elmsford; 914.741.2337
Wine gets all the attention when it comes to cheese, but American artisan creameries have grown alongside our thriving craft breweries. Tim Ocasio, head chef at Captain Lawrence, encourages everyone to give the cheese-beer pairing a try with a flight of Captain Lawrence’s finest.
The current lineup features blue cheese from Rogue Creamery in Oregon, an aged goat cheese from Coach Farms in Pine Plains, and a house-made ricotta topped with honeycomb. Paired with raisin bread from By the Way Bakery, strawberry-rhubarb jam, and grapes, these cheeses go great with a bready pilsner or CLBC’s sour Frutetto.
Photo by Anthony Colasacco
Pour
241 E Main St, Mount Kisco; 914.864.0606
This speakeasy-like wine bar organizes its wine and cheese menus by country of origin, complementing an international wine list with cheeses from all over the world. Take a trip through Italy with 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano and Tuscan wine, or mix things up with Swiss Moser Scream and French rosé.
Patrons can pick three or more items from both the cheese and charcuterie menus. Try aged Gouda, 24-month Manchego, and Chardonnay-washed Moser paired with finocchiona and speck. Or, for something Italy-centric, go with the burrata, Parmigiano, and La Tur with salami Toscana and prosciutto di Parma.
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