659876 Fri Oct 16 07:33:17 -0700 2009 27 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 5107659 I'm trying to nail down the best combos of this very versatile course. Tea-time offering, party snack, or dessert -- what are your standbys? I'm thinking pears with cambazola and water crackers. Cheddar with apples and wasabrod rye crackers. Cream cheese with graham crackers and grapes. Let's keep the cheese choices more common and available than esoteric. Something convenient that one can find locally and keep on hand for several days. TIA Fri Oct 16 07:33:17 -0700 2009 13619 Sharuf 1 5107683 Manchego with honeycrisp apples Fri Oct 16 07:44:22 -0700 2009 5107659 139725 janniecooks 1 5107768 Tart apples and brie Lychees and gouda Fri Oct 16 08:18:45 -0700 2009 5107659 68363 JungMann 2 5107999 What age Gouda? Fri Oct 16 09:24:17 -0700 2009 5107768 154622 Paulustrious 3 5108505 I served fresh lychees with a young gouda. The sweet and sour of the fruit cut through the creaminess of the cheese in a novel pairing. Fri Oct 16 11:59:57 -0700 2009 5107999 68363 JungMann 1 5107773 Brie with fig jam medjool dates stuffed with a shard of parmesan Fri Oct 16 08:21:59 -0700 2009 5107659 109905 laliz 1 5108248 Aged goat cheese (i.e. one of these: http://www.coachfarm.com/Aged1/Aged1.html ) with pears (any kind, but seckel pears are especially great). I love Medjool dates stuffed with fresh chevre or cream cheese and nuts... A cheese with a slight tang works best, I think. Fri Oct 16 10:34:58 -0700 2009 5107659 64215 cimui 1 5108273 dates or figs and goat cheese pear and gorgonzola (on endive) gruyere and tomatoes (does that count as fruit here?) Fri Oct 16 10:41:13 -0700 2009 5107659 39874 chowser 2 5108394 Bubbly, toasty, melted gruyere on an open faced tomato sandwich... Mmm. Fri Oct 16 11:23:55 -0700 2009 5108273 64215 cimui 3 5108449 Good thought for dinner tonight--with soup. Fri Oct 16 11:44:48 -0700 2009 5108394 39874 chowser 1 5108404 Ripe pears and stilton...yum... Fri Oct 16 11:27:51 -0700 2009 5107659 113420 tochowchick 1 5108417 Trader Joe's has an amazing aged cheddar with carmelized onions that is wonderful with ripe pears. Fri Oct 16 11:34:39 -0700 2009 5107659 147113 ola 2 5109617 that cheese is delightful... no need for the fruit :) Fri Oct 16 20:14:10 -0700 2009 5108417 15572 Emme 3 5112059 I second that! But I would love to try it with ripe pear slices too. Sun Oct 18 09:02:31 -0700 2009 5109617 123480 scuzzo 1 5108568 smoked gouda & bartlett pears Fri Oct 16 12:20:50 -0700 2009 5107659 1108638 Cherylptw 1 5109630 Old Amsterdam and granny smith apples. Fri Oct 16 20:20:05 -0700 2009 5107659 56183 soypower 1 5109759 Moderately aged pecorino (Tuscan, Sardinian) or a fragrant parmigiano-reggiano with ripe comice or seckel pears. Cellar-cool young cotes du rhone. Fri Oct 16 23:01:50 -0700 2009 5107659 249467 bob96 1 5110059 Dried apricots with your favorite soft/triple-cream/brie-like cheese. Strawberries work, too: - St. Andre - Brillat-Savarin - Pierre Robert Dried apricots also pair beautifully with blue or dolce gorgonzola. EDIT: Don't forget the nuts! Sat Oct 17 07:34:48 -0700 2009 5107659 249664 kattyeyes 1 5110130 Tart apples & sharp cheddar, of course. Cranberries & melted brie Feta & grapes. Optionally add mint. Mascarpone & berries Sharp pecorino with apricot jam Sat Oct 17 08:14:46 -0700 2009 5107659 131105 Emmmily 2 5110209 Cranberries and brie--yes, esp. baked in phyllo (or Pillsbury crescent dough, if phyllo isn't handy)...yum! Slice brie in half, spread cranberries in the middle, cover in dough of choice and bake. Sat Oct 17 08:57:47 -0700 2009 5110130 249664 kattyeyes 3 5110379 My mom make a cranberry glazed brie for a thanksgiving app that is so good... I can't wait. Sat Oct 17 10:51:39 -0700 2009 5110209 215278 corneygirl 1 5110142 Cheshire & russet apple. Mahon & dried apricot. Emmenthal & grapes Sat Oct 17 08:21:22 -0700 2009 5107659 154102 Harters 2 5110721 Any north English cheese - with fruit cake. The cake's very much a regional thing. Sat Oct 17 13:58:36 -0700 2009 5110142 154102 Harters 1 5110190 Stilton and avocado. mmmm Sat Oct 17 08:46:07 -0700 2009 5107659 277493 DallasDude 1 5110237 Cream cheese topped with Major Grey's chutney. Sat Oct 17 09:16:29 -0700 2009 5107659 189169 ChrisOC 2 5112064 I love Major Grey's chutney with Cambazola too! Sun Oct 18 09:04:19 -0700 2009 5110237 123480 scuzzo 1 5110458 I had white nectarines with goat cheese (the young, creamy kind) and kalamata olives at a party and it was an amazing combination of flavors. Sat Oct 17 11:36:36 -0700 2009 5107659 13756 GretchenS 1 5110837 For all everyday fare, I have to vote with tochowchick on the pears and stilton blend. But one I haven't seen posted is the strawberry/Gjetost combi for the breakfast sandwich. I learned of this in Norway 10 years ago and can't get enough. Take two slices of multigrain bread and generously butter with plugra. Add generous slatherings of strawberry preserves, slices of thinly-sliced Gjetost and sliced fresh strawberries. A truly satisfying and filling morning treat. CP Sat Oct 17 15:00:44 -0700 2009 5107659 138009 Chefpaulo