wine and cheese

These are two goodies I've been meaning to post for a while now but haven't been able to snap pictures of. But that all changed when I became the lucky winner of a brand new Sony Cybershot at my company summer party a couple weeks ago. Woohoo! The girl who never wins anything, wins big. So from now on, I'm hoping to be able to deliver you some serious food porn in addition to witty and always informative commentary.

Wink.

So while the weather is not really permitting a truly enjoyable cheese experience right now, I'd hold off on buying this bad boy till it's a little bit cooler. Le Rustique Camembert ($6.50, Buon Italia, Chelsea Market) is a spectacularly pungent cheese with strong mushroom notes. Plenty salty and insanely creamy, this cheese has become an instant favorite of mine and an absolute crowd-pleaser.
And while I would typically gravitate towards a spicy, fruity red wine to pair up with this fromage, last night I experimented with a new favorite: Chenin Blanc. This particular one is from Man Vintners in South Africa (2008, $8.99) and has a fantastic fruit laden body with lots of tropical accents. Not too sweet, but just sweet enough to cut through the deliciously salty cheese and they played off one another wonderfully. If there's anything I've learned from my wine guy, Gary Vaynerchuk, it's to get out there and try as much as you possibly can. Don't always go for the same old wine from the same old region. Three weeks ago, I had never even heard of Chenin Blanc. Now? It's my jam. So try, try, try away and see how much fun you too can have with this complex and most interesting potable.