Keeping Lazy Dinner Cheesy

I love cheese dinner. Since my office working days, I would make the trip up to Murray’s Cheese Counter in Grand Central Terminal Market and get two or three kinds of cheese, some prosciutto or pate, crackers, and jam for lunch. Sometimes for dinner too. I would typically drink a medium to full-bodied red wine or a fortified wine such as Port or Madeira with my dinner cheese plate. But I noticed a half-full bottle of Armagnac on my bar table that I originally bought to make chicken liver mousse and last used to make boozy cupcakes. The inspiration wheels began to turn.

After a lot of research into what cheese would pair well with the baked fruit aromas and the smokiness of the Armagnac, blue cheese was my best bet. I talked to my local, friendly cheesemonger in Fort Greene to select three blues that would go well.

Now accoutrements are important as mentioned in Tia Keenan’s The Art of the Cheese Plate. For my condiment pairings, I wanted to mirror the orchard fruit aromas with some apples and add some spice with nuts.

So simple, so good...and a great way to enjoy Armagnac.

Serves: 4 (or 1 depending on the night you’re having)

Preferred Cheese Board

• ¼ lb Black and Blue, goat’s milk from Maryland

  • Personal notes: creamy, fresh, slightly sweet finish

  • Why it works: goes with the floral, fruitiness of the Armagnac

  • ¼ lb Bayley Hazen Blue, cow’s milk from Vermont

    • Personal notes: great balance between savory and toasty. Let’s be honest, you can’t go wrong with a cheese from Jasper Hill Farm

    • Why it works: great texture that cuts through the spiciness of the Armagnac

    • ¼ lb West West Blue, cow’s milk from Vermont

      • Personal notes: earthy and nutty

      • Why it works: earthiness mirror’s the Armagnac’s smoke

      • 1 ripe apple, sliced on a mandoline on it’s thickest setting

      • ½ cup Spiced nuts (Yes, you read that right. I used Sweet and Spicy Pecans from Trader Joe’s)

      • Bread or crackers

About Eric Artiguelongue Bas Armagnac

You can say cellar master Eric Artiguelongue knows a little bit about making Armagnac (like 30 years). All of his brandies are aged in oak barrels before being stored in glass, maintaining their peak condition and vibrancy. Nice and dry, the glass bursts of notes of candied orange and prunes. Additional pairings include chicken liver mousse and vanilla ice cream (especially when drizzled over it).