{"id":1834,"date":"2023-11-16T04:25:26","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T04:25:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/yes-vodka-really-does-pair-well-with-cheese-and-heres-why\/"},"modified":"2023-11-16T04:25:26","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T04:25:26","slug":"yes-vodka-really-does-pair-well-with-cheese-and-heres-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/yes-vodka-really-does-pair-well-with-cheese-and-heres-why\/","title":{"rendered":"Yes, Vodka Really does Pair Well with Cheese and Here’s Why"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u00a0Editor\u2019s note: We first heard about the combination of cheese and vodka from contributor Kelly Magyarics who wrote about <\/em>pairing cheese and spirits<\/em><\/a> for sister site, <\/em>Alcohol Professor<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Photo credit Emma K Morris<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ask the distillery team at\u00a0Hangar 1<\/a>\u00a0to explain what makes their vodka different from other brands and you\u2019ll quickly learn that their offerings are primarily distilled from grapes rather than grain. It\u2019s this point of distinction that initially inspired the Alameda, California-based distillery\u2019s marketing and sales manager, Emily Webster, to think about exploring a rather unusual notion: Vodka and cheese pairings. \u201cI came to the company with a wine background,\u201d Webster explains. \u201cAt an earlier point in my life I studied to be a sommelier\u2014so the idea of doing pairings with cheese was a natural for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A Cheesemonger in the Vodka Tasting Room\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\"Mike<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Webster initially worked with several different cheese shops in the San Francisco Bay Area to develop pairings for private events and public tastings, eventually settling into a long term cheese-lationship with Alameda\u2019s own\u00a0Farmstead Cheeses & Wines<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Farmstead\u2019s Michael Albrant ultimately joined the Hangar 1 team as its full-time tasting room manager. Now, at monthly cheese pairing events, he leads guests through a revelatory round of sips and nibbles that lean not only into Hangar 1\u2019s grape base, but the the brand\u2019s unique flavored vodkas, some of which feature additional oenophile appeal.<\/p>\n

Cheddar and Vodka<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\"barely<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

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In his most inspired matchmaking, Albrant combines cheese expertise with a lateral thinker\u2019s knack for creativity. For instance, challenged to choose a pairing for\u00a0Barely Buzzed<\/a>, an award-winning cheddar from Utah\u2019s\u00a0Beehive Cheese Company<\/a>, the obvious pairing\u2014picking up on the creamery\u2019s penchant for wordplay\u2014might be\u00a0Hangar 1 Honeycomb Vodka<\/a>. But guided by his refined palate rather than easy gimmickry, Albrant took a cue from the cheese\u2019s espresso- and lavender-rubbed rind.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The bitterness of the coffee juxtaposed with the cheese\u2019s slightly sweet paste triggered a taste-memory of anise-rich sambuca shots, traditionally garnished with espresso beans; which in turn, brought Albrant to\u00a0Hangar 1 Fennel Vodka<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>with its hint of herbal licorice flavor.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fennel vodka can feel a bit challenging for some people,\u201d Albrant notes. \u201cThey\u2019re not sure what to do with it. Its often used at craft cocktail bars for Bloody Marys. But I\u2019m particularly proud of this pairing, because it brings out the complexity of the cheese and also helps you appreciate the vodka without any mixers.<\/p>\n

Blue Cheese and Vodka<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\"castello_creamy_blue_category_16x9.jpg\"<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

And that Honeycomb Vodka? Albrant takes a cue from classic cheeseboard accompaniments\u00a0\u00a0and pairs it with mild Danish double cr\u00e9me\u00a0Castello Double Cr\u00e8me Blue<\/a>. Mellow spreadable blue and honey? Always a perfect match.<\/p>\n

To tease out the flavor notes and distinctive mouthfeels of different vodkas when pairing them with cheese, its ideal to drink them straight, without water or tonic, and while slight chilling is fine, this is not the occasion to pour any celebratory bottles you\u2019ve stored in the freezer. This is not the time for shots, either: Consider small snifters or whiskey glasses and, as at a wine tasting, be sure to draw the aroma of the vodka in through your nostrils before a drop passes your lips.<\/p>\n

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French Cheeses and Vodka<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\"Brebis1.jpeg\"<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Other pairings featured at recent Hangar 1 tastings have included France\u2019s spectacularly rich\u00a0Brebis Rousse D\u2019Argental<\/strong>\u2014a ewe\u2019s milk brie with\u00a0Hangar 1 Ros\u00e9 Vodka<\/a>, a pink-tinged blend of mainly spirit and a touch of wine (The ros\u00e9 is added only after the vodka has been distilled). The apple acidity of the ros\u00e9 and the vodka\u2019s crisp dryness balance the buttery indulgence of the cheese.<\/p>\n

And Lyonnaisse\u00a0Lingot d\u2019Argental\u00a0<\/strong>with its bloomy rind and mushroomy forest-floor aroma proves an ideal companion for\u00a0Hangar 1 Barrel-Aged Petite Sirah Vodka, not a wine blend but the result of casking vodka for three years, which imparts a cinnamon toast note and a golden color that\u2019s utterly surprising in a vodka.<\/p>\n

Italian Cheese and Vodka<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\"Sedona Market 013\" by Italy in SF is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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“Sedona Market 013”<\/a> by Italy in SF<\/a> is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Albrant lets the cheese be the star when he pairs Parmigiano Reggiano cousin\u00a0Piave Vecchio<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>with straight vodka. The vodka provides a clean, bracing backdrop that lets surprising tropical fruit notes pop forward from the cheese and provides a satiny textural contrast to the crystal-flecked paste. For a home tasting, consider sampling several different brands of non-flavored vodka such as Hangar 1 Straight Vodka<\/a>, a Double Gold 2021 New York International Spirits Competition winner<\/a>, alongside a range of hard Italian cheeses. The clear spirit showcases qualities of these cheeses that traditional red wine pairings would certainly harmonize with, but also pull focus from.<\/p>\n

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Pairing Cheeses with Flavored Vodkas<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Other vodka and cheese combinations to begin exploring at home include sweet citrus flavored vodkas (lemon, lime, orange) in tandem with young goat cheeses; ginger vodka with lemon zest Wensleydale or white Stilton; and chile flavored vodkas balanced with Queso Blanco, Feta or even a mild Fontina. As a general rule, avoid pairing vodkas with brawny aromatic cheeses (such as Taleggio or Roquefort) which tend to overwhelm them.<\/p>\n

That said, craft distillers and cheese makers are nothing if not adventurous in their development of new varieties, so feel free to experiment at turning their singular creations into your own signature combinations.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Editor\u2019s note: We first heard about the combination of cheese and vodka from contributor Kelly Magyarics who wrote about pairing cheese and spirits for sister site, Alcohol Professor. Photo credit Emma K Morris Ask the distillery team at\u00a0Hangar 1\u00a0to explain what makes their vodka different from other brands and you\u2019ll quickly learn that their offerings … Okumaya devam et “Yes, Vodka Really does Pair Well with Cheese and Here’s Why”<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1271,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[395],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-milk-and-diary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1271"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1834"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1834\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}