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The Cheese Course, First, last or intermezzo?

Tradition, especially in Europe, calls for serving cheese after the meal. The idea that cheese is too filling after dinner in a misconception, she adds. “One way around this is to serve only one great cheese. If you want to serve more, cut and plate it before the guests get there so you can control the portions.”

Toasted or candied nuts and a dessert wine are festive pairings.

Cheese can be an appetizer, too, but Werlin cautions, “Don't have a huge amount. Your friends will be full before they come to the table because people don't stop when it comes to cheese.” Avoid “meaty” blue cheeses and keep the accompaniments savory; olives are a good choice.

Cheese can also be a bridge between the meal and dessert. A dollop of fig jam or honey served with a rich triple-crème cheese eases the transition from savory to sweet, she says.

CRACKER OR BREAD?

A plain baguette is the “most neutral host” for cheese. “You really want to taste the cheese. Crackers work, too, but not the flavored ones. These days there's a wider variety to choose from that don't overwhelm the cheese.”

For an after-dinner cheese course, an artisan bread sweetened with raisins, dried figs or apples.

CHEESE TALK

Blue: A complex process involving the interaction of Penicillium roqueforti mold and air creates the telltale veining in Stilton, gorgonzola and other cheeses in this group. Salty and musty flavors sometimes have smoky or bacon overtones. Avoid any with an ammonia scent.

Chèvre: French for goat, it usually refers to fresh cheese made with pasteurized goat's milk.

Hard cheese: Salty-sweet Parmigiano-Reggiano sums up this group's characteristics – aged and often salted and/or pressed until they become hard; medium-strong to strong flavors; often grated for cooking.

Fresh cheese: Think ricotta, cottage cheese and fresh mozzarella. These cheeses have not been ripened or aged. Taste is mild.

Rind: The exterior layer of the cheese formed during the aging process. Should you eat it? No, Werlin says, if it is waxy or has cheese cloth clinging to it. Otherwise – “It depends,” she says. “Technically, most rinds are edible, ... but by eating it, you are most likely detracting from the flavors and texture of the cheese.” As for the soft rind on brie and the like, there's no right or wrong, so eat it if you like.

Semi-hard: Aging reduces the moisture content to below 50 percent. The cheddars, Goudas and Gruyères in this group are buttery and earthy with nutty overtones. They last for a long time.

Semi-soft: These cheeses, including Monterey Jack, Havarti and Bel Paese, are 50 to 75 percent moisture because they are aged for two months or less. Most are pale in color and mild-sweet in flavor.

Sharp: A flavor between sharp and bitter.

Soft-ripened: Creamy brie and camembert are typical. Mold is added during the cheese-making process so that the cheese ripens from the rind inward. Buttery flavors and creamy texture create what Werlin calls “the stuff of dreams.”

Surface-ripened: Molds or bacteria on the surface of the cheese ripen it and create the characteristically wrinkled rind. Tall and cylindrical, these are mild to mushroomy in flavor. Le Chevrot is typical.

Washed-rind: Orange, pinkish or tan rinds are hallmarks of this group, which includes munster and Taleggio. Rinds are washed with liquids inoculated with B. linens bacteria. Salty and often smelly – “like old gym socks, which is a good thing,” Werlin says. Remove the rind for a milder taste.

FROM STORE TO TABLE

If possible, buy cheese at a store that offers tastes. “You don't know what a cheese tastes like until you try it”. “If you can't taste, buy the smallest piece you can find to take home to try. Don't be afraid to experiment.”

At home, rewrap the cheese in wax paper before putting it in a plastic bag – “otherwise you'll get the taste of plastic.” Remove cheese from the refrigerator at least an hour before serving to bring it to room temperature. “The exception is very creamy cheese”. “Take them out for no more than an hour so they don't become too runny.”

If you are going to cut and plate cheese to serve later, cover it lightly with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out.

Does cheese go bad? “Yes, but it is more forgiving than it gets credit for,”. Brie past its prime smells like ammonia and looks gray and sagging. Toss fresh cheeses if they smell sour.

Mold on harder cheeses “is natural. Cut it off with a sharp knife and you'll find pristine cheese underneath,” she says.

PERFECT PARTNERS

Rieslings are ideal wines with cheese. Here are three selections from Truly Fine Wine, a German wine-import shop at 4060 Morena Blvd., Suite K:

• 2005 Charter Riesling from Barth ($22.95), with candied citrus flavors and a bold acid backbone, works well with rich cheese.
• 2005 Blees-Ferber Riesling Kabinett ($18.95), a dry-style reisling from Mosel with stone-fruit and citrus flavors and a finish of sliced red apple, is delicious with softer cheeses.
• 2005 Barth Riesling Spätlese ($24.95), a semi-dry or sweeter reisling, has peach, tangerine and honey flavors and big acidity.

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