Horse and carriage, love and marriage, wine and cheese – natural partners all, especially wine and cheese. Love sometimes falls out of a marriage, and horses and carriages fell out of daily use generations ago; but wine and cheese seemed destined to march together forever. It wasn’t for nothing that ancient peoples sought homes where cattle and the vine could thrive.

In America, cheese in one form or another has been around as long as Americans; but it has been only in the past decade or so that it has begun to find its way to gourmet tables and fine wine. That’s partly because more and more Americans have traveled abroad, particularly in Europe, and discovered cheese to be an integral part of a meal. It’s also because American cheese producers have greatly improved and expanded domestic varieties of cheese. Toward the end of the last century Americans discovered that parties featuring wine and cheese were easy to prepare and fun to attend. In short, the American palate has learned to appreciate fine cheese and to pair it with fine wine.

In the Old World, notably France and Italy, cheese has been the part of a meal that follows the main course to help finish off the wine and which precedes the dessert course, a trend on the rise in the States; but on both Continents cheese is becoming a principal player in a meal. We still use a lot of imported cheese from Denmark, England, Spain, Italy, and France, but we are consuming more and more cheese from California, Wisconsin, Vermont, and other states. One of the most popular goat cheeses in America comes from the Capriole Farms not far from Bloomington.

Deciding which wine to serve with which cheese makes for great conversation. As with most food and wine pairings, practice makes, if not perfect, at least better. You will learn why the British like Port with their Stilton, the Burgundians Chardonnay with their Epoisses, and the Tuscans Barolo (or Port) with their Parmigiano. What matters most, however, is an adventuresome spirit that causes you to try matching wine and cheese.

In the Sahara Mart in Bloomington, you can find a wide-ranging selection of cheeses from just about everywhere and a wine showroom featuring wines from all wine regions around the world. On our video to help explain how to set up an interesting cheese tray, whether for a meal or a party, is Joan Olson, a specialist in French cuisine.

Be sure to watch the video at right featuring Dr. Allen Dale 'Ole' Olson and Joan Olson, French cuisine specialist »