Right: Wine map of France
Nowhere in France is the terroir concept —a group of vineyards (or vines) from the same region that share similar soil and climate— more dearly held than Burgundy.
Located in central east France, the region’s 1.6 million inhabitants endure cold Continental winters, but enjoy warm summers.
A region covering 31,500 square kilometers (over [...]

Because of its relatively high fat content, cheese has gotten a bad reputation in certain circles. But cheese, in fact, is one of the healthiest foods available.
Served at the proper amount, an individual can get a range of valuable nutrients from cheese. A mere ounce of cheddar will provide just over 7 grams of protein, [...]

Some people don’t tolerate well some of the ingredients in cheese. Made from milk, the lactose can affect some negatively even though the amounts in cheese are much lower than in the base product. The whey – the liquid part that forms when milk curdles – contains most of it and is separated off during [...]

Right: Wine map of France
Bordeaux. The word itself says ‘wine’ to millions around the world. Many historians of the subject assure us that wine has been produced in Bordeaux since the first century AD. And given the known ability for the great Bordeaux to age gracefully, one can believe it.
Located in the south west of [...]

Though perhaps not as well-known a fact as wine or beer origin, cheese too is distinctive by country.
The French, of course, are known for producing and consuming a large amount and variety of cheeses. Roquefort and Brie are household names, even though their places of origin may not be known to many. The cheeses are [...]

Cheese makes for a wonderful addition to many recipes. In some cases, such as Welsh rarebit, it is an essential ingredient. But whether it’s the centerpiece or just a tasty topping, cooking with cheese can be tricky.
Some, such as Brie or Camembert, become liquid easily since they are already quite soft. Others, like Parmesan, will [...]

For many years a goat’s milk cheese was just mundane. Produced in abundance in France south of the Loire, it had become as boring as many of the ordinary wines of the region. But in the 1970s, with revived interest in fresh and imported foods, goat’s milk cheeses experienced the same kind of Renaissance as [...]

Named after the Swiss valley from which it originates in the canton of Fribourg, Gruyère is a work of art. Made from cow’s milk fed on grasses on the edge of the Vaudois uplands, it has a sweet flavor that makes it perfect for an appetizer or as an ingredient in the main dish.
Starting out [...]

No one needs to tell you how to eat. You learned that long ago. But to enjoy to the maximum a gourmet cheese, there are some small bits of wisdom that can prove useful.
Some cheese connoisseurs are purists, a valid stance. They will enjoy a piece of cheese only when it is served isolated, and [...]

1. corked
2. cooked
3. oxidized
4. sediment
5. sulphur
6. refermentation
Even with modern winemaking, storage and shipping technology about five percent of all wines arrive at the table bad to some degree. Here are some tips about how to spot them.
CORKING
It all begins with a cork… Even in this day of high-technology plastics, many bottles are still stoppered with [...]

Taste is unquestionably an individual affair. Some will rave over the flavor of a Limburger, while others won’t touch Brie. But no matter your preference in type of cheese, there are certain factors that always should be taken into account.
First, prepare your senses to make a good judgment. Before smelling or sampling a cheese, try [...]

Viticulture, the process of growing wine grapes, has been raised from ancient art to a complex combination of science and art. Add in all the other special knowledge and skills required to produce the end product —bottled wine— and you have a Herculean (or is that Dionysian?) task.
Vintners, makers of wine, have to consider site, [...]

As far back as 450 BC, physicians have recommended wine to combat fever, disinfect wounds and provide nutritional supplements. But Greek science also taught that the stars moved on heavenly spheres, so one has to be careful. Has anything been learned since?
Fortunately, many studies since have provided ample evidence of the truth of Hippocrates early [...]

Americans are catching on to one of the best of Europe’s traditions: serving a cheese course after a meal. Providing a variety of tasty cheeses tops off a great roast beef or halibut, or nearly any main course.
Add to its enjoyment by making a visually appealing display, and labeling the choices. Or, provide some mystery [...]

The title is misleading. There really is no such thing as ‘proper’ when choosing a wine and food to enjoy together. In matters of taste, individual judgment will always reign supreme.
But the old rule of reds with beef, whites with fish and poultry still has merit. For either situation, choose the best wine you can [...]

Cheese is one of the healthiest foods we can consume, in moderation. A single ounce provides over 200mg of calcium, about 20% of the daily recommended minimum. Natural cheese, which contains casein, can provide the full complement of essential amino acids. But most cheese does, in fact, contain a relatively high percentage of fat – [...]

Right: Wine map of Italy
The winemaking tradition in sunny Sicily dates back as far as four thousand years. Over those millennia the Sicilians, named for the settlers who introduced agriculture there, have raised wine grape growing to the level of the Italian Renaissance artist.
In the far west, nestled among the rugged Gibellina Mountains is their [...]

Cheese, to state the obvious, is a food product. That means that in order to enjoy it at peak flavor, it needs to be kept under the right conditions. For most cheeses, most of the time, that means storing it away from exposure to air and at a cold temperature.
That doesn’t necessarily mean storing it [...]

Toronto, Canada has an entire convention devoted to Wine and Cheese, now going on for more than 20 years. But perhaps one shouldn’t get too excited, since the pairing goes back at least 4,000 years.
Both products are made from living substances and improve with age, both are a product of fermentation, the process by which [...]

Like fine wine, the making of a quality cheese requires a foundation of knowledge, years of practice and a certain amount of art. But one doesn’t need to be an affineur or cheesemaker to grasp the elementary steps of this delectable product.
All cheese is made from milk, but the variety is astounding. Though most commercial [...]