LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2019

ENTERTAINING CHEESEBOARD WINNERS

Appletree Smoked Cheddar Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island smoked ch se BEST

Charlottetown’s Cow’s Creamery might be more famous for its ice cream, but its smoked cheddar continually tops the charts. Smoked over apple wood for 8 hours, the cheese has a rich smoky flavour that expertly mingles with the salty aged cheddar base.

BEST

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Figaro Glengarry Fine Cheese, Lancaster, Ontario

This creamy goat cheese comes in a white square with a glossy wet rind and looks stunning on a cheeseboard. Notes of sweet hay, fresh cream, honey and a tangy, bright acidity characterize this soft cheese from Glengarry Fine Cheese in Lancaster, Ontario. Bellissima Brut Prosecco Pouring a faint straw colour with loads of bubbles, this organic sparkler ( VINTAGES 548164, $24.95) has fresh floral, apple and citrus aromas. Its vivacious bubbles and bright acidity cut through the fresh, creamy cheese so it fizzles on the tongue for a lovely sensation, heightening the vino’s lemony centre.

Mill Street Cobblestone Stout The creamy texture of this nitro stout ( LCBO 312850, 440 mL, $3.25) melds with the cheddar’s luscious texture. Sipped along- side the smoked cheese, the chocolatey, roasty stout takes on a smoky bacon note that’s like barbecue in your mouth.

Cheese is the star. Afrim’s ultimate cheese mix: a blue, a firm cow’s cheese, TIPS TO BUILD A BETTER CHEESEBOARD Afrim Pristine’ s MAÎTRE FROMAGER

CRACKERS Crackers are a mere vessel for that luscious cheese. Choose ones that won’t compete, like water crackers or use fresh baguette slices.

FRUIT Figs, apples, pears and grapes are water-based fruits with enough acidity to cut through fatty cheese.

HONEYCOMB These beautiful structures are one of Afrim’s favourite things to put on a board—they’re local and the sweet honey o ers contrast. Check out ontariobee.com to find honeycomb near you.

NUTS Crunchy and fairly neutral, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds are the ultimate palate cleanser.

a sheep’s cheese and a semi-firm cheese.