Why is the cheese course so important?

The cheese course balances and settles the taste buds after dinner and prepares your stomach for the dessert course. It is one of the oldest traditions in food history and supports many wine varieties.

What does your cheese board normally consist of?

It usually consists of five organic, un-pasteurised, artisan cheeses.

• Verde di Montegalda (Veneto), a 100% goat’s milk, un-pasteurised blue veined, matured for 90 days. Served with organic spiced mustard fruit.
• Robbiola di Roccaverano D.O.P (Piemonte), 100% goat’s milk, un-pasteurised fresh cheese. Served with walnuts and celery.
• Tomin del Melle (Piemonte), 100% cow’s milk un-pasteurised, matured for ten days. Served with a red wine marmalade.
• Pecorino Fresco (Toscana), 100% sheep’s milk un-pasteurised, matured for two months. Served with fresh grapes.
• Parmigiano Reggiano (Emilia Romagna), 100% cow’s milk un-pasteurised, matured for thirty months. Served with traditional balsamic vinegar.

Are customers more discerning about cheese these days?

I don’t think that customers are expecting more these days, so long as the cheese board is well balanced with different types of milks, flavours, strengths and popular choices. However, I do believe that a huge cheese selection belongs in a delicatessen and that a good variety of cheese on a restaurant menu reflects the chef of the restaurant.

How can you put together a good cheese board?

Try to source a small, artisan cheese producer in Europe – the best are in England, France and Italy. Ensure you have different textures and milks on your board. Try to use only un-pasteurised cheese for a more intense flavour.

How profitable are they?

The cheese course is a very profitable one, as there is hardly any wastage and through good storage, cheese can last for a long time.

How popular are they in your restaurant?

Cheese is very popular in Il Convivio, especially in the evenings and throughout the winter months. However, I do find that the cheese course tends to appeal more to our male customers.

How do you avoid wastage and keep cheese fresh?

Excess cheese can be used for cooking. To keep cheese fresh you should store it in a stone cellar at a temperature between 14°C and 16°C. It should be trimmed and moved regularly.