Camembert: Cheese Games created by Ruth Paget
I used The Book of Cheese by Liz Thorpe, a cheese consultant who began her career by devising a sales strategy to group 300+ cheeses at her sales counter into 10 main flavor-profile groupings to help customers make informed buying choices.
Thorpe’s main cheese categories or gateways to 300+ kinds of cheese follow:
1-Mozzarella
2-Brie
3-Havarti
4-Taleggio
5-Manchego
6-Cheddar
7-Swiss
8-Parmesan
9-Blue
10-Misfits
Thorpe’s book may surprise readers with beverage pairings besides wine for some cheese such as brown ale, hard cider, and coffee. The pairings for the main type or gateway cheese apply to all cheeses in that category.
Game 1: Cheese Type and Beverage Pairing
On the front of an index card, write the name of the main cheese type. For the misfits, write the subcategories. Then, write the beverage pairing on the back.
Flip the index cards to quiz yourself to memorize the pairings. Then, play with a partner or as teams.
Game 2: Cheese Type and Food Pairings
Grapes and apples immediately come to mind when considering cheese pairings, but Thorpe proposes assorted nuts, vegetables, spreadable salami, and candied fruits.
This game will help buyers put together subtle cheese trays in no time.
Write the main cheese type on the front of an index card along with the number of food pairings. On the back of the index card, write out the food pairings.
Flip the index cards to memorize all the food pairings that go with the main cheese type. Then, play this game with a partner or with teams.
For the next three games, you will need to make cards for the 250+ individual cheeses in The Book of Cheese.
Game 3: Cheese Name – Main Cheese Type Category
This game is useful for buyers who would like to try new cheeses similar to ones they already like.
On the front of an index card, write the cheese name. On the back of the index card, write the main cheese type.
Flip the index cards to memorize the information. Then, play with a partner or as teams.
Game 4: Cheese Name – Milk(s) Used
On the front of an index card write the cheese name. On the back of an index card, write the milk or milks used to make it. Cow, sheep, goat, or a blend of milks are the choices.
Flip the cards to memorize them. Then, play with a partner or as a team.
Game 5: Cheese Name – Country (Countries) of Origin
Write the cheese name on the front of an index card. Write the country or countries where it is produced on the back.
Flip the index cards to memorize the information. Then, play with a partner or as teams.
To gain even more advanced knowledge, read Liz Thorpe’s The Book of Cheese 20 times to learn about manufacturing and putting together all the tastings she suggests.
For the avid cheese lover who would like to sell cheese, there is the Certified Cheese Professional Exam (ACS CCP™ Exam) run by the www.cheesesociety.org .
Enjoy the cheese skills society games you can play during a tasting!
By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
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| Ruth Paget Photo |
