‘Tis the season for holiday parties!
The seasonal cheer and chilly temperatures are the perfect excuse for inviting your friends and family over for a night of free-flowing conversation and wintery cups of cheer.
But if your holiday party doesn’t have cheese somewhere, is it even a party?
Cheese is a party favorite, but there’s nothing more disappointing than showing up to a festive fête to find a pre-packaged and pre-sliced spread of tasteless, rubbery cheeses on the hors d’oeuvres table.
A host extraordinaire knows that curating the perfect holiday hors d’oeuvres table starts with Old Europe Cheese. Whether planning a dressed-to-the-nines shindig or a cozy night in with a handful of your closest friends, here are the best cheeses to serve at your next holiday party:
The Best Cheeses for Winter Beers: Edam and Gouda
This time of year, the shelves are lined with specialty winter brews, such as dark and roasty stouts and porters. These winter beers are an ideal match for Reny Picot Edam and Reny Picot Gouda as their flavor profiles beautifully complement the nuttiness of the roasted malt in winter beers. Gouda is sweet and savory with an unexpected balance of salt and sugar—like salted crème caramel—while Reny Picot Edam boasts mellow tones of hazelnut and caramelized butter.
The Best Cheeses for Wintery Wines: Mantoro and Fontina
Many switch to bold, full-bodied red wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Zinfandel when the weather gets cold. This can pose a challenge for holiday hosting because red wines are much harder to pair with cheese than white wines. But Old Europe Cheese makes it easy with Reny Picot Mantoro and Reny Picot Fontina. These two cheeses are great partners for hearty red wines. Their earthy notes harmonize incredibly well with the dark fruity notes in many a wintery red.
The Best Cheeses for Holiday Bubbly: Brie and Camembert
The best way to approach Champagne, Prosecco, and other sparking wines is to serve them with creamy cheeses, which benefit from the cleansing, palate-refreshing bubbles. Soft, rich cheeses, such as Reny Picot Brie and Reny Picot Camembert are dynamite with bubbly. Plus, their appearances reminiscent of picturesque fields blanketed with a downy white coating of fresh snow make them an idyllic centerpiece for any holiday party hors d’oeuvres table.
If you’re a guest, don’t show up empty-handed! Old Europe Baked Cheeses make excellent host/hostess gifts. Only the freshest, highest quality ingredients are used to create the homemade and hand-wrapped brioche pastry. Plus, Old Europe Baked Cheeses come ready to gift in either a colorful gloss box or a clear plastic dome with a full-color label.
Whether hosting or attending, choose to celebrate the season with Old Europe Cheese! Find Reny Picot cheese in a store near you! Also be sure to check out our original recipes for ideas and inspiration and our specific product pages for even more pairing suggestions!