Gourmet Cheese Gifts

Before choosing a gourmet cheese gift for friends, family, employees, or even for your boss, you need to be sure that whoever you are planning to give this great gift to would truly appreciate genuine artisan cheeses. Gourmet cheeses can be expensive and you don't want something this good to go to waste.

How to Be Sure You Are Getting Genuine Artisan Gourmet Cheeses

Once you've decided to give a gift of gourmet cheese, be sure you do it right. The word "artisan" is used pretty freely these days to fool the public into thinking an ordinary product is something that it is not. A great example of this applied to cheese is the fact that Sargento is selling a line of cheese they refer to as their "artisan cheese blends". Mass produced cheeses like this are not artisan.

A true gourmet artisan cheese is made by hand by skilled cheesemakers known as cheesemongers using centuries old craftsmanship handed down over the years. These cheeses are generally much more complex and aged much longer than mass produced cheeses.

Frequently, the country or region of origin plays a big part in whether or not a cheese is labeled as "artisan". This is especially so in Europe where the quality of foods such as cheese is based on pride and years of tradition that make the cheesemaking techniques worthy of preserving and passing on through the years.

In America, when a cheese is labeled artisan or gourmet, that title is based on the process by which the cheese is made. American gourmet cheeses are normally made by hand and in small batches. It is easier to control the quality of a cheese that is made like this.

A great way to get more acquainted with gourmet cheeses is to have on hand a good book that can teach you the basics. A couple of suggestions are:

· The Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins

· The Cheese Plate by Max McCalman

In fact, including a book like this with your gift of gourmet cheese would make the gift even more special

Suggestions for Your Gourmet Cheese Gift

Now that you know what you are looking for in a genuine gourmet cheese you can have some fun in designing the perfect gift. Employing some sort of theme like cheeses from particular countries or regions allows you to add some variety, while having everything in your gift being tied to one particular idea. One fun direction to go with your gourmet cheese gift is with cheeses of the Mediterranean.

This is a great theme to choose because you can include cheeses from at least four different countries, which means four very different types of cheeses.

· Spain produces some very good gourmet goat cheeses. One interesting label from Spain is the Tipsy Goat. It gets this name because the rind is washed in red wine made in the area.

· Feta is probably Greece's most famous cheese. Feta is very versatile cheese because it comes in so many different variations. It can be semi-soft to semi-hard and mild to sharp. It can be used in so many different ways, too, such as in baked goods or in casseroles, as an appetizer, served with fruit, and as a table cheese.

· Italy offers any number of great choices to include in your gift: mozzarella, provolone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Asiago to name only a few.

· Don't forget France. They are most famous for their soft cheese like Brie, Boursin, and Camembert.

There are some great non-cheese items you can include with a gift to give some flair and continue the Mediterranean twist.

· Olives from Greece

· Bread sticks

· A crust French baguette

· Dried fruit like cranberries

· A jar of roasted almonds

· A small cheese board and knife

· Paper plates and napkins with a cheese-related theme

I write because I love to help people.

Check this link to Wine and Cheese Gifts for more great information.