Quick take: pair a Paper Plane cocktail with an ashed Chevriou
In our cheese + cocktail pairing project, I combine my cocktail know-how with the encyclopedic cheese knowledge of Jennifer Greco of Chez Loulou for a series of classic cocktail and cheese pairings.
With a lot of heavy circumstances happening around us, we wanted to focus on something cheerful and happy for the summer, so for July, we paired with the bright orange Paper Plane.
July Pairing: Paper Plane Cocktail with an ashed Chevriou
Tips, Tricks & Lessons learned:
- We chose the Chevriou as the best pairing for the Paper Plane because the cheese really brought out a brightness in the cocktail. The pairing created the perfect combo of sweet and tart that was neither too acidic nor too cloying. The drink initially washed the flavor of the cheese away for just a second, but then it resurfaces and lingers nicely. This pairing makes for an excellent aperitif, as it makes the mouth water.
- In addition to the Chevriou, Langres also went well with the cocktail.
- If you’re looking to stretch the pairing experience a little, the two other possible choices are the 2 year old Comté (brought out a nice herbal side to the cocktail) or the Fourme d’Ambert (which improved the flavor of the cocktail, though the cocktail didn’t do much for the cheese)
- Cheeses that made for an uninteresting or unpleasant pairing: chèvre, Brie de Meaux, Ossau-Iraty, and Saint-Marcellin.
- This drink is an equal parts cocktail, which makes it very easy to make (or batch for large groups), because as long as you put in equal measures, it works.
- Nononi is an Italian amaro and you may have to order it online. (I did)
- Paper Plane cocktail is a riff on the Last Word, so if you like that, you’ll like this.
- I strain my lemon juice before measuring and adding it to the shaker (rather than double straining the cocktail at the end) because it makes a more accurate and better balanced finished product.
Paper Plane Cocktail recipe
20 ml (¾ ounce) bourbon
20 ml (¾ ounce) Aperol
20 ml (¾ ounce) Amaro Nonino
20 ml (¾ ounce) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Shake all ingredients together and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
If you’re here, I already know you like cocktails. But, if you want to learn more about these or other cheeses, I recommend some time on Jennifer’s blog and Instagram.
Up next: What Cheese to Pair with a Mojito cocktail
