A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.

A Valentine’s Day Cheese Board For You

Hello, everyone! This week, people everywhere are either celebrating or denouncing Valentine’s Day, that Hallmark holiday with shady origins now dedicated to romance and love. I partnered with Whole Foods to bring you some cheeses and accompaniments I find particularly suited to a romantic meal, even if your dining partner is a book. ^_^

The Cheeses

Vermont Creamery Bijou

Goat, Vermont, USA, pasteurized

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
These little gems will make anyone feel special!

With a name like “Bijou,” meaning “jewel” in French, how could you not add it to your cheese plate? This longtime favorite of mine comes in a delightfully small package, perfect for intimate gatherings. Its tangy flavors and thick, tongue-coating texture sets the stage for a whole new level of cheese-consuming pleasure.

Andante Dairy Rondo

Goat + Cow, California, USA, pasteurized

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Rondo by Andante Dairy will have you back for a repeat performance!

The cheese from Andante Dairy are all named for musical terms. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a “rondo” is an instrumental composition typically with a refrain recurring four times in the tonic and with three couplets in contrasting keys. When you serve this beauty, you’ll have to come back to it four times (at least) during the course of the meal! This delicately flavored cheese, adorned with pink peppercorns and herbs, is a refreshing one! I especially loved the cheese’s rounded mouthfeel and fresh cream flavor.

Canti Fior di Noce

Sheep, Tuscany/Umbria, Italy, pasteurized

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
This walnut leaf-wrapped cheese is herbaceous and savory.

This Italian cheese hails from a region famous for its sheep’s milk cheeses. Maker Canti has wrapped the cheese in walnut leaves (the cheese’s name translates to “walnut flowers”), which gives an extra earthy, forest flavor. I wouldn’t recommend eating the rind on this one, as it is extremely bitter and funky earth.

Rogue Creamery Flora Nelle

Cow, Oregon, USA, pasteurized

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Flora Nelle by Rogue Creamery brings a sweet close to the plate.

Another floral-sounding cheese for our Valentine’s day plate! Flora Nelle has the most blue veins of Rogue Creamery’s excellent blue line up. Its crumbly-creamy texture is an elegant way to close out the cheese plate, and its sweet flavors reminiscent of berries and cream will delight your tastebuds!

 

The Accompaniments

Ines Rosales Sweet Olive Oil Tortas

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Lightly sweetened and flavored with anise, these tortas let you know it’s a special day.

These large round tortas come individually wrapped in thin paper. Delicately sweetened and seasoned with anise seeds, they are an exotic cheese accompaniment. This company makes other flavored tortas as well, just in case you’re not an anise fan, such as Seville orange, rosemary + thyme, and cinnamon.

 

Chuao Chocolate Potato Chip Bar

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Potato chips and chocolate? why not?

I had never had potato chips with my chocolate, so when I saw this on the shelf, I decided to give it a go. The bar is made with milk chocolate, and it’s a bit on the sweeter side. The potato chip use was rather subtle—I was hoping for more, but nothing is stopping you from eating this chocolate with extra potato chips!

 

Poco Dolce Espresso Toffee Squares

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Chocolate and toffee tiles by Poco Dolce are music to my tastebuds.

Incredibly, these small squares made from one of my favorite local food companies clink together like actual ceramic tiles. I admit, I am not always a toffee fan, but I love how Poco Dolce never makes anything too sweet. The marriage of espresso and toffee is balanced and restrained.

 

Fran’s Chocolates Grey Salt Caramels

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Can’t talk now, I’m too busy eating these chocolate grey sea salt caramels.

Get a box of these caramels for your loved ones, and another for yourself. Fran’s has mastered their slow-cooked butter caramels, coated with just the right amount of dark chocolate and grey sea salt. They’re not too sticky on the teeth, which I particularly appreciate. And if you are lucky to live near a physical Fran’s Chocolates store in Seattle, Washington, then consider yourself extremely lucky!

 

Le Grand Courtâge Blanc de Blancs

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Le Grand Courtâge Blanc des Blancs. Pleasing and only $20.

A little sparkling wine goes a long way, and this one is especially pleasant. Its crisp mouthfeel and notes of apples, honeysuckle, and brioche complement just about all the cheeses and accompaniments I chose today.

 

 

A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.A special Valentine's Day cheese board for you and those you love. Sponsored by Whole Foods. By Vero Kherian for misscheesemonger.com.
Don’t forget the flowers!

 

You can find all of these cheeses and accompaniments at your local Whole Foods store (although Rondo might be a little tougher to find because it is a small production cheese). Did you celebrate Valentine’s Day? If so, let me know how in the comments!

 

 

This blog post was sponsored by Whole Foods. I received food and payment. All opinions are my own.

 





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