01. cheese...and wine.

monday is valentine's day. today is thursday. most guys are probably just starting to think about what to do, where to go? what present to get?...what the heck?! they have no idea. i guess their valentine is going to end up with the trite pre-packaged red roses and chocolates in a heart-shaped-box.

look, i'm not a hater. all of us have been there. last minute. our minds are blank. and stuck. and there's absolutely nothing wrong with flowers, chocolates, chintzy jewelry or bears that say "be mine". in fact i'm sure there will be future blogs written that incorporate some of those things. the problem is that those things are overdone. average. expected. lame.

it's time to bring romance back.

this is the perfect reason to launch this blog. i'm not going to list all the things you could do on february 14th. my hope is by next year, there will be a year's worth of ideas that will help you see that there is potential for every day to be the most romantic day.

today, i'm writing about cheese.

more appropriately, cheese paired with wine. my wife and i have wine and cheese a lot. there's never a bad time for it, really. we've had wine and cheese in a small apartment in paris with ashley's family. and a french baguette. delicious. we normally go to wineries for our anniversaries, so we find a way to work the cheese in as well. mmmm...the spicy chutney spread from napa, i can still taste it. we've hosted wine and cheese nights with friends. we even tailgated at a ballgame with wine and cheese once.

this was the inspiration long ago for the blog title. one of those times, i thought to myself, "when was the last time i got the guys together to partake in some havarti and pinot noir?" (might be interesting to try some time).

the truth of it is that as much as i love wine and cheese, it's best when shared with my wife. why is that? i think it's because it's always an experiment...there are so many combinations out there to try. it almost feels like a little adventure. like you're trying something different and new each time. it's an art. white, red? it's a treat. gouda, aged cheddar, stilton? when you find a taste you both like, you can bring out the cutting board and have a feast. it's a bit like life as a couple.


so with that...try it out. if you've never really done this before talk to some of your foodie friends and get their advice. don't do this haphazardly, the first time i did this, i think i got monterey jack and wheat thins. oops. you have to start somewhere. check out this pairing wheel to get some ideas (or cheese and beer pairings if wine is not your thing). better yet, take your girl with you to the nearest trader joe's or whole foods and just ask for wine and cheese recommendations.

ok, what are you waiting for!? plan your picnic or a late afternoon snack in your living room with a movie or grab some fig spread, salami and crackers and have yourselves a full meal. if you're already a wine and cheese pairing champ, share some of your favorite pairs in the comments. i'm always looking for ideas.