What are “Bougie Bites,” you ask? They are rich, progressive charcuterie tasting experiences from the Brie Kind Test Kitchen that delight the senses and guide you on a curious journey of unexpected flavor combinations that are strategically stacked atop a small yet sophisticated stand that feels, well, “bougie”. 😉
This month’s feature is one of our all-time favorite cheeses: Point Reyes Original Blue cheese.
This incredible, award-winning cheese holds a special place in my heart. When I lived in a small town in a rural area of Marin County, California, I would visit Point Reyes often as it was only a short 30-minute drive west of where I lived. Our visits usually included a scenic walk or hike in the coastal nature preserve, maybe a stop by the Point Reyes Bookstore, then the bakery for a loaf of French bread, and always a stop by Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. for a wedge of Original Blue. Sometimes we’d watch how they produce different cheeses or enjoy a tasting.
It was always a treat to be there, and I’d inevitably find a reason to linger at the cheese shop just a little longer.
Point Reyes Original Blue has been produced on a woman-owned family farm using sustainable agricultural practices since 2000 and is California’s classic style blue cheese, rindless, all-natural, and gluten-free. “The addictive flavor is bold with hints of sweet milk and a peppery finish” is how Point Reyes Cheese Co. aptly describes the Original Blue.
For our bougie bites tasting experience, we drizzled our small blue cheese wedge generously with Mike’s Hot Honey. We then gathered some additional ingredients to complement the flavors: blackberry, a few spiced, slightly sweet walnuts, one slice of Prosciutto di Parma, fresh fig slice, candied orange slice, date & walnut bar slice, one castelvetrano olive, two sliced grapes, and a chocolate truffle.
This resulted in four satisfying little bites that were pleasing to the eye and the palate:
- Bite 1: Blue cheese/honey combo with grapes and walnuts
- Bite 2: Blue cheese, fig, prosciutto finished with blackberry
- Bite 3: Blue cheese, date & walnut slice, and olive
- Bite 4: Candied orange and bittersweet chocolate truffle
*These same pairings can be replicated across any of our boards upon request.
If you’re ever out that way, plan a trip out to the Point Reyes National Seashore, and visit the Point Reyes Cheese Co. It’s a journey of the heart, mind, and taste buds that you’ll not soon forget.
Thanks for tuning in to read a little bit of this behind-the-scenes story from our test kitchen! I look forward to sharing our creations with you soon, because as our tagline reads, You Deserve Beautiful.
Stay kind,
