Western Pa. wine and cheese experts to hold virtual session on ‘perfect pairings’
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Dee Weinberg was at a cheese counter having trouble deciding which variety to purchase to complement a specific wine.
“The thought came to me that if I wasn’t sure what cheese was best with the wine I had, then other people probably would have the same problem,” said Weinberg, founder of GoodTaste! Pittsburgh, which produces culinary events.
So she created Wine & Cheese: The Perfect Pairing, a Zoom event set for 6 p.m. on Friday. This isn’t her first virtual production. She transitioned PizzaFest: A Slice of Delish from an in-person to online happening last June.
Weinberg said she learned in 2020 and now, into 2021, how to host events during a pandemic while also helping local businesses.
The evening will present the knowledge of three local entrepreneurs. Alisa Fava-Fasnacht of The Marketplace at Emerald Valley in Washington, Pa., will show to “Navigate the Gourmet Cheese Counter.” Event planner and decorator Deborah French Gorman will hold forth on “Building a Gorgeous Holiday Cheese Board.” Deb Mortillaro of Dreadnought Wines & Palate Partners in Lawrenceville will provide expertise on “Pairing Perfectly.”
Admission to the two-hour event is $15. The $65 tickets that included a “tasting kit” have sold out. The selection of goodies in the kit included a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Dreadnought, a pound of four cheeses from The Marketplace at Emerald Valley, bread from Mediterra Bakehouse in Crafton, olive oil and bread dip from Oakmont Olive Oil Co. in Oakmont and a pair of chocolate truffles from Spectre Dolce Confectionery in Monroeville.
“People will learn about different cheeses, the best wines to pair with those cheeses, as well as how to create a cheese board,” Weinberg said.
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Sharon Carroll of Oakmont Olive Oil recommends putting olive oil in a dish, adding seasoning and letting it rest for at least 15 minutes.
“The charcuterie boards make great appetizers and you can make them for your smaller family gatherings,” Carroll said. “Themed boards are really popular and they can be made with what you have in your own cupboard and refrigerator.”
Mortillaro, a former private chef who goes by the title “Queen of Quaffing” at Palate Partners, will discuss the effect that cheese has on the taste of a wine. In addition to the red cabernet in the kit, she will talk about pairing white wines with cheeses.
“Choosing wine can be overwhelming,” she said. “It would be like me walking into a record shop. There are so many choices, and I don’t know a lot about music. In a state store, and even some grocery stores, and online shops, there are rows and rows of wine bottles. The choices are endless.”
Tickets for the event are available at goodtastepittsburgh.com.