Pretty Pretty Cheese Plate, Please!

At one time I only used to scout out restaurants that had french onion soup (for the Gruyere) or Cobb salads (for the Gorgonzola). Now I search high and low for restaurants with cheese plates. More and more are adding them to their menu for either a first course or dessert. Wherever they are or for any course, I order. Last night I went to Peniche in White Plains, knowing that they have a cheese plate and again researching for this tapas party. Oh, and it was my boyfriends' birthday. We decided to try three of the cheeses. We started with the Roncal which was a little nutty with a semifirm texture. Extremely similar to a Pecorino Toscano, it was nothing to go crazy for. Pass the Porron. Next was the Los Beyos cheese from Spain. To the eye it seemed dry, crumbly and chalky, but after trying it, this cows milk cheese is tangy and becomes more and more creamy as it almost dissolves in your mouth. Pass the Porron. Lastly was the Afuega'l Pitu. When it came out on plate I thought to myself, "I thought I left the Velveeta at college!" I couldn't have been any more mistaken. Made from Frisian cows, this semisoft, bright orange cheese is given a good rub down with paprika, leaving a "Zing!" in the back of your throat. It should be drank with a bold red, which is never too far away from me and a pass of the Porron. Good thing we don't live too far.

The Porron

Peniche Tapas Restaurant
175 Main Street
White Plains NY




www.penichetapas.com