Swiss Cheese meets Hatsumago Kimoto Tradition
Swiss Cheese Philipp Heid, Prisma
Presented by Marius Müller
The dish
Küssnachter Riserva is a Swiss semi-hard cheese made from grass-fed milk from Swiss cows. It matures for 9 months & is nurtured with cider (must). Mature aroma with a subtle, spicy flavour. Umeboshi cream & sesame complement light sweetness as well as “Asian” fruit and nuttiness. Sbrinz is an extra-hard, full-fat cheese made from raw milk. It is usually stored for 24-30 months. Slightly salty and full-bodied taste. Candied ginger complements light sweetness as well as freshness, fruitiness & subtle spiciness. Umami and lactic-fresh taste of Swiss goat cheese, is baked with angel hair, which adds a certain crunch. Madras curry dust provides a subtle spicy note.
The sake Hatsumago Kimoto Tradition
Dewazakura's “Cherry Blossom” is clear and brilliant with a high viscosity. The nose shows medium intensity. Elegant and quite aromatic, it smells fruity of umeboshi and the juice of pickled plums, but also slightly yeasty & lactic, somewhat reminiscent of milk buns. On the palate with a more complex impression, also here very elegant, creamy. Aromas of cherry blossom, white as well as red cherries are added. Appears “off dry”, the alcohol is well integrated. Rather light and playful acidity. Also medium intensity, dry in the long finish with proper umami. I would serve it at cellar temperature, 15 degrees in the “ochoko”, to emphasise the impression on the palate.
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The pairing
Since sake is often combined with delicacies such as caviar, we would like to show you its versatility in combination with THE Swiss delicacy: Cheese! I now serve you the “Cherry Blossom” from Dewazakura, a ginjō from Yamagata Prefecture. Special features of this brewery are the use of “cherry blossom” yeast and Dewa-san-san rice. This is typically moderately fragrant, often sweet rather than dry, and complex. Sake is a perfect fit here, as we serve neither blue cheese nor red cheese, it mirrors the impression of Swiss cheese with the umami component and its creaminess. The Swiss cheeses are all from the region, but they are all packaged in an “Asian” way – Küssnachter Riserva with umeboshi, ginger & Madras curry. The “cherry blossom” supports the interplay of the fruit, complements the salty taste and brings harmony. In intensity and finish, it plays on the same wavelength as the cheese. Enjoy!