By Request

By Catherine Kekoa Enomoto

Wednesday, February 4, 1998

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin

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Cheese pleases in
variety of combinations

SAVOR a chunk of cheese in tandem with a premier wine tasting event.

The 12th annual Wine Classic Auction and Tasting, a benefit for Hawaii Public Radio, unfolds at noon Sunday in the Hilton Hawaiian Village South Pacific ballroom. Tickets are $35 and one may imbibe any of 85 wines with half a dozen cheeses plus fruits and breads. A free "Seeing Red" forum is noon to 1 p.m., followed by tasting and silent auction, 1 to 3 p.m., and live auction, 3 to 6 p.m.

Also, master sommelier Chuck Furuya moderates a "Dark, Spicy and Red" panel and tasting at 2 p.m.; cost is an additional $20.

One may freelance when pairing wines with berries, melons and breads, says event co-chair Richard Field of R. Field Wine Company. "The ultimate determinant is what tastes best for you," he says, advising to inquire of any of the 30 winery representatives and brokers serving there. He adds pairing guidelines for cheeses to be served:

Brie, a buttery double-cream cheese, goes well with powerful reds as well as delicate whites and roses. Suggestions: 1995 La Crema zinfandel; 1994 Chateau de Sancerre sauvignon blanc.

Cheddar, a salty cheese from Southern England, gravitates to fortified wines, ports and Madeiras. Recommendation: 1990 Quinta de Crasto port.

Fontina, a salty hard cheese with chunkier texture, goes well with sparkling wine or very dry champagne. Recommendations: 1995 Silverado Sangiovese (red) and 1996 Iron Horse Viognier (white).

Gorgonzola, a pungent cheese with very assertive flavor, pairs well with rich, viscous, syrupy, sweet whites. "It's the yin-yang effect," Field says.

Gruyere, an "in the middle" Swiss cheese, is compatible with light, bright, soft whites and reds, such as pinot grigio, dry reisling and gewurztraminer. Recommendations: 1995 Zaca Mesa Roussanne (white) and 1995 Cale Cellars Barbera (red).

In the cheese vein, Oahu reader Carol Franklin requested a recipe using fresh goat cheese, such as that produced in Puna, Big Island. The recipe comes from the new "Fondue - Great Food to Dip, Dunk, Savor and Swirl" cookbook by Rick Rodgers (William Morrow and Co., 1998, $14).

Chevre and Fresh Herb Fondue

1 cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into small cubes, at room temperature
8 ounces rindless chevre (young, soft, white goat cheese), crumbled with a fork, at room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a small saucepan or microwave oven, heat cream and garlic over medium heat until bubbles appear around edges of cream. Transfer to top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Gradually whisk in cream cheese until smooth.

In a medium bowl, toss chevre with cornstarch. Gradually whisk chevre into cream until smooth. Cook gently since overheating makes goat cheese grainy. Stir in remaining ingredients. Transfer mixture to chafing dish and keep warm over hot water (or serve in a cheese fondue pot kept warm by a votive candle). Makes six 4-ounce servings. Serve immediately, with bite-size dippers:

Crusty French bread

Chicken-breast cubes

Fresh veggies, such as bell pepper, celery and zucchini slices, and blanched broccoli and cauliflower florets

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving fondue: 380 calories, 36 grams total fat, 23 grams saturated fat, 110 milligrams cholesterol, 270 milligrams sodium.*