Perfect Match evenings at Milk the Cow prove that you can match anything with cheese. On a chilly Melbourne evening I found myself nestled in the upstairs bar at the Carlton venue. Glasses of tequila and matching cheeses lined the table in front of me. My love of tequila rivals my love of cheese, but until that moment I had never considered putting the two together.
Tequila Tromba tequila paired with Milk the Cow’s cheeses
Milk the Cow’s passion is cheese and booze. The company stocks 150 different types of cheese from around the world alongside boutique drinks behind the bar. At Perfect Match, head cheesemonger Laura pairs four artisan cheeses with unique spirits or wine. Tequila Tromba proved to be an excellent choice for this month’s event: Australian owned, 100% blue agave, and grown in the highlands of Mexico.
Laura and tequila expert, Jason, talked us through each of the unique pairings. The night started with a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth chèvre and the blanco tequila. Then we moved on to the oak aged reposado tequila and BellaVitano espresso cheese. You heard the right: espresso cheese. Did your ears just perk up, Melbourne? That’s right, a sweet cheese hand-rubbed with three different South American coffees.
one of the amazing cheeses from Milk the Cow
Next on the list was my personal favourite: the Anejo tequila paired with Bleu des Causses. I suspect a few people will wrinkle up their noses at the idea of tequila and blue cheese. But I challenge the wrinkled to try the spicy oak aged tequila paired with an authentic French blue. The tequila is aged in American oak bourbon barrels and the blue vein mould originates in traditional French cheese caves. Let’s just say the Bleu des Causses and Tromba Anejo are not your supermarket blue cheese and red hat tequila. Our night finished with an on-trend tequila negroni and an aged gouda – made from the milk of cows that graze on summer pastures in the Netherlands.
Milk the Cow runs different events every month from fondue nights to a champagne and cheese masterclass. I recommend gathering friends or bringing a date for conversation and unique flavours at Milk the Cow.
– Jenny
Jenny Schmidt loves agave and dairy and being the first to know about all the cool events in Melbourne.
Perfect Match runs monthly at Milk the Cow in both St. Kilda (1/157 Fitzroy St) and Carlton (323 Lygon St).
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