Okay, cheese barbecue, but without creams or sauces, what kind of grill is that?

For enthusiasts of the grill, it is not easy to find ideal combinations with sauces and creams that can enhance the deliciousness of meat, fish, vegetables, and cheeses. In short, it is like coffee lovers who never use sugar. Of course, one can also have fun at the table and break free from overly rigid “rules.” The use of sauces is an opportunity, even before it is a necessity. But, as we know, American studies a few years ago showed how the lack of warmth in people at the beginning of this century is being replaced by the consumption of increasingly creamy and caressing products for the palate.

SAUCES AND CREAMS: DIFFERENCES AND PAIRINGS

First of all, the difference between sauces and creams is that the former are enhancers of a food, while the latter are true concentrated vegetables that have been cared for, cut, and reduced to cream. Thus, sauces should primarily be used for all those grilled cheeses that are not already too salty or flavorful. For example, non-smoked scamorza, sweet provola, lightly aged pecorino, sweet Monte Veronese DOP. Creams, on the other hand, can sometimes have the opposite effect, that of softening the flavor of certain grilled cheeses. For example, artichoke, asparagus, and leek creams. These pair excellently with grilled Bitto dop, semi-aged Caciocavallo, semi-aged Ragusano DOP, peppered cheeses or those with chili, and so on. We recommend using creams always alongside the cheese and not on top of it. Let the diner decide how much of the product is worth pairing with the grilled cheese.

The topinambur cream is excellent, for instance, with some grilled goat tomini, and the red radicchio cream is delightful with grilled cheeses that express their sweetness best. Cheeses that are medium-aged and made from raw milk. For example, a nice fresh Robiola di Roccaverano DOP. Try stuffing cubes of Provolone Valpadana DOP with zucchini cream or with leek cream.

When it comes to creams, it is essential to use them sparingly to avoid masking all the deliciousness of the cheese. But it’s the best way to “play” with flavors and add a note of vitality and pleasure to your dinner or summer lunch.

Bernardo Pasquali

S&M