Pic(k) of the Week: Still Life with Cider & Cheese

Real cheese and real cider:

the product of fermenting fresh apple juice. The amount of apple juice which went into the final product must be between 85 and 100% and should be clearly stated on the container it is sold in or dispensed from. No artificial sweeteners, flavourings or colourings are permitted. ( For real perry, substitute pear juice.)

The cider:
Gwatkin Yarlington Mill Cider, pulled from a cask at Churchkey in Washington, D.C., 18 March 2010.

It was tart, with a tannic bite like an apple skin, and chewy, with background hints of barnyard funk and smoky phenolics. I remember the 2009 imported cask of this to have had a bit more of a cinnamon character (possibly from the choice of wood?) and to be of a darker reddish color. Gwatkin is the cidery, the 2009 Cider Maker of the Year in the UK. Yarlington Mill is the specific apple varietal. 7.5% alcohol by volume.

The cheeses (l-r):
Meadow Creek Grayson, from Virginia (raw cow's milk, washed rind, aka 'stinky.'); Tête de Moine, from Switzerland (raw cow's milk as well but a milder washed-rind than the Grayson); Monte Enebro, from Spain (pasteurized cow's milk; slightly tangy. Beautiful 'bloom' presentation. Its slight tang paired well with the cider).

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Pic(k) of the Week: one in a weekly series of personal photos, usually posted on a Saturday, and often of a 'good fermentable' as subject.