(L to R) Siam Winery Sommelier
Surachet Poungkrasae and Koonlapatporn Intarasing, Key Account Specialist
(Horeca) with Siam Winery join Paul Strachan from PMTV and Elfi Seitz from
Pattaya Blatt.
Paul Strachan
The Beach Club at the Pullman Pattaya Hotel G once again welcomed master
cheese-maker Gerard Poulard on Tuesday the 17th and Wednesday 18th of June.
Gerard had previously visited Pattaya about a year ago and this time he came
back armed with even more cheeses, with a particular focus on goat’s cheese.
Cheese in Thailand is regarded as something of a luxury and like wine, it also
comes at a cost, so it was a delight to be able to sample so many fine cheeses
accompanied by a selection of wines courtesy of Siam Winery.
Chef Gerard Poulard explains the
different cheeses as media relations & social manager Melanie Sirachindabhirom
translates for the Thai diners.
Gerard hails from France, a country where cheese is widely
enjoyed and taken seriously. Gerard has been working with cheese for over 20
years and started by studying herbal botanics for 5 years so that he could
identify and understand the feeling of the cow’s milk, and trace the origin of
the animal, region, producer and the maturing of the cheese.
Master cheese maker chef Poulard
shows one particular goats cheese that is shaped like a cork with a snippet of
grape stem
He spent time explaining the different cheeses and how to
tell the difference between the cheeses that are made from the milk of cows,
sheep and goats, in that both sheep and goats always produce cheese which is
white in colour, while cow’s milk produces yellow colour shades and that the
grass that cows eat contains carotene which creates the brownish colour of the
cheese. Gerard also mentioned that goat’s cheese is the healthiest to eat.
On this occasion he brought a full variety of cheese, some in the shape of a
cork, others shaped like a bell, some with figs inside, one that was like a
miniature mountain white on the top and black down below and one that had dried
lavender.
The vast selection of cheese
available at the cheese dinner.
The full list of cheeses were as follows: Figou Fermier,
Banon, Bouchon Serment D’Amour, Buchette De Banon Sariette, Monventoux, Perail
Des Cabasses, Petit Paul De Ventadour, St Domnin De Providence Petit Garbon,
Rogotte De Condrieux, Barstte Aff Chevenet, Cathare, Crottin Bleu Dubois,
Langres Saulxures Shertenleib, Pont L’eveque Suzerin LC AOC, Pechegos, Pelardon
Fer Mounier AOC and Ami Chamnertin.
Gerard served these starting with the mildest through to the strongest, some of
which had a surprising kick.
Master cheese maker Gerard Poulard
poses for the camera with his trusty knife that can cut the cheeses without
leaving the slightest residue on the blade.
Guests could choose from 3 different kinds of cheese at 550
baht, 5 for 750 baht or 8 for 1,100 baht and these were perfectly paired with a
chardonnay, a Syrah, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot, all Grande Reserves from
the Famile Castel label from Siam Winery.
This offered fantastic value as the price would cover the cost of the wines
alone.
The Pullman Pattaya Hotel G has held a number of events, with guest chefs from
Bangkok and the likes of Gerard Poulard. You can keep up to date with
forthcoming events on their popular facebook page:
www.facebook.com/thebeachclub.pattaya.
French wines from Siam Winery
accompanied the cheese dinner.
