July 2008 | On Our Radar
The Cheese Impresario
By Alastair Bland
Sure, kids can’t technically enjoy a glass of wine until their 21st birthday. But LA cheese and wine enthusiast Barrie Lynn, aka “The Cheese Impresario,” sees no harm in a little swirl, sniff and sip action. Learning the virtues of fine food and delectable drink when you’re young can bring lifelong benefits, says Lynn. Parents should aim to hook kids on food appreciation before they become hooked on sugar, fat and plain old compulsive indulgence.
To promote her tasteful agenda, Lynn held a first-of-its-kind beverage/food pairing event for kids at the Beverly Hilton in late May. The class welcomed eight children between seven and 12 to the aromatic, tactile pleasures of artisan goat cheese and refined sensory appreciation. Lynn directed the kids with basic instructions in looking, smelling and tasting, then set them loose to play with their food. They rolled logs of Montchevre fresh goat cheese from Wisconsin over a variety of toppings spread across the countertop, including Dutch chocolate sprinkles, crushed herbs, crumbled pistachios, chopped dried figs and powdered mild peppers. For accompaniment, Lynn provided several all-natural varietal grape juices served in long-stemmed glassware and introduced the children to a trick she terms “the cheese highway,” in which one sips wine — or, well, juice — over a tongue and palate paved with cheese. The sum experience of flavor fusion could positively affect them forever, says Lynn.
“I think it’s important kids learn to smell, touch and really taste their food. If all kids were conscious of what they were eating and how good it tastes, they wouldn’t just go shoving all sorts of things with no nutritional value into their mouths without thinking twice.”
Lynn, who wooed Hollywood as a caterer and fine-foods educator, preaches the gospel of family producers and artisanal delights everywhere she goes. She’s even the “personal cheese consultant” for rappers Three-6 Mafia, keeping their studio and mansions stocked with cheesy goodness, varietal honeys and appropriately matched wines.
Now she’s got kids in the game. For them, Champagne and Pinot are still a decade away, but who knows? After training their palates at an Artisanal Cheese Adventure, these budding connoisseurs may elect to forgo the typical boozy, blurry 21st birthday in favor of more refined pleasures.
Join the next Kids Artisanal Cheese Adventure at cheeseimpresario.com.
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