Pairing with Navarro Chenin Blanc

Living in Northern California provides us with a bounty of fresh ingredients to use in simple but satisfying snacks. This recipe features the local Mt. Tam Triple Cream Cheese in a savory sandwich with bright flavors for a pleasant spring day. You can substitute another cheese like a St. André depending on local availability. We recommend an artisan seeded bread for this sandwich, but nothing with too much rye. The flavors in this sandwich are contrasted by the citrus crispness of Navarro Vineyards' Chenin Blanc.

• 8 pieces of sliced bread
• 1 Wheel of Mt. Tam or equivalent cheese cut into 8 slices
• 1-2 Pears, preferably Bosc
• Fried Sage leaves, about 12
• Grape seed Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cover the bottom of a small non stick skillet with 50% olive and 50% grape seed oil. Heat to medium high. Drop in a couple sage leaves at a time and quickly turn then remove from heat and drain on plate covered with paper towel. Be careful, the sage leaves will cook quickly. Let cool and reserve for layering into the sandwiches.

Slice cheese and pears so that there is enough to evenly distribute on the slices of bread. . Put two slices cheese and pear slices to cover surface area of the bread. Add a layer of fried sage leaves. Assemble sandwich and grill.

Heat a panini press or large non stick skillet to medium high. Brush outside of bread slices very lightly with Olive Oil. Heat until golden brown on each side. Cut in half and serve.

Serves: 4