A cheese course for gin lovers, Ginepro is a sheep’s milk pecorino from Emilia-Romagna that is first rubbed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and then buried in juniper berries. It’s a salty, herbal cheese with an awesome tang. To complement the flavor and amp up the juniper, caramelize some pears and flame them with gin, then allow them to macerate to develop the flavor. With that much gin going on, pour a dry prosecco to drink with it.

Ingredients

　　1/4 cup water

　　1/4 cup sugar

　　1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon high-quality gin

　　2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and diced

　　1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

　　8 ounces Ginepro

　　Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns into a light caramel. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/2 cup of the gin. Light the gin and allow it to flame for a minute or two. Put the saucepan over low heat, add the pears, and toss to coat. Turn the pears out into a bowl and stir in the peppercorns. Sprinkle the mixture with the remaining 1 teaspoon gin. Let macerate for at least 24 hours, covered, at room temperature before serving with the Ginepro.

　　Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen