Perfect pear-ing

Nicolette and Desmond had an evening of dessert wines and cheeses just after Christmas. Little sips and nibbles of these intense flavourings are really all that's needed. There were some tasty cheeses, including a Guinness Irish Cheddar, a strong Australian 40's Blue.  Noteworthy was the 'Our Compliments' camembert, produced somewhere in Ontario and available at Metro supermarkets. The late harvest vidal and ice wines were delicious, but my favourite discovery of the evening was Mathilde Pear Liqueur. It went amazingly well with smoked fish and the Thornloe Devil's Rock Creamy Blue cheese. Mathilde is a fortified wine from France, Cognac, and is the product of 100% natural fruit infusion. When I checked it out online, availability at the LCBO was 'while supplies last', so I hopped in the car and picked up the last three bottles on Toronto's east side. The Wine Enthusiast gave this 90-95 points, and it also won a Gold Medal at the 2009 World Spirits Competition in San Francisco. In the middle of winter, the taste reminds me of a late summer day. MATHILDE PEAR LCBO 271882 | 375 mL bottle  LIMITED SUPPLY - AVAILABLE WHILE QUANTITIES LAST* Price $ 19.25  Made in: Cognac, France  By: Cognac Ferrand