Valentine’s Day is coming and we know that everything has to be perfect. The outfit, the plans, the companion, the food—it’s all got to be just right. If you’re like us, you’ve got your date night cheese plate already figured out. But seductive cheese deserves a flirtatious soundtrack. How can you expect to set the right mood if you don’t have the right tunes? We’re here to help you amp up the ambiance with hand-picked vinyl for a V-Day soundtrack for whatever indulges your fancy.
The Hopeless Romantic
Any cheesemonger with a knack for romance will tell you the legend of Roquefort: A young shepherd boy tending to his flock in the south of France spotted a beautiful girl in the distance—while eating curds, of course. He ran to woo her, abandoning his lunch in a nearby cave. While he was unsuccessful in his courtship, he returned to the cave weeks later and discovered his cheese had molded. Out of pure hunger, he ate it anyway. Sacre bleu! It was actually delicious!
Like our shepherd’s story, Al Green’s Gets Next to You is a soulful search of wooing, heartbreak, and hope. Put it on your turntable and dance with your honey this Valentine’s Day. Or use it to score your solo cheese plate and remember that even if love ain’t perfect, the moldy bits are still a sign of a happy ending.
Cheese: Roquefort PDO
Album: Al Green’s Gets Next To You
The Hot Date
Oooh baby, just talking about Délice De Bourgogne gets me sweating. This French beauty is a triple cream threat. An extra helping of butterfat makes her silky, voluptuous, and almost impossible to take home without wanting to slide her wrapper right off. You can practically hear Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” softly in the background when you curl up next to this piece of pure temptation. Let Marvin’s first foray into funk play while you let her buttery-sweet perfume fill your room. Go ahead, treat yourself to a wedge or two this Valentine’s.
Cheese: Délice de Bourgogne
Album: Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On
For Your Gals
You are strong, you are gorgeous, and damn, you have good taste. Valentine’s Day is fine, but are you partaking in Galentine’s this year? Fans of Parks and Recreation know that February 13th is for celebrating yourself and all of the supportive ladies and role models in your life.
Show up to the party with Red Dragon, a cheddar with brown ale and mustard seeds inside. It’s a cheese as bold as you are, with a bite that hits like Debbie Harry’s vocals. Blondie’s Parallel Lines is a Galentine’s staple for karaoke-style group singalongs, because nobody who loves you will judge how passionately you air guitar along to “One Way or Another.”
Cheese: Red Dragon
Album: Blondie’s Parallel Lines
Shout out to Curds & Co. of Brookline, Mass., and Newbury Comics in Cambridge, Mass. for their collections of cheese and vinyl! Photo Credit: Hannah Wright
Hannah Wright
Hannah Wright works in the entertainment industry by day as a digital media master. By night, she runs the Instagram @CheeseplateMixtape- pairing vinyl records with cheese in a delicious homage to hedonism.
