Slashfood Ate (8): Sure-fire cheese pairings

by Max Shrem, Posted Jun 17th 2008 @ 1:55PM

Pairing cheeses with condiments and/or drinks is all about creating a harmony of flavors. For example, you would want to match a pungent creamy blue cheese with a sweet condiment that would balance out some of the cheese's piquancy. It's all about unifying two foods that bring out each other's strengths.

One suggestion might be to focus on region. Many times, the perfect pairing involves cheese and wine from the same region. Also, there's a school of thought that says you must match a cheese and a condiment with equal intensities. This rule is not entirely universal, however. In fact, many of my favorite combinations involve stronger cheeses with lighter more delicate jams.

Below is a quick cheat sheet of 8 fool-proof pairings that are guaranteed to make your taste buds happy:

Stilton and port
Gorgonzola Piccante and chestnut honey
Fresh ricotta and berries
Roquefort and chestnut spread
Manchego and quince paste or jam
Aged goat's milk cheeses with olive oil
Cheddar and wholegrain mustard
Comté and mirabelle or strawberry jam

Filed Under: Slashfood Ate, Ingredients, Tastings
Tags: cheese, condiments, pairings food wine c..., PairingsFoodWineC..., slashfood ate, SlashfoodAte

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-17-2008 @2:48PM srah said... Wensleydale and mango chutney!
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6-17-2008 @2:33PM Numb said... #2 through #8 sound great - but you're wrong on #1. There's absolutely nothing on earth that can make Stilton worth eating. Horrid stuff.
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