Some of my first memories of eating artisanal cheese come from the French family I lived with in Tours, France. Before ending the meal with a dessert, my host mother would serve one or two cheeses without any condiments. At first, it seemed strange eating the cheese plain with a fork, sometimes with bread and almost never with fruit or honey. But after a month, not pairing cheese became normal. When I returned to the U.S. after a year, I was surprised and intrigued by the American obsession with cheese pairings.
What is it about American food culture that tempts us to eat more than one food at a time? It's as though our insatiable desire distracts us from enjoying simplicity. While managing the cheese shop Formaggio Essex it became my job to pair cheeses with different crackers, honeys, jams, and much more.
I have to admit that I fell for the "American desire" to add more. After several months of tasting cheeses with different condiments, I quickly developed a talent for pairing. While I think pairing is an important skill, especially in cooking, I believe it's still important to return to a less elaborate cheese course. Often, the intensity of a cheese can only be appreciated when tasting the cheese plain.
Learn when to pair and when not to pair after the jump.
So, to pair or not to pair? I would hardly say that I am opposed to cheese pairings. Rather, cheese pairings need to be done less gratuitously. And, people, for a change, should experiment with eating cheeses on their own.
When Pairing Makes Sense:
- The cheese is pungent and extremely funky, and you are hosting a party with people of varying palates. You'll pair the cheese with a condiment that will minimize some of the funk and accentuate the unique seemingly more pleasant tastes. In other words, you are going to transform the cheese into a crowd pleaser.
- You have a special condiment that you want to feature. In this case, the pairing will do more for the condiment on display.
- You want to highlight a specific flavor from the cheese. For example, to highlight the fruity sweetness of a Comté you might pair it with apricot or fig jam. For more on these types of pairings, check out this past post.
- The cheese has a strong complex full flavor, and you are tasting it for the first time. In this case, your first impression should not be distracted by other flavors on the palate.
- You simply want to savor the several layers of taste without focusing in on one flavor.
- You are entertaining and want to highlight every aspect of the cheese.
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