National Cheese Lover's Day might be in January...but here at hampers.com, every day is 'Love Cheese Day'. We just can't get enough of it!
To share our adoration and expertise, we have pulled together five top cheese pairing tips, both drinks and other foods, to take your enjoyment of cheese to a whole other level.
Let our expert cheese connoisseurs guide and inspire...
A Cheese Lover's Guide to Pairing Cheese - 5 top tips
Tip 1: Match strength
Pair milder cheeses with light complements and stronger cheeses with bold flavours. This includes both strength of taste and aroma. You don't want to overwhelm either the cheese or your chosen pairing.
For example, pair a mild Brie with a light-bodied white.
But, choose to pair a delightfully pungent blue Stilton with an equally rich fortified wine, such as a vintage port.
Tip 2: Consider texture
There is such a wide variety of cheeses - there are so many flavours to choose from and also so many textures.
We discussed drink pairing above, but also don't forget food pairing too.
Creamy, softer cheeses, such as Camembert or goat's cheese find their perfect match with the delightful crunch of nuts or crusty rustic bread. It's an opposite-attract-attract scenario!
Meanwhile, hard cheeses like aged cheddar or red Leicester shine alongside melt-in-your-mouth crackers and soft rolls. As well as fruity and soft jams and chutney.
Tip 3: Play with sweet additions to savoury flavours
We often think of cheese as part of a savoury dish. Or, the savoury course at the end of the meal.
However, this doesn't mean that cheese can't pair well with very sweet additions or savoury pairing options.
It's best to experiment with a full expanse of sweet and savoury combinations to create a harmonising joy-filled taste.
Try pairing salty cheeses, like feta, with a sweet Port wine or some fruit. Italian pecorino also goes incredibly well with sweet flavoursome honey.
Tip 4: Pair other cheeses with complementary not 'matching' cheeses
One type of cheese is never enough...wouldn't you agree?
For a wonderful exploration of flavour, think about complementary cheeses, when it comes to preparing your cheese board or cheese course.
Start with texture. This means having a trio of one hard cheese, one crumbly and one soft. Then think about aromas - do you want all nutty or fruitier flavours or do you want to go with very contrasting tastes and flavours? Just ensure one cheese won't completely overpower the rest.
Tip 5 - Discover the magic of a flavour bridge
Flavour bridges are the secret ingredients you can use to create a deeper, more delightful connection between cheese and your favourite food or drink. Moving from a pairing to a trio, you will find a range of new taste experiences.
For example, honey is a perfect flavour bridge that elevates the salty, briny feta and sweet port wine pairing.
Pairing Cheese Lovers with Cheese Gifts
We're all about sourcing high-quality cheese from artisan producers, especially based in the UK.
If you are looking for new cheeses or a lovely gift for the cheese lover in your life, explore our full range of cheese hampers and gifts.
These have been specifically chosen to 'travel well', be easily ordered online and then delivered in pristine condition, with absolutely no compromise on taste.
