Level up your cheese experience

When it comes to selling cheese, knowledge of the different types available is only one side of the story. Being able to communicate effectively to customers what food and drink accompaniments can take their tasting experience of cheeses to the next level is essential, so if your pairing knowledge is a little rusty we have three experts that can provide a refresher.

Jen Grimstone-Jones, cheesemonger at Cheese Etc, The Pangbourne Cheese Shop on the classic pairing of cheese and wine:
“Cheese and wine produced in the same area work well together, so many French goats cheeses go nicely with wines from the Loire Valley. Champagne is a perfect match to double or triple cream cheeses such as the French Delice des Cremiers or the English Finn. It’s also amazing with soft cheese that has truffle running through it. Red wines tend to go better with the more mature cheeses such as Cheddar, aged Gouda or Rutland Red. Stilton and port always go well but I also think that a sweet dessert wine is a lovely accompaniment to blue cheeses.”

“A pale ale goes nicely with a Camembert, whereas a washed rind cheese such as an Epoisses goes with a stronger farmhouse-style ale. More mature cheeses such as the Cheddars and old Goudas need a stronger flavour so go well with a bitter.

“Cider is another good match. Pear ciders will complement goats cheese whereas a more medium cider is lovely with the crumbly territorial cheeses such as Lancashire or Caerphilly. Cheddar goes well with a medium dry cider whereas the sweet ciders are perfect with blues. We sell a lot of mead in the shop and I think it works fabulously with traditional farmhouse Cheddars such as Montgomery or Westcombe. We also do a dark mead which is good with smoked cheeses.”

Lucy Wright, operations manager at Buchanans Cheesmonger, talks about accompaniments:
“With accompaniments we try to make sure there’s a good balance within our range between the sharp (chutneys, pickles) and the sweet (onion marmalades) so that there’s something for everyone and every type of cheese. Likewise we have a few traditional bits and some more unusual. We love Rosebud Preserves and my favourite product of theirs at the moment is Wild Rowan Jelly – it’s quite tart but sweet and a beautiful ruby colour, and it pairs deliciously with almost any cheese from fresh goats’ to blues – I served it recently on a cheeseboard with Brightwell Ash and Cropwell Bishop Stilton. Besides jars of chutney we also stock truffle honey, baked figs and fruit cheeses – we have quince and damson.

“Usually customers will ask us what accompaniments we recommend based on their cheese selection. The team tastes every new product and we make sure to try it with a few cheeses so that we can advise on pairings. We are also happy to open products to sample to customers.”

Clare Jackson, co-founder of specialist cheese retailer Slate, shares her most recommended pairings:
BLUE CHEESE
The sweetness and rustic texture of oatcakes work really well with blue cheeses such as classic Colston Bassett Stilton. Alongside a scoopable, creamy Gorgonzola Dolce we recommend a crusty sourdough baguette, a few slices of juicy peach and a handful of walnuts.

HARD CHEESE
With Pitchfork, the new award-winning Cheddar from Trethowan’s Dairy in Somerset, we love a slice of fresh crunchy apple or a smidge of Smoked Apple Butter from Rosebud Preserves which is a deep smoky mix of Bramley apples, Madagascan vanilla and whisky.

SOFT CHEESE
Slate favourite Baron Bigod is made at Fen Farm Dairy just up the road from our Suffolk shops. We enjoy it with Sourdough Crispbreads from Peter’s Yard and a dollop of Slate chilli jam, sweet and tomatoey with just a hint of warmth. With a soft goat’s cheese such as Dorstone or Hay on Wye from Neal’s Yard Creamery we love a drizzle of local Suffolk honey from Bracey Bees and a handful of pistachios.