Speciality-Food-Magazine-JanuaryFebruary2025

know it sounds bizarre, but hear me out. We stumbled upon this while profiling Sinodun Hill, a delicious goat cheese from the Fraser family. At a younger age, its acidity can dominate, making those delicate secondary flavours harder to pinpoint. Enter the fizzy cola bottle chaser: take a bite of the cola bottle to give your palate a sharp, sweet jolt, then follow with the goat cheese. Suddenly, the cheese transforms – floral, hay-like, farmyard notes become far more pronounced. It’s a helpful tool for understanding complex flavour development during maturation.” RUTH RASKIN THE FINE CHEESE CO. JACK ELKINS PETER’S YARD COMMENTATORS VICKIE ROGERSON HOMAGE2FROMAGE PERRY WAKEMAN RENNET & RIND MORGAN MCGLYNN-CARR CHEESES OF MUSWELL HILL @specialityfood 34 T hen it comes to the ultimate cheese pairings opinions abound – it is a subjective topic, after all – but there are a few guidelines which should stand the fine food retailer in good stead. For example, a good partner to cheese should complement it and not overwhelm, and that goes for texture as much as it does for taste. Speaking of overwhelm, try to avoid offering too many options for your customers to choose from. A small, carefully curated range of perfect partners for different types of cheese will serve you well; consider selling a cracker, drink, chutney, pickle or preserve that will go well with each Cheddars, blues and softs, as well as a couple of suggestions that your customer might not turn to without approval from your trained palate. Stilton and dark chocolate, and Cheddar and kimchi are two deliciously out there examples. If you’re looking for inspiration, as well as a revenue-booster, consider running cheese tasting events. Bring in a cheesemaker to discuss their favourite pairings or set out your own – plus a fewwildcards to get tongues wagging and customers formulating their own. “Traditionally, we tend to smother cheese with a sweet onion chutney, Branston pickle or a chilli jam and be done with it,” says Vickie Rogerson, co-founder of Homage2Fromage. “But this is doing cheese a disservice as there are far more delicious pairings whichmake the cheese you buy truly sing. Cheese is utterly delicious in its unadorned state but it is also incredibly versatile.” It’s all a question of bringing out the best of the cheese, says Vickie. “Tease out the complexity of your chosen cheese by pairing it with something unusual and intriguing; honey, dark chocolate, coffee, pineapple, cider, beer, raspberries, pears, walnuts and even wasbi all work well with different types of cheese. I believe you shouldmake your own rules when it comes to eating cheese and go with what makes you happy.” Think outside the box “People are becoming muchmore curious about potential combinations and are more playful and less constrained by tradition,” says Ruth Raskin, cheese care and quality manager at The Fine Cheese Co. “They often look for inspiration online and social media thrives on innovation, so there is more experimentation with new ideas. They want sitting down to a plate of cheese to be an experience and the joy of an unexpected pairing can be a real conversation starter. Our own Toast for Cheese range has been a storming success, with people embracing the combination of crisp, toasted nuts and seeds and sweet, dried fruit over the humble cream cracker.” When it comes to cheese pairings, it’s less about ‘under the radar’ and more about a playful approach to uncovering flavours, says Perry Wakeman, CEO of Rennet & Rind. “Here’s one trick we’ve used in affinage that’s as fun as it is unexpected: fizzy cola bottles paired with a youthful, sharp goat cheese. I Whether you stick to the classics or carve delicious new paths, the world of cheese pairing is ripe for exploration I believe you shouldmake your own rules when it comes to eating cheese and gowith whatmakes you happy Respect the art of pairing While discovering new pairings is a culinary joy, “you’ve got to respect the classics,” continues Perry. “As much as we love pushing boundaries, the traditional pairings are timeless for a reason. Take Cheddar and piccalilli – it’s acid paired with acid, which might not make sense on paper, but it works. Tradition often trumps logic, and if your customers are used to buying cheese and piccalilli together, you’ve got a captive audience to introduce to new experiences.” Perry’s advice? “Build on their favourites, then gently nudge them towards more adventurous pairings.” Ultimately, it’s all about balance. “Perfect pairings are all about a balance of different flavours and taste profiles. If you’re choosing a strong and creamy mature cheese, you want something light and refreshing to counteract the richness. Our sourdough crackers are often more complimentary than contrasting to cheese, providing subtle earthy flavours that enhance the flavour of cheese,” says Jack Elkins, senior brand manager at Peter’s Yard. For guidance, check out the pairing wheel that Peter’s Yard have created in collaboration with The Academy of Cheese. “We all know the joy of sparks that fly when opposites attract,” says Ruth. “I am looking for an ideal marriage. The pleasure of salty tempered by sweet, savoury balanced by fruity or fatty richness cut through by bright acidity. But it’s not just flavour that’s important. Texture plays its part too. After all, the interplay of crunchy cracker with voluptuous oozing cheese is surely the most classic combination of all. Sometimes, simplicity is king. But THE ARTOF CHEESE PAIRING