The art of cheese pairings

While some cheeses are standalone stalwarts of the cheese counter, pure and delicious as they are with no need for accoutrements, a great many cheeses can be brought out of their shells with a great pairing–be that simply presented atop a cracker for star status or its more delicate notes brought out with an artfully chosen chutney or drizzle.

The great joy of cheese pairing is, of course, that it is subjective–your ultimate duo may not suit a customer’s palate, and theirs might not match yours–but the exploration of the kaleidoscope of flavours and textures at your disposal is one of the reasons why the topic is so enjoyable for food lovers of all persuasions.

Morgan McGlynn-Carr, owner of Cheeses of Muswell Hill, star of Sunday Brunch on Channel 4 and writer of cheese pairing bible The Complete Cheese Pairing Cookbook, has been a fan of Peter’s Yard for decades–ever since the brand’s founder, Wendy Wilson￾Bett, entered the shop with early samples–in large part thanks to the crackers’ natural versatility, premium quality and moreish crunch.

“The cracker is really the foundation of the pairing,” Morgan explains. “It’s not simply there to carry the cheese; its crunch, acidity and flavour become part of the mouthful.” Once the cracker and cheese are decided, Morgan considers what the combination needs: “freshness, sweetness, acidity, or heat” and builds from there.

There are plenty of options to choose from throughout the year, but September offers some of Morgan’s favourite pairing opportunities. “September is such a lovely month for pairing because we’re right at that crossover between summer and autumn,” she says. “There are still beautiful fresh fruits around, but we can start introducing slightly deeper and warmer flavours too.”

The ultimate pairings

Morgan’s ultimate pairings with Peter’s Yard’s Original Sourdough Crackers

Baron Bigod, fresh fig and honey

September figs are incredible with soft, buttery cheese – their jammy sweetness balances Baron Bigod’s savoury, earthy richness, while a little honey rounds everything out. The crisp sourdough cracker provides acidity and texture, stopping the pairing from becoming too rich.

Gorwydd Caerphilly, apply and hot honey

Caerphilly has a wonderful combination of fresh, lactic acidity and deeper savoury flavours towards the rind. Crisp September apple echoes that freshness, hot honey brings a sweet-spicy contrast, and the cracker provides the crunch that pulls everything together.

Comté, fresh pear and toasted hazelnuts

A beautifully mature Comté has notes of roasted nuts, browned butter and caramel, so rather than contrasting those flavours, I love to echo them. Sweet, juicy pear brings freshness, toasted hazelnuts draw out the nuttiness in the cheese, and the sourdough cracker gives everything a crisp, savoury
Foundation.

Stilton and blackberry

Blackberries are wonderful in September, and their combination of sweetness and tartness works brilliantly against the salt and intensity of Stilton. The sourdough cracker creates that all-important crunchy base and allows those two bigger flavours to work together.

Top tips to create a perfect pairing

From thinking seasonally to creating contrast, these are Morgan’s top tips for forming the ultimate pairing:

● Make the cracker your foundation. Don’t think of the cracker as an afterthought or simply a vehicle for the cheese. Its texture, acidity and flavour are part of the pairing, so use it as your starting point and build from there.

● Think about balance. Rich, creamy cheeses often love acidity, salty cheeses work beautifully with sweetness, and something fresh can completely lift a more intense cheese.

● Play with contrast. Creamy with crunchy, salty with sweet, rich with sharp–contrasting flavours and textures are often what make a pairing exciting.

● Look for flavours to echo too. Pairing isn’t always about opposites, sometimes you can pick up a flavour already present in the cheese and amplify it–for example, toasted hazelnuts with a nutty Comté.

● Follow the seasons. I always look at what is naturally delicious at that moment. September gives us figs, apples, pears and blackberries, and using seasonal ingredients makes a cheeseboard feel instantly more interesting.

● Don’t overpower the cheese. The best accompaniment should reveal something new about the cheese rather than disguise it.

● Taste the complete mouthful. Cheese, cracker and accompaniment together. My golden rule is simple: everything on that cracker should taste better together than it does apart.