Try some curds with your carbonated beverages.
A Raspberry Lime Rickey garnished with fresh berries. Photography by Adobe Stock/Alex9500.
The best thing about summer is the blurred line between afternoon and evening. That swath of time turns into an extended golden hour that begins in the midday heat and stretches through cocktail hour. And nothing pairs better with languishing in a lounge chair than a good cheese and a fun, fizzy drink.
Before 5 p.m., refreshing sodas are just the ticket—particularly those that are sweet and sharp with citrus. Later, sip on a spritz effervescent with prosecco. The bubbles yield a unique benefit when imbibing and snacking on cheese simultaneously: “Carbonation is cheese’s best friend—like, ‘Do you want to share a school locker?’ best friend,” says Margaret Bradshaw, owner of Truckle Cheesemongers & Cheese Bar in Richmond, Virginia. “Since the bubbles help clean the tongue, it’s always a crisper bite.”
According to Bradshaw, in addition to their palate-cleansing properties, spritzes are ideal for letting a cheese shine. These drinks are lighter than a standard cocktail or a tannic wine. And since the alcohol in a boozy drink can mute certain flavors, bubbly beverages pave the way for pairings with Bradshaw’s favorite seasonal cheeses.
“As warm weather comes, we lean less on brothy, vegetal, funky cheeses and more on lighter, brighter cheeses,” she says. Higher-acid and low-moisture cheeses should be on the radar because they work well with the citrus notes found in so many sodas and spritzes.
“The last thing I want with citrus is something soft and gooey with big vegetal notes,” Bradshaw says. “I try to picture a 90-degree humid day by the pool. I want leaner cheeses that have a crisp mouthfeel.”
For pairings, Bradshaw begins with complementary profiles and intensities, but she opts for a “crescendo pairing: two big personalities crashing against each other like waves,” she says. And for this slate of sparkling sips, she tested and tasted until she settled on cheeses that are still craveable in the heat.
Caromont Farm Porters + Limonata
Bradshaw’s favorite cheese from Virginia provides a welcome variance to this Sicilian lemon soda. “The earthy, pistachio notes in this raw quadrello-style goat’s milk cheese contrast the sweet citrus,” says Bradshaw, who notes a dab of Almond Tree Honey from l’Abeille Diligente would make a great addition.
Pasamontes Romero + Raspberry Lime Rickey
“This Manchego-style Spanish sheep’s milk cheese has warm honey notes that complement the refreshing raspberry and lime,” Bradshaw says. “The rosemary rind adds a wonderful herbal note to the bite.”
Feta Voras + Hugo Spritz
This PDO Feta is a smart match with the muddled mint and lime that’s mixed with elderflower liqueur, prosecco, and soda water. “The spritz is floral but dry and balances the richness and saltiness of the Feta,” Bradshaw says.
Casarrigoni Gorgonzola Piccante + Aperol Spritz
“The black cherry and white pepper notes in this Gorgonzola soften the bitterness of the Aperol while the subtle orange notes accentuate the sweetness of the cheese,” Bradshaw says. Add crushed caramelized pecans for extra depth.
