We’re always on the lookout for new and exciting cheese accompaniments. In this issue, we created a list of five products to push your cheese pairings to the next level. From inspiring preserves with complex flavor combinations to a date syrup you’ll want to bathe all your cheese in, here’s what we’re excited about this Spring.
1 The Sourdough Project produces all its crackers with organic, heirloom wheat varieties grown in Texas. Stoneground wheat is combined with sourdough starter and extra virgin olive oil and topped with chunky sea salt to create a delightfully crisp cracker. While the Sea Salt Sourdough Crackers pair well with any cheese, the lingering flavor of olive oil makes them an ideal vessel for an aged sheep’s milk cheese like Manchego DOP or Grafton Village’snew release, Storyteller.
2 Big Picture Foods’ organic, regeneratively grown Wild Foraged Capers are sun-ripened, hand-picked, and naturally fermented. These notable plump capers go from field to fermentation barrels in hours, preserving their bright and lemony flavor. Use them in place of cornichons on a cheeseboard, or sprinkle them on an everything bagel crisp with whipped goat cheese and smoked salmon for a riff on the classic bagel and lox.
3 New York-based La Salumina makes its salumi using traditional techniques with pork sources from local farms that prioritize regenerative agriculture. Its Salsiccia Stagionata is seasoned with garlic, black pepper, and red wine. Traditionally served alongside pecorino, it’s also an excellent foil to a cool and juicy ball of fresh mozzarella.
4 With flavors like Pear Lemon Sage White Pepper Marmalade and Elderberry Plum Jam, V Smiley Preserves offers a mouthful of flavor and inspiration for creative cheese pairings. Created with locally sourced ingredients and honey from V’s farm in Vermont, these preserves conjure a true taste of place. V’s Lavender Blackberry Rhubarb Jam is sweet, tangy, and has delicate floral notes from three varieties of lavender. Pair with an ash-veined goat’s milk cheese like Capriole’s Sofia or Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog.
5 Just Date Syrup is made by extracting the natural sugar from whole Medjool dates. The rich, caramel-like syrup tastes like a concentrated liquid version of fresh dates, making it an ideal cheese accompaniment. This syrup can stand up to strong cheeses and is perfect for drizzling over a funky-washed rind like High Lawn Farm’s Crema Alpina.
Josie Krogh
Josie Krogh is culture's Digital Strategy Lead. She earned her master's degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics from The University of Georgia. Josie developed a love of food while working at farmstands in the D.C. area as a young adult, and discovered her love of cheese while living and working on a dairy farm on Martha's Vineyard. Josie currently lives in Catskill, NY.
