Elevate your Cheese Pairings this Christmas
Here at Shepherds Purse, we love experimenting with different pairings and discovering new flavour combinations to inspire you to create something new and delicious whilst enjoying our cheeses at home.
We all know and love the classic cheese, chutney, cracker combination (what’s not to like!) but this year, we’re here to help you elevate your pairings to give your guests (and your tastebuds) the festive excitement they deserve!
Amongst our handcrafted, artisan range are 7 blue varieties, all different in texture, taste and strength, but all completely delicious in their own way.
The bold, savoury flavours in our blue cheeses are a match made in heaven for sweet pairings
Whilst the basis of these differences starts with the milk that we use – be it cow, sheep or buffalo, what we add, how we mature them and for how long, all have a bearing on the final cheese that you enjoy on your plate.
The bold, savoury flavours in our blue cheeses are a match made in heaven for sweet pairings which compliment them perfectly, balancing the flavours and enhancing the deep, savoury saltiness in each.
Whilst a traditional sweet and fruity chutney compliments their savoury notes perfectly, there are so many quirky combinations, from fresh fruit, honey and chocolate to cake and even sweet biscuits that provide a delicious contrast in both flavour and texture to take our cheeses to the next level.
Here are our team's top pairings that we think you'll love:
Buffalo Blue and Dark Chocolate – the deep savoury saltiness of our creamy Buffalo Blue pairs beautifully with dark chocolate providing a delicious contrast in both texture and sweet and savoury notes. We love Choc Affairs Classic Buttons.
Yorkshire Blue with walnuts and local blossom honey – a classic combination, but one not to be missed! Our creamy Yorkshire blue contrasts perfectly with the crunch of the walnuts whilst the blossom honey delivers an exquisite natural sweetness to balance out the savoury saltiness of the cheese. Our favourite is Annabel's Deliciously British Yorkshire Blossom Honey
Harrogate Blue with rich fruit cake – fruit cake has long been enjoyed alongside cheese but pairing it with our rich Harrogate Blue is a real game changer, with the cheese cutting through the rich sweetness of the cake to really make the flavours in both sing. Try it with a generous slice of Lottie Shaw's Traditional Christmas Cake
Mrs Bell’s Blue with Yorkshire Parkin – a classic Yorkshire sweet treat paired with our Mrs Bell’s Blue cheese, the contrast of sticky sweet and dense cake alongside the savoury notes of our original sheep milk cheese is a match made in culinary heaven. We recommend the classic Lottie Shaw's Seriously Good Yorkshire Parkin.
Northern Blue with sweet honeycomb - think the middle of a crunchy bar! The deliciously sweet crunch provided by the honeycomb compliments the strong savoury flavours and creamy textures in our Northern Blue to perfection.
Bluemin White with fresh figs - delicious served at room temperature to allow the middle to become slightly gooey, did you know you can also bake our Bluemin White (like a camembert) and dive in with a whole host of accompaniments. We love it with fresh figs straight from the fridge for a delicious contrast of cold and warm, sweet and savoury deliciousness.
But don’t just rely on our blue cheeses to give you your festive pairing kicks!
Our creamy white sheep milk cheeses also open up an endless list of pairing possibilities to elevate your cheeseboard this Christmas!
From Olde York to our Mrs Bell's Salad Cheese and Katy’s White Lavender, our soft ewes milk cheeses aren’t just for summer dining. Piled high on a cheeseboard, they offer a perfectly fresh and savoury element to your sharing platter and are delicious paired with a whole host of accompaniments.
We love...
Olde York with strawberries and champagne – a real party pairing! Our creamy Olde York is sensational with fresh, sweet British strawberries, whilst the champagne provides a delicious savoury element (and, well it is Christmas so why not!)
Mrs Bell’s Salad Cheese and cured meats - A sharing platter staple, cured meats, and particularly smoked meats work perfectly with our classic Mrs Bell’s Salad Cheese, with its crumbly texture and delicious savoury notes contrasting beautifully with the rich, soft chewiness of the meat.
Katy’s White Lavender with rich dark chocolate – Chocolate and cheese may sound counterintuitive, but dark chocolate is a firm favourite amongst our team and compliments the salty meadowy sweetness of this very special cheese, perfectly enhancing the subtle lavender notes. Give it a try!