Summer food is fun food. It’s often enjoyed al fresco, at the beach, at baseball games or at a picnic in a park. Summer cheese spreads should be fun too and easy, not fussy. For this seasonal guide, we’re featuring some snackable savory accompaniments that pair well with cheese.
Barbecue Potato Chips and Triple Crème
BBQ chips and triple creme
Potato chips and soft gooey cheeses like Harbison are becoming a classic pairing, but what about barbecue potato chips? Don’t they deserve a cheese pairing too? Enter Rouzaire Le Grand Mogol, a triple crème cheese from a family run diary in business for three generations, located an hour south of Paris in the heart of the Brie region.
It’s a soft ripened cheese made from pasteurized milk, aged 2-3 weeks. Pale yellow with a fine and creamy texture and mushroom flavor it is the perfect dip for sturdy potato chips and the sweet and slightly spicy barbecue seasoning complements the funky flavor of the cheese that develops as it ages.
Dill Pickles and Aged Cheddar
Pickles and cheddar
While a pickle is the classic accompaniment to a sandwich, it’s also great on a cheese board. Fat dill pickles are juicier and tangier than mini cornichons, which also are great on a cheese board. The sour flavor holds up with cheeses with a lot of personality.
Pair it with an aged Cheddar that has a pronounced tang and a bit of crunch, such as Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar. Ivy’s is a British Cheddar, aged 18 months under wood, and is made in Somerset, home of the original Cheddar village and Cheddar gorge. It’s the reserve brand of Wyke Farm.
Tomato Chips and Cumin Gouda
Tomato chips and cumin gouda photo credit Cecily Ray
Fresh tomatoes have a brief season, but Just Pure Foods crispy tomato chips are perfect all year round. With all the juiciness evaporated out of the chips they are not only crispy but have an intense umami tomato flavor that calls out for cheese.
Oakdale Cheese, based in California is a family run with roots in Holland. They specialize in gouda including several flavored cow’s milk versions and a goat gouda. The Oakdale Cumin Gouda pairs equally well with the cheese or jalapeno flavored tomato chips. Cumin as well as caraway started showing up in Dutch cheeses in the 17 th century, as the spice trade developed. Today the rich and firm very pale-yellow cheese is a versatile choice for cheese boards or on sandwiches. The combination of cheese, cumin and tomato lend a distinctive Mexican flavor that calls to mind tacos or nachos.
Roasted Peanuts and Cheddar
Salted peanuts and seaahive
Peanuts are a staple at baseball stadiums, but it’s worth seeking out premium tins of roasted peanuts from Virginia.
The Hubbard Peanut Company’s roasted and salted peanuts are a big step above the typical roasted peanuts. Mild, crisp, and salty, they pair incredibly well with a honey flavored cheese, in this case Beehive’s Seahive, a Cheddar rubbed with honey and sea salt. Beehive Cheese, based in Utah makes 10 different kinds of Cheddar, all but one of which are flavored. Read more about Beehive Cheese.
Honey kissed and no 5
If you like honey and salt, you should also try Hubbard Peanut Company’s unique “Honey Kissed Hubs” their version of honey roasted peanuts which are delectably sweet and salty with an appealing sandy texture. They pair incredibly well with Jasper Hill Vault No. 5 Cheddar, an aged Vermont Cheddar made at Cabot Creamery and aged by Jasper Hill for 8 months to a year. The nutty and salted caramel character of the cheese brings out the sweetness in the nuts.
Fresh Herbs and PDO Feta
Feta and herbs
Undoubtedly you already know how well basil pairs with mozzarella, thanks to the Salad Caprese, but don’t stop there! Take a page from Persians who make a cheese plate with a white brined cheese such as feta and fresh herbs. Look for soft leafy herbs such as basil, dill, or mint to serve with herbal and briny PDO Feta, made from sheep’s milk cheese or a combination of sheep and goat’s milk. Other traditional accompaniments include sliced cucumbers, walnuts, and radishes. Brands of PDO Feta that are widely available in the U.S. include Greco, Mt. Vikos, and Essex Feta from Lesbos. Read more about PDO Feta.