The Key is Balance
Remember in Ratatouille, when Remy has a strawberry in one hand (...paw?), a piece of cheese in the other, and visions dance around in his head as he samples each? Then, in a moment of culinary inspiration, he combines them and... fireworks! Streaks of color whiz around and pop in his mind! Although good by themselves, the complexity, texture, aroma, and most importantly, balance of combining ingredients are what elevate them to the point of twirling your taste buds.
Cheese and jams are the perfect duo because cheese has only trace amounts of sugar (from lactose) and jams, jellies, and other preserves contain high proportions of sugar that act to preserve the spread through osmosis, inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside the jar. Low sugar x high sugar = balance.
However, it's not just sugar content. Generally, hard and semi-hard cheeses have stronger, more intense flavors, while softer, fresher cheeses are more subtle and delicate. Strongly flavored cheese should go with bold flavors and more mellow cheese pairs well with light, airy tastes. One flavor overpowering the other will disrupt the balance. We want contrast in our combos. Salty and sweet. Tangy and smooth. Rich and mellow. Balance.
Common hard/ semi-hard cheeses: cheddar, gouda, manchego, ricotta salata
Common soft/ fresh cheeses: burrata, cream cheese, brie, feta, camembert
What's the difference between Jams, Jellies, Chutneys, Conserves and Marmalades?
If you're reading this post it's probably safe to assume you found it through our online store. You might have noticed that not all of our charcuterie condiments fall under the umbrella of jams and jellies. What's the distinction? and what the heck are chutneys, conserves, and marmalades anyway? The differences are nuanced and at the end of the day, these are all delicious fruit/veggie based spreads made to be slathered onto your favorite cheeses, so I'll keep it simple:
Jam: Chopped or pureed fruit and sugar.
Jelly: Fruit juice and sugar.
Chutney: Less sugar, more spice. Add vinegar.
Conserve: Chunkier, larger pieces.
Marmalade: Primarily citrus and includes peel.
Pairing Suggestions
Now, even though we outlined what we believe makes a good combo above, there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to pairing cheeses and preserves. You have to mix flavors together to find what fits your palate. Here's some suggestions to get the gears turning:
Spicy Carrot Chutney with Creamy Brie
The tangy acid cuts through the decadent creaminess of the brie and the chunky texture of the chutney offsets the smoothness of the cheese. Balance.
Bourbon Fig Conserve with Manchego
Manchego's distinct nutty and salty flavor is the perfect contrast to fig's fruity sweetness. Add in the complexity of the bourbon and you've got a pretty nice pair.
Apple Jalapeno Jelly with Cream Cheese
Cream cheese is mild and milky which balances out the spiciness of the Jalapeno. You could also go the other direction with this spread and top it on a hard aged cheese like sharp cheddar to contrast the bold nuttiness with sweet fruit flavors, all while still getting that interesting punch of heat from the pepper.
Calabrian Chili Marmalade and Triple Cream Brie
Opposites attract. Sweet and spicy complement rich and earthy. You can probably see a trend developing. All about that balance.
Marionberry Rosemary Jam and Goat Cheese
A classic sweet and savory combination. Marionberries offer a deeper, more complex flavor compared to your typical blackberry and the fatty quality of the goat cheese tempers the rosemary to provide a wonderfully balanced aromatic experience.
Apricot Cognac Conserve with Baked Brie
Visually, this might be the most stunning pairing. Brie's richness and buttery smoothness are contrasted perfectly with apricot cognac's bright, floral notes. This one would make a great centerpiece for any board.
Strawberry Basil Jam and Fresh Mozzarella
A caprese crostini, but with strawberry instead of tomato... might sound crazy, but it works! The strawberry jam's sweetness takes the place of ripe tomatoes in a traditional caprese and the basil's slightly peppery flavor cuts right through the smooth milky flavor of the mozzarella.
Caramelized Onion Jam and Gruyère
Another classic pairing. The French figured this one out long ago with French onion soup. If you feel like getting weird with it, make yourself a grilled cheese with caramelized onion jam and gruyère. Just make sure to block out the rest of your day for digestion.
Cranberry Fig Conserve with Blue Cheese
If you're someone who doesn't like blue cheese, but want to give it another attempt, try this. The crunchy fig seeds contrast the blue cheese's creamy, crumbly texture and the sweet, acidic fruitiness mellows the pungent taste. Balance is key.
Cumberland Sauce with Pâté
Here's a curve ball. Cumberland sauce is a traditional English sweet and sour sauce dating back to the 1800s. Made with red currants, oranges, ruby port, and mustard, this savory, sweet, and tangy sauce goes great with any meat. If you want to try it with cheese, use tangy British cheeses like blue stilton.
Cranberry Apple Chutney with Melted Fontina
A tangy-sweet medley of cranberries, apples and warm spices -- I can picture leaves falling as a crisp breeze rushes by -- melt fontina on a turkey panini and top it off with the cranberry apple chutney. Have a nice creamy soup on the side and your day is fulfilled.
Spiced Cherry Jam and Smoked Gouda
Forget subtly. There's layers to this combo. Sweet, tart and spiced cherry jam with nutty, caramel-like and smoky gouda. This isn't a trickling stream. We're going down rapids -- hold on tight!
Now that you're feeling inspired, come up with your own pairings! Remember, contrast and balance are key and it's hard to do it wrong with the right ingredients *wink wink*.