Cheddar Cheese Pairings: What to Enjoy with Your Favourite British Cheddar

A good Cheddar is excellent paired with most things from Christmas cake to pizza, but those with sophisticated palates may prefer a more considered approach.

Read on for tips on making the most of the complex flavour of this cheese board favourite.

Why is Cheddar Cheese so special?

Cheddar is perhaps the most famous English cheese. It was first created centuries ago by farmers who had a surplus of milk from their cows grazing in the lush meadows of Somerset.

In addition to plentiful quantities of sweet grass, the farmers also had the caves of the Cheddar Gorge, which provided the perfect place to store and age their cheese.

Somerset cheese makers realised that pressing as much whey as possible out of the cheese kept it fresh for longer and enhanced its delicious and uniquely satisfying flavour.

They devised the “cheddaring” process, which involved stacking cheeses on top of each other and rotating them so that each cheese was pressed in turn.

Cheddar is now made and enjoyed worldwide, and the tangy flavour of mature or aged Cheddar is particularly prized.

If you want to try an authentic English Cheddar made using traditional methods, look for the label West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, which is exclusively reserved for cheddar made from cow's milk on farms in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, or Somerset.

Pairing Cheddar with Wine

The right wine is the perfect accompaniment to a delicious Cheddar cheese, but it is important to choose carefully so that the sharp Cheddar flavour does not overwhelm the wine.

Traditionally, the strong flavour of an aged Cheddar would be served with a robust red wine, like claret. More contemporary fruity wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache or Merlot also complement the rich, complex flavours of an extra mature Cheddar.

White wine can also be wonderful with Cheddar cheese. A sweet dessert wine will cut through the tangy crunch of aged cheeses while younger Cheddars call for the green acidity of a crisp Chardonnay or aromatic Riesling.

Other drinks to pair with Cheddar

Wine is not the only drink that can be enjoyed with Cheddar cheese.

The original dairy farmers of Cheddar would have paired their Cheddar with a cloudy Somerset cider or perhaps a mild local ale.

Fresh cordials like elderflower or apple have a palate-cleansing acidity that works well with the tangy crunch of our favourite cheese.

Pairing Cheddar with Fruit

Aged Cheddar has a unique umami flavour enhanced by a sprinkling of salt added during the cheddaring process.

Just like white wine and cordials, the sweet and tart flavours of acidic fruit like apples and grapes make perfect pairings with these rich and complex flavours.

Cheddar cheese and pickles

A ploughman's lunch of Cheddar cheese, bread and pickled onions is an English staple and a good starting point when you are thinking about pairing Cheddar with other foods.

Crunchy, vinegary pickled onions have just a hint of sweetness that loves Cheddar's salty tang. A mouth-watering combination, indeed.

It is best to stick to chutneys and pickles with a sweetly acidic note rather than a sugary taste, as too much sweetness can overwhelm the complex flavours of Cheddar.

How to get more Cheddar cheese into your diet

Some may say that the perfect accompaniment for Cheddar is more Cheddar, and that may be true, but a balanced diet should occasionally include other foodstuffs.

Popular ways to eat Cheddar include;

Cheddar cheese and crackers

Whether you are looking for a quick snack or the final course of an elegant dinner, Cheddar served on crackers is always a winner.

Choose plain crackers that will showcase the taste of the cheese, and serve with pickles or fruit if desired.

Cheddar in cooking

Grated Cheddar responds well to cooking, and comfort food often contains this versatile cheese. Classics of the genre include macaroni cheese, cheese grated over roasted Mediterranean vegetables, cheese souffle and the mighty cheese toastie.

Cheddar Cheese and cake

The tradition of eating cheese with Christmas cake began in Yorkshire using a crumbly Wensleydale; the rich fruits also pair perfectly with Cheddar.

Cheddar cheese with gingerbread is also a treat as the combination of ginger's fiery sweetness and the salty umami of a good Cheddar is delicious.

Cheddar on Pizza

Some people quibble about whether Cheddar has any place on top of a pizza and certainly, the cheese board is a more appropriate place for a fine extra mature Cheddar. It may not be truly authentic but the Cheddar flavoured cheese used on pizza tastes great with cooked tomatoes and herbs and complements the creamy mozzarella so we suspect Cheddar on pizza is here to stay.