Pairing Cheese & Coffee - The Scandi Way to Enjoy Winter
Winter is here and whilst we await the warmer weather and lighter nights, we’ve taken inspiration from the Scandinavian concept of Hygge (pronounced "hoo-gah") recently in creating a feeling of contentment and coziness in our surroundings, as well as on our plates.
Whilst there are many ways to achieve Hygge at home, simple pleasures such as enjoying comfort food and warm drinks with friends are amongst the most simple and effective.
Creating a feeling of contentment and coziness in our surroundings as well as on our plates
And while the Scandi’s certainly know a thing or two about thriving during the winter months, they’re also fully versed in the deliciously quirky pairing of cheese and coffee.
The combination of two of life’s pleasures, which we in the UK maybe less familiar with, you may remember several years ago that we created Olde York Creme Cafe, which saw our classic Olde York rolled in coffee grounds. It was completely delicious but has sadly long since been consigned to the cheese archives.
From the archive: Creme Cafe was rolled in coffee grounds from Taylors of Harrogate
What we did learn from our foray into coffee rolled cheese was that when paired perfectly together, taking note of the richness in each and their particular tasting nuances, cheese and coffee can indeed be a match made in culinary heaven, and if you haven’t tried it already, you really need to!
Whilst both coffee and cheese can be described as rich, smooth, creamy etc, it’s the addition of the salty notes in the cheese that really makes the combination sing, as the coffee cuts through and balances the salt, allowing you to enjoy them both in a whole new light!
The combination of two of life’s pleasures
We included the award-winning Black Hill Coffee from Yorkshire based coffee roasters Dark Woods in our Limited-Edition Great Taste Box late last year, and it was so delicious we knew we had to pair it with more of our range.
Rich and full-bodied, Black Hill is sweet and satisfying, complex and smooth and whilst we might draw the line at dropping cheese into our morning coffee to soak up the flavour (something the Scandinavian's love doing!), drinking it as an accompaniment to artisan cheese (and maybe in some cases the addition of some dark chocolate too) is something we'd certainly encourage.
Tried and tested here by the Shepherds Purse team, here are our favourites:
The latest addition to the Shepherds Purse family, our Limited Edition Oak Smoked Mrs Bell's Salad Cheese works beautifully alongside coffee.
Fresh and crumbly, with a delicious depth of natural, oak smokiness, the rich, dark coffee cuts through the slight saltiness of the cheese to perfection, making the flavours in both sing out.
Rich and indulgent, our Buffalo Blue was a resounding hit when paired with freshly brewed coffee.
Luxuriously creamy, yet clean and cleansing on the palette, its balance of salt and delicious umami flavours are brought to life with the addition of the coffee, complimenting one another and allowing the different notes in each to be appreciated in a different light.
- BLUEMIN WHITE (with the addition of dark chocolate!)
One of our all time favourites, this rich and creamy little wheel of deliciousness with its unctuous centre and soft rind is perfection when paired with the richness of the coffee.
Our team also loved it with the addition of a Dark Chocolate Button, with the bitterness and slight sweetness of the chocolate acting as a bridge between the saltiness of the cheese and the richness in the coffee, creating a perfectly balanced trio of delicious flavour.
Try this delicious combination for yourself with our NEW HYGGE TASTING BOX available now!
The perfect antidote to the dark nights and chilly winter weather our new Tasting Selection is a deliciously different way to enjoy your cheese, particularly if you're doing dry January!