Cider and Cheese Pairing

April 10, 2020

Cider and cheese are a natural pairing. The creamy, earthy and savory flavors of cheese play well with the different flavor profiles of cider. We recently sampled our cider along with a few different cheeses from fellow Good Food Award finalists Grey Barn & Farm located in Martha’s Vineyard, MA and Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company located in Point Reyes Station, CA. Check out the pairings we put together below.

Prufrock – Grey Barn & Farm

This certified organic, washed rind cheese from Grey Barn & Farm was named one of the finalists for the Good Food Awards 2020 and won a silver medal in the category of soft cheese at the 32nd Annual World Cheese Awards in Bergamo, Italy.

Description: “The delicate yet pungent paste of this washed-rind cheese has a beautiful, thick, soft yielding texture. Toasty and nutty with hints of tropical fruit and sour cream: when ripe this cheese has a slightly salty and savory flavor. Its delectable texture melts on your tongue.”

Pairing: We found the balanced tart and sweetness of Mass Appeal paired well with the slightly salty and savory flavor of Prufrock. If serving with a sliced warm baguette and bit of chinky apricot or spicy mango jam on top, as Grey Barn & Farm recommends, we found it also pairs well with Legendary Dry.

Eidolon – Grey Barn & Farm

Certified Organic pasteurized cow’s milk cheese from Grey Barn & Farm.

Description: “A bright and grassy bloomy rind cheese with hints of apple and celery that give way to deep mushroom and toasted pie crust.”

Pairing: Grey Barn & Farm recommends pairing with a cold, crisp cider or a dry Champagne: one without excessive sweetness. We found this paired well with the champagne-like character of Legendary Dry.

Bluebird – Grey Barn & Farm

Certified organic raw cow’s milk blue cheese from Grey Barn & Farm.

Description: “A mature Bluebird is pleasantly salty with hints of butter. At times it boasts strong yeast notes like a good sourdough. Bluebird’s texture is yielding and soft. Not completely crumbly, it does boast tiny crystals that delight the senses.”

Pairing: We found the pleasantly salty flavor and richness of Bluebird paired well with the caramel-like acidity, tannic back- bone and funky tartness Kingston Black.

Toma – Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.

Among a whole host of other awards, this all natural, pasteurized, semi-hard table cheese by Point Reyes Farmstead was also named one of the finalists for the Good Food Awards 2020.

Description: “Semi-hard cheese, creamy in texture with a waxed rind. Creamy, buttery flavor. Grassy tang finish.”

Pairing: We found that the creamy, buttery flavor of Toma paired well with both Mass Appeal and Legendary Dry.

Original Blue – Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.

The Point Reyes Farmstead “cheese that started it all.” This “California classic style blue cheese is rindless, all-natural and gluten-free.”

Description: “Milky white in color with blue-green veins throughout. Ultra-creamy texture with medium-strong blue mold flavor. Sweet, fresh milk with a medium-to-strong punch of blue flavor.”

Pairing: We found the fruit forward flavors of Mass Appeal paired well with the peppery finish of Original Blue. It also paired nicely with the bright acidity of Legendary Dry.

Bay Blue – Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.

A rustic-style blue cheese with a natural rind from Point Reyes Farmstead.

Description: It is known for its mellow flavor and sweet, salted caramel finish. It has mild blue mold pungency and is earthy with notes of malty toasted grain.

Pairing: We found the mellow flavor and sweet, salted caramel finish paired best with Kingston Black.