Fall Cheese Pairings | The Cheese Professor

Cheeses lovers wait all year for the arrival of autumn cheeses including Rogue River Blue, Rush Creek Reserve, Vacherin Mont d’Or and alpine cheeses from France and Switzerland. Even if you’re not eating cheese that’s a seasonal specialty, your accompaniments can be. The harvest brings fresh fruit and nuts but also dried fruit that was picked in the summer and a few other treats. Here are some upgrades to some classic and not so classic pairings.

1. Quince Paste

Espelette Quince Paste photo courtesy of KL Keller

Membrillo or quince paste is a very traditional Spanish sweet. It’s a bit like a firmer version of pate de fruit from France. A solid jelly, it’s sliceable and spreadable. You can put in on sandwiches, or serve it as dessert, either in pastries or cakes or rolled in sugar. Another classic way to serve it is with cheese.

For an upgrade, try KL Keller’s quince paste with espelette pepper, which adds a spicy note that cuts the sweetness. Made as an ideal pairing for cheese, Kitty Keller says it “adds a little somethin’ somethin’ to your cheeseboard and it’s particularly fond of Manchego, Ossau-Iraty, or Colston Bassett Stilton.” The sweetness of the quince paste with just a hint of pepper pairs well with stronger cheeses.

2. Caramel corn

While you might have fresh corn in the summer, in the fall, caramel corn made with brown sugar or molasses brings to mind Halloween and harvest festivals. If you’ve ever had the mix of caramel and cheese popcorn you know how deliciously satisfying it is to eat salty cheddar followed by the buttery sweet caramel corn so it should come as no surprise that Jessica Sennett of the Cheese Grotto suggests pairing caramel corn with cheddar. “An aged to extra-aged cheddar which often has its own caramel flavor in combination with notes of lemon curd, toasted nuts, and fresh grass,” says Sennett. She recommends Cabot Clothbound or Prairie Breeze™

For an upgraded version skip the Cracker Jack’s and try Cretor Caramel Corn. It’s buttery, crunchy and not too sweet.

3. Dried figs

Dried figs and mulberries and blue cheese

Fall is the season for dried fruits such as raisins, dates and figs. Author and cheese educator Janet Fletcher says, “Dried figs I love with blue cheeses, especially mellow blues like Point Reyes Blue or the French Bleu du Bocage. Aged Gouda is also a nice match for dried figs too. Add some toasted walnuts and a glass of Port, Madeira or oloroso sherry and you have dessert.”

Upgrade your typical dried figs with Ziba Foods sun-dried figs grown in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. They are hand-picked and flattened into small round disks and have a particularly appealing crunchy chewy texture. Another delicious option from Ziba Foods is dried white mulberries. Sometimes found in granola, dried mulberries are intensely sweet, tasting a bit like honey, and pair well with saltier cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano but also alpine cheeses like Comté or Gruyère.

4. Walnuts

Harvested in the fall, walnuts are a classic cheeseboard addition. Christine Clark, writer and cheese educator says, “I love walnuts--their subtle earthiness pairs beautifully with Comté’s notes of hazelnut and scalded milk. And, if you use an 18 month+ Comté, the crunch of the walnut is a lovely addition to the tyrosine crystals in the cheese.” Aged cheddar is a particularly good pairing however as the nutty flavor in cheddar increases with age as does the caramel sweetness and tangy acidity. The saltiness of the cheese just emphasizes the sweetness of the walnuts. Blue cheese is also a classic pairing with walnuts as is brie. Cara Warren, former cheesemonger and current sales rep at Isigny Ste Mère says, “If the texture is completely ripe and creamy, then nutty crunchiness is perfect to break up in terms of mouth feel.”

For an upgrade treat yourself to freshly harvested raw walnuts from Corky’s Nuts. Harvested in the fall and available now for preorder, they are incredibly crisp have a rich buttery flavor and no harsh notes. They are so good that they don’t require toasting.

5. Persimmons

Sweet Pumpkin persimmons and Tomales Farmstead Creamery Kenne

Fall is prime time for persimmons. The harder style such as Fuyu can be sliced and have a crunchy texture similar to an apple. They are mild, sweet with a hint of cinnamon-like spice. Truth be told, they pair with almost any cheese. Fletcher says, “I think fresh Fuyus are great with ricotta and a little drizzle of honey. Sometimes I sprinkle poppy seeds on the ricotta as well.”

Only on the market for the past five years, the even sweeter Sweet Pumpkin persimmon does not need to be peeled. Organic Sweet Pumpkin persimmons are particularly good with bloomy rind cheeses such as Tomales Farmstead Creamery Kenne, which is made from goat milk and is both fluffy and creamy with a delicate rind.

6. Cranberries

A seasonal favorite on the Thanksgiving table, cranberry sauce has a tangy flavor that is delicious with more than just turkey. It’s a classic pairing with baked brie, but also good with a variety of other cheeses. Clark says, “I love fresh goat cheese with cranberry sauce--its lemony tang is gorgeous with the rich fruity tang of the cranberries.”

Looking for a cranberry sauce upgrade? Try cranberry chutney such as McQuade’s Celtic Chutney Cranberry and Tangerine.

7. Fruit butter

Fruit butter.jpeg — Fruit butter and blue cheese

Fruit butter is made by cooking fresh fruit or vegetables with sugar until they become lusciously creamy and buttery. Used on toast or pancakes, they also pair well with cheese. Says Clark, “Pumpkin butter and blue cheese is a huge winner for me. The sweetness of the pumpkin butter helps tame the punch of the blue, but the magic for me is that the spiciness of the blue cheese meshes with the baking spices that are usually added to pumpkin butter.”

You can make pumpkin butter at home or try Oregon Grower Pumpkin Butter, which has hints of cinnamon and cardamom.