Pairing Cheese and Chocolate for Valentine’s Day
Pairing with Dandelion. Photo credits to Jasper Hill
Let’s face it, this year’s romantic Valentine’s dinner will likely not take place in a cozy corner of our favorite restaurant. But all is not lost. We can still pamper ourselves (and our sweethearts) by sharing luxurious, indulgent treats and even discovering new sensuous pleasures. To be precise, I’m talking about pairing a variety of cheeses and chocolates--perhaps unlikely partners, which actually can bring out the best in each other.
The fermentation of each member of this duo produces complex notes, which can be matched to complement each other, unless you are into an “opposites attract” kind of game.
Cheesemonger Lilith Spencer of Jasper Hills Creamery and Jessica Robin of Dandelion Chocolate, joined forces to design a virtual cheese and chocolate tasting class which quickly sold out, but with their advice, anyone can create their own pairing at home. Spencer recommends that you isolate flavor notes in cheese, such as nuttiness, fruitiness, or milkiness since those flavors pair nicely with chocolate, especially the single-origin bars from places like Costa Rica, Peru, and Venezuela that Dandelion specializes in. Their bars include a range of flavor profiles including fruity, fudgy, and toasty with notes ranging from bananas to espresso.
Rich Creamy Pairing
For example, the pair matched up Dandelion’s Vietnamese chocolate bar, with its notes of candied ginger, molasses, and apple cider with the Brie-like Harbison, which Spencer describes as “gooey, smooth and velvety with a lingering, rich creaminess.” When they paired the two together, Spencer says, “The Harbison’s hidden vanilla note popped with a cinnamon-y gingery kick; it tasted like a whole new thing.”
Jessica Robin, who has organized monthly chocolate and cheese pairings for 5 years, says these pairings shine because “both chocolate and cheese have creamy, fatty, mouth feel and also incredibly complex flavors, which can overlap and be complimentary.” She adds, “In dark chocolate, we often taste a fruity note. So look for cheese that you would want to eat with dried apricots, honey, or jam for example.”
Just as some pairings can sing, other matchups can bring out the less desirable qualities in each other, which is something to avoid. Spencer gives bitterness as an example of what you wouldn’t want to highlight in a cheese. “Washed rind cheeses are most susceptible, so stay away from super dark chocolate, and highlight sweetness or acidity, instead.” In the end, they agree that there is no one right answer, it is all subjective and personal.
Milk chocolate with cheddar photo credit Anna Mindess
Pairing Cheddar and Chocolate
Emmy-nominated cookbook author, Chef Nathan Lyon suggests TCHO 39% Classic Milk Chocolate with Aged Cheddar. “The creaminess of the TCHO 39% is a lively juxtaposition next to the rugged texture of a well-rounded aged cheddar. Enjoyed together, the experience of a deep caramel flavor mixed with a buttery and delicate saltiness is a classic and soul-satisfying pairing.”
TCHO Triple Berry Chocolate and Blue Cheese. photo credit Anna Mindess
Pairing Blue Cheese and Chocolate
While pastry chef Jessica Craig, formerly of Almond in New York offers up TCHO Triple Berry Chocolate https://tcho.com/collections/all-chocolate-bars/products/dark-chocolate-triple-berry-2-5oz-bar + Blue cheese – “Blue cheese can have sweet notes and at 62% cocoa, the berry flavor in this chocolate bar will complement it very well. It is a great contrast to the earthy notes in a blue cheese and this semisweet chocolate is strong enough in flavor to stand up to the pungency of blue cheese.”
Bridging Cheese and Chocolate with Bourbon
Mixologist Fitz Bailey at Coopers’ Craft shares his tips for pairing cheese and chocolate, using bourbon as a bridge between the two. “Sweet and salty is always a winning combo,” he advises. “If you've never tried leipäjuusto you're really missing out. Also known as Finnish squeaky cheese, this salty delicacy is often served alongside jam or coffee and heated into gooey perfection.” He recommends pairing it with milk chocolate or even a low, dark (not higher than 55% cacao) with cherries or blueberries. “With the lighter and fruiter flavors, this will be great with Coopers' Craft 82.2. The natural citrus and toasted oak in our Kentucky Straight Bourbon will complement and inspire your taste buds.”
Bailey continues, “Say you're more in the mood for adventurous, hearty flavors that stick with you. Smoked Gouda is amazing on its own but shines when paired with a bar of nice dark chocolate. For this, I would shoot for chocolate that's between 65-75% cacao. Ones with Almond and Cacao nibs will add some amazing texture. But what about the bourbon? With all these strong flavors we really need a whiskey that has the ability to stand out, Coopers' Craft Barrel Reserve is absolutely up for the task. At 100 proof, this bold, robust bourbon has the perfect flavor balance to elevate your tasting to the next level. The rich smoke, leather, and stone fruit notes work wonders on the palate and provide a truly exceptional pairing.”
Chocolate Pairing Tips
Taste each element individually then try them together. Start with the chocolate, then taste the cheese, then try the two together to see what happens. You might even reverse the same combination with the cheese first to see if that changes anything. Sip some water in-between as a palate cleanser.
Go from the mildest flavors to the strongest.
Most pairings will be nicely compatible. A neutral pairing means each element maintains its own flavors but nothing new happens.
Or you might notice flavors and aromas that you didn’t pick up on separately as each enhances the other. Extra credit if you detect a new 3rd flavor you just created.
Don’t fear a “bad pairing,” where tasting them together gives you an off-flavor, something unpleasant, like soap or cleaning fluid, perhaps. Jessica Robin often purposely tries a combination that she thinks will be a bad pairing, because sometimes it turns out surprisingly good.
Remember the goal in combining the complex tastes in cheese and chocolate is to create an exciting new experience together. What could be more romantic?