As autumn gracefully descends upon us, nature paints the world with a vibrant palette of red, orange, and gold. The brisk air carries the sweet scent of ripe apples, and the comforting warmth of apple cider fills our mugs. Fall is a season of change, and it's also a time for indulging in the rich flavors and textures that this season offers. One delightful way to savor the essence of fall is by pairing apple cider and hard apple cider with an array of artisanal cheeses and complementary accompaniments.
The Cider Experience
Apple cider is a quintessential fall beverage that can be enjoyed in various forms. New York sells five million gallons of cider each year, from the well-known Angry Orchard to smaller, boutique cider makers like the New York State Cider Company, there's a diverse range of options to explore. Whether you prefer the sweet and unfermented apple cider or the more robust and alcoholic hard apple cider, each sip captures the essence of the season.
Cheese Pairings
Pairing cheese with apple cider is a delightful culinary adventure. Artisanal Premium Cheese has curated a collection of cheeses that harmonize beautifully with apple ciders of all kinds. Here are a few cheese recommendations that are sure to elevate your fall experience:
Fourme d'Ambert: Hailing from the Auvergne region of France, Fourme d'Ambert is a creamy cow's milk blue cheese. With a yellowish rind and a bone-white interior with blue veins, this cheese boasts an earthy aroma and a creamy, mildly nutty flavor. It pairs wonderfully with bold hard ciders, such as New York Cider Company's MONARCH #2 or Angry Orchard's new Crisp Apple.
Heublumenkäse: Crafted from high-quality raw, organic milk, Heublumenkäse is adorned with organic flowers and herbs, infusing it with a grassy and slightly woodsy aroma. The semi-hard paste caramelizes with age, creating a unique flavor profile that complements both apple cider and hard cider like Angry Orchard's Crisp Imperial.
Jasper Hill Clothbound Cheddar: This English-style cheddar stands out with its sweet caramel and milky flavors. Its rustic crystalline texture becomes creamy on the palate, making it a perfect pairing for traditional apple cider, like Mayer Brothers .
Accompaniments to Elevate the Experience
To complete the perfect fall pairing, consider adding some accompaniments to your spread:
Hemstrought’s Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread: Baked to perfection in a Bongard oven, this bread boasts a crisp outside and a soft inside. The Chocolate Cherry loaf's decadence is balanced by its airy texture, making it an ideal complement to your cider and cheese selection.
Jambon Iberico: Iberian-bred, black-hoofed pigs are fed a select diet of acorns (bellota) and the grass of the Dehesa countryside in the Extremadura region of Spain giving this ham its authentic taste and making it the most expensive cured ham produced in the world. Its fatty, marbled texture makes it a delicacy like kobe beef. It melts in your mouth a dark pink-to-purple color that pairs harmoniously with cider and cheese.
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Fall is a time to embrace the beauty of changing leaves, the crispness of apple cider, and the indulgence of delectable pairings. Whether you're sipping on sweet apple cider, enjoying the depth of hard apple cider, or savoring artisanal cheeses and complementary accompaniments, the essence of fall is best experienced through these delightful combinations. So, gather your loved ones, set the table with these perfect pairings, and savor the flavors of autumn.