Fun fact about me is that I actually worked at a specialty cheese store for quite a while, so I like to think I know a few things haha. We carried about 115 different cheeses as well as all the kinds of crackers, jams, jellies, and whatever else you would think to pair them with.
My all time favorite cheese is a soft, spreadable honey goat cheese. Tastes great on a toasted everything bagel or with a simple cracker and spicy salami or other cured meat.
A few other favorite pairings include smoked gouda, which tases amazing with a sweet onion jam, a creamy brie (triple creme is the best) with a toasted baguette or one of those crackers with dried fruit in it, and a super sharp cheese with a fatty cured meat (highly recommend duck salami).
Some great cheeses you can find in most grocery stores:
- Vat 17 (extra sharp cheddar with salt crystals, my mouth is literally watering thinking about it)
- BellaVitano (an Italian table cheese, the plain is amazing, but the flavored ones are also great)
- Drunken Goat (a goat cheese washed in red wine!)
- Port Salut (semi-soft cheese, flavor kinda similar to mozzarella)
- Délice de Bourgogne (best triple creme brie ever, its literally like butter)
I could give so many more recommendations, so if you are looking for a cheese to go with something specific or none of the above are quite your style, feel free to comment!!
Related Recs
🧀
Two of my recent faves!
Tilamook smoked cheddar-great with crackers, or on a sandwich. Like your basic cheddar with a little extra oomph
Parmesean-cheddar blend from Aldi- I put it on a venison steak sandwich and I’ve added it onto pizza. Also would probably go good with crackers. Tastes like parm, acts like cheddar
Mar 4, 2025
Also great for a cold weather picnic! The best plate I could muster at the big box cheese counter and on a limited budget, listing from left to right in rows:
1. Emmentaler - One of my favs normally as I love a good nutty swiss, but this was cut too close to the rind and was nearly inedible, will be repurposing for cooking
2. Stilton with Blueberries - Nice mild english white cheese, usually with fruit inside. Delicious with the vanilla quince chutney
3. Cyprus Grove Midnight Moon - Lovely slightly aged semifirm goat cheese with nutty caramel notes and a nice depth of flavor
4. Cambozola - one of my forever favs, a german blue-brie. Much calmer, milder, and creamier than your average blue and a great entry point for those who are blue-curious. Would have loved a roquefort, but country girls make do. Tasted great with the pepper jelly.
5. Fromage D’affinois - The milkiest readily-available French double cream brie. Controversial but I’ll take a double cream brie over a triple cream brie any day of the week. Triple cream ends up tasting too much much like straight butter and I prefer a creamier milkier flavor and a stickier texture. Save the money, get the double cream!
In order of preference on this particular night, not all time fav: 5, 3, 4, 2, 1
Also the bordeaux was lovely but sadly way too cold to be enjoyed fully outside, much better at home at room temp. this cold I mostly got the oaky, smoke notes which did pair well with the fire but hid her true depths.
Only follow this rec if your body can happily handle a lot of lactose.
Oct 30, 2024
🧀
Cypress Grove’s Midnight Moon
Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam
Trader Joe’s White Stilton Cheese with Apricots
Trader Joe’s Cotswold double Gloucester cheese
Also Queso Fresco any day, all days
Mar 5, 2025
Top Recs from @astro
❄️
The Upper Peninsula - Sufjan Stevens
Winter Hat - Daffo
Blackbird - The Beatles
I want a Dog - Weezer
Two Weeks in December - Skullcrusher
Bambi - Clairo
Salt Circle - Eliza McLamb
You Have No Idea - Harry Connick, Jr.
Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid) - Sufjan Stevens
Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
Winter Solstice - Eliza McLamb
Boots for Hiking - Annika Kilkenny
Glory of the Snow - Clairo
The Frost - Mitski
Dawn in the Adan - Ichiko Aoba
O Children - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Feb 12, 2025
🌠
Apocalypse - Cigarettes After Sex
Andromeda - Weyes Blood
The Spider - Weezer
Daydreaming - Radiohead
Across the Universe - Fiona Apple
Gilded Lily (Sped Up) - Cults
I Don’t Know You - The Marias
Cherry Flavored - The Neighborhood
It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody - Weyes Blood
Life on Mars? - David Bowie
Stargazing - The Neighborhood
Feb 7, 2025