Combining cheese and sweet treats

Who would refuse a piece of cheese topped with a small jam perfectly calibrated for this one? Here are some suggestions for cheese and jam combinations, for an optimal taste and visual effect.

The burnt path + pineapple confit and pepper

“Most semi-firm cheeses go well with several types of confits,” emphasizes Alexandre Porras, assistant manager at the Hamel cheese dairy. In this vast field of possibilities, he suggests following Le chemin du brûlé (fromagerie Campton), a cousin of Morbier, by pairing it with a confit of pineapple and pepper. “The cheese has a fairly nutty side and vegetal notes, while the confit brings a fruity side, a little sugar and a slight spiciness thanks to the pepper, which prevents it from sinking into an overly sweet and enticing accord”, says Mr. Porras. You can turn to a confit from the L’Épicurien range, or a preparation of Miss Marmelade (pineapple and pink pepper).

Zacharie Cloutier + sea buckthorn jam

Haskaps, cranberries, ground cherries… there is no shortage of original berries in Quebec, and those made from sea buckthorn are an interesting option for an alloy with cheese. Yannick Achim, at the head of Yannick fromagerie, suggests turning to a sheep to create a tasty household, setting his sights on Zacharie Cloutier, from the Nouvelle-France cheese dairy. “It’s a cheese that I describe as silky, unique characteristic of a firm sheep’s milk paste, which goes well with the slightly acidic sea buckthorn berry jam,” says Mr. Achim. The buttery aromas are thus counterbalanced by the vivacity of the small orange fruit.

Bleu d’Élizabeth + quince paste

Quince paste, very popular with cheeses, offers the advantage of being able to be cut into cubes or holiday shapes with a cookie cutter. Among its precious allies will be the blues, such as Bleu d’Élizabeth, which has won many awards. “You need something sweet enough to balance out the salt in the cheese. The aromas of quince, close to those of pear and apple, go very well with the roasted side of more aged and tasty blue cheeses such as Bleu d’Élizabeth. When it is ready, it presents aromas of chocolate with a lot of cocoa, which the fruit balances out, even reveals,” explains Alexandre Porras.

Martin Casimir + cranberry spread

There is always a goat cheese lover in the family! For him, we will serve a piece of fresh goat cheese, for example the Martin Casimir (not to be confused with Le Casimir) from the La Maison Grise cheese dairy, accompanied by a dash of cranberry spread. As good as it is eye-catching. “This fresh cheese with lactic and tangy notes goes wonderfully with this slightly sweet spread. This gives us a charming pairing, both in taste and visually,” recommends cheesemaker Yannick Achim.

Gré des champs + raw wildflower honey

The assistant manager of the Hamel cheese dairy enjoys working with Quebec honeys, especially Anicet honey, produced in the Hautes-Laurentides. His preference goes to raw and dense honeys, less liquid than the classics, easily brushed on a stick of cooked pressed cheese type cheese. Alfred the farmer or the Louis d’Or are options, but you can also take a tour of Montérégie with the Gré des champs. “It’s made with summer milk right now. Combined with wild flower honey or summer honey, it will give a floral accord, which can be found in both cheese and honey,” suggests Mr. Porras.

Chemin Hatley + walnut confit

Nuts and cheese, cheese and nuts… hard to go wrong with this classic pairing. We gladly turn to an association with a goat, a safe bet all the more so, but Yannick Achim takes us elsewhere, on Chemin Hatley. Matured on wooden boards, this firm cheese lays down a base of floral, fruity and almond notes, which will harmonize easily with a nut confit. “We obtain a natural and balanced harmony between the slightly salty fruitiness of this firm paste and the nut confit, with its slightly sweet bitterness”, points out Mr. Achim. Beautiful winter flavors!