Warm Weather for Cocktail and Cheese Combos; Three Cocktail and Cheese Pairings for Porch Season; Porch Season is for Cheese and Cocktails; Cheese and Cocktails, a Love Story; Three of Our Favorite Cheeses to Pair with Cocktails; Our Favorite Cheese and Cocktail Pairings

It’s coming on porch season, people. How about we pretend we can depend on the sun and this slightly warmer weather, and maybe invite a friend over for an outside hang. A stoop, a picnic table, beach chairs in the driveway, all of these make great places to just chill with a buddy, a drink, and some snacks. Since we’ve become our own bartenders this year, maybe that drink will be a cocktail, which I expect we’ve all gotten better at making (although they’ll never be quiiiite as good as one made for you and slid across an actual bar). And of course, those snacks will be cheese.

Manhattan with Harbison

Our friend and former cheesemonger, Christine, brought this incredible pairing into our lives. The warm spices and caramel notes of the manhattan play so well with the woodsy, buttery, mustardy flavors of Harbison. Also, our current batch of Harbi wheels are perfectly ooey gooey and amazing. Bonus pairing: cashews. Harbison, cashews, and manhattans, dude, you must try.

Martini with Taleggio

There are a million and one versions of martinis, but I discovered this particular pairing with Brie (our cheese buyer), and we like very dry gin martinis with olives. We were having dinner when we stumbled upon this glorious combo. I was telling a long-winded story when suddenly Brie sat up with a light in her eye. “TRY THIS,” she insisted, passing me a square of cheese. I took a bite of the creamy, buttery, earthy cheese and then a sip of ice-cold martini. I sat up with a light in my eye. It was friggin DELIGHTFUL. The Taleggio and the herby, savory, briny martini were besties and we never knew! Want to sit up? Want a light in your eye? Taleggio and martini I am TELLING you. (And FYI, I think Taleggio would pair well with any martini – wet, vodka, dirty, reverse/upside-down, etc.)

Aperol Spritz with Aged Bloomsday

The springiest of cocktails! This fizzy, orange scented drink is like warm sunshine in a glass. When Brie and I were in Italy for the Bra Cheese Festival, Aperol spritzes were a daily indulgence, and they always came with potato chips, olives, and peanuts. So, when choosing a cheese to pair, I always crave something hard and salty to mirror those flavors. Aged Bloomsday – firm, sharp, salty, and a touch sweet – fits the bill. I (obviously) recommend also having those other snackies alongside the cheese with your cocktail. Delizioso!

For the love of cheese and porch season,

Kiri

Shop Cheese for your Cocktails

PS. I’ve been on a kick watching the cooking show, Off-Script with Sohla from chef Sohla El-Waylly and Food 52. She’s so charming and goofy and I like learning from her. Below is a video on making chicken wings that I think would be killer in front of some March Madness action. I picked Gonzoigas to win. Gazogas? Gogzoga? Gorgonzola? I know nothing of college basketball, but I can’t resist a good bracket or a good reason to make chicken wings.