Perfect Cheeseboard & Honey Pairings...

The cheeseboard is often the unofficial star of the festive table. providing convenient rich pickings throughout the festive holiday too...

Although there's a difference between a few slabs of cheese on a plate, and an array of textures and flavours which re-invigorate our taste buds and prepare us for the sweet course ahead. Accompany your cheeses with walnuts in the shell, dried fruits, grapes, figs, apples - and of course, honey and honeycomb. Here's a few pointers when considering pairing cheeses and what to consider when choosing a special honey: 

• Raw honey with a raw goat's milk is always a sensational combination—we'd go with a lighter, more medicinal flavour like Borage Honey for this, not to overwhelm the curd. 
  
  
• Honeycomb with an aged sheep's milk is a particularly good combination—the chewy toffee notes of the honeycomb sets off the caramelised flavour of the aged sheep's milk. Try our golden Trio of  honeycomb.
  
  
• In general, pair sweet with salt to highlight the flavour contrasts - a Shropshire Blue with a Shropshire Honey is a nice way to match terroir at the table. Aim for contrasts rather than similar flavours, that way, you'll pick out flavour notes you might otherwise have missed.
  
  
• For pungent, mature, cheeses, like a cheddar or a gouda, our Truffle Infused Honey is the way to go. Just don't serve this one with mild cheese, as the truffle flavour will cancel out delicate flavour. 
  
  
• Nutty hard cheeses go well with rich bittersweet Heather Honey and Honeycomb - the rich sweetness balancing the saltiness well. Serve squares of cheese with honeycomb on top as a special canapé. 
  
  
  If you're serving liquid honey alongside your cheeseboard, don't forget to make a statement of it with our handmade and beautiful St Ives Stoneware Honeypots, designed to perfectly fit our glass jars, and now with ceramic drizzling spoons. Makes for a beautiful handmade gift for someone special!