Cheese Bread Companions: Exploring Perfect Flavor Pairings

Cheese and bread are a match made in heaven, and the pairing offers endless options. The key to a successful pairing is to find a combination that complements the flavours of each item without overwhelming them. When it comes to cheese and bread, texture and balance of flavours are crucial, from the classic to the adventurous. For example, tangy goats' cheese works beautifully with a nutty loaf, creating a dramatic contrast between sharp and mellow flavours. For those who like their cheese with a bit more bite, try pairing slivers of strong Cheddar with a chunk of sweet sourdough and a dollop of red onion marmalade. Alternatively, a salty cheese like Feta or Dolcelatte goes well with the sweetness of fruited bread. For a classic, try a Reuben sandwich with gooey Swiss cheese and dark rye bread.

Mozzarella and wholemeal bread

Mozzarella is a soft, creamy cheese with a high melting point, making it perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches. The cheese is mild and milky in flavour, with a subtle tang, so it is best paired with bread that has a stronger, nuttier taste, like wholemeal bread.

A great way to prepare a mozzarella and wholemeal bread sandwich is to top it with fresh tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. The basil adds a refreshing, herbal flavour, while the olive oil adds a fruity, peppery kick. You could also add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to the sandwich, which will add a sweet and tangy flavour.

If you want to make a hot sandwich, you could try a garlic mozzarella bread. This involves making a homemade dough with flour, yeast, sugar, milk, butter, and an egg, and then stuffing it with mozzarella and garlic butter before baking it in the oven. This type of sandwich is perfect for dipping into soups or enjoying alongside a pasta dish.

Mozzarella also goes well with other ingredients, such as chicken, which you could include in your sandwich. Alternatively, you could try a panini, toasting the bread to add a crunchy texture.

Cheddar and sourdough

The sharpness of cheddar and the sourness of sourdough are a beautiful match. For a simple yet delicious combination, slivers of strong Cheddar loaded onto a chunk of classic, sweetly flavoursome sourdough and a dollop of red onion marmalade is a perfect pairing. For an extra kick, ditch the marmalade and try a drizzle of syrup from a jar of Italian mostarda di frutta.

For a more complex recipe, you can bake your own loaf of sharp Cheddar sourdough bread. This recipe requires minimal mixing and can be made with a spatula instead of your hands. The key to this recipe is a healthy starter and overall experience as a bread baker. The ingredients include:

• Active sourdough starter
• Bread flour
• Whole wheat and/or whole grain flour
• Salt
• Sharp cheddar cheese
• Warm water

The process involves building a levain, stirring in the active levain with warm water, adding salt, stirring in the flours, chopping the cheddar, and performing stretch and folds. The dough is then allowed to rise, pre-shaped, shaped, and proofed before being baked in the oven.

For a variation, you can try a three-cheese sourdough bread by adding shredded Parmesan and Gruyere to the dough. This recipe also includes a cold fermentation step, where the dough is placed in the refrigerator for 12-20 hours before baking.

If you're looking for a more adventurous combination, try jalapeño cheddar sourdough bread. This recipe adds shredded cheddar cheese and pickled jalapeños to a basic sourdough country loaf. You can adjust the spiciness by removing the seeds from the jalapeños or using fresh jalapeños instead. This bread can be enjoyed alongside soups or as a base for a spicy grilled cheese sandwich.

Blue cheese and steak or chicken sandwiches

Blue cheese is a great addition to a steak sandwich, or as an alternative, a chicken sandwich. Here are some ideas for creating delicious sandwiches with these ingredients.

Blue Cheese and Steak Sandwich

A blue cheese and steak sandwich is a hearty option for lunch or dinner. You can use leftover steak for this sandwich, or cook a fresh one. Here are the steps:

• Choose your steak: You can go for New York, top sirloin, rib, or tenderloin.
• Prepare the bread: Butter a ciabatta roll and toast it lightly in a skillet on moderate heat.
• Make the spread: Mix mayonnaise with grated horseradish. You can adjust the amount of horseradish to taste.
• Assemble the sandwich: Spread the horseradish mayonnaise on the ciabatta roll. Crumble blue cheese onto the bread, then place the steak on top. You can add some arugula for a fresh touch.

Blue Cheesesteak Sandwich

Another variation of the blue cheese and steak sandwich involves grilling the steak and adding some caramelized onions. Here's how to make it:

• Gather your ingredients: vegetable oil, onions, balsamic vinegar, pepper, blue cheese, mayonnaise or salad dressing, beef flank steak, and demi French baguette rolls.
• Cook the onions: Heat some vegetable oil in a skillet and add thinly sliced onions. Cook until they are deep golden brown. Then, add the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute. Set aside.
• Prepare the steak: Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper, and grill it to your desired doneness. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing it thinly across the grain on the diagonal.
• Toast the bread: Lightly brush the cut sides of the baguette rolls with vegetable oil and place them on a grill rack until golden.
• Assemble the sandwich: Spread the blue cheese mixture on the top halves of the baguette rolls. Place the sliced steak on the bottom halves, top with the caramelized onions, and finish with the blue cheese-covered tops.

Blue Cheese and Chicken Sandwich

For a different take on the blue cheese sandwich, you can use chicken instead of steak. This combination works well with a variety of toppings and can be a tasty late-night snack. Here's a recipe to try:

• Season a boneless, skinless chicken breast with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Cook the chicken: Fry the chicken in a non-stick pan for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through but still moist and juicy. Squeeze some lemon juice over it.
• Make the blue cheese spread: Mash together blue cheese and mayonnaise.
• Assemble the sandwich: Layer salad ingredients such as sliced tomato and salad onion on bread slices. Add the cooked chicken and top it with the blue cheese spread.

Blue Cheese Bread

If you're looking for a more creative way to incorporate blue cheese into your sandwich, you can make your own blue cheese bread. Here's a recipe to try:

• Combine softened butter, crumbled blue cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, minced chives, and garlic powder.
• Cut a loaf of French bread into 1-inch-thick slices, but don't cut all the way through—leave the slices attached at the bottom.
• Spread the cheese mixture between the slices.
• Wrap the loaf in foil and bake at 350°F until heated through, about 20 minutes.

You can also try making a blue cheese swirl bread, where you shape the dough into a log, press blue cheese into it, and then roll it into a spiral before baking.

Brie and baguette

The soft, creamy texture of brie is best paired with a tougher, crispier bread or cracker. This makes a baguette an ideal companion for brie, and the pairing is a classic French sandwich.

A simple, yet delicious, appetizer can be made by slicing a baguette and adding a slice of brie to each slice of bread. You can then bake these slices for around 5 minutes until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. A drizzle of honey is a great way to finish this dish.

For a more complex flavour, you can make a garlic herb butter to brush onto the bread before baking. This can be made by mixing together melted butter, extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic cloves, dried rosemary, black pepper, and red chilli flakes.

For a fruity twist, you can bake the brie with pomegranate seeds and thyme, and serve this on the side of your baguette slices.

Tilsit and pumpernickel

Hailing from the town of Tilsit in East Prussia (now Sovetsk, Russia), Tilsit cheese is known for its pungent aroma and variegated taste, ranging from mildly sour to spicy, with hints of herbs. Its smooth, elastic texture is dotted with small, irregular holes, making it an excellent melting cheese. The combination of Tilsit's bold flavour and pumpernickel's robust taste and texture creates a delightful contrast that elevates the sensory experience.

When pairing Tilsit with pumpernickel, consider toasting or grilling the bread to enhance its coarse texture and bring out the subtle sweetness of the rye. The warmth of the toasted pumpernickel will also accentuate the creaminess of the Tilsit, creating a delightful contrast of temperatures and mouthfeel.

To further enhance the pairing, consider adding complementary toppings or ingredients. For a touch of sweetness, drizzle honey over the Tilsit, or pair it with apple slices or grapes, bringing out the cheese's creaminess. For a more savoury approach, add a few slices of pickle, providing a tangy contrast to the richness of the cheese and the slight sweetness of the bread.

For a heartier meal, transform this classic duo into a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich. The warmth of the toasted pumpernickel will melt the Tilsit, creating a decadent, indulgent texture. Add a few slices of tomato and some fresh basil leaves to create a flavourful, well-rounded dish.

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