Cheese, Wine and Christmas Pudding Pairings
CHEESE, WINE... AND CHRISTMAS PUDDING
UNEXPECTEDLY DELICIOUS PAIRINGS
Cheese and wine, a natural and well-established partnership, but add to this pairing Christmas Pudding and you might be led to believe our Christmas marbles have gotten well and truly lost in the festive madness. But no… we’re always in pursuit of the extraordinary - and the extraordinarily delicious - and this pairing, which may feel untraditional, is in actual fact not a new phenomenon.
Research suggests that eating fruitcake with cheese began in Yorkshire in the Victorian times. The ‘why’ seems less easy to uncover, and it may simply be that it’s because it’s delicious, and that’s all that matters. However, we would surmise that it's to do with Christmas Pudding being made up of fruits, spices and citrus notes which are all flavours, similar to chutney, that work beautifully with cheese.
Add to this a perfectly paired wine, and we’re sure this harmonious three-way partnership will become the newest addition to your festive dining for years to come.
Five Perfect Pudding Pairings
(Try saying that late into the Christmas festivites)
Pairing No. 1
Pudding: St James
Cheese: Cropwell Bishop Stilton Wedge
Wine: Single Cask Boal Madeira
Madeira is one of the ultimate sweet wines. A fresh bouquet featuring delightful hints of pine, nuts, caramel, and carob. The palate is nutty and spicy, with a fine and precise acidity, all elegantly culminating in a persistent and sophisticated finish that pairs well with a Christmas pudding.
Madeira and blue cheese is a match made in heaven, the saltiness of Stilton counters the sweetness of the wine perfectly. Adding the addition of St James Christmas Pudding takes this to another level.
Pairing No. 2
Pudding: King George
Cheese: Goat's Cheese (available in-store)
Wine: Fortnum's Christmas Pudding Madeira
Spicy on the palate with hints of toffee, this magnificent Madeira stands up to the powerful, rich fruit of a Christmas pudding in a way that most sweet wines can’t.
Whilst Goat’s Cheese isn’t everyone’s first thought when it comes to pairing, this creamy, light Goat’s Cheese pairs wonderfully with a range of sweet companions whilst not being overpowering. The toffee notes of the liqueur work harmoniously with this creamy cheese, not overpowering the rum and cognac in the pudding but helping to balance the strong flavours.
Pairing No. 3
Pudding: Christmas Figgy Pudding
Cheese: Fortnum's Dorset Brie
Wine: Fortnum's Figgy Pudding Liqueur
Inspired by our traditional Figgy Pudding recipe, our all-new Figgy Pudding Liqueur combines notes of dried fruits, mixed spices, Turkish figs, Sri Lankan cinnamon and Indonesian nutmeg... and there's even a whole Figgy Pudding in there too.
Figs and brie are a wonderful pairing. Fig has a jam-like taste with undernotes of honey and nuts - all perfect pairings with cheese. Slather your Figgy Christmas Pudding with our Dorset Brie and enjoy with a glass of Figgy Pudding Liqueur. For extra indulgence, drizzle honey over your Brie.
Pairing No. 4
Pudding: Magnificent Plum Pudding
Cheese: Caved Aged Cheddar
Wine: Fortnum's Pedro Ximenez
This outstandingly rich, viscous Pedro Ximenez has aromas of raisins, prunes and figs making it a perfect pairing for both cheese and Christmas pudding.
Our cloth-bound Cheddar is aged in the Wookey Hole Caves for 14 months, creating a crumbly nutty cheese with earthy undertones. The sweetness of the cheese will pair perfectly with the plum jam in the pudding, whilst the nuttiness will go well with the almonds and ring of cherries. Pedro Ximenez is the perfect sweet delight to round off the show.
Pairing No. 5
Pudding: Gluten-Free & Vegan St. James
Wine: Fortnum's Winter Sparkling Tea
Inspired by our own St. James Christmas Pudding, this vegan friendly, gluten and nut-free pudding is filled with juicy vine fruits and generously soaked in our own Cognac and Pusser’s Navy Rum. The almonds used in our St. James pudding are replaced with nut-free Amaretto for a unique depth to this traditional pudding.
Our Winter Sparkling Tea makes the perfect sippable pairing to this pudding and exudes warming spices with notes of homemade apple pie, lebkuchen and stollen. It's also home to a blend of two different organic chai teas which take centre stage in this complex and moreish brew.
Your Perfect Christmas Cheeseboard Awaits...
Whilst we're on the subject of cheese, it feels only right to extend our thoughts to the all important Christmas cheeseboard. It’s easy to feel spoilt for choice with so many delicious cheeses to choose from - we’d argue there are worse predicaments to find yourself in - but to bring a bit of clarity and expert advice to your cheeseboard, our Cheese experts are at your aide and here with a little word of advice...
“Leave your cheese at room temperature for at least an hour. This will help release more complex flavours and get your softs oozing! Put together a variety of accompaniments such as chutneys, nuts, fresh fruit and crackers to experiment with different taste combinations.”
Truffled Dorset Brie
Quince Cheese
The Soft
A beautiful triple cream cheese this brie style cheese also has the addition of truffles and if christmas is the time for indulgence than this cheese is a must.
The Hard
At christmas a mature cheddar is a MUST and there is no better pairing than with our Boxing Day Pickle made with beetroot, parsnips, toasted fennel, coriander, stanley plums and sun ripened apricots. A delicious marriage of flavours.
Cave Aged Cheddar
Boxing Day Pickle
Blue Stilton
Fig Cheese
The Blue
You simply can’t have a Christmas cheeseboard without a blue and this Traditional Potted Stilton tastes as good as it looks. Keep it simple and the sweetness of the fig will help cut though the piquant flavours.
The Rest
Not forgetting the biscuits and cheese knives, of course...
Biscuits Selection Tin
Cheese Knives
Otherwise, for instant cheeseboard success and with all the hard work done for you, our Cheese Selection boxes are just the thing…
Inspiration
The Pudding Parade
Gifts To Delight The Senses