You probably already know and love creamy, lightly tangy, imported Goat Cheese crumbled on your salads, spread on panini or crackers, and certainly tucked into gorgeous cheeseboards. But let’s take our love for goat cheese even further and explore some unique and delicious pairings to try that may surprise you!

Unexpected Wines

The herbal grassiness of Goat Cheese classically pairs with Sauvignon Blancs of all kinds and most especially Sancerres from the Loire Valley in France where goat cheese was first made. But you may not realize just how versatile goat cheese is to pair with wines of all types and styles! Start with other citrusy white wines that taste like Sauvignon Blanc such as Côtes de Gascogne, Rueda and other crisp whites such as Albarino, Alvarinho, Chablis, Pinot Grigio or even a dry Riesling or Gruner Veltliner.  For summer, a crisp dry rose from Provence makes for a perfect picnic pairing. To take it a step further you can also try pairing your goat cheese with red wines.  Fresh, fruity reds such as Beaujolais, Gamays, Red Burgundies and herbaceous Loire Valley Cabernet Francs all work well as well as red wines from cool-climates with their higher acidity and delicate flavors such as Malbec, Merlot, and Syrah.

Desserts of All Kinds

Not just for savory dishes or snacking, imported Goat Cheese lends a tart, creamy, elegant edge to a wide array of sweet treats too!  It pairs deliciously with juicy seasonal and dried fruits, honey, nuts, and jams on your cheeseboards and seamlessly works just as well in so many desserts. Give your classic cheesecake a fun new twist by using goat cheese in place of traditional cream cheese as in our in our Mini Cheesecakes with Berry Compote. You can also add it to your favorite home made vanilla or fruit-flavored ice cream batter or feature it on it’s own and try our luscious Goat Cheese Ice Cream recipe.  Goat cheese also adds a rich flavor to fruit tarts of all kinds as in our easy Individual Peach Tarts with Honey and Thyme

Peach Tarts with Goat Cheese

Herbal Cocktails

Calling all cocktail fans! Imported Goat Cheese typically has tangy, lemony flavors as well as some grassy and herbaceous notes that pair perfectly with those same qualities in your favorite gin drinks. You can start with a basic gin and tonic or take things up a notch by adding some jam, honey, fruit puree, or fresh herb simple syrups to your gin cocktails paired with goat cheese.  For inspiration try serving a classic Prohibition era “Bee’s Knees” cocktail with some simple goat cheese and crackers as your next pre-dinner nibble.

Break the Seafood “Rule”

There’s an old culinary rule that “seafood and cheese” don’t pair together.  And while in some cases the strong, palate-dominating flavors of cheese can overwhelm the light and subtle flavors of fish –  goat cheese is an exception to the rule!  Its bright lemony flavor, herbal notes, and natural creaminess make it perfect to use in pasta dishes with shrimp, to top salads with grilled seafood, or even to make a light sauce for fish.

Yes, Beer!

Beer lovers rejoice – there are several styles that pair deliciously with goat cheese.  The clean, citrusy flavors of a Belgian or German wheat beer plays well with the similar flavors in a fresh goat cheese while the bubbly carbonation lends a fresh note. Herbal and hoppy Pilsners also pair well with the floral and herbal notes of goat cheese.  Finally fruity and tart Saison beers perfectly complement the earthiness and tang of your favorite goat cheese.

Are you a true Goat Cheese lover?  Definitely try our fun twist on a cheeseboard featuring Goat Cheese Three Ways.

Goat Cheese 3 ways