Six Great Snacking Cheeses to Serve with Fruit
Sometimes the simple foods are the best . . . and there is nothing better on so many occasions than fresh fruit and cheese. It makes a party better, it makes a great mid-afternoon snack, it’s a wonderful appetizer, and it goes well in a packed lunch. But there are so many cheeses to choose from. We’ll help. Here are our favorite cheeses to serve with fruit—apples, grapes, pears, and more.
Havarti is smooth and buttery. It is a very mild cheese with a soft texture and a creamy near-white in color. It works especially well with sweet fruits like a honey crisp apple or a pear since the mild flavor of the cheese complements rather than overpowers the delicate flavor of the sweet fruit.
Edam is another mild, buttery cheese. It is a close cousin to Gouda but with a little firmer texture and nuttier flavor and slightly sweet. It is a universal cheese going well with sweet or a tart fruit though we think it balances very well with red grapes.
Jarlsberg often has holes in like Swiss though it is a harder cheese with more flavor and a nuttier flavor than Swiss. We like it with tart apples and plums.
Munster has a mild flavor that mellows with age. It is a near-white cheese with an orange, edible rind. It is often used in Mexican dishes. We like it with grapes and sweet apples.
We absolutely love gruyere. It is nutty and rich without being pungent. It has a medium firm texture and often creamy colored, sometimes with eyes. There is quite a difference in flavor from brand to brand. We think it is a perfect cheese to go with apples.
Asiago is hard and pungent. It is a strong flavored cheese that is used often in cooking. The flavor is almost a cross between a sharp cheddar and parmesan. We like it paired with tart, hard apples like a Granny Smith. It also goes well with plums and tart grapes.
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