The Flavor Rule You Need To Follow When Pairing Cheese With Crackers

When in doubt, always go with cheese and crackers. There's a cheese for every cracker, and vice versa. What's more, there are cheeses to accommodate those who require a dairy-free version and even crackers to satisfy gluten-free eaters, and so much more. With so many different types of cheese to choose from, selecting the right cracker and cheese combo is actually a lot more simple than you'd think. Among the tips you need when buying cheese at the grocery store, one major thing to keep in mind is flavor. When matching your cheese to your crackers, know that you can confidently pair a strong flavored cheese to a strong flavored cracker to get the most out of both.

Flavorful crackers accommodate an equally flavorful cheese because both were, essentially, made for each other. Beyond the inherent structural integrity required for a cracker to hold a solid smear of a soft cheese, you can also count on the complementary tastes of your cracker and cheese to co-mingle with one another in a variety of fun pairings for your charcuterie board.

Within the ultimate guide to building a charcuterie board, there are sections devoted to both cheese and carbs. It's common knowledge that the solid foundation of any board — be it of the grazing or charcuterie variety — is the selections of cheeses and crackers provided. Starting off with a sharp cheddar, you're going to want to match this to a cracker that is equally bold. A cheese crisp, while not technically a cracker, is an excellent choice here for the amplified sharp flavors. For something like a water cracker coated with cracked black pepper, a substantially thick slice of smoked gouda would show this cracker its perfect match. 

If you're looking for the ultimate pairing to a softer and more pungent cheese, try turning your sourdough discard into crispy crackers. The strong sour flavor in your homemade crackers would be the perfect match for either a Roquefort or Camembert. Consider all the flavors present in a garlic and herb cracker and try to match the flavors to your favorite cheese. Don't be afraid to go bold and get adventurous with your pairings.