The 12 Days of Pairings
The holidays are all about tradition—maintaining the traditions that are near and dear to your family, or creating new traditions that speak to the way you live now. Here at Di Bruno Bros., our favorite traditions are all about food! This holiday season, we’re showcasing some of our favorite cheese pairings in a blog series we’re calling: “The 12 Days of Pairings”. Some of these combos are classic pairings native to these cheeses’ regions, others are monger creations which have since become Di Bruno classics. All are delightful and delicious!
The First Pairing: Stilton & Port
With a 300-year history, England’s legendary Stilton is one of the world’s most celebrated cheeses. A pasteurized, semi-firm cheese with gorgeous blue-green striations in its cream-colored paste, it’s prized for its creamy texture and depth of flavor. Though this name-protected cheese is made and eaten all year-round, it is an icon of the traditional British Christmas. Many would feel their Christmas dinners incomplete without a nibble or two of Stilton washed down with a few sips of port!
Our Stilton comes from a small creamery in Nottinghamshire called
Colston Bassett, and is hand-selected for us by the dedicated folks at Neal’s Yard Dairy. Nottinghamshire is part of the region of England known as the Midlands—where Stilton production began. The cheese itself is named after the Cambridgeshire village where it was first sold and served. There’s a long history in Britain of enjoying Stilton with port, the popular Portuguese fortified red wine, and no wonder. The two are natural partners, especially in a celebratory context: the fortified wine’s rich, sweet, plush character is an ideal match for Stilton’s fudgey complexity and hint of salt. So, the next time you feel like an extra special dessert—be it Christmas or otherwise—plate up a wedge of Stilton with a few
Cinnful Cocoa pecans, pour yourself a glass of port, and go to it!
Sample this classic Di Bruno pairing at our Franklin location from 2pm — 6pm on Saturday December 13.
Now that we’ve shared one of our favorite holiday traditions with you, share yours with us! To celebrate our 75th anniversary, we’re giving away $1,939 in prizes, including a $1,000 shopping spree. Now through 1/5/15, tag photos of your family’s holiday food traditions with #cheesytraditions and @dibrunobros; or enter online at DiBruno.com/Traditions.