Citrus And Cheese? Unexpected Pairings That Actually Work.

Add a little zest to make your cheese shine.

For the lactose-tolerant, cheese is a thrilling world. Whether melted, mixed in, baked or headlining a charcuterie board, cheese is one of those indulgent feel-good foods full of flavour. Hard to believe you could make it taste any better but surprisingly, or not if you think about it, cheese and citrus are one of those combos made in heaven. It’s a sweet, salty, zesty combo that works across the board for entré, main and dessert.

Why sweet and salty works

While cheese can have a variety of flavour profiles and textures, saltiness is one characteristic that all cheeses have in common. Salt is added during the cheese making process not only to enhance taste but also to inhabit unwanted bacteria and mold growth. When paired with citrus, the saltiness of the cheese works to amplify the sweetness of the fruit while suppressing the bitterness. The result is an irresistibly creamy, salty and sweet flavour bomb.

Know your cheese

First-things-first. You MUST get to know your cheese. It’s the key to pairing the right kind of citrus to the right kind of cheese. The texture, intensity, and flavour profile of cheese play a crucial role in getting the balance right to complement the bold, zesty, and sometimes bittersweet notes of citrus. There are five distinct categories of cheese:

• Fresh Cheese
• Soft-Ripened Cheese
• Semi-Hard or Semi-Soft Cheese
• Hard Cheese
• Blue Cheese

Fresh Cheese

Also known as ‘young cheese’, have a short production time (around a day) and need to be consumed soon afterwards. They are a soft, rindless variety with a high moisture content and are often mild, creamy or tangy in flavour. Fresh cheese creates the perfect stage for citrus to shine.

Popular varieties:

Feta

Traditionally made from sheep or goat’s milk, feta is a popular fresh cheese known for its sharp, tangy and salty flavour. Its creamy texture and gentle acidity complement the natural sweetness and brightness of fruits like mandarin and orange. When paired together, the result is a refreshing contrast. Serve a generous smear of feta on a crisp cracker or slice of baguette, then top it with a few segments of fresh citrus and a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of cracked pepper for a snack that feels equal parts nutritious and indulgent. It’s a pairing that’s simple yet sophisticated, and it’s ideal for entertaining or elevating your everyday grazing game. Our pick has to be Meredith Dairy’s range of marinated goat’s cheese. Smooth, creamy and delicious.

Fresh Mozzarella

Fresh mozzarella is usually made from cow’s milk and will be sitting in brine. It is mild in flavour and soft and silky in texture, perfect for balancing acidity and lifting out the sweetness from zesty or tart flavours, like those found in citrus. Although fresh mozzarella is a great addition to salads, eating it on its own is just as satisfying. Especially when you get wonderfully creative ideas like these Marinated Mozzarella Balls from The Last Ingredient.

Soft-Ripened Cheese

Soft-ripened cheeses are characterised by a soft, white, “bloomy” rind that covers their exterior. This rind consists of edible mold and bacteria, purposely grown on the surface to influence the type of soft cheese being produced. With a short aging period, typically a few weeks to a few months, these cheeses retain enough moisture to achieve a rich and creamy texture. While commonly enjoyed as the main event on a cheeseboard, citrus does have a tendency to sneak in to enhance the cheese experience by way of preserves (citrus pastes, marmalades and jams), specialty crackers (featuring candied citrus) or simply cut fresh to refresh the palate.

Popular varieties:

Brie & Camembert

Both varieties are soft and creamy making them smooth and spreadable – perfect for cheese boards. Depending upon brand, the texture can vary wildly with some being creamier than others. It comes down to personal preference. While texture is not the differentiating factor, there are subtle flavour differences between the two if you know what to look for. Brie is often more buttery and slightly sweet, while camembert is stronger (funkier) and earthier in flavour and often has a more intense smell. Our top pick? It’s a no brainer. Fromager a’Affinois is a must have on any cheese board, and if you can get it cut from the block (rather than the pre-pack format) it tastes even better.

Savourine

Some cheeses want to pair so badly with citrus that they naturally take on citrus notes. Take Savourine for example. A classic goat cheese, covered in a delicate white mold. Once matured, the result is creamy and velvety texture with notes to the likeness of citrus and roasted almonds. Yep, that’s right, even nature thinks cheese and citrus are a good pair! Our top pick is the Black Savourine from Yarra Valley Dairy which is coated with black ash, making it slightly more sour tasting while still creamy and nutty. Absolutely delicious.

Semi-Hard and Semi-Soft Cheese

This category of cheese sits in the middle of soft and hard cheeses and the varieties are classified interchangeably. Semi cheeses are often firm but not as dry and crumbly as hard cheeses. Unsurprisingly, they’re a great all-round cheese and perfect for slicing, grating and melting.

Popular varieties:

Cheddar

A classic and house-hold favourite. Chop some up for school lunches, grate it on top of pasta or just eat it as a snack on a Salada biscuit with some butter. Cheddar is firm, creamy, smooth and is great for melting. The uses for cheddar are endless but when it comes to citrus combos we’re heading into melt territory to get a little more ooey-gooey goodness. House and Garden do a perfect job with their Lemon, Green Chilli and Cheddar Tart. Quick, Easy and so tasty.

Mozzarella

Not to be confused with fresh mozzarella, this variety is firmer, saltier, dryer (not sitting in brine) and has a longer shelf life. Matured mozzarella is great for cooked dishes, think pizza and pasta, and will provide a cheesy, stringy gooeyness that warms the heart. If you haven’t tried it already, a Winter Citrus Caprese Salad is a great twist on a classic, substituting citrus for tomatoes when they are out of season. Justine Doiron, suggests charring the citrus to get a rounder, richer flavour in her take on this classic.

Hard Cheese

As the name suggests, hard cheeses are, well, harder. This is due to a low moisture content (between 30-40%) and a longer aging process. The higher salt content in hard cheese makes them a great addition when wanting to lift flavour.

Popular varieties:

Parmesan or Pecorino

Parmesan and Peconino are salty, hard cheeses that are perfectly complemented by sweet, tart flavours like those found in citrus. Their firmness makes these varieties good for grating or shaving into salads as they will retain their shape when mixed through. The difference between the two is generally the milk source. Parmesan is made from cow’s milk while Pecorino is made from sheep’s milk giving it a sharper, saltier and tangier flavour.

The saltiness of both cheeses can be perfectly balanced with sweet citrus. A splash of lemon on a warm risotto smothered in parmesan cheese is simply delightful. Take Julie Goodwin’s Lemon & Spinach Risotto for example. Our favourite citrus pairing with parmesan, however, would have to be in a creamy pasta. Australian Master Chef favourite, Adam Liaw, showcases this beautifully in his rendition of creamy lemon pasta.

Blue Cheese

Blue cheese is characterised by the blue-grey veins that give it a signature marbled appearance caused by the type of edible molds added during the cheese-making process. It’s an acquired taste, often strong and tart, and can be a little or a whole lot smellier than soft cheese varieties.

Popular varieties:

Stilton

Stilton is a semi-soft blue cheese with a crumbly yet creamy texture and a distinctive salty tang. Try pairing Stilton with segments of ruby red grapefruit or a blood orange compote over a seeded cracker. A finishing touch of orange blossom honey will soften the bite and highlight the cheese’s creaminess without dulling its personality.

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola comes in two main styles: Dolce (sweet and creamy) and Piccante (sharper and firmer). When pairing with citrus, Gorgonzola Dolce is our pick. It’s a little more mellow and the creamyness of the cheese pairs beautifully with sweeter citrus, like Cara Cara navels. Our suggestion is to use a slice of orange instead of a biscuit with the gorgonzola. Otherwise try pairing with citrus based chutney or candied citrus segments. For those wanting something a little sweeter, this Gorgonzola Tart with Cranberry, Orange, Ginger Chutney is a fine example of salty meets sweet. Give it a try.

Cheese don’ts:

• Soft-ripened cheese that have a bloomy and often soft fuzzy mold rind (i.e. Camembert or Brie) will likely clash with high-acid citrus like lemons or limes.
• Pungent blue cheeses, like Gorgonzola or Stilton, can overpower the delicate lift of a mandarin or blood orange.

Cheese do’s

• Mild, plain cheeses, like plain goat’s cheese, aged gouda and fresh ricotta allow citrus to shine without competition.
• Fresh, soft cheeses give you more options when combining wet ingredients for desserts. Think cheesecakes, panacottas and ricotta.
• Master the balancing act of flavour and feel. Once you know what works, the possibilities are endless.

Citrus and cheese are meant to be

Who knew? Well we did. And now you do, too. Whatever cheese you choose, there is a citrus variety out there waiting to meet their cheesy match. Whether you’re building a platter, stirring up some risotto, baking, or simply experimenting with cheese, level-up with a little citrus. All it takes is a little curiosity, and maybe a Cara Cara two. Happy pairing!

Dracula Citrus^™ is a Pinnacle Fresh brand.
To enquire about stocking Dracula Citrus^™ please get in touch with our team by emailing info@draculacitrus.com.au