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
Healthy Halloween Treats With Dracula Citrus
It’s our favourite time of the year at Dracula Citrus – Halloween! We spend all year hiding out waiting to celebrate the peak of our citrus distribution! Dracula Citrus Blood Oranges, Navel Oranges, Pink Cara Cara Oranges, Mega Mandys, Baby Mandarins and Tangelos are all out for devouring! There’s no hiding that we like to celebrate citrus at Halloween! Try our spooktacular Healthy Halloween Treats – they’re a cute and delicious way to enjoy some fun with food this Halloween season.
Don’t worry about Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins! Bring on Dracula Citrus! Oranges and mandarins dress like pumpkins but make for healthy and sweet treats! When prepping for your Halloween celebrations, don’t go past our spooktacular mandarin “pumpkin” treats or mandarin “pumpkin” chocolate mouse.
Mandarin “pumpkin” treats
Mandarin “pumpkin” treats will be a favourite Halloween snack for kids and adults! They’re perfect to pack in lunchboxes and to serve at parties. With only two ingredients, this is a quick and easy food option. They’re the ideal alternative to candy and lollies!
Ingredients
- Mandrins
- Cucumber/ celery
Steps:
- Peel your mandarins.
- Thinly slice a cucumber or a celery stalk. Lay the slice down and cut small stalks, cutting slices for as many “pumpkins” as you’re making.
- Push one stalk down into the top of each mandarin and that’s it!
** Optional – melt a little dark chocolate and use a chopstick or similar to dab chocolate eyes on to your mandarins.
There you have it! A wickedly simple and healthy Halloween citrus treat!
Web-a-licous Chocolate Orange Mousse
Get into the Halloween spirit with our webby chocolate orange mousse. This delicious recipe is easy to make and a crowd favourite – from Baby Dracula to Vladimir himself! It brings together the magical flavours of chocolate and orange – a tried and true match made in heaven.
Ingredients :
- 200g dark chocolate, chopped
- Zest and juice of 2 medium sized Dracula Citrus™ navel oranges
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, separated
- 450ml thickened cream
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 6 lowball glasses
- 50 grams of melted white chocolate
- Ziplock plastic bag
- Foil
- Mint leaves
** Optional – if you have the time and want to get a little more festive, you can ‘carve’ oranges like pumpkins. Cut a top off 4 – oranges and empty the flesh. Use these as a replacement for your glasses. You can also leave some of the orange flesh to accompany the mousse filling!
Steps:
- Place the dark chocolate, 3 quarters of the zest, orange juice and vanilla in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Stir for 3 mins or until mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from heat. Set aside for 20 mins to cool. Stir in egg yolks. Your chocolate mixture will look like it has a lot of liquid but rest-assured, it will all come together.
- Reserve the remaining zest.
- Use an electric mixer to beat cream in a bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into chocolate mixture.
- Beat egg whites and sugar in a bowl until thick and glossy. Gently fold into your chocolate mixture. Be careful not to stir the mixture as this can reduce amount of air in your mousse making it dense.
- Carefully spoon your mixture evenly into each glass. Chill for 2 hours or until set.
- Place your white chocolate into a heatproof bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second bursts. Stir between each burst and stop when your chocolate is runny and smooth. Transfer it into your ziplock back and remove as much air in the bag as possible.
- Cut a tiny hole in the corner of your ziplock back and pipe cobweb designs onto your foil.
- Leave until hardened and peel each web off the foil.
- Decorate by sprinkling each set glass of mousse with the reserved orange zest, one white chocolate web and a mint leaf.
- Enjoy!
It’s a terrifyingly mouth-watering Halloween citrus dessert!
At Dracula Citrus™ we take the best citrus from the top-growing regions around Australia and bring them together under one roof. That’s how we get the best variety and quality citrus with the sweetest flavour and share it with the world! Look out for Dracula Citrus™ in your local supermarket this Halloween.
Kid-Friendly Citrus Activities and Recipes
There are so many ways to get your kids to love citrus fruits, not only by eating them but through play. The Dracula citrus range isn’t just spookily sweet and delicious to eat, it’s a fantastic addition to playtime! The possibilities are endless, from crafting citrus stamps to concocting smoothies or exploring sensory play with citrus. These simple activities spark imagination and provide a hands-on way for kids to learn about different fruits and flavours while having a wickedly good time!
DIY Citrus Stamps
It’s time to bring out the “fun art parent” and thrill your kids with an easy paint project. This activity gets kids excited about exploring their senses and expressing their creativity. It also introduces them to the wonderful world of citrus fruits in a fun and interactive way.
What you’ll need
- Any Citrus – try oranges and lemons.
- Paints – at least a couple of different colour options are ideal. Ensure that they’re non-toxic.
- Paper or fabric for your canvas.
- A knife and spoon to remove the citrus pulp.
Step-by-step instructions
- Cut your citrus fruits in halves.
- Use a spoon to scoop or a knife to cut the flesh from your citrus. You can remove the flesh completely. Or you can cut in and around the white fuzzy layer between the skin. Note, if you decide to do this it’s best to let your stamps dry out for a day or so.
- Squeeze the juice from the citrus to put aside for later.
- Use a hair dryer to express dry your citrus!
- Place your paint directly onto your citrus stamp and stamp your canvas. Or dip the cut side of the citrus into the paint.
- Explore the different colourful patterns you can create with your citrus.
- Hang up your masterpieces to dry and revel in your accomplishments!
While you’re waiting for the paint to dry, let’s whip up some citrus smoothies!
Citrus Smoothie Making:
Get kids involved in making citrus smoothies by squeezing fresh citrus! Provide a variety of fruits along with yoghurt and/ or milk, and let your kids experiment with different flavour combinations. Smoothies are a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy citrus!
What you’ll need
- Citrus fruit
- Smoothie-making ingredients: yoghurt/ice cream/ berries/ mango/ banana/ milk.
- Smoothie-making equipment: knives, spoons and a blender.
Step-by-step instructions
- Chop your fruit and squeeze your citrus.
- Add your ingredients to the blender.
- Blend away!
- Serve your smoothie in funky glasses and present them with citrus pieces on top!
Looking for something a little more indulgent? Why not try our choc-orange smoothie recipe? You can find the recipe here
Smoothies are great during the warmer months! Looking for more fun ways to keep cool with citrus? Try sensory citrus water play.
Sensory citrus water play
When you’re looking for a fun way to keep kids busy whilst keeping them cool, there’s wicked fun that can be had with a simple tub and citrus. Filling a tub or bowl with water and placing pieces of citrus that beautifully float around in the water is wondrous for kids. The touch and smell are exciting experiences on their own. You can even use tongs, scoops, colanders or sieves and collect the citrus pieces!
What you’ll need
- Bowl, storage tub/ bucket of water or a play pool.
- Sliced citrus.
- Optional: tongs, scoops, colanders or sieves
Step-by-step instructions
- Fill your container with water and place it outside on a nice patch of grass.
- Cut the citrus into thick slices, leaving the peel on so that they’re easy to pick up.
- Place the fruit into the tub.
Remember to supervise kids closely at all times around water! Handy tip – if your kids are sitting in the water have a drying area ready with a towel and fresh clothes ready to go. Also, remember to stay sun-smart when outdoors.
Lifelong citrus lovers
Letting our kids make messes amid our already messy lives isn’t always the easiest thing to do. As we embrace these experiences, our home transforms into a space where our children feel empowered to think, create, and explore new horizons with confidence. Citrus fruits inspire a variety of creative and engaging activities for children. Let’s encourage lifelong lovers of citrus!
At Dracula Citrus™ we take the best citrus from the top-growing regions around Australia and bring them together under one roof. That’s how we get the best variety and quality citrus with the sweetest flavour. Look out for Dracula Citrus™ in your local supermarket.