Our Beaufort PDO is an iconic alpine cheese known for its balanced flavour that’s both strong and smooth. Chef Jethro Lawrence has created pairings for it using a range of fresh and wild British produce! Follow us on Sodiaal UK Instagram for more innovative ways to enjoy our authentically crafted French cheeses.
The scarlet elfcup displays bright red cups with short stems. It can be seen in late winter and early spring on fallen twigs and branches (often Hazel, Elm and Willow), usually buried under moss. It is reasonably widespread, but not very common.
Foraging in February is limited as nature is preparing for the boom of spring. These scarlet elfcups can be found on hazel, elm or willow trees, usually buried under moss. They are super easy to spot with their bright red colour. Flavour-wise they are subtle and earthy with a real beetroot taste, so it makes perfect sense to sweet pickle them. When you pick them, they often release their spores which looks like a puff of smoke.
Pickling adds a tangy floral sweetness, the aromats bring a warm note. Elfcups hold moisture like most mushrooms, so when pickled they plump up with a tender bite.
Sweet pickled scarlet elfcups marry well with the Beaufort cheese, it creates a dynamic balance of flavours and textures that enhance each other.
The pickling brine’s sweetness and acidity cut through Beaufort’s creamy, nutty depth.
The slight fruitiness of the mushrooms, especially with a hint of honey or floral sweetness, complements the subtle caramelised notes in the cheese.
Ingredients
1 Egg yolk
Bake at 170c Fan oven for 15-20 minutes.
Beaufort cheese and wild garlic scones have a rich, savoury, and aromatic flavour.
The Beaufort melts into the scone, giving it a creamy mouthfeel while adding a deep, nutty richness.
The Young Wild garlic brings a bright, allium sharpness, less intense than older wild garlic but still packing a fresh, slightly spicy kick.
When baked I found it packed a real cheese and onion type hit.
As I stated in my January notes featuring the Abondance cheese, sometimes the best pairing for a cheese is another cheese-based accompaniment. And as Beaufort cooks so well, the baked scone eaten with a good slice of Beaufort cheese works an absolute treat!
The wild garlic’s fresh, herbal qualities contrast with the richness of the cheese, creating a harmony between the savoury elements. The garlic also has a milder, more delicate taste, almost onion like when baked, allowing the cheese to shine through while still offering that garlicky kick.
The crumbly texture of the scone contrasts with the creamy, slightly firm texture of the Beaufort. The cheese melts slightly into the scone dough, enhancing the overall softness while adding little pockets of gooey, savoury cheese.
Springtime freshness, mixed with alpine, floral qualities with a hint of mountain.
I couldn’t hold back on using wild garlic, the young shoots are slightly sweeter and less punchy, but still delicious. This herbaceous pesto is almost luminous with green goodness. The Beaufort brings a tangy creaminess adding depth along with a good hit of cheesy seasoning. The toasted pine nuts really enhance the natural nuttiness from the cheese. Young wild garlic shoots deliver a punchy, fresh and slight garlicky heat. The young nettles add an earthy mineral rich, spinach like sweetness. And the Dandelion levels it all off with a hint of bitterness balancing the richness and adding a subtle peppery, almost chicory-like bite.
This herbaceous pesto works beautifully with Beaufort cheese because of the way the cheese’s rich, nutty, and slightly sweet profile balances the bold, wild greens.
Since Beaufort comes from mountain pastures, it has floral and grassy notes that naturally align with the wild elements of the pesto. There is a saying that what grows together, goes together! And I believe this applies here.
This is a combination I like a lot! Douglas fir and apple membrillo has a fascinating balance of flavours. The apple brings natural sweetness and acidity, and once cooked down to an almost caramelised consistency brings honeyed notes. The Douglas fir pine needles add an earthy, herbal quality, similar to a light menthol eucalyptus feel, it’s a real woodsy spice.
The texture is a grainy jelly with a slight chew due to the natural pectin in the fruit, not dissimilar to a pate de fruit.
I personally found this beautiful Beaufort cheese has a deep richness with nutty and slightly caramelised notes, and it leaves a lovely tang in the side of the mouth. The membrillo, with its natural apple sweetness, contrasts beautifully with this savoury flavour.
The Douglas fir element brings a citrusy, herbal freshness that cuts through Beaufort’s creaminess, preventing it from feeling too heavy. The piney notes also highlight the grassy, floral qualities of the cheese.
Beaufort has subtle alpine flavours, hints of hay, wildflowers, and hazelnuts—which resonate with the resinous, woodsy aroma of Douglas fir. The membrillo acts as a bridge, tying the earthy and bright elements together.
