We asked talented Development Chef Jethro Lawrence to create a range of pairings for our Abondance PDO. It’s a raw cow’s milk cheese traditionally enjoyed in the Savoie mountains – but Chef Jethro has brought a distinctly British approach to the table, pairing this French beauty with fresh, foraged, and proudly British produce! Stay tuned for his exciting culinary content, featuring some of our finest artisan cheeses.
This loaf is a rich, savoury-sweet bread packed with warm, rustic flavours. It combines the nutty, buttery taste of Abondance cheese with the natural sweetness of apples, the earthy crunch of walnuts, and a drizzle of honey for a touch of floral sweetness.
Pairing the loaf with more Abondance cheese creates a double layered cheese experience.
The sweetness from the apples and honey balances the salty, savoury of the cheese.
The loaf's hearty flavours are a perfect match for the Alpine cheese, reflecting its mountainous heritage and robust, earthy notes.
The sweet chestnut pate is a rich, velvety, and complex spread that combines the natural sweetness and creaminess of chestnuts with deep umami flavours.
The addition of red wine and brandy introduces fruity, boozy warmth, whilst the dashi stock and red miso bring savoury depth and a hint of salinity. The result is an intensely flavourful pate with a balance of sweet, earthy, and umami tones, perfect for pairing with Abondance cheese.
The sweet and nutty richness of the chestnut pate beautifully contrasts with the buttery, nutty notes of Abondance.
The Umami-packed miso and dashi mirror the savoury, earthy undertones of the cheese.
Abondance, whilst complex, has a clean and balanced flavour profile that allows the paté’s bold and layered flavours to shine without overwhelming.
The paté’s hint of sweetness from the chestnuts and the fruity warmth from the wine and brandy enhance the cheeses natural sweetness and floral notes. While the savoury miso and dashi highlight the cheeses nutty and salty finish.
This pairing for Abondance PDO is a piquant and earthy grey oyster mushroom pickle. This rich and refreshing pickle provides just the right balance of flavours to contrast with our savoury Abondance PDO. Full recipe below.
Oyster mushrooms are super versatile and can be foraged all year around. A few years ago, I found a giant fallen Beech tree that fruits grey oyster mushrooms in all four seasons of the year.
Pickled oyster mushrooms are meaty, tangy and Umami packed. The pickling process really enhances their natural earthiness and adds a sharp, zesty kick and a slightly firm texture.
The deep, earthy and Umami notes of the pickled oyster mushrooms harmonise with the nutty, buttery flavours of the Abondance cheese. A layered flavour profile that is rich and refreshing.
The tanginess of the pickling liquor cuts through the creamy richness of the cheese, adding a sharp contrast that enhances the cheeses savoury characteristics, without overpowering it.
This beautiful seasonal recipe from Chef Jethro provides a sweet and tangy pairing for our nutty Abondance PDO cheese. You’ll find the full recipe below!
It’s quite late for rosehips but if you are lucky enough to find them in winter, they have a lovely sweetness after the frosts. This jelly is sweet, tangy and slightly floral, made from the fruit of wild roses and apples. I was hoping to use crab apples but the birds and cold weather we have had, has stripped the trees.
Its unique flavour comes from the tartness of cooking apples and the delicate, slightly citrusy and floral notes of rosehips.
The sweetness of the jelly contrasts beautifully with the nutty, savoury and slightly salty flavour of the Abondance cheese. The tangy undertone complements the cheeses buttery richness. Texturally, the smooth, silky jelly provides a great contrast to the semi-hard, creamy texture of the cheese.
