All cheeses contain some combination of milk, enzymes, bacteria, and salt, and as it ages, cheese loses some moisture, becoming firmer and slightly saltier. “Bite” is a fairly subjective descriptor, but in general, sharp cheddar cheese is tangy, acidic, and contains more bitter-tasting peptides than, for instance, mild cheddar. This matured “bite” makes sharp cheddar ideal for pairing with Buffalo Trace bourbon’s barrel char and biting spice.
Play up the natural smokiness of the bourbon and pair a glass of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with a bubbling tureen of sharp cheddar and chorizo queso dip (and, of course, tortilla chips). Or, for an unforgettable dinner party, you could put out trays of pesto and sharp cheddar stuffed mushrooms, sharp cheddar and spiced pear tartlets with fresh thyme, and French sharp cheddar gougères.
You could assemble an elaborate charcuterie spread with complementary snacks to make the Buffalo Trace pop, like cubed sharp cheddar, funky Soppressata, red apple slices, summer sausage, mortadella, cashews, seedy crackers, pickled peppers and olives, cream cheese, hot honey, and red pepper jelly. Sharp cheddar pimento cheese dip with garlic and smoked paprika would make a natural fit. Or, for an elevated entree, try making sharp cheddar-crusted chicken tenders with creamed corn and grilled asparagus. Want to stir up some lunch break envy? Lean into the bourbon’s sweet-smoky profile and pair your Buffalo Trace with a sharp cheddar grilled cheese sandwich with blackberry jam and crispy bacon.
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