Match of the week

Cider and Camembert

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on July 23 2012 at 15:53

I know we always think in terms of wine and cheese but sometimes other drinks can be just as good, if not better. Like this week’s pairing of medium-dry cidre traditionnel and Camembert I came across at a simple roadside restaurant just north of Domfront in Normandy.

You could tell it was worth stopping by the number of cars that were lined up outside and the fact that the local postman and dustmen had come in for their lunch.

It was nothing remarkable - just honest, home-cooked food - a plate of salade de museau and céléri rémoulade, hachis parmentier and salad and a generous selection of cheese and fresh fruit with cider thrown in - all for the amazingly cheap price of 11 euros (just over $13 or £8.50)

Camembert is the local cheese in that part of the world and cider the local drink* so it was an obvious ‘terroir’ based match but none the worse for that. It was also excellent with the museau (a kind of sausage made out of pig's snout or muzzle. Nicer than it sounds.)

It’s easy to forget if you live outside an area that produces cider what a good - and incredibly inexpensive - match it is for all kinds of food. Much better to drink good cider than bad wine!

*This one came from Chais Briouzains in Briouze

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