Fine Cheese & Charcuterie February 2014

The Case for a Good Cracker

I am a lover of good bread. James and I were just commenting during our recent trip to Germany about how good the bread is in that country, and we agree that it may be the best in Europe. Even better yet, fresh bread and cheese are usually part of the German breakfast buffet offerings (along with some great wurst and Black Forest ham, of course), making it nearly impossible to leave the country without carrying a few extra pounds. For certain types of cheese, I believe bread is the perfect accompaniment, provided that it’s fresh. The problem is that bread never stays fresh for long, which is why I consider crackers such a necessity for the cheese lover’s pantry. Crackers can also introduce flavors not typically found in fresh breads that can enhance the flavor of various cheeses. One of my favorite examples of matches made in heaven is Roquefort paired with Carr’s Whole Wheat Crackers. Roquefort by itself can be a little powerful for the uninitiated cheese consumer. But introduce this wheat cracker dusted with a sprinkling of sugar and the sweetness of the cracker can take some of the sharpness away from the Roquefort while leaving the mellow wheat flavor to perfectly complement the subtle creaminess of the cheese. There are many more combinations such as this that can completely transform the cheese-tasting experience. I bet if you employed me as your cracker ambassador, I could sell a variety of crackers with every cheese that left the store.  The key, of course, is having enough variety to match your cheese offerings. Crackers should not be seen as a bland delivery mechanism for cheese, but as a complementary flavor companion, which means just a few varieties will not do the category justice.

Fortunately for Americans, it seems that the variety of crackers has grown exponentially as have the cheese offerings in this country. In addition to the old standby Carr’s assortment, there has been a recent proliferation of artisan biscuits and flatbreads of every size, shape and flavor that you can imagine. Chances are there are several good pairings for just about every variety of cheese. And there is no reason not to stock up on a broad variety of crackers since they can be stored to be enjoyed on another occasion, unlike fresh bread that eventually has to be discarded if not consumed in short order. Furthermore, many of these crackers are now full of healthy ingredients that can add to the nutritional value along with great taste.

It seems that pairing condiments with cheese has been the hot trend recently for enhancing the enjoyment of cheese. I think that the new batch of artisan crackers deserves to share the spotlight as an integral accessory to the perfect cheese plate. In this issue, we introduce you to some of the innovative products that can be found in the cracker category, page 11. We hope that we can inspire you to grow your assortment and offer a greater variety of choices to make it more likely that your customers find a flavor match that keeps them coming back for more.

After all, as I always say ... it’s all about the presentation! Crackers can hold the key to unlocking an enjoyable flavor experience that differs from consuming cheese on its own. While some cheeses are regularly consumed on their own, I think other varieties are destined to find a flavor companion, such as can be found in a cracker accompaniment, to lead to an enjoyable cheese experience.

David Spencer
Publisher, Gourmet Business 

President, HousewaresDirect, Inc. 

dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com