Beer and cheese. A match made in heaven!

I'm guessing that when most people think of doing a cheese tasting, their assumption is that the drink to match it with is wine. While you will seldom hear me say that wine isn't a perfect pairing for just about anything in the culinary world, I was pleasantly surprised the other night when our friends brought over a variety of beer to try with cheese instead. Wow! It was so good!

I gather you would typically choose the cheese first then match the drinks accordingly, but on a recent road trip to the U.S., our friends bought a variety pack of Samuel Adams so the beer was decided on first. The cheese guys were then able to help select six different cheeses based on the types of beer we were drinking.

What a treat! And such a great party idea. It's unexpected and really gets people chatting. Plus, it seems a bit less stuffy than a wine and cheese party! Give it a try if you want a yummy appie at your next dinner party. The only warning I give is that with all that cheese and beer, most people were pretty full by the time dinner was ready. Consider yourself warned, but good luck holding back!