Foods that pair effortlessly with cider

April 17, 2023

How to pair cider with food

A nice, cold cider is super refreshing on a hot summer’s afternoon — but the great thing about cider is that it also makes a fantastic choice as we move into the season of cold weather and comfort foods.

Cider’s crisp sweetness makes it an ideal accompaniment to a wide variety of dishes. And, since the alcohol content in cider is significantly less than in wine, it can be a good option for midweek, home-cooked dinners as well as cosy weekends spent indoors.

Here are some of our favourite pairings of cider and food in the cooler months.

Cheese: Cider and cheese is a classic combination, but it helps to know which kinds of cheese pair best with which kinds of cider. Our New World or Zero ciders, for example, which are a sweeter style of cider, go well with the intense, salty flavour of blue cheese, while our West Country is a drier cider that makes a great partner for cheddar. Our Earthen Pear is delicious with goat’s cheese, brie or camembert. Of course, this applies to not just cheese platters, but any dish containing cheese — whether it’s a frittata, a soufflé, or cauliflower with cheese sauce.

Roast chicken: As a slightly milder meat, chicken balances cider well. While you could certainly drink a cider alongside a beef or lamb dish, chicken is less likely to overpower the delicate cider notes. Pear cider is usually a little lighter than apple cider, and our Earthen Pear is especially good with roast chicken.

Pork: There’s a reason why pork is often served with applesauce: the combination of pork and apple creates a winning flavour as the saltiness of pork complements the sweetness of apple. As the sweeter of our ciders, try New World or Zero with a charcuterie board, roast pork or bacon dish.

Pies: As the perfect salty, buttery dish, savoury pies are a brilliant match with cider. We suggest pairing a chicken or fish pie with any of our ciders for a satisfying winter meal.

Creamy pasta or risotto: Thanks to its acidity, cider is great at cutting through rich, creamy foods. Pastas such as carbonara or cheese and ricotta ravioli, or risotto featuring burnt butter and taleggio, are made even more delicious when served with a crisp cider. Try our West Country with these dishes.

Quiche: Seeing as quiche and cider have been popular in France for centuries, it makes sense that the two go together well. Again, it’s about the richness of the quiche being balanced by the acidity of the cider. Quiche featuring cheddar or salmon is delicious with our West Country cider, while bacon quiche pairs well with New World or Zero. Goat’s cheese quiche is great with our Earthen Pear.

Curries and casseroles: We might not immediately think of cider as being the right drink to enjoy alongside slightly spicy foods — but a sweet cider can balance the heat of curries or casseroles brimming with spices. Try our New World or Zero ciders with your next Thai green chicken curry or pork and leek hot pot.

Savoury crepes: France’s Brittany is the home of savoury buckwheat crepes (galettes) as well as cider — so it’s natural that the two go together. Brittany ciders typically have a bittersweet finish, and we recommend pairing savoury crepes with our New World cider.

Nachos: The cheesy richness of nachos is a dream beside the dryness of our West Country cider. Nachos with chicken, guacamole, sour cream and just a touch of salsa would be ideal here.

Apple pie: It may seem like a lot of apple, but apple pie and apple cider can make a great winter pairing. The sweetness of the pie is best complemented by a sweeter style of cider like our New World or Zero ciders. You could even mull your cider for an especially cosy night cap.