A wine pairing recipe for picnics and grazing boards

Dried cherries are a favorite accompaniment to cheese boards. But why serve ordinary cherries when you can transform them into something sensual with hints of wine and savory herbs with less than five minutes of effort? These wine-marinated cherries are sure to be the hit of your grazing board, especially when they’re served with a wedge of white cheddar.

Why this is a recipe for romance

Although some studies show that the scent of cherries is not favored by women, the general consensus on cherries is that these crimson fruits are aphrodisiacs. Sweet, with the faintest tart bite, cherries can make a wonderful companion to many foods, not to mention wine. Here, cookbook author Jill Silverman Hough presents wine-marinated cherries as an accompaniment to medium-sharp cheddar cheese.

The recipe comes from her book, 100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love. As the book’s title implies, this is a recipe designed for pairing with wine. Cherries and red wine are among our favorite aphrodisiacs. (In fact, our Editor-in-Chief, aphrodisiac foods expert Amy Reiley refers to cherry as the food world’s sex symbol.) With all this in mind, we feel this recipe will make a surefire gateway to romance.

You can make these marinated cherries in advance

The recipe is one of built-in simplicity. You just make the wine-soaked cherries a few days in advance and head to a cheesemonger for a quality slab of white cheddar. Then pack yourself a picnic or pencil in a little afternoon delight at home.

Pair this cherry recipe with red wine

As we mentioned, this recipe comes from a wine-pairing cookbook. Silverman calls for soaking the cherries in Merlot and recommends serving the same wine as a pairing for this marinated cherry dish for the best pairing experience. Enjoy!

White Cheddar with Wine-Soaked Cherries and Herbs

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This is an incredible—and an incredibly easy—dish, one that beautifully dresses up a familiar and easily accessible cheese. Serve it at a party or a picnic, or as an afternoon snack with your favorite bottle of Merlot. The cherries need a couple of days to soak, though, so remember to prepare them in advance.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Seasonal autumn, Christmas, Easter, New Year's Eve, summer

Ingredient Cheddar Cheese, Dried Cherries

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Author Jill Silverman Hough

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup Merlot or other dry red wine
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp herbes de Provence see below
• 1/4 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 2/3 cup dried Bing or other sweet not tart dried cherries, coarsely chopped
• 8 oz medium-sharp white Cheddar cheese
• Whole wheat crackers for serving

Instructions

• In a medium glass or stain-resistant plastic container, combine the wine, olive oil, vinegar, herbes de Provence, and salt, whisking to dissolve the salt.
• Add the cherries, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 days, stirring occasionally. (You can refrigerate the cherry mixture for up to a week, stirring occasionally.)

To serve:

• Place the cheese on a platter and let it and the cherry mixture come to room temperature. Spoon the cherry mixture over and around the cheese.
• Serve with the crackers on the side.

Notes

Note: Herbes de Provence is a wonderful mixture of dried herbs evocative of southern France. Most blends include basil, rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme, and lavender. Herbes de Provence is available in the spice section of most major supermarkets and specialty food stores. It’s often packaged in a small clay crock. Besides using it in this recipe, you can use Herbes de Provence sprinkled on roasting poultry, pork, and lamb and stirred into a summer tomato pasta.

Love this recipe? Get Jill Silverman Hough’s wine pairing book: