Somerset

Drink

Port or a sweet dessert wineSugar and spirit against salt and mould — the oldest reliable rule in cheese pairing.

Driving

Sweet black teaWeight and sweetness without the alcohol.

Eat with

Walnut bread, honey or a ripe pearSweetness and nut against salt and mould — the same principle as the wine, on a plate.

Derived from the milk and the style of the cheese, not from local custom. A local will have opinions.

Exmoor Jersey Blue on Wikidata

Drink

Claret, or an English bitterAged cheddar has the tannin-friendly structure a Bordeaux wants; the bitter is the older pairing.

Driving

Strong builder's teaTannin against fat, which is exactly the red wine's job.

Eat with

Oatcakes, apple and a sharp chutneyThe ploughman's, essentially. Sharp fruit and vinegar against a dense fatty cheese.

A classic pairing — settled enough that it belongs to the region.

West Country Farmhouse Cheddar on Wikidata