After the merriment of the holidays, it’s natural to take a break and focus on wellness and feeling restored. But that doesn’t mean delicious cheese and tasty drinks are off the table.

We designed January’s monthly cheese and pairings subscription box to pair beautifully with nonalcoholic pairings, including hot chocolate and a curated flight of our favorite teas.

What’s in This Month’s Cheese Subscription Box?

Our January 2023 cheese subscription box is all about starting the new year off right. Whether you’re doing Dry January or not, these award-winning wedges from small-scale creameries in the Northeast U.S. will keep you cozy and rejuvenate your palate.

Still looking for something special to give the cheese lover in your life? Give a 3-month cheese subscription that kicks off 2023 with this special box!

January Cheeses

• Nancy’s Hudson Valley Camembert: A blend of sheep’s milk, cow’s milk, and cow’s cream makes this decadent round from Old Chatham Creamery in New York unique among bloomy rinds. Plush, pillowy, and complex, it’s incredible with a drizzle of lavender honey.
• Rupert Reserve: The team at Vermont’s Consider Bardwell sets aside exceptional wheels of Rupert, their toasty, buttery Alpine cheese made with raw cow’s milk, to age for a minimum of 12 months and further develop its flavors. Taste Rupert Reserve with Arbequina olives.
• Whitney: This smooth, velvety Alpine from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont took home the coveted Best in Show prize at 2022’s American Cheese Society competition, and with good reason. Its semi-soft texture and nutty, meaty notes make it an ideal substitute for raclette. Try it with sesame crisps and Marcona almonds. (Goat Rodeo's More Cowbell waxed rind cheese will be substituted for those who do not prefer funky cheeses.)

January Accompaniments

• Wild Lavender Honey: Aromatic with a hint of spice, Mitica’s floral, single-origin honey plays well with fresh and soft-ripened wheels as well as hard-aged cheeses like Rupert Reserve.
• Mitica Marcona Almonds: Mitica’s sweet Spanish almonds are peeled, fried, and salted the traditional way to create the ultimate nut for pairing with cheese.
• Arbequina Olives: Cured with just water and salt, these hand-harvested, small-batch olives from Dequmana offer buttery richness.
• Sesame Crisps: Thin, light, and crispy, these sesame-infused crackers from 34 Degrees are our go-to when entertaining with cheese.

What Nonalcoholic Drink Goes Well With Cheese?

Despite the emphasis on serving cheese with wine, beer, and spirits, there’s a whole world of zero-proof cheese pairings just waiting to be discovered. Here are some of our favorites.

Cheese and Tea Pairing

We had a blast dreaming up this flight of cheese and tea pairings that go beautifully with the cheeses in our January box. Use our recommendations below, or use our tea and cheese pairing guide to experiment with your own favorite tea varieties as you enjoy your cheese.

• Hibiscus Tea + Nancy’s Hudson Valley Camembert: Fruity and tangy hibiscus tea cuts through the richness of this lush bloomy, while its floral notes work beautifully with a dollop of lavender honey and a sesame crisp.
• Sencha + Rupert Reserve: Sencha’s vegetal, grassy qualities bring out the notes of fresh meadow we taste in Rupert Reserve. It’s great with the addition of buttery Marcona almonds and rich Arbequina olives.
• Lapsang Souchong + Whitney: Smoky and earthy, Lapsang Souchong matches the meaty, peanutty flavors in Jasper Hill’s big winner.

Cheese and Hot Chocolate Pairing

We dropped a wedge of Old Chatham’s mixed-milk Camembert into a steaming mug of hot chocolate and couldn’t believe how incredible this sweet-savory combo tasted. Check out our full guide to pairing cheese and hot chocolate.

Other Nonalcoholic Cheese Pairing Ideas

Looking for more Dry January cheese pairing inspo? Consult our guides to pairing nonalcoholic wine and beer with cheese and pairing cheese with mocktails and zero-proof spirits.

Make the Holiday Merry With a Cheese Subscription

The deadline to ship cheese gift boxes, Grottos, and other items to arrive before the holiday has passed, but you can still treat your loved one to a cheese subscription!

Purchase a 3-month cheese subscription that will start off with our January box, or treat that special someone to a full year of cheese with our immersive, experiential Meet the Makers Quarterly Subscription starting in March. Each gift subscription includes a year’s worth of free cheese paper with their first box!

What are your favorite zero-proof drinks to pair with cheese? Tag us @cheesegrotto on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and let us know!