We've been pioneers of cheese and chocolate pairing for years.  In our opinion, cheese and chocolate are the perfect pair.  Both cheese and chocolate are dynamic in texture, flavor, and aroma.  Dark chocolate brings out the fruity, nutty characteristics in cheese while cheese's lactic and creamy qualities are an incredible pair for chocolate ganache.

Since the beginning, our partner in chocolate has been Milène Jardine Chocolatier. Based in Long Island City, Milène and Cheese Grotto have curated numerous in-person and virtual cheese and chocolate pairing events.  Milène's chocolate line is incredible for cheese pairings: her line of dark chocolate bar infused with natural flavors such as pistachio, toasted coconut, and kaffir lime leaf make for an incredibly dynamic tasting experience.

This Valentine's Day, we recommend exploring our unique cheese & chocolate offerings.  Whether it's for a date-night in, or a Galentine's Day gathering, we've got your covered.

Our Limited-Edition Milène Jardine Chocolate Truffle with Cheese-Infused Ganache

Yes, you read that right.  For Valentine's Day, we've collaborated with our longtime chocolatier friend Milène Jardine to develop a chocolate truffle with the ganache infused with Reading Raclette cheese.  We often pair Spring Brook Farm's Reading Raclette with chocolates in our tasting flights, and the natural meltability of the Reading makes it the perfect compliment to the creamy chocolate ganache interior.  The Reading cheese is melted down into the cream used for making the chocolate ganache interior.  It adds an incredible savory, umami characteristic to the chocolate ganache.  The chocolate shell is finished with a Citrus Bourbon Sea Salt (gluten-free) to brighten the complimentary cheese addition even more.  This is a must-have that won't be around for long as truffles are delicate and should be enjoyed within two weeks.

Two chocolate truffles are included in both our Valentine's Day Gift Box and our February Gift Subscription (when you add pairings to your order).  And for everyone who signs up for our Monthly Gift Subscription, even if you don't opt for pairings, you'll receive 1 chocolate truffle for free!

Just be sure to order by Thursday, February 2nd for the gifts to arrive before February 14th.

What's Inside Our Valentine's Cheese & Chocolate Pairing Gift Box

If you're looking for a one-time, stunning gift experience for your loved one, look no further than our beautiful gift box filled with a tasting flight of 3 American artisan cheeses, 1 box of Olina's wafer crackers, 3 different Milène Jardine chocolate bars, and 2 Custom Cheese-Infused Chocolate Truffles.  The box comes complete with a printed tasting menu so you can walk through the flight together in the recommended sequence and know which type of wines to grab to pair with.  This box is perfect for a date night-in, or as an after-dinner experience.  

Here's our recommended tasting flight sequence below:

• Two Redhead Creamery Mini Heart Brie, 4oz: Pairs with Milène Jardine Chocolatier 70% Dark Chocolate, 3oz

• Spring Brook Farm Reading Raclette, 8oz: Pairs with Milène Jardine Chocolatier 70% Pistachio Dark Chocolate, 3oz

• Deer Creek Cheese The Stag Clothbound Cheddar, 6oz: Pairs with Milène Jardine Chocolatier 70% Toasted Coconut & Kaffir Lime Leaf Dark Chocolate, 3oz

• Two Milène Jardine Chocolatier truffles with ganache infused with Reading Raclette cheese, made exclusively for Cheese Grotto

• Olina's Crackers, 3.5 oz

Take the Gift One Step Further with 3 Months of Cheese and Pairings

If the above gift box sounds enticing, but you'd like to show even more love this year, consider gifting 3 Months of Cheese.  The first month will feature the same selection as the gift box (if you add pairings to your subscription order), but we'll give you an even bigger box of Firehook Rosemary crackers instead of Olina's wafers. The cheesy love will continue on into March and April.  

Love Your Cheese for a Lifetime by Storing and Serving It With Care

Our Grotto storage line is also an excellent serving piece for your Valentine's Day cheeseboard.  Plate the entire board in the Grotto and keep the whole board protected and ready to serve with the sliding trays.   

Have you paired cheese and chocolate before?  Let us know in the comments.