Picnic Perfect

Much of the joy of summer comes from simple pleasures: pull out your trusty picnic blanket and lay out a Famous Five-worthy spread of warm crusty bread, soft cheeses, honeyed fruit and chilled drinks. With the right pairing, you can elevate cheese and drink to the next level.

A summer picnic should be a feast for the eyes. Use contrasting colours, textures and flavours to brighten up your spread. Radishes, figs, cherries and peppers make irresistible accompaniments to creamy cheese. If you take the cheese out of the fridge to bring it up to room temperature a couple of hours before you dive in, you’ll taste the flavours at their absolute best.

Wine may be a natural pairing, but cider and fruity soft drinks can be just as rewarding with the right combination. Devon’s award-winning Sharpham produces a range of artisan cheeses, which are handmade with milk made from its own Jersey cows, and using high-quality goat’s and ewe’s milk from neighbouring farms. Here, it has selected some of its delicious cheeses that marry well with some local drinks.