A few weeks ago, I got an email with the subject “Help needed with critical cheese research.”

You can imagine that it took less than 30 seconds before I responded with an enthusiastic yes, so quick in fact, that I’m sure it was bordering on socially awkward. The party was at Matt and Clare’s house, the makers of Quince and Apple jams. They had recently laid their hands on some Capriole Creamery cheeses and needed assistance—“assistance”—in pairing the luxurious cheeses with their line of preserves. I was first to arrive at the party.

I could dive into the details of how the cheese and the preserves were basically a match made in beautiful, beautiful heaven, but that would take too long. Instead, lets talk about mostarda, the sweet-and-spicy Italian condiment that I was introduced to at the party. Quince and Apple recently started producing one, and after I saw their behind-the-scenes photos including goggles and gas masks, I knew this was something I needed to share with you all.

Mostarda has that kind of heat that horseradish does—not spicy like a hot pepper but that sort of heat that stays in the front of your mouth. And because it’s made with pears, it has that unique sweet and spicy combination in a single bite, which I am completely in love with.

I tried their mostarda for the first time at their house. And then I had to have more.

And so, I’ve been figuring out what to pair it with. The short story is that it goes great with any salty, strong cheese. The longer story is that if you want a beautiful appetizer thats a twist on a traditional combo, pair it with cantaloupe and prosciutto. Sweet, salty, and a little spicy. You’ll see what I mean.

Learn more about Quince and Apple’s small batch process (and buy their preserves!).

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was compensated to create recipes for Quince & Apple. As always, I only work with products I use myself and all opinions are my own. Thanks for continuing to support Things I Made Today!