The best pairings for sweet oloroso and PX sherry

Sherry gets a bad rap for being granny’s tipple of choice but if you’ve never tried an authentic Spanish style sweet sherry you haven’t lived.

There are two main kinds: sweet olorosos (though no longer officially referred to as that) which are aged without a protective layer of flor (yeast) and which I always think taste like liquid Christmas pudding and intensely treacley PX which is made from raisined pedro ximenez grapes. And cheaper cream sherries which are sweetened olorosos.

They are, of course, delicious to sip on their own but here’s some suggested pairings

Sweet oloroso and dark cream sherries

Blue cheese such as Stilton, Dorset Blue Vinney, Gorgonzola and Cabrales, especially with grilled figs

Mature Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan) or Grana Padano

Mature sheeps cheeses such as Manchego

Mince pies

Eccles cakes

Panforte

Stollen

Christmas cake

Turron (Spanish nougat)

Dried fruits such as figs, raisins and dates

Nuts, especially brazil nuts

Pecan pie and walnut tarts

Pumpkin pie

Tiramisu

Chocolate creme brulée

Chocolate chip cookies

Coffee-flavoured cakes and desserts

Barbados cream/muscovado cream (see Nigella recipe here)

Caramelised banana desserts such as banana tatin

Millionaire's shortbread (shortbread with a toffee and chocolate topping)

Bitter orange- and marmalade-flavoured cakes

Gingerbread

Game terrine (I’d generally go for a drier sherry but it can work as you can see here)

Foie gras, if you eat it.

PX sherry

Ice cream especially vanilla, rum and raisin, brown bread and salted caramel ice cream (poured over as well as drunk with)

Dark chocolate

Chocolate brownies

Chocolate sorbet as in this delicious dessert

Intense, dark chocolate tarts

 

More food and sherry matches:

• The best food pairings for dry oloroso sherry
• The best food pairings for amontillado and palo cortado
• The best food pairings for fino and manzanilla sherry

 

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