Cheese with Gin Martinis 
 

First off, it’s gotta be gin, not vodka. I like either a heavy dash of olive juice like my grandpa used to drink, or a super botanical, floral gin. In the case of dirty martinis, the additional salt and green fruitiness beg for a stoic, rustic cheese.

Aged sheep cheeses are brilliant here. Sheep milk has substantial fat to offset the alcohol; when aged the flavors are straightforward, “cheesy,” even smoky. Look for Pecorino, Ossau Iraty, Many Fold Farm, Bellwether Farm or Manchego. 

With the flowery gin I reach for aged goat cheeses. Totally unlike the fresh styles, these are herbaceous, grassy and floral, complementing the drink. In the aged goat world, try Garrotxa, Consider Bardwell Farm Manchester, or British cheeses like Ticklemore.