I would like it explained to me in writing
what’s so great about apple butter.– Tina Fey, Bossypants

I’ve been searching for the answer to this ever since I first read Tina’s memoire, Bossypants.
Surely, it’s not as good as real butter. Nothing is. It’s basically just grown up apple sauce. What’s the point? It wasn’t until I first smeared a small chunk of cheddar with the stuff that I discovered the answer.

So here you go, Tina: apple butter, which is result of boiling the souls of many apples with harvest spices, is fantastic with cheese. The soft, velvety texture cloaks your palate in sweet, spicy autumnal flavors, cradling all hunks of cheese from creamy and funky to salty and crumbly.

A good apple butter will truly enhance nearly any cheese, like the accoutrement version of a sexy halloween costume. I recommend making it yourself. It’s pretty easy and you can choose your own spices. Here are a couple of my favorite pairings to tease you before you go play yourself.

Camembert from Normandy

Normandy is famous for their apples and their funky camembert. They’re a classic pairing, especially in the form of hard cider. Apple butter’s sweet tartness brightens the rich cheese and calms its intensity. I prefer a mild, lightly spiced butter for this one.

Oma from Jasper Hill Farm

If washed rind cheeses like Oma are too intense for you, try them with apple butter. It softens that savory blow while enhancing the cheese’s natural meatiness. Think about how well pork and apples go together. It’s kind of like that. I especially like Oma with apple butter because she’s so rich and custardy.

Aged Mimolette

Mimolette is kind of like a French gouda, particularly when aged. It’s a little crunchy and has rich toffee notes that bring to mind caramel apples, especially with a little apple butter. Try it with some toasted pecans for the full effect.

SarVecchio from Sartori

You know how peanut butter and apples are sooo good together? This Wisconsin parmesan style is lush with nutty notes and has a very similar effect on the apple butter. Also lovely with a crumbly Wisconsin cheddar.

Bleu d’Auvergne

French blues are usually very creamy with a nice kick, especially Bleu d’Auvergne. The contrast of salty blue and sweet apple is straight transcendent.  Highly recommend pairing this one with a crunchy cookie and a hot cup of coffee.