A perfect Cornish ploughman’s lunch

Bread should be hearty, sturdy and cut thick. A lovely cool sourdough would be excellent, but pairing the bread with the other ploughman’s components is even better. This Bacon, onion and cheddar flatbread matches with all the basic components of a ploughman’s, or go for a beer pairing with this Ale bread. Although this may invoke a howl of outrage from traditionalists, there’s room for a savoury scone on a Cornish ploughman’s. Nathan Outlaw does a lovely Cheddar scone with pickled celery, which sounds just about perfect with the flavours of a ploughman’s.

Baked, thick-cut ham is seen on a ploughman’s almost as frequently as cheddar. Some kind of rough pork terrine is also a popular choice. Meat pies – a speciality of Cornwall – are often found on a ploughman’s in some form or another and scotch eggs are another common addition. On your ploughman’s, keep things classic by including a few slices of Honey mustard glazed ham, some Ham hock terrine or a Quail scotch egg.

Although not strictly traditional, venison is a speciality of the region. Wild Cornish venison, delicately flavoured as the animal grazes on the flora of ancient moors and woodlands, lives and dies on Cornwall’s famous Bodmin Moor. Venison even shares flavour compounds with cheddar, particularly the stronger cheeses, making it a flavour match as well as a regional pairing. Consider the addition of Venison salami or go for a rustic Raised game pie with venison to showcase these wild flavours.

As today’s ploughman’s recommendations are focused on Cornwall, it would seem remiss not to include some kind of meaty fish. A little smoked fish, flaked onto the plate, makes a good replacement for the ham, or try these Smoked mackerel scotch eggs if you’re going all out. Cherry wood, pear wood and apple wood smoke flavours work best with a strong cheddar.

Freshness, colour and textural contrast are in the hands of fruit and vegetables on a ploughman’s. A whole apple is the most rustic, visually appealing choice, which pairs beautifully with Davidstow cheddar. Keep with the Cornish theme by choosing a variety particular to the region – Cornish Aromatic or Sweet Merlin would both make elegant, romantically named choices.

Fresh tomatoes offer acidity and crunch, or if you are including ham on your ploughman’s, this Root vegetable coleslaw would go well. A handful of interesting mixed salad leaves make a pleasingly crunchy bed to nestle your scotch egg on; if you’re open to a little forage, common hedgerow finds in Cornwall include sorrel, hedge garlic, dandelion, ramsons, chickweed and alexanders.

Some kind of pickled vegetable is also a must. Malt vinegar pickled onions are the classic choice for a ploughman’s, but many find their sharpness overwhelming. The flavours of the cheddar are lifted better with just a touch of piquancy, so a more delicate pickle, like these Sweet beer-pickled onions, works well. If you’re looking for bite with a more spreadable consistency, try a tart Gooseberry chutney or this sweet Onion and marmalade chutney.

A pint of beer is almost essential with a ploughman’s. Almost, only because there’s definitely a place for cider to accompany the cheddar, pork and crunchy apple. Although cider doesn’t have a long tradition in Cornwall as the growing conditions are not optimal for this fruit, newer cider farms such as Cornish Orchards and Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm are having success with specialist cider apple varieties. Choose a full flavoured medium or medium-dry cider for the best match with cheddar.

But beer is certainly the classic choice. Earthy, fruity, flavourful brews go fantastically with the deeply savoury cheddar, yeasty bread and the umami meats and fish. Cornwall boasts many quality breweries – St. Austell, Sharp’s and Skinner’s being the most popular. A hoppy, bitter IPA can help to cleanse your palate between cheesy bites, or a malty brown ale with a touch of caramel sweetness sets off the cheese beautifully.