Cheese is salty and rich, and a good pairing balances both. Something sweet balances the salt, which is why honey, fruit and jam work, and why a sweet wine like port is the classic match for salty blue cheese. Something acidic or fizzy cuts through the richness, which is why crisp whites, Champagne and fresh fruit go so well with creamy cheese.

That is also the idea behind the board rule of something sweet, something salty and something crunchy.

Related: Pairing cheese: how pairing works · How do you build a cheese board?