Cider, Cheese, and a Little Valentine’s Magic at City Orchard

City Orchard
2 days ago
3 min read

If your ideal Valentine’s Day involves great food, good drinks, and learning a little something along the way, consider this your official plan.

On Friday, February 14 from 6:30–7:30 PM, we’re hosting a Valentine’s Cider & Cheese Pairing at the City Orchard taproom. It’s a cozy, one-hour guided tasting designed for couples, friends, and anyone whose love language is “let’s share a board and talk about what we’re tasting.”

Purchase Tickets

What to Expect: 4 Ciders, 4 Cheeses, 1 Very Good Hour

During the event, you’ll taste your way through:

4 City Orchard ciders
4 artisan cheeses from Houston Dairymaids
Guided education from Patrick (City Orchard) and Adrianne (Curd Culture)

Each pairing is intentionally selected to show off how cider and cheese can highlight, balance, or contrast each other—think acidity meeting richness, fruity notes playing with nuttiness, and bubbles cutting through creamy textures.

You’ll not only enjoy the pairings in the moment, but you’ll also walk away with a better understanding of why they work, so you can recreate them on your own boards at home.

Meet Your Cheese Guide: Adrianne from Curd Culture

To make this tasting extra special, we’re teaming up with Adrianne from Curd Culture, a Houston-based cheese education and cheese board business.

Adrianne is an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional (yes, that’s a real certification—and a serious one) with over a decade of experience in the specialty food and cheese world. She’s a passionate “curd nerd” who loves making cheese education accessible, fun, and un-intimidating.

At the pairing, Adrianne will walk you through:

The styles and origins of each cheese
Texture and flavor notes to look for
Why each cheese was chosen for its cider partner

Think of it as a mini cheese class, built right into your date night.

Why Cider and Cheese Work So Well Together

Wine and cheese usually get all the attention, but cider is a natural fit on any board—especially when apples are doing the heavy lifting.

Here are a few reasons why cider and cheese make such a good match:

Acidity: Cider’s bright acidity can cut through rich, creamy cheeses and refresh your palate between bites.
Fruit character: Apple notes (and other fruit nuances) play beautifully with nutty, earthy, sharp, or even funky flavors in cheese.
Bubbles: Many ciders are lightly sparkling, which adds lift and keeps things from feeling too heavy.
Range of sweetness: From dry to off-dry to dessert-style, cider can slide into different roles on a board—aperitif, pairing, or even “dessert in a glass.”

During the tasting, you’ll see these ideas in action—glass by glass, bite by bite.

Designed for Date Night or Friend Night

This isn’t a stiff, formal tasting with lots of jargon. It’s relaxed, guided, and interactive.

The format is:

Seated, one-hour experience in the taproom
Hosted by Patrick and Adrianne, with time for questions
Educational enough for the food-and-drink nerds, easygoing enough for someone just there to enjoy a fun Valentine’s hangout

Bring your partner, your best friend, your favorite fellow cheese lover, or that person you know will absolutely have opinions about each pairing.