If you’re like me, French fries are merely the delivery vehicle for ketchup — and boy do I love ketchup! Well, the same is true for crackers and bread — I only eat them with cheese because picking it up with my hands can get quite messy (well that and after I’ve licked my hands clean from the first bite, my friends usually frown upon me digging back in again).

Now don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing flavor combinations out there, like a walnut and sultana raisin bread with blue cheese, a seeded cracker with some fresh Chevre or even a good rye bread with a washed-rind cheese.

The challenge with that, though, is that the pairings usually have to be too specific, and so you end up with either a lot of different breads and crackers and not enough cheese, or some less-thanstellar taste combinations. And, since I’m the cheese buyer and less cheese is never an option, I typically opt for more neutral selections. My classic recommendation is always our rustic baguette found in the bakery, but the original croccantinis made by La Panzanella are another great choice as well. • Kaelynn Medbery, Specialty Cheese