The Truckle Cheese Co. asked us to review three of their chutneys and give our verdict so after receiving their samples, we sat down in the office to give them a try. It was an eclectic mix, and the six judges had varying degrees of chutney expertise from the “I eat it with everything” to the “not really a chutney person”. Armed with some popadoms rather than their cheese suggestions, we gave them a whirl and here’s what we thought. The scores were a little varied, ranging from fantastic to, it’s very sweet…

Chilli and Pineapple – 10/10

The undisputed champion. An excellent balance between sweetness of the pineapple with the punch of the chilli and other spices. There were no suggested improvements and this was unanimously the team’s favourite. It would be a delicious addition to any curry thali you were putting together or alongside a strong cheese. Their suggested serving is the Truckle Cheese Co’s range of cheeses and pâtés.

‘Hard to beat,’ were Stu’s words that gave voice to all our thoughts. 

Pear and Vanilla – 5/10

This chutney wasn’t popular due to it’s overriding sweetness and it lacked any real ‘umph’. The sweetness of the pear was too much for us, and the vanilla was lost within it. It’s similar to a classic pear sauce. One judge mentioned that using apple instead might have given it a bit more of an edge. However, it’s worth noting that it’s intended to be eaten with strong cheeses such as Blue Stilton, hot or cold meats, or sweet treats. We only had popadoms, so take the critical remarks with a pinch of salt (if that’s your preferred pairing). In particular, the judges noted it’d work well with pork or a slice of pie – probably not both together, though. 

Think apple sauce but with pears and you will have a good idea of what you’re going to get.

Plum, Lemongrass, Pink Peppercorn and Chilli – 7/10

Far and away the most sophisticated of the bunch and a solid addition to any chutney cabinet. Despite its plum base, everyone pointed to the lemongrass as its tastiest and strongest feature and it has a pleasing floral aroma. The pink peppercorn and chilli were certainly there, but the chutney was somewhat lacking in heat, so a little extra on this front wouldn’t have gone amiss.

In their own words, this one is ‘for the connoisseur’, and we agree.

So, there we have it – three varying chutneys both in flavour and overall impression. All were very palatable, but it was clear who took home the medals for bronze, silver and gold. Perhaps it was down to our shared personal tastes, but we were all drawn to the blend of hot and sweet that the chilli and pineapple got so right. Nonetheless, we really enjoyed giving them all a try, and we award top marks to The Truckle Cheese Co. for sending them our way.

NOTE: we were not paid for this review but the samples were sent to us free of charge. We have no other affiliation with the Truckle Cheese Company,