It probably goes without saying, but bacon goes well with everything—especially cheese.

As promised, here’s cheese accompaniments part deux. This entry features a savory spread to give your crusty bread and cheese some spiciness and sweetness.

TOMATO BACON CHUTNEY

Blogger Rachael Hutchings of La Fuji Mama loves culture with a capital L-O-V-E, so she was enthusiastic when I asked her about using this delish chutney recipe. You can enjoy any cheese with this bacon chutney, but Rachael strongly recommends smoked goat cheddar—“Something that is creamy with a bit of tang to compliment the acidity of the tomatoes and smokiness of the bacon! It can be eaten on bread, with crackers, on a baked potato, or even to take a hot dog up a notch.”

Makes 3 ½ cups

Bread, cheese and wine—could there be any other perfect trinity for relaxing after work and rendezvousing with friends?

This DIY series is meandering a little off the beaten path and spotlighting cheese accompaniments, beginning with warm, wholesome, crusty bread.

But instead of fantasizing about munching on bread and cheese with a tall glass of wine, people tend to take on the frightened façade of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” when they hear “bread baking.” Yeast just has that effect on even the bravest little baker. Maybe it’s that scene from I Love Lucy we can’t get out of our heads, the one where our beloved and kooky red-haired heroine keeps adding flour to a ball of dough, and after baking it in the oven, out pops a ballpark-long sub.