A national study by household dairy brand, Primula, has revealed that the people of Belfast enjoy perhaps the most unusual food combinations and quirky cheese pairings across the UK.

Move over cheese and wine! Stats reveal that Belfast’s guilty snacking pleasures include cheese dunked in honey, enjoyed regularly by 1 in 10 locals, and other quirky combos like cheesy pancakes (one in five), and a slice of cheese atop their fruit cake (1 in 10) making the list.

It seems that Belfast isn’t afraid to get creative in the kitchen, with almost 90% of people admitting to frequently experimenting with their cooking, the highest of any city surveyed in the UK.

These unapologetically quirky combinations reflect Belfast’s adventurous palate – the more bizarre the better!

placeholder image — Cheesy pancakes were found to be one of Belfast's guilty pleasures

There’s something to be said for the classics though, with over ½ of residents listing cheese as the most popular ingredient when creating their ‘ultimate’ sandwich, followed closely by chicken (55%) and egg (36%).

Lisa Thornton, Head of Marketing at Kavli, owners of Primula, added: "At Primula, we're thrilled to continue celebrating our centenary by embracing the brilliance and uniqueness of British cuisine. Our ‘Don't Ask Why, Just Try’ campaign aims to inspire everyone to discover and enjoy unexpected flavour combinations, encouraging the amateur chefs in all of us to try new and unique pairings."

Following the findings, Primula has partnered with Ian Haste to create a quirky cookbook, featuring the nation’s most unconventional food pairings - free to download for those who love to experiment in the kitchen, as well as the amateur chefs among us seeking a bit of inspiration!

Ian Haste said: “Bringing to life some of nation’s most quirky guilty food pleasures has been refreshing. With so much pressure put on us on what we should be eating and why, it’s easy to become obsessed with making sure we fit in with the status quo.

“For me, the joy of cooking (and eating) comes from experimenting with different flavour combinations – the weirder the better - and I’m excited to bring the Primula ‘Don’t Ask, Just Try’ cookbook to the nation, in a bid to encourage us to get creative in the kitchen!”

Primula is committed to giving back to its communities, donating all profits to charities and good causes. Earlier this year, the company launched a national radio campaign, donating £25,000 to five nominated charities.

For further information on the campaign and to download the recipe cookbook, visit: Cookbook | Primula