CHEESE
Stercus Tauri
Shipmate
in Heaven
A tangent in another department wandered into CHEESE, so perhaps it's time for an in-depth discussion again. As a somewhat failed vegetarian, CHEESE is a major part of my diet, and I am fussy about it. We have an excellent vendor at our farmer's market and some other good sources nearby. This being a religious website, I am happy to say I find Pont-l'Évêque (Bishop's Bridge) to be quite heavenly of taste, though smelling like a toilet needing to be cleaned. Recently, I was curious about some stuff called "brick cheese" that turned out to be almost tasteless and having the consistency of plumber's putty, fit only for grilling - never again. I have a large piece of Stilton waiting for an evening when I am in the mood for opening the Lagavulin, and fortunately, that could be months away, so all it can do is keep improving. Another recent discovery was the locally made and oddly named Borgonzola that has to be carefully controlled, owing to the possibility of developing an addiction.
Any other favourites, oddities, recommendations, condemnations?
Any other favourites, oddities, recommendations, condemnations?
Comments
The Mousetrap in Hereford is a brilliant cheese shop. We usually go to Hereford about every 6 weeks or so, and it’s one of our usual stops. It’s got that I am recognised by the manager, and she knows what I’ll ask for.
ETA we have actual fondue from time to time, notably on Boxing Day when all you want is bread and cheese.
My current favourites are Wyfe of Bath, Greens of Glastonbury's smoked farmhouse cheddar, Thelma's Caerffili, Colston Bassett Stilton and Perl Wen. Abel and Cole do a fantastic range of good cheeses that are delivered with the veg box.
Many moons ago, when I was admin on a parenting board, I used to organise the autumn cheese swap. We'd send each other £12 worth of cheese - fantastic way to sample local delicacies.
Another is Testun di Barolo, a piedmontese raw sheep's milk cheese. It's wrapped in grape must (hence the name). Hard, complex salt vs grape.
Lastly, Roaring 40s - an Australian cow's milk cheese. It's a great dessert cheese - unapologetically a blue flavour profile, but creamy and a sweet note.
Pass the port, please.
If you want excellent Stilton, Melton Mowbray market has the best I've ever tasted, sold in huge wedges. And at lunch in an Italian restaurant there I discovered scamorza.
Nearly forty years ago, when I lived in Nottingham, husband same friend and I went on an evening cycle ride in search of stilton. I can't remember if we found any, but we had a wonderful time cycling to the pubs round Colston Bassett and Cropwell Bishop.
An even more impressive fact for parties is that the village of Stilton has recently challenged that claim, alleging that it's found evidence that an 'oldest rustic' claimed he'd done so at the beginning of the eighteenth century.
Other good cheeses IMHO are Wensleydale, Lancashire and Derbyshire Sage. I agree with @Arethosemyfeet's verdict on quite a lot of 'artisanal' Cheddar. Though some of them do have a nice tang, being dry and crumbly rather takes away from the pleasure.
I do like a nice creamy and tangy Camembert. I hope they're still obtainable after the disaster that January 1st will be.
I too love cheese. The challenge I have is finding cheeses that are suitable for vegetarians as they are not always clearly labelled. I'm not sure I could choose a favourite but I regularly use parmesan-like, feta, goats, mozzarella, halloumi and good old cheddar in cooking and I love to eat blue cheese as well as to cook with it.
I liked mozzarella when I was in Sorrento the other year but I can't find anything comparable in the UK, even if I part company with far too much brass for it. I think the Italians are having a laugh and sending the rubbish stuff over with a fancy luxury label and price tag.
The kids are a hopeless case - Emmental is as adventurous as they get.
I’ve made my own cheese several times, mostly soft curd cheeses but also hard cheeses which I wrap in brined cotton and later dip in wax. I need a bigger house with a cool larder though.
I’ve also done Tudor re-enactment as a dairy mistress in a traditional dairy room - my wool kirtle (dress) still stinks of cheese and is unwearable when working in other areas of the manor. When I’m a midwife/spinster I wear a different non-smelly one.
That and bacon. Reading this, I realise that I need more cheese in my life ... Well more, different kinds of cheese. Except blue because it’s rank. (And allergies)
Just found a recipe for halloumi and will try that out.
They're from the Snowdonia Cheese company aren't they? I love the Ginger Spice variety and the Amber Mist (flavoured with whisky) .
We went out to the fromagerie this morning. We are back with what I now realise is an enormous bit of Beaufort, also some Salers and Saint Nectaire. My favourite establishment is on the rue du Commerce where the cheeses are matured but not excessively so. It's become fashionable here for high end cheesemongers to sell cheese that's very old and smelly, but I prefer it a bit younger when it still has a creamier texture. I much prefer 18 or 24 month old Comté to 36, for example.
I'm the only one in the house who will eat blue cheese, which is a shame as I do like it cooked into quiche or soup or whatever, but that's not always worth doing for one person.
On the whole I prefer most European blue cheeses (Danish Blue excepted) to Stilton.
Blasphemer!
Also a Comte fan here. I think the ones we see on this side of the pond are mostly on the youthful side.
You know Gorgonzola comes in Dolce and Piccante? (Rather as you have white and blue Stilton).
I have some gruyère in the fridge so am going to make a gougère soon, with peppers and courgette on the side (to balance the rather high cheese and butter content)
Strongly flavoured cheese like the blue varieties are best as condiments, like the way we use mustard or hot peppers.
What wine pairs with that?
I don't drink wine at lunch, only dinner. And I would be unlikely to have just a salad at dinner time.
But if you're hellbent, then probably Albariño, on account of the cheese and the vinaigrette.
Or perhaps I should be using something like Parmesan or Grana Padarno... Any thoughts?