British Cheeses

[ron1863]

I like most cheeses apart from those really strong ones that you can still taste the day after eating them.

[ellie_w]

I love Lancashire and Cheshire cheese and also a chunk of Wensleydale with a piece of fruit cake - delicious

[Paul mabbott]

There are two serious British cheeses - Cheddar (no foreign alternatives allowed) and Stilton with, perhaps, Caerphily and Wensleydale for those with a sweeter tooth! I deplore the concept of "Somerset Brie" and other imitations - if I want Brie I would get the proper French stuff not some pale lookalike. The one 'unusual' British cheese that I go for in a big way is Blue Shropshire - rather combines the properties of Cheddar and Stilton.

[rlchew]

[quote=Paul mabbott;308201] .... I deplore the concept of "Somerset Brie" and other imitations ....QUOTE]

I have to say that I totally agree with you Paul.

I don't think we have Essex Emmental or Essex Edam yet but it is probably only a matter of time.

There are many special cheeses and often what makes them special is that they come from a very specific location or region.

Cambridgeshire Camembert or Gloucestershire Gouda anyone?

Richard

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by Stewy

Now where is that cheese????????????

Wow, that looks gorgeous and wld probably be fab even with nasty old dairylea triangles

I love stinking bishop, (as in wallace and gromit film), bought from Glastonbury deli. Also bought fab cheese in Bath called old wive's cheddar or something similar named which was fab

[Stewy]

It tastes even better than it looks galanthus!!

For some reason I have started taking a keen interest in making and baking my own bread, It's dead easy and everyone should try it!





Back to the cheese, has anyone had a go at making their own? I had a go at making some cream cheese and it was a total disaster but I think I might have another bash at it.

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Stewy

Back to the cheese, has anyone had a go at making their own? I had a go at making some cream cheese and it was a total disaster but I think I might have another bash at it.

We made cheese (for own consumption) quite a bit some time ago, the harder the cheese, the harder it was to get right. Libraries are a very good source of information.

[Stewy]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

We made cheese (for own consumption) quite a bit some time ago, the harder the cheese, the harder it was to get right. Libraries are a very good source of information.

As is the interweb, what type of cheese did you make Meta?

[cybershot]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

This is mine Cornish Yarg..Well it is covered in nettles..Yumm..

Cornish Yarg

I'll take Kayleigh one delightful step further and plump for Garlic Yarg. (Waitrose) .....though I don't expect there will be much kissing afterwards .

The Cornish Cheeses are exceptional IMHO

David

P.S. Careful sweetheart you'll get the thread deleted by linking to external sites

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by cybershot

I'll take Kayleigh one delightful step further and plump for Garlic Yarg. (Waitrose) .....though I don't expect there will be much kissing afterwards .

The Cornish Cheeses are exceptional IMHO

David

P.S. Careful sweetheart you'll get the thread deleted by linking to external sites

Well, whoever I kiss I will make sure he has some too..

I thought it was only external links to pics that got removed.
I may get frozen now

[Stewy]

I like garlic Kayleigh!

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Stewy

As is the interweb, what type of cheese did you make Meta?

Start with cottage cheese, that is really simple curds and some salting, draining.

Then work on to something similar to Wensleydale, applying a little more pressure to make a slightly harder cheese.

Once you have gone beyond the very simple cheeses, you are into rather complex things like the kind of culture you use to start the process, what level of fat you have in the milk and about a thousand other things.

When you think about any dairy product, you have to remember that the taste of any local product is very dependant on what the herd is grazing. I remember well every year I used, as a very young child, to find that milk became totally unpalatable when the cows "went onto the fog", ie they where turned onto the new growth of hay fields..

[Dutchess]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

This is mine Cornish Yarg..Well it is covered in nettles..Yumm..

Cornish Yarg

Wow, I've never heard of that but will hunt some down! Is it found in darkest, deepest Sussex, do you know? And it's close relative, the Garlic variety sounds just as tantalizing! Yummy....*burp*

I like cheeses with a little added "extra" such as stilton with cranberries or apricots. Have to say it, but I do like authentic French cheeses with stuff such as garlic and herbs...the French cheese counters in supermarkets over there go on for miles (well, kilometres!) and you can smell your way to them throughout the store

Sage Derby! Ooooh, I used to buy a lot of that in the seventies, don't see it so often nowadays.

D.

[Dutchess]

Originally Posted by ellie_w

I love Lancashire and Cheshire cheese and also a chunk of Wensleydale with a piece of fruit cake - delicious

Yes, good old Wensleydale, never fails to please

(Loving your avatar, Ellie. Young Malamute? Hard to tell as piccie is small )

D.

[Dutchess]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

>>>>>When you think about any dairy product, you have to remember that the taste of any local product is very dependant on what the herd is grazing. I remember well every year I used, as a very young child, to find that milk became totally unpalatable when the cows "went onto the fog", ie they where turned onto the new growth of hay fields..<<<<<

This is so true. So logical! We all know how milk is the first thing in the fridge to absorb flavours of other things in there (pineapple and melon being prime examples.) Having breast fed two babies, I can also vouch for having done my research as to what may influence the taste/effect of mother's milk. To take this a step further, I also breed Rabbits and always bear in mind as to what the resulting babies may be fed once they leave my care. I am therefore mindful to include a wide range of roots, herbs and greenstuff so that the little darlings are used to it whilst still in the womb Some breeders (who are not so liberal as I with the greenery) have to be careful of grazing mums and youngsters out of fresh spring grass, probably for the same reasons as you put forward, Meta menardi

Interesting thread and not so OT as maybe first thought!

D.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Red Windsor for me. Trouble is, I can only get it at Harrod's now. It's Cheddar imbued with Port, which gives it a marbled effect. Lovely!

Slightly sacreligious, but I like those white Stiltons with fruit in.

With a name like mine, you can guess what my school nicknames were.

Cheers,

Adam

[The Black Rabbit]

Stllton should in my opinion ONLY be eaten in winter time, and the best cheese for melting (ie welsh rarebit) in my opinion too, would probably be (Red) Leicester.
Sorry to disagree with you Paul (yet again! ) but Irish and Scottish Cheddar beat the pants off ("serious" eh?!!) ie REAL (somerset) Cheddar.

[Wild-Woman]

Glad we haven't got our own version of this in Britain. Google Casu Marzu. Yuk!

[agrumpycow]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Glad we haven't got our own version of this in Britain. Google Casu Marzu. Yuk!

euk!!!!!!

[Dutchess]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Glad we haven't got our own version of this in Britain. Google Casu Marzu. Yuk!

Oh yes, I saw a programme on this a few weeks back. Apparently the maggots add flavour to the cheese by naturally re-processing it! Also, the maggots are not considered dangerous to the consumer's guts as the type of fly that lays the eggs is a tiny one (whereas if it were a bluebottle, then they may be in trouble!) Ugh ugh and triple ugh...it's not my cuppa though!

D.

[Goatboy]

I've worked in the dairy industry for thirteen years and have dealt with just about every cheese producer in England and Wales so this is a pet subject of mine.

On the subject of Somerset Brie. Our factory in Somerset has won awards all over Europe, beating all the French producers hands down. The people there are incredibly passionate about their cheese and really know their stuff, so any doubters should give it a go.

My personal favourites are Stilton made by Cropwell Bishop and Cadog Vintage Cheddar.

[Stewy]

Originally Posted by Goatboy

I've worked in the dairy industry for thirteen years and have dealt with just about every cheese producer in England and Wales so this is a pet subject of mine.

On the subject of Somerset Brie. Our factory in Somerset has won awards all over Europe, beating all the French producers hands down. The people there are incredibly passionate about their cheese and really know their stuff, so any doubters should give it a go.

My personal favourites are Stilton made by Cropwell Bishop and Cadog Vintage Cheddar.

I agree about the Somerset Brie, it is gorgeous and beats any of the French ones that I have had in the past.

Bought some Yorkshire Blue today to have for supper!!

[nightshade]

Young creamy Stilton in rich fruit buns, Wenslydale with a nice crisp apple,
Cambozola with a nice salad, Yfenni with crusty bread and a pint

[galanthus]

Have discovered lately that I love the quite firm buffalo mozerella. Been eating it with advocados, beef tomatoes, fresh basil tossed with fresh salad leaves along with fresh crusty bread, (not as nice as Stewy's tho).