Keeping it raw

Strolling through Covent Garden has its benefits—namely Neal’s Yard Dairy.

Although we were engaged in post-Christmas bargain hunting, it seemed wrong not to pop into this long-respected cheese establishment. It was on the way after all.

The shop is compact and the staff are welcoming. We were dutifully offered several samples without any prompting, and eventually selected Kirkham Lancashire for an honorary place in our fridge (and stomachs).

This creamy, unpasteurised cheese is made by the dedicated Kirkhams of Beesley Farm—the last unpasteurised cheesemakers from Lancashire.

Indeed, the Kirkhams are determined to keep their cheese raw. And, by staying a relatively small business, they can do just that, controlling the process from start to finish to achieve the best flavour possible.

In the video below, Graham Kirkham explains that it’s not about being the biggest producer, it’s about the results: “We want the best flavours.” He also reveals that part of their traditional process involves putting butter on the outside of the cheese. The result is an irresistably creamy taste, while the texture is smooth and moderately firm.

The helpful staff member at Neal’s Yard advised that Kirkham Lancashire goes excellently with a slice of Christmas cake. Perhaps it goes well with other types of cake too. Only one way to find out!

10 fabulous cheese plates on Pinterest

With the holiday season well and truly upon us, it’s high time to consider what cheese you’ll be offering/scoffing (that is if you haven’t already).

I’m a big fan of Pinterest for ideas, be it for mouth-watering dishes or style titbits, so I’ve picked some of my favourite cheese boards pinned on the site; perhaps they’ll inspire you in time for Christmas or your next soirée.

Found on Joannagoddard.blogspot.com
Via Missykay

This pin originates from Joanna Goddard’s cheese-friendly food and lifestyle blog. She’s selected six cheeses for the perfect cheese plate, a well chosen arrangement of soft, blue and hard cheeses.

Found on sbs.com.au

I like the quirky cut-out style of these graphics. A winning cheese board pin: simple and informative.

Found on roughluxeperspective.blogspot.com
Via Thistle Coltsfoot

More traditional, this lush, wholesome board was pinned from another lifestyle blog, Rough Luxe Lifestyle. I love its autumnal harvest look, with an inviting display of figs, dried apricots, nuts and range of exotic cheeses.

Found on domeafavorblog.com
Via Lindsey McKitterick

This is a textbook cheese board pin. Clear images and concise, arrowed labels. What more could you ask from a cheese platter guide?

Found on stylemepretty.com

In contrast to the others, Jessica Sloane’s clean, neatly arranged cheese board separates each element: cheese on a round board, olives, nuts and chutney on a stripy serviette and fresh fruit loaf with assorted crackers on a separate board.

Found on cali-zona.com

Poking out from the mounds of cheese and crackers, I love how the sprigs of rosemary point, like fingers, towards the colourful condiments. Thumbs up from me.

Found on mildredmildred.tumblr.com
Via Elizabeth Langston

Never mind that this pin was found on a tumblr called mildredmildred (brilliant name), this vivid photo leaps off the screen with its voluptuous jam, ripe figs, speckled cheese, crunchy hazelnuts and gorgeous plums. You can almost taste each ingredient.

Found on designmom.com

This minimalist cheese board is carefully stocked with Mediterranean delights from Italy, Spain and Greece. The author, Lindsey Johnson, coins a handy phrase for choosing the right cheese: Something old, something new, something goat, something blue.

Found on thepartydress.net
Via Wine Gifts

Round as a full moon, this symmetrically pleasing board aptly features a goat’s cheese called Midnight Moon. I’m taken with the subtle yet confident font labelling each item, plus the rich red board contrasts beautifully with the yellow Cheddar, purple grapes, pale Gouda and caramel-coloured fig chips.

Found on buzzfeed.com

This pin proves that Buzzfeed can be useful as well as funny. The image instantly conveys the different flavours you ought to buy. And when you click through, you’ll find the reasoning behind each choice, what to look for, as well as inexpensive supermarket brands to try.

Taste of London Winter 2014

Mid-late November. TimeOut had sent an unexpected email: You have won tickets to the Taste of London Winter. Awesome! With just a few days’ notice, my first challenge was to find a suitable foodie partner in crime. Luckily, Juliet stepped up, so off we trotted eastwards to Tobacco Dock.

I’d never been to a large-scale food festival before, and our expectations were high. The website promised “the world’s greatest restaurant festival.” There would be famous chefs, including Michel Roux Jr, Monica Galetti and Raymond Blanc. Cocktail masterclasses. Taste Theatres. A bandstand. 

Friday came, the night our tastebuds had been waiting for. We arrived at the cavernous, festively decorated Victorian venue and, having deliberately refrained from eating much beforehand, immediately dived into the hot food samples. 

The venue - Tobacco Dock

Festive fairy lights

The evening continued in this walk and grab vein; we gobbled food and booze galore. I sipped a few glasses of Prosecco, Juliet savoured red wine. We tried fresh spinach juice—a tad too healthy; dairy-free oat milk—surprisingly milky; the world’s most expensive ham (pata negra)—yum. I entered a competition to win a holiday to Malaysia—didn’t win. 

Unusual menu options

There were cheese-making kits, hampers, chutneys. And, most importantly, an array of delicious cheese samples. 

Two cows on a Comté

My favourite cheese brand of the night was the Snowdonia Cheese Company Ltd. They were one of the most popular stalls, and after joining the scrum, I could appreciate why. About six different Cheddars were available for tasting; each morsel was creamy and rich and moreish. Having since checked their website, I’m not surprised that all 10 of their cheeses have won at least one award. 

We weren’t organised enough to book a place at any of the chef demonstrations, but it didn’t matter. We had a thoroughly decent time, knocking back alcohol and cheese like no-one’s business. If you ask me, a great way to spend a Friday night.

Of course, free samples weren’t enough for my stomach, so I ended the evening by polishing off a hearty chicken stew, followed by some delectable pumpkin doughnuts from trendy Peruvian restaurant Andina. Scrumptious. I hadn’t thought much of the food in Peru when I visited earlier this year, but after that triumph of a meal, I will think again. 

Taste of London will return to London next summer from 17 – 21 June in Regent’s Park. Hopefully I’ll win tickets to that too! 

Drunken cheese

Thought that only humans, and the odd wild animal, could get sloshed? Not so. I can confirm that certain types of cheese love a tipple too. Following from my previous wine-orientated post, the time is ripe to highlight some wine-soaked cheese.

I've previously mentioned stinky and stupendous Epoisse, which is bathed in brandy—a crucial aspect of its unique flavour. More recently, my pal, and fellow cheese fan, Juliet brought my attention to this fearsome specimen:

Gorgonzola matured in Italian white wine

Of course, I wouldn't eat this—as I’ve already mentioned, blue veined cheese ain’t my thing. If you decide to try it, apparently Gorgonzola goes well with short pasta such as penne, melted into risotto, or used as a pizza topping.

The Gorgonzola may not have been my cup of tea, but it inspired me to seek other inebriated cheeses. Happily, I came across the delightful St. Vernier. Much like Epoisse, it oozes and sticks to the knife. I have no problem with clingy cheese. Even its scalloped wooden packaging was charming; it resembled a large dairy daisy.

St. Vernier

St. Vernier is made in France from the milk of local Montbélliardes cows and its rind is washed with a white wine. Its flavour is delicately fruity and a little funky. I ate it simply with some Jacob’s cream crackers, but I imagine it would taste equally wonderful with a fresh, crusty baguette and a glug of Chablis.