Baaaattle of the sheep’s cheese: Manchego vs. Ossau Iraty

Two types of sheep’s cheese—one Spanish, one French. Which would ewe choose?

Manchego is the most popular sheep’s cheese, and with good reason. It originates from the La Mancha region of Spain, south-east of Madrid, where dutiful Manchego sheep produce thick milk, which explains the uniquely rich flavour characteristic of this semi-hard cheese.

Taste the Difference Manchego

I tried Sainsbury’s Spanish Manchego, Taste the Difference; I could certainly taste the difference! Nutty, smooth and seriously moreish— the Ferrero Rocher of cheese—I could have easily eaten the entire block, slice by delicious slice.

I felt compelled to make a strange sort of risotto with this gorgeous Spanish specimen. (Even the recipe I adapted has risotto in inverted commas).

Olive, edamame bean, cabbage and Manchego 'risotto'

Odd as it looks atop garish purple cabbage, the Manchego rose to the occasion, adding a welcome creaminess. And in my view, any dish that involves lashings of butter and wine can never go far wrong. Man, I love Manchego 5/5.

It’s a tough act to follow, and Ossau Iraty is no pushover. Produced in the south-western part of France in Aquitaine, it’s one of only a handful of sheep’s cheeses to boast the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC), the highest possible protection of origin. Plus, it’s a two-time winner of the best cheese in the world title at the World Cheese Awards.

Ossau Iraty 

With such an impressive CV, Ossau has every reason to be revered. It’s slightly firmer and paler than Manchego, yet the flavour is stronger, less nutty, and the texture is smoother. I ate it melted on toast with some fruity chutney, and it was perfectly palatable. That being said, I didn’t feel a desire to scoff the whole wedge, as I had experienced with the Manchego. Ossau alrighty 3/5.

About thyme

I’m not great at baking. When I recently attempted some fairly innocuous sundried tomato biscuits, I burnt them so badly I put them into a vase on a mantelpiece and mourned them (slight exaggeration, and I don't have a mantelpiece but you get the idea).

Happily, a few weeks ago, I tried a different (cheesy) recipe and the result was edible. In fact, it was crunchy, creamy, thyme flavours emerged, garlic was subtle. It tasted good! Admittedly, the stakes were higher this time as I had guests round, so a disaster would have been a lil embarrassing.

You might ask, what was this miraculous baking achievement? A tomato, thyme and goat’s cheese tart no less, inspired by The Guardian’s marvellous list of 10 best goat’s cheese recipes. As one of my favourite cheeses, this list is a real gem.

Tomato, thyme and goat’s cheese tart

The recipe uses ready-rolled puff pastry, so most of the hard work is already done. And if a baking novice like me can master this, then it must surely be foolproof.  I’d just caution that the tart would suit a maximum of four people rather than six for a main course, as it’s very light.

As for the other nine recipes on the list, I may well surf the wave of goat’s cheese baking success and attempt the rest. Watch this goat, I mean space.

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.