Cheese Fest

Archive for the ‘Cow’s milk’ Category

Délice de Bourgogne

From Burgundy, this decadent little number is definitely not one for those on a diet. With a fat content of over 75%, this triple cream cheese will clog the arteries as it makes its way directly to the waistline… but, oooh, what a way to go! Délice de Bourgogne The soft white bloomy rind, like that of a brie, covers the almost equally white paste. It has very little smell, a bit like crème fraîche (which is not surprising because it is one of the ingredients). It is soft, creamy and spreads easily, with a smooth, silky but also very fatty texture. Very, very creamy, with an almost fresh taste, slightly lemony, but with a quite salty, buttery flavour. In some ways, it has a very slight “blue” flavour, that gets stronger as the cheese gets older. Very rich and very decadent.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia, 2012

(3.5/5)

 

Stilton

With Christmas just around the corner, Stilton becomes an obvious choice for a post. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, many supermarkets are offering huge slabs of this famous festive favourite for very little money… but are they any good?

For reasons unknown, Stilton seems to have become associated with Christmas eating. Like dates, walnuts and Brussels sprouts, although available throughout the year, many people will only buy them over the Yuletide period. Is it because these things are considered so horrid that they can only be consumed once a year, under heavy intoxication?

In the past, I remember supermarket Stilton as this harsh, acidic, very strong wedge shaped lump that would attempt strip the lining of your mouth as you ate it. Indeed, I’m sure there are still shops that sell such gastric monstrosities together with spam and tinned boiled potatoes.

However, things have changed, and for the better. Whether the manufacturers or supermarkets have learned that this strategy does little for repeat sales and reputation, I don’t know, but the cheese has improved immensely and this can only be a good thing

It’s good, really very good, like Stilton should be. Strong in flavour, but not in attitude. Smooth and creamy both in texture and taste, with a robust, but not overpowering blueness. Just scrummy and for £4 for 550g (Tesco price), you can’t really go wrong.

Purchased from Tesco.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia 2013.

(4/5)

Bavaria Blu

Sometimes sold under the name of Cambazola or Blue Brie, this pleasant little cheese that is easily available in many supermarkets. Though the alternative names suggest it could be Italian or French, it is actually German.

It is, by all accounts a blue Brie, using the same recipe as ordinary Brie. However, introducing the blue moulds is somewhat unconventional. Normally, the mould culture is added to the milk. During maturation, and starved of oxygen, it lies dormant until stainless steel wires are used to puncture the rind. With Bavaria Blu, the mould culture is introduced during maturation by injecting it directly into the cheese. This causes the blue moulds to be localised into little pockets rather than veins that pervade the paste.

Coated with a soft, dusty, edible, white rind. It has a cream to white paste, mottled with blue splodges, making it a quite attractive looking cheese.

Like a Brie, it has little or no smell, but unlike Brie it doesn’t produce a smell of ammonia when it gets really ripe.

It has a soft creamy texture, interspersed with the slightly harder patches of blue. A soft, delicate Brie like flavour with a gently blueness. As blue cheeses go, it is very inoffensive. A blue cheese for people that don’t like blue cheese.

Purchased from most leading supermarkets.

Produced by various manufacturers including: Cambazola, Bergader & Edelweiß

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia 2012

(3/5)

Yarg

It sounds like a pirate cursing a stubbed toe and comes from Cornwall, a place notorious for it’s pirates during the 16th century. The name, together with the fact that it is wrapped in nettle leaves, conjures thoughts of a four hundred year old traditional recipe… however, this is not the case. Yarg Initially created in the 1980′s by Alan and Jenny Gray, Yarg is simply their surname spelled backwards. It sounds good though. The rind is covered with hand picked, blemish free, nettle (or wild garlic) leaves, meticulously laid so that no cheese is exposed. The result is a rather attractive dark, greyish green mosaic with a dusting of white mould that picks out the detailing and edges of the leaves. The pate is hard and crumbly, yellowing slightly towards the rind. The flavour is sharp, almost fresh, a bit like Wensleydale or Caerphilly, with light earthy and mushroomy overtones. The wild garlic version introduces a subtle garlicky flavour into the mix and is, in our opinion, the better of the two. Olympia is quite partial to this cheese, but I’m not so keen (but then I’m not a fan of Wensleydale or Caerphilly either). Having said that, if you are preparing a cheeseboard for guests, Yarg would make a good choice, adding both a visual and a flavour contrast.

Produced by Lynher Dairies Cheese Company

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia 2010.

(2.5/5)

Burwash Rose

Orange/pink and sticky, with a strong smell, mildly floral, buttermilk that moves towards rotting cabbage as it ages. This cheese has been the only one to breach our (supposedly airtight) cheese confinement box. Seriously, this one could easily challenge Epoisses for the smelliest cheese in the world. Burwash Rose This Sussex cheese is unusual because it is washed in rose water.  This gives it a typically sticky orange/pink rind often associated with washed cheeses. The pate is soft and bouncy, scattered with little holes, with a lovely velvety soft smoothness. It has a flavour very similar to Livarot or Munster (though maybe not as strong), with a little bitterness, like Taleggio and very subtle floral hints. A little expensive, but very pleasant.

Produced by: The Traditional Cheese Dairy Co. Ltd., Stonegate.

Purchased from Cheese Please, Lewes.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia.

(3.5/5)

Barkham Blue

This appealing soap-bar shaped cheese is made with Jersey cow’s milk, giving it a golden yellow colour and creamy texture.

Covered in a thin, sticky dark brown mouldery skin, it smells like damp stone. The skin is a little odd because it can almost be peeled off.

The pate is a creamy, golden yellow colour with dark contrasting bottle green veining. The texture, like brandy butter, soft and buttery, yet it breaks and crumbles under pressure.

It melts in the mouth with a sharp, blue flavour. It’s strong, but not aggressive, with a metallic “twang” and a slight fruitiness.

Note. As it ages, these interesting qualities fade and it can become unexciting.

Produced by: Two Hoots Cheese

Purchased from: Cheese Please, Lewes.

Reviewed by: Nick & Olympia 2012 & 2013

(3.5/5)

Caşcaval Brădut (Afumat)

Always on the lookout for cheeses we haven’t tried, I found this in a Polish delicatessen. It’s actually Romanian and probably their equivalent of vacuum packed, supermarket cheddar.

Ours was a small truckle, but it also comes in blocks and a plait (although I can’t imagine how one would plait cheese). It comes from Brădut, which is an area of Romania. This one was the smoked version, having a slightly darker appearance than its unsmoked cousin.

It is a softish hard cheese with a rubbery texture.

The flavour is quite bitter with a strong acrid smokey taste, but largely unexciting. Good with garlic sausage on crusty bread.

Produced by: Tudia Lactate, Romania

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia, 2012

(2/5)

Tornegus

The first thing that hits you about this cheese is its smell. Quite literally, in the face, with the soggy end of an old floor mop. Oh! what a stink! It smells like a zoo’s reptile house! But… my word, is it good!This cheese starts life as an ordinary Caerphilly from Somerset. Then it’s dragged, kicking and screaming, to Godstone in Surrey where some strange and evil magical rites are performed on it. The Caerphilly is washed in Kentish wine and covered in mint and lemon verbena. As it matures, it turns into… … the dark lord TORNEGUS!   Sticky. wrinkly, pinkish orange brown rind, coated with the blackened remains of the herbs. The pate is yellow and sticky, darkening towards the rind. Slightly crumbly but also soft and oily. Almost spreadable close to the rind. The taste is bitter, strong and pungent, like a good smelly Alpine cheese such as Morbier, Appenzeller or Fontina… times 10. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, because it is strong, but if you like strong smelly cheeses, it is fantastic!

Produced by: Eastside Cheese Company, Surrey.

Purchased from Cheese Please, Lewes.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia, 2013

(4.5/5)

Rochebaron

We found this delightful blue cheese on a recent trip around France. We bought another one to bring home with us, but somehow it didn’t seem quite as good. Maybe, it was the fact that the one pictured, had been sitting in a warm car for a few days. Or perhaps it was a psychological effect of tasting better when you’re on holiday, picnicking under the trees.

A greenish grey ash rind about 6″ (15cm) diameter and 1″ (2.5cm) thick. Persillée (parsley), the French call this style of blue. Creamy white interior with flecks of green. Though the rind looks a little leathery, it is actually soft and pretty tasteless.

It has a lovely texture with a very mild, delicate flavour and doesn’t taste blue at all.  Not exciting, but very pleasant.

Purchased from Carrefour, Dunkerque.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia 2013.

(3.5/5)

persillée

Harlech

Now, it has to be said that we are not fans of flavour added cheese, but this: wrapped in a bright orange jacket (presumably to reduce the chances of it being lost at sea) with its creamy pate and green flecks of horseradish, makes a welcome exception. Harlech It should come as no surprise that it smells of cheese and horseradish. Indeed, it is just a flavour added Cheddar, but the makers of Harlech got the mix just right. The cheese itself is a little sharp, a bit like a Cheshire, but then the taste of horseradish boldly marches in and makes its presence felt. Unlike many supermarket brands of horseradish sauce, the flavour of the horseradish is tangy, clean and fresh. It’s neither hot nor overpowering, but compliments the cheese to perfection. The whole experience is very satisfying and the bold flavours mean that it is just as at home in a salad sandwich as it is being nibbled with a glass of wine. Every good cheeseboard should have a flavour added cheese to add a touch of variety. Harlech is not only visually striking, but delicious and fits that requirement perfectly.

Purchased from Cheese Please, Lewes.

Reviewed by Nick & Olympia, 2013

(3/5)