Best British Cheeses

[Steve Maskery]

Evening all,
Now I know that this very subjective, but play along

I'm going to visit a friend soon and we are both foodies. I am allowed to take in (most) cheeses (probably not unpasteurised, but that's not my bag anyway), so what would you recommend? I'm looking for a shortlist of say half a dozen, with a view to selecting a top three, or four max.

I live in Notts, so Stilton (Long Clawson or Colston Basset) has got to be there, but what then? I have my own ideas, of course, but what would you choose?

S

 

[LancsRick]

A good strong cheddar, something strong enough to have crystals.

 

[marcros]

Where are you going Steve? This may have a bearing so that you can contrast with what is available locally.

Also, is the recipient likely to already be familiar with the common British cheeses?

 

[toysandboats]

Red Fox Red Leicester is worth including
David

 

[Garno]

Stinking Bishop Cheese,

Gloucester I believe but may be wrong on that.

https://cheese.com

 

[Distinterior]

I was just about to recommended Stinking Bishop myself....!

 

[--Tom--]

Truffled Gloucester is really good, slightly creamy and well flavoured

Cornish Kern if you like a firm cheese, reminiscent of an aged Comte but with a sweeter flavour

Perl wen for a soft Brie like cheese

Beauvale is a really good creamy blue, similar to a Gorgonzola

Sheep rustler is also really good, ewe’s milk and with a nuttiness

 

[Steve Maskery]

Stinking Bishop - I know the name, I don't think I've ever had it. It's got to be considered just for the name!

I'm going to Maine to meet up with Dave Richards. He used to to be on here, he is the world's best exponent of Sketchup for woodwork. He can model anything. He contributes to FWW in the Design.Click.Build blog.

He lives in Minnesota. I visited him in 2015 and he came to me last year. We were going to meet up again next year, but diaries make that difficult, so rather than wait another year we have brought it forward. It's really lousy timing, money-wise. Last time I was getting $1.60 ish. Now I'll be lucky if I get much more than parity

Anyway, we decided that this time we would meet on neutral territory, so we are going to Maine to eat lobster and visit plenty of woodie venues along the way.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Tom
I've not heard of any of them! Bear in mind I'm in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, we have Farm Foods and Aldi...

I like the idea of a sheep's milk cheese, I'll have to see what I can get locally. We do have Farm Shops, I'll have to have a foray.

Personally I'm not keen on cheese with "stuff" in it, like cranberries or ginger, though I like both. Just not in cheese. I don't know enough about truffles (except the chocolate kind, which I don't think you mean) to have an opinion.

I think I'll have to get some Wensleydale.

Hmm, running out of spare places.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

As someone who has zero opportunity to find English cheese, this is hardly fair.

Obviously, a seriously good quality cheddar. Doesn't have to be insanely mature, but good and sharp.

Wensleydale. No question. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpofw8ZPy-M

Red Leicester

Somerset Brie, if you absolutely must have a stinky soft cheese. Stilton is already on the list.

I appreciate that this is hardly an exotic list, but this is what you get after 20 years of cheese that taste of Billy goat and wet sheep.

Mmmm.....cheese (homer) (homer)
Edit: I forgot Double Gloucester. How did I forget Double Gloucester?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Cornish Blue.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Cornish Blue.

Are they still making Yarg? https://www.lynherdairies.co.uk/

 

[Trainee neophyte]

This may help: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7IVtTbNkQuE

...and if not, this will definitely help: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz1JWzyvv8A

I'm not fixated by cheese at all, you understand.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Somerset Brie, if you absolutely must have a stinky soft cheese.

I've never thought of Brie, Somerset or France, as "stinky", on the contrary, fairly mild and benign. It's not something I buy very often, though.

Edit: I forgot Double Gloucester. How did I forget Double Gloucester?

I have nothing against DG, but surely it's in the same basket as Cheddar, and they do have cheddar over there. Yes, I know there is Cheddar and there is Cheddar (so presumably there is DG and there is DG), but it's not very exciting, is it?

Steve, who may just have to go and raid the fridge, despite it being 10pm...

 

[marcros]

I would nominate the Wensleydale. Kit Calvert if you can get it, made to an old recipe. I tried some the other week whilst at the creamerie and I think it was the pick of the bunch. More butter like consistency than normal Wensleydale.

Harrogate blue is nice too, but if you are taking one blue then stilton probably deserves it.

Something soft, an English brie maybe. Even the French brie, because I doubt that it will be readily available in the USA.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Somerset Brie, if you absolutely must have a stinky soft cheese.

I've never thought of Brie, Somerset or France, as "stinky", on the contrary, fairly mild and benign. It's not something I buy very often, though.

Edit: I forgot Double Gloucester. How did I forget Double Gloucester?

I have nothing against DG, but surely it's in the same basket as Cheddar, and they do have cheddar over there. Yes, I know there is Cheddar and there is Cheddar (so presumably there is DG and there is DG), but it's not very exciting, is it?

Steve, who may just have to go and raid the fridge, despite it being 10pm...

Brie - not stinky cheese, as such, but when you have brie in the fridge, you always know when someone just opened the fridge, do you not? I can't stand any of that french soft cheese muck, but I was trying to be all egalitarian and suchlike.

It has probably been 20 years since I had some double Gloucester to compare and contrast with cheddar. Think about that for a bit, wipe away a tear or two, and raid that fridge. "Do this, in memory of me."

 

[Yojevol]

Gloucester I believe but may be wrong on that.

Almost wrong - Herefordshire is about 50m away!

Made by www.charlesmartell.com/

 

[doctor Bob]

Type of buscuit is important as well, as I've got older I like cheese on a sweet digestive. Or a water buscuit with unsalted butter.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Type of buscuit is important as well, as I've got older I like cheese on a sweet digestive. Or a water buscuit with unsalted butter.

Ah, now that's interesting.

I don't like the digestive base, too sweet for me, but the water biscuit, yes, spot on. But with VERY salted butter, I like the Normandy stuff that grits your teeth, (though it's gone up in price 50% over the last 3 years )

 

[Steve Maskery]

I've just been Googling reviews of Stinking Bishop.

I'm not sure I'm up to that myself, let alone inflicting it on a pal. And what about the Airport Dogs? I wouldn't want anything adverse to happen to them.
S