Best British Cheeses

[philmophlegm]

Here's an interesting article with the author's take on Britain's Ten Best Cheeses.

Here's his top ten:

• Appleby's Cheshire


• Beauvale


• Berkswell


• Cornish Yarg


• Keen's Cheddar


• Sparkenhoe Red Leicester


• Stichelton


• Stinking Bishop


• Ticklemore


• Tunworth

It's a pretty good list. I didn't know about Stichelton, but it sounds interesting. I always think that Yarg is overrated though. Beauvale and Ticklemore may well have made my list.

To that list, I'd want to add:

• Westcombe or Montgomery Cheddar (the other two proper cheddars, and I feel slightly superior to Keen's)


• Sharpham - a very soft, brie-like cheese. Ideally left to mature until it can be eaten with a spoon.


• Elmhirst - like Sharpham, but with added cream. Possibly my favourite cheese.


• Cremet - a bit like Elmhirst, but using goats' milk.


• Shepherds Purse Mrs Bell's Blue - very strong, very sharp (especially when mature) blue cheese.


• Laverstoke Park Farm Buffalo Mozzarella - excellent mozzarella made by the 1979 Formula 1 World Champion. (Yes, really.)


• Cropwell Bishop Stilton - you can't beat a stilton for melting.


• Vulscombe - creamy soft goats' milk cheese.

Anyone else like to suggest a cheese?

Comments

[ggreig]

Dunsyre Blue - unfortunate recall due to an E. coli contamination last year but it's a seriously nice cheese

Grimbister (Orkney) - crumbly with a slightly lemony taste.

Char Coal Cheese - a bit of a stunt cheese from Yorkshire, but interesting in small quantities. Cheddar blended with charcoal to create a black cheese.

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

I need to try these...

[prester-scott.livejournal.com]

I don't know about the cheeses themselves, but the names are a hoot.

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

Lincolnshire Poacher- a good strong cheddar

Anything made by Loch Arthur creamery but their Criffel and Crannog are both good.

Coquetdale

Northumberland Nettle cheese

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

I've had Lincolnshire Poacher. Not bad at all for a not-quite-proper cheddar. Coquetdale sounds nice. One problem with living in a major cheese-making region like the southwest is that the local cheese shops don't stock much from other parts of the country.

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

If it's any comfort, we don't get that much in the way of unusual non-local cheese either.

You can get some of the more popular stuff (I've got a small Wookey Hole cheddar about to be devoured by myself and no2 son) but it's mostly local or import.

I am quite partial to Wnesleydale as well- I forgot that one. Not quite as sharp as Caerphilly but lovely nevertheless.

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

I'm sure the people who make Wensleydale are forever grateful to the makers of Wallace and Gromit...

Our local Tesco sells Wookey Hole, which is unusual because it's about the only decent cheddar that they do sell. The local Waitrose sells quite a few different proper ones.