Perfect Cheese Board
Our butchery goes hand in hand with our deli. I mean, what better way to finish off your Sunday roast (of course with quality free range meat from one of our shops!) than with an impressive cheese board. I honestly think that our variety of eclectic cheeses is impressive, from classics such as Brie de Meux to award winning cheeses such as Cerney Ash (Winning a Super Gold at The World Cheese Awards). We’re always chopping and changing cheeses so there’s always something new and interesting to try. Just ask our Team and they can fill you with information.
Creating the perfect cheese board can be difficult as there is so much to choose from, and a lot to consider. For an impressive cheese board, it’s all about variety and getting the balance right. The three most important things are texture, flavour and colour. There’s nothing more underwhelming than a uniformed sea of white cheese. Remember, people eat with their eyes and if you have a contrast of shapes and colours it will get your guests excited! When choosing your cheeses, I would suggest a balanced selection of varied textures and tastes. This could include a hard cheese, soft cheese, goats or sheep’s cheese and blue cheese.
I recommend between 50-80g per person for each cheese, but it completely depends on what else you have with your cheese and how hungry your guests are. I mean, if my boyfriend was coming for dinner I’d double that! I always over-buy for a dessert cheeseboard, but on the upside, you can always use leftovers for snacks or in dishes. There are hundreds of recipe ideas hiding in the cookery books on your groaning shelves.
Hard cheeses
For a hard cheese, think about how mature you or your guests may like it. I like something strong and mature like the Black Bomber, an extra mature cheddar, it is dreamy! If you haven’t tried this cheese, it’s a must. Made in Snowdonia, it is creamy and smooth and quite Moorish! My new favourite cheese is Cornish Kern, I’ve become a bit obsessed. It has a bold black wax coating with a smooth nutty interior, almost reminding me of a Comte. It has a slight caramel taste to it, which makes it delicious.
Sheep or goat cheeses
My favourite goats is Cerney Ash. It has a sprinkling of ash on the outside, it is light and creamy, and the middle is pure white. My supervisor Laura swears by crumbling it on salads, and I can see why. It would be amazing! It hasn’t got an overpowering flavour either, so it would be a great “beginners goat”. For sheep, it’s got to be the Spanish Manchego. Purely because we stock a really good quality Membrillo (Spanish quince jelly) and they are a dream together.
Soft cheeses
So, until about 2 years ago I didn’t understand why people loved Brie so much, then I started working on a “proper” cheese counter and I tried Brie de Meux, and I realised what I’d been missing! I have now stumbled across an amazing English Brie while working at Meat London. My co-worker Jess and I get a little over-excited with the Baron Bigod. Made with raw cow’s milk, it is deliciously creamy with a big, strong flavour.
Blue cheeses
I do love a strong blue cheese, and our Roquefort never disappoints me. It has a wonderful, complex, deep strong flavour. It’s a little spicy but still delicately delicious. If you prefer a milder blue, Blue Monday is a winner. Matured for up to 8 weeks, it develops a wonderfully soft, mellow, creamy texture but still has a huge amount of flavour.
We also sell a big variety of crackers, chutneys and jellies to go with these cheeses. Pop into either of our shops and the deli Team will help you. I’m sure we can all recommend some cracking accompaniments for your cheese!
Macie