France proudly claims to make a cheese for every day of the year, the UK makes about twice that many.
I have often said it, but the amount of those French cheeses that are worth eating, you can count on one hand. Mostly they are bland, of poor texture, and overhyped.
However, the good ones are very good. Camembert, St Agur, Brie, Vieux Cantal, and good Goat's cheese are amongst the very best.
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We don't buy much Italian cheese. Parmesan, of course, and recently I've returned to Gorgonzola.
Here in England we are very impressed by Sainsbury's English Brie, it melts beautifully. Otherwise, we indulge in various Mature Cheddars (Ye olde something-or-other), English Feta, and often the wonderful French St Agur.
Cheese buying is a bit like wine buying, there are so many to choose from, and not all are worth their money. I find myself sticking to the old favourites. Even so, I did recently buy some 'Extra Mature Cheddar' that was like eating a bar of soap.
Cheeses vary so much, from one head to another. A good buy, firm with a bit/e of taste is what we look for. A friend of ours is bringing us some from Crete. They make damn good cheese.
ReplyDeleteFeta is the same . It varies so much. When K finds a good one he will phone his friends and pass on the news.
I always stick with the same Feta, as you say they vary so much.
DeleteI am partial to a good goats' (ghost) cheese but not the horrible bland stuff you find in the supermarket. It has to have a bite but not taste like an old woolly jumper.
ReplyDeleteWe buy plenty of good Goat cheeses in France from the makers themselves. Luckily there are plenty of them. The much cheaper 'rolled' cheese in packets is good for frying.
DeleteSorry but I thought that this blogpost was quite cheesy.
ReplyDeleteThat was the intention.
DeleteNext time you're in Waitrose, treat yourself to some Cornish Quartz, it's an extra mature Cheddar, and it's lovely!
ReplyDeleteI'll make a note of the name, thanks.
DeleteI ate a lot of Albania goat and sheep cheese and yogurt. It was very good. I rarely eat cheese at home at all.
ReplyDeleteWe always eat cheese at lunchtime. Soup, salad, some charcuterie, and cheese to finish.
DeleteI was very taken with the Albanian cheese. If I could buy it in England I would. The yoghurt was equally good and either sheep or goats and of a different texture to Greek yoghurt, at least that which we are sold in the UK under that name. I don't dislike cheese but I find it difficult to get cheese as good as I have when I am travelling.
DeleteI love a good cheese,
ReplyDeleteMe too, it's one of life's great pleasures.
DeleteGood cheese and wine are essential.
ReplyDeleteNever was a truer word spoken!
DeleteThe UK are so good at cheese making ..... even the French admit to it { reluctantly !!! } I love Brie but only buy it for high days and holidays as I would eat too much of it ! XXXX
ReplyDeleteThe Sainsbury's Brie is very good, it melts beautifully and tastes just right.
DeleteSome of the welsh cheeses I am loving , spoke to a guy who sold it who said King Charles had done a lot to stop EU rules put cheese makers out of business
ReplyDeleteI know it's not Welsh, but I used to buy whole Shropshire Blue cheeses at Whitchurch market. When they became a bit TOO old they sold them off for next to nothing. They were wonderful.
DeleteI'm not at all adventurous with cheese. I was raised on mild cheddar which the grocer cut from a wheel according to how much money you were spending. We always bought three shillings worth at a time for sandwiches. We also had Edam and less often Gouda. The only parmesan I knew was the smelly pre-grated stuff in jars, none of us liked it. Now I buy parmesan in a black and grate it as I need it.
ReplyDeleteMy Maternal Grandfather had a cheese cellar and there was always a half Gorgonzola on the go. As a child I couldn't even begin to eat it. Oh how, now, I long for such heady days.
ReplyDelete