Create your own Cheese Selection
My thoughts on creating a selection of cheese to suit all tastes..
Cheese is an important dish on any restaurant menu and to me careful consideration should be given to the choice regardless of the style of restaurant. There is much to consider when creating your own cheese plate/board, style, country/countries of origin, strength, flavour and of course, price.
I write different cheese menus to fit the restaurant and its location. What I do like to do is use the smaller, independant cheese makers as much as possible because not only does it support smaller businesses but many of them are truly excellent and quite quirky. I look for cheese which has its own character, something which makes a statement and Britain, I am proud to say does this in considerable style.
Depending on the restaurant I will offer certain French cheese, many are too good to ignore but search out your own brie and blue and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
So what cheese should you put on a cheeseboard? Well, I like to feature a good quality hard cheese such as a strong cheddar, a Cornish yarg or a Lancashire. Something with character that can stand up to a strong blue.
A brie nearly always features, French or English I don’t mind as long as it’s creamy and served at room temperature. Brie de meaux and somerset brie are particular favourites. A good blue is essential, many stick with a standard stilton but have a look around. There are some nice varieties of stilton out there, both blue and white. Alternatively you could try a creamy French or Italian blue for something different. Try a wonderful bleu d’ auvergne or a roquefort . Closer to my home and there is a fabulous webster’s stilton or a Dorset blue vinny.
A good goats milk cheese never goes amiss either, there are some fabulous crottin’s out there including a great one from Ribblesdale which has featured on my menus on and off for years. Soft cow’s milk cheese is worth a look at too, Epoisses has an intense unique smell and taste as has the garlicky gaperon from the Auvergne in France.
Below is a plate of local cheese served in one of our restaurants in the Lake District, this was for the downstairs bar/brasserie and all of the cheese is local to the area. We serve it very simply with some homemade chutney, peeled celery, grapes, biscuits or maybe some dried fruits left to soak in a syrup and a chunk of warm bread. You could of course just feature one cheese in the way the Italians often favour and serve it with some poached pear and/or walnuts and freshly baked bread. If you happen to come across a particularly good cheese then why not?
Artisan Cheese Plate
Chef,
an interesing post. I’d be interested to know your opinions on costing.
How much does the cost of the cheese factor into your choice.
The reason I ask is because, when compared to many other types of food, cheese seems relatively expensive, especially decent ones.
What I would say is, it is one area of produce that really shows a huge difference in price.
Good cheese really does taste massively better than cheap or mediocre cheeses.
Although I’m far from an expert, whilst differences between normal and organic vegetables, wild and farmed salmon, caged and organic chicken etc are discernable the same exponential price difference in cheese really makes a big difference.
Rod
June 22, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
Rod,
A good point, cheese is an expensive commodity and not something you can look to as a good profit achiever, especially, as you say with the better ones.
There are some nice cheese out there at reasonable prices but you have to search them out, on the whole though you do get what you pay for and there are some nasty examples of buying cheaply.
Miles
June 22, 2009 @ 10:39 pm
Miles,
You’re so right, I’m very partial to a good blue stilton but I do tend to beeline to it without considering alternatives. Some great suggestions to hunt down in there. We’re so lucky that we have great delis and such attainability online because we’re so spoiled for choice. Even rock stars are making cheese these days.
GDave
June 23, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
Miles,
I deal with a lot of the cheeses you mention, during the working day. Cheese is a bit like perfume and paintings…. you can’t choose for someone else, or at least that’s what I find. One particular cheese might entice a customer to travel a fair distance while the next person quickly admits they hate it. Tasting is the only real way to judge and slowly people are coming round to trying something different. My prediction that the Whisky and chilli mix cheeses wouldn’t sell turned out to be way off the mark…. there really is a cheese out there for everyone. My current favourite is a fine Gorgonzola which oozes off the plate with smooth flavoured ripeness. Wait for it folks…. if this cheese were a man then it would have to be Daniel Craig…. mature, smooth and with a touch of blue (the steely eyes
)
Look out for organic Cornish Brie for mild creaminess but for full on flavour it’s still Brie de Meaux at room temperature of course. We find Lincolnshire cheeses are still the most popular with Dambuster and Cotehill Blue taking most of the honours. Another hot seller is quince paste or jelly to accompany cheese plus damson, fig and lime & chilli jellies. I love chutneys too, homemade so much the better. Time to revisit pickled pears, in fact time to have a little soiree with a huge cheese board and all the trimmings and something nice to drink on a hot summer evening.
Cid
June 23, 2009 @ 7:14 pm
GDave,
I heard about that particular rock star, he’s in every food publication now.
Never mind!
Miles
June 23, 2009 @ 10:29 pm
Cid,
A lovely comment thank you. Cheese is certainly an individual ‘thing’. We have a very fruity Cumbrian cheese which I find too sweet but my Head Chef loves it. That said I pulled rank and it’s off the menu
Miles
June 23, 2009 @ 10:32 pm
Miles,
Oh, wow, what a great post — and all the follow-up comments are wonderful. I love our local applewood cold smoked goat chevre. I like your term “quirky” Miles. This cheese I’m talking about would be quirky. Served with an assortment of exotic olives and a nice Sauvignon Blanc.
You’re so right Cid, people should pick their own paintings, perfume and maybe even cheese. Hmmm? You have your Daniel Craig cheese, I’m wondering who this cheese would be?
Delightful post!
Melissa
June 24, 2009 @ 1:45 am
Melissa,
Olives and a nice sauvignon..who needs cheese?
Miles
June 24, 2009 @ 9:26 pm
Hi Miles:
Wonderful, thoughtful post with many good suggestions.
I’m wondering if you can recommend anything like a Mont d’Or that is easier to come by. Everytime I’ve been in Geneva I always make sure to eat some, but I haven’t been in a long while.
Thanks,
Laura
June 24, 2009 @ 10:17 pm
Laura,
That’s a tough one, it is a fabulous cheese (great box too!) This might sound like a ‘cop out’ but to be honest the only alternative I can think of right now is the French version!! I’ll look into it when I get to work.
Miles
June 25, 2009 @ 8:13 am
Miles,
This post reminded me of a great market in Delft/Holland which had a number of stalls selling a huge variety of cheeses. The stall holders invited people to taste them. They seem to expect that one needed to taste a cheese before purchase.
I found this most helpful as I am not keen on very strong flavours. I agree with Cid that it is a very personal choice.
Anne
June 25, 2009 @ 7:43 pm
Anne,
Sounds like a great place, we could learn from that over here.
Miles
June 25, 2009 @ 10:33 pm
Anne,
Hope your trip was all you wished for…. nice to have you back.
We’ve just had a shipment of Pecorino Romano in so I’m off to find a few recipes/ideas for customers.
Cid
June 26, 2009 @ 9:38 am
Cid,
.
Thank you Cid, it was a great break.
In Sorrento we tasted the most sublime cheeses (in a shop that sold nothing else) and I felt that Pecorino had the edge on Parmigano. We had chunks vaccum packed to take home and make the experience last a little longer.
Somehow, one can never replicate these special moments as they need the ambience to go with it. I shall just have to return
Anne
June 26, 2009 @ 9:19 pm
Anne,
Far be it for me to stop you returning to such a wonderful place, but I know a deli where you can get good cheese and olives etc. I’ve just had a sizable chunk of Pecorino Romano delivered should you require some a little closer to home! Seems to me that the two of us should have opened our own shop years ago, stocking all manner of quality foods and assorted gorgeousness
Cid
June 26, 2009 @ 9:46 pm