What would you include in a cheese hamper?

[Annwithnoe]

I want to give my SIL a little luxury gift this Christmas, because she's had a very hard year and could do with a bit of tlc. She loves cheese so I'm thinking of a little hamper with a Camembert baking dish, Michel Roux's Cheese book, some crackers, chutney and 3-4 cheeses. I'm thinking a Camembert (obv), a nice smelly Stilton, but after that I'm not sure. Probably a hard cheese but not a cheddar.
If you're a cheese lover is there a particular one you'd recommend? Is it better to go for a plain cheese than one with bits (fruit/nettles) in it? And how much is too much?
there are stupid strict protocols for gifts in DH's family and adults don't buy gifts for each other but we have to buy for adult "children" so I thought I could pass it off as a hostess gift because she will almost certainly do a family dinner over Christmas. I thought I could offer to bring the cheese I'm trying to hit that balance between bringing a course and pampering her a bit, without technically crossing the line that obligates her to buy me a gift in return. When she comes for dinner she'd probably bring me flowers or wine.
I should add that while some of the family will have a little cheese she would be the main enthusiast.

[peachypetite]

Manchego is nice

[Isadora2007]

I can’t help with nice cheeses. But what about a good cheese slicer, wee knives (you get mice shaped ones!) a Ikea grater etc as well? Or a cheese board or dome?

[singadream]

I think this is a really lovely idea (and I don't even like cheese). How about some very posh crackers too.

[DonkeyOaty]

A really strong cheddar like Black Bomber. Phwooaaar. Comes in a little black wax jacket. (truckle)

Harlech cheese is epic if you want a different experience!

Mmmm cheese.

[Annwithnoe]

Ooh I really like the idea of a cheese dome.
I may have to sample all these cheese suggestions myself first.

[Heratnumber7]

If she’s a cheese lover I wouldn’t bother with the Camembert baking dish. That’s sacrilege to a cheese connoisseur.

Dolcelatte is nice, and Blue Stilton is a must.
I’d also recommend you include a goat’s cheese.

[EdithWeston]

I'd get a really good hard regional British cheese (probably a mature cheddar).

Then either one with bits in it, or a goat cheese, or a crumbly Wensleydale or Cheshire. And I'd include a quince paste (or similar)

[camdentown17]

I was also going to recommend manchego. Also as pp said, a really strong cheddar. Comte is also lovely. I wouldn't go for the cheeses with fruit in though, I really can't stand them as a cheese lover!

[Bluebell9]

Are there any Christmas markets near you? The one near me has a cheese stall with locally made cheeses. You can test them all before you buy too!

[whiskyowl]

Find a really good cheese shop that you can go into and ask them to recommend their specialties. We can advise you generically - oh, get a cheddar, a stilton, a soft cheese, a fruity cheese, etc - but they will be able to say "We have this variety of hard Swiss cheese that is farmed in the Alps, and you can go to this video to see the actual cows and the cheesemakers, and it tastes like a meadow on a plate" and give you a sample to confirm that. And it will taste about 1000 times better than anything you can buy in even the posh supermarkets.

Get loads of crackers of different kinds too - you can get different varieties that suit different types of cheese. And a couple of jars of chutney.

[confusedandemployed]

A lovely Lagioule (sp?) cheese knife.

Black bomber cheddar or Old Amsterdam gouda. Epoisses.

[confusedandemployed]

If You're anywhere near Swansea there's ab amazing cheese stall in the market. Good cheese shop in Tetbury too.

[LordSugarWillSeeYouNow]

Cheese

Sorry op! I only like Dairylea

[AngelsWithSilverWings]

Comte and Brie de Meaux are a must on my cheeseboard. Black bomber is nice too.

Godminster cheese is great.

My absolute favourite is a cheese called Langres - larger Waitrose stores and specialist cheese shops usually sell it.

There is a company called Pong who do cheese hampers ( I've been the happy recipient of two of them) so you could look at their hamper selections to get an idea of the different cheeses to include. If you click on a particular hamper it lists the cheeses and a description.

I would always add a caramelised red onion chutney and some nice posh crackers.

It's also a nice tradition to include a really good rich fruit cake to be eaten with the cheese.

I have to say I wouldn't be bothered with a baked Camembert.

Cheese hampers are the best gift ever!

[AmethystRaven]

Cheese feasts for me must include Stilton, brie and caramelised red onion chutney. Not fussed on cheddar. A garlic and herb roule is nice too. Lovely idea

[millifiori]

I'd go for Blue Stilton, Chewton's or Black Wax cheddar, Pie D'Anglois soft French cheese (like Camembert but really creamy) and then maybe a novelty cheese like Gouda with caraway seeds in it or Cheshire with cranberries. Fudge's brand crackers with walnuts in and another with seeds in/on. Classic Carr's water biscuits, cheese slicer, good chutneys.
I want one now, and I'm not even that crazy on cheese.

[Wh0KnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

I love blue cheese but am not keen on Stilton, I prefer gorgonzola, dolcelatte or if I can find it Oxford Blue. Instead of camembert I would go for something stronger like Tunworth (from Hampshire). I also love Black Bomber and Lancashire Bomb. If you can get to a specialist cheese shop or decent farmshop then you can try some and get advice there. I wouldn't bother with cheese knives, graters etc, chances are she'll either already have them or not use them - we were given a fancy cheese knife set as a wedding present but it never got used despite us being big cheese fans.

[Annwithnoe]

Scribbling furiously to note all this down great suggestions. I might pop in to a cheesemonger this week for a chat and to guzzle some samples and then order it to be delivered closer to Christmas. I don't think I could brave the crowds closer to Christmas. How long will cheese last?

Sticking with the baked Camembert as I served that as a starter months ago and she said that she loved it but maybe she was just being polite and covering up her horror

[Heratnumber7]

She was probably covering up her horror!

Camembert is overrated IMO. Baked Camembert is a fad.

[Oogle]

Pie d'Angloys is my absolute favourite cheese.
Also love Comte, Langres & Epoisses. You can't go wrong with a good chunk of Stilton or Saint Agur either.
I served all of the above at a dinner party recently and they were all well received. I got them all from Tesco.

I love posh crackers but my guilty pleasure is a gooey stinky cheese on hovis digestive crackers

[Ishouldbedoingsomething]

Ginger nuts and cheddar is also lovely but obviously can’t tell anyone that

Truffle cheese is lovely. How about a small cheese fondue set - I think they are coming back into fashion in the uk - I am in Switzerland where they have never gone out of fashion.

[Annwithnoe]

Wait! Pie d'Angloys is in Tesco??? It was practically my whole reason for travelling to France.

[millifiori]

They sell it in Waitrose too Ann and it is divine.

[AdaColeman]

I'd put it some membrillo and some chilli jam, and for something a bit different some Ossau-Iraty with a small pot of black cherry jam.

For crackers, Bath Olivers are hard to beat.

[TimbuktuTimbuktu]

I love a Cornish Yarg and the nettles make it look really pretty.

I’d also recommend the Long Clawson Dairy Rutland Red which is a traditional Red Leicester which is delicious and so much more flaversome than the crap you get in the supermarkets. Their Stilton is good too although I think Cropwell Bishop has the edge.

The best cheese I ever tasted was a single Gloucester that I had at a cheese fair. Alas I can’t remember who made it but it was so fresh and delicious.

Enjoy your tasting!