Any cheese experts on Mumsnet please

[mckenzie]

We are having a "cheese and wine from around the world" evening.

Can anyone recommend any good cheeses from various countries that I will be able to buy in a decent supermarket please?

TIA

[Bubble2bubble]

I used to work in a cheese shop [smile[

The basics I would expect to find in a supermarket...
France is easy - brie/camembert/Roquefort/goat's cheese log/chaorce
Spain - manchego
Holland - edam/gouda
England - cheddar/stilton
Ireland - cashel blue/ durrus/cooleeny
USA - Monterey Jack
Italy - parmsesan/gorgonzola/mozzarella/taleggio
Switzerland - emmental

You would get a lot more choice than this is a good cheese shop ( with some you can order online, though possibly too late at this time of year)
Lidl has often a good selection of foreign cheeses, often things you wouldn't expect.

[BaronessBomburst]

Don't buy Edam!
The stuff in the black wax is okay but the cheese in the red wax is so mild it's tasteless and has the consistency of plastic.
There are some fabulous Dutch cheeses but you won't find them in a UK supermarket.
How about Roche Baron or Bleu d'Avergne as alternative to Stilton? Or Cambozola as a softer creamier blue cheese?
Morbiere is a good choice for something more unusual.
My local Aldi does a fantastic Basque cheese, although the name escapes me.

[BaronessBomburst]

My German friends claim Tilsiter is German, although Tilsit is in Denmark these days. Something to do with shifting European borders.
Bavaria Blue is German. although Bavarians might not agree

[mckenzie]

thanks very much bubble2bubble. That's a good start.

[mckenzie]

and thank you BB

[Mondrian]

Franco-Basque: Ossau Irraty
French: Comte
Swiss: Tete de Moine (buy the girolle too) you can buy 1/2 and sprinkle some crushed pepper corns on the flower, i.e. after girolle
German: Montagnolo Affine
Italy: Smoked buffalo mozzarella
Cyprus: Halloumi (grill it)

[Mondrian]

If you fancy cheese fondue let me know and I will post up a recipe.

[BaronessBomburst]

I fancy a cheese fondue recipe please Mondrian!
There is rather a lot of cheese in my utility room ripening up for Xmas.
Some of it is starting to ooze.

[Butterpuff]

I love a bit of Edam me.

[Mondrian]

I use the recipe below with some changes depending on mood & availability. Different regions have their own take and some only use 2 types of cheese rather than 3. Proper fondue chefs add each cheese at a different time as each has a different melting time but I don't bother and just chuck them all in. Gruyere is always present and some use Titsiter (Titsit) instead of Appenzeller. I prefer to use thin baguette.

Come to think of it OP could add Titsiter to their international cheese selection, it is a Prussian cheese so very cool to have on their platter, or if they prefer they could pass it as Swiss, Russian or German and all would be correct!

www.food.com/recipe/authentic-original-traditional-swiss-fondue-old-world-recipe-53057

[FawnDrench]

There are lots of Welsh and Scottish cheeses available in supermarkets.

And don't forget good old Danish Blue!

[AndNoneForGretchenWieners]

This menu from Homage 2 Fromage may help: www.clubhomage2fromage.co.uk/blogs/news/christmas-cheese-board

[mckenzie]

Thank you for the link.

[cdtaylornats]

Caboc from Scotland
Smoked cheese from Austria

[BrieAndChilli]

Welsh - y fenni, it's got mustard seeds in it and is seriously lush!

[BrieAndChilli]

Not sure if it qualifies for cheese snobs but you could get some of that 'mexican' cheese with chilllis in.

[BaronessBomburst]

Thanks for the link!
Have any of you here ever had hard goats cheese with fenugreek in?
It's a Dutch speciality and I adore it.
They also add cumin seeds to Gouda type cheeses, and in Friesland they add cloves. Clove cheese is lovely for breakfast with dark bread and coffee.

[Pointeshoes]

That herby swirly soft cheese and Cheshire cheese are the only ones for me :)

[OfstedAintEverything]

Chaorce. Total French mouldy cheese heaven. (Not if you are preggers though)

[Weedsnseeds1]

Ossau Irraty as mentioned by PP - it's served with black cherry jam
Manchego with membrillo
Greek feta
England - Stinking Bishop, Stichleton, yarg
France - valecey, morbier, crottin, rocamadour
Ireland- Cahel Blue
New Zealand - cheddar ( lots of nice cheese there but only seen NZ cheddar in UK)
Switzerland- Emmenthal, gruyère
Austria - alpkase
Lebanon - labneh ( easy to make yourself from yogurt)
India - paneer ( but it needs to be cooked)

[Weedsnseeds1]

Norway - jarlesburg

[whataboutbob]

If you are looking at Britain and Ireland here are some faves: Ireland: Cashel Blue, Wales: Gorwyd Caerphilly, Scotland: Orkney cheddar, England: Lancashire. A goat's cheese would complement this selection well.

[SexTrainGlue]

Paneer from India, just to have something from outside Europe.

[TeddyIsaHe]

Get Norfolk cheeses for your English ones - Binham Blue, Copys Cloud, Walsingham and White Lady are all incredibly good. And they're something a bit different, but still familiar in their textures and tastes. And no, I don't work for Mrs Temples

[1frenchfoodie]

Aged Edam - Old Amsterdam - would be a good dutch cheese, it is delish, miles away from the usual plastic stuff which might be a nice surprise for invitees.

I like Chaource though St Marcelin and St Felician are smaller mould riped cheeses from France that are even nicer. Waitrose stock them, not sure about other supermarkets.

What a nice idea.