Christmas Cheese

[nancybotwinbloom]

I am taking a cheese board to my parents for Christmas, they are my bubble.

What do you recommend.

I'm going with nothing is too much.

So far I have

Boursin - my fave
Red Leicester
Normal mature white cheddar
Brie
Camembert

I'm taking truffle honey, onion chutney, chilli jam and grapes. Any other suggestions welcome!

I really want to add some French naturally gooey cheese but I don't know the names of any. Just that I've had them in restaurants and really liked them.

What do you recommend?

Nothing blue please no of us like this.

And it's absolutely beautiful to look at.

Epoisses or Pay d'anglais (sp) are the go to runny cheeses here.

The other favourite is Simon Rightons Brie - does a plain one, smoked, herbed and blue - made in the cotswolds and I think you can get it online.

Get the mature Red Leicester, I think it's called red fox? They sell at Aldi. Soooo good!

If you want to try a more mellow blue, try Blue Monday. I'm not a blue cheese fan but love that one.

Applewood is a lovely smoked cheese...

Its this time of year I always get sentimemtal over cracker barrel

I'd have Applewood smoked and Black bomber instead of the standard mature cheddar

I'd go for something a bit more unusual, as in the nicest possible way, the ones already on the list are the kind of cheeses people eat all the time. So how about something like a Gorwydd Caerphilly perhaps? If you want some inspiration, take a look here: www.thecourtyarddairy.co.uk/

The best cheese in the whole world is Chaource. It’s a gooey French cheese, a bit similar to Camembert but creamier.

www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/no1-chaource-aop/624075-151832-151833

Dovedale blue is a really mild and creamy soft blue cheese to try if you don't like other blue cheeses.

Your normal cheddar would be great as one of those with a slight crunch. So nice ! Barbers crunch I think, is really good

Port salut
Nice olives
Rosemary crackers
Spicy cheese for some different flavours
Smoked cheese?

@Jamhandprints

I've never actually had a fig. Not even sure what to do with one?!

I am making some chipotle spiced honey for my cheese board. Am also going to make a real effort to diversify my cracker choices this year. Cheese wise I love black sticks blue. A few years ago I found a charcoal black cheddar that is just delicious so will be getting some of that. A crumbly white, a soft cheese. Something red. Going to up it with the other bits typo to make a grazing board. I could eat cheese for two meals a day three days solid. So adding chorizo, Parma ham, salami, olives, mini cornichons and then add grapes, figs, celery, and some chutneys.

I can't wait. I love cheese!

A grazing board is such a good idea. I think I may steal this and add spring rolls etc

What is port salut I know that name but can't recall what it is?

I will get some dovedale

There are seven of us so we will be in a cheese coma but it's Christmas so I think it's allowed

Lancashire Cheese Bomb. You are all welcome.

Moody's Rosary Ash from Waitrose. So lovely

Just a tip.
If you get a cheeseboard and massively indulge, try not to come down with norovirus randomly on the same day.
You will regret it

Fountains gold, it's a very creamy beautiful cheese.

If you like red Leicester try the red fox one, it's a bit more crumbly and has a nice strong taste.

Charcoal cheese.
Wooky hole cheddar
Cornish brie
Try a creamy blue cheese, they are so much nicer than stilton, even tho that is delicious, Roquefort is good.
Manchego.......especially nice with quince jelly.
A good butter.

Have a look at Wensleydale Creamery, they deliver hampers.....might be a nice surprise for your parents and stops you having to transport it??(I've had cheese delivered by them). They do other stuff too

Oh, coverdale, smoked Wensleydale and Abbots cheese are all good too.

I'm a Yorkshire girl.......whereabouts are you?

Caboc is a gorgeous soft cream cheese.

I'd go for a Cornish Yarg, a really authentic Cheddar, a goats cheese and a sheep's cheese, a blue one - maybe Shropshire Blue and a smelly French one, so not Brie or Cambembert because they're not stinky enough!

I’d have a look at the cheese society www.thecheesesociety.co.uk the shop is in my closest city so that’s a trip I take every year.