Try something new this festive season
Christmas without Stilton would be like a stocking without a satsuma, but while this national treasure will always be a must-eat at Christmas, there are many more ways to enjoy cheese during the festive period. In fact, with over 700 named varieties of British cheese, the possibilities are endless.
So why not take inspiration from the British Cheese Board’s Christmas tips, and surprise your friends and family this holiday season with a tasty, cheesy treat under the tree or at the dinner table?
Delicious cheese and wine combinations
Every cheese has its perfect match, and a must-have at Christmas is pairing Stilton with port. If you fancy trying something more unusual, try eating Blue Stilton with Oloroso sherry. The scent of cinnamon and spices found in mulled wine also complement the strong undertones of the ‘King’ of British cheeses, as does a pudding wine.
Why not encourage guests to try a dram of Talisker 18yr old whisky with their extra mature or West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, as the smoky and sweet flavours of the whisky balance out the slight saltiness of the cheese.
If dry white is the tipple of choice, Farmhouse Red Leicester complements it perfectly. If you prefer the fullness of a red Pinot Noir, enjoy it with Blue Lancashire or a mature West Country Farmhouse Cheddar.
While pairing wine with cheese might be the traditional option, a well-matched beer can offset cheese deliciously. An oak-aged beer like Innis and Gunn goes superbly with a Farmhouse Red Leicester, and a fresh and fruity beer like Dark Star Sunburst tastes great with an Extra Mature Cheddar - perfect for a relaxed Boxing Day with friends.
Top tips for buying, storing and serving cheese at Christmas
Cheese is best enjoyed fresh, although it can be stored in a cool environment for anything from a couple of days to several months, depending on the type of cheese.
Buy softer cheeses such as Brie and Camembert in advance so that it has a chance to ripen.
When storing cheese, either wrap it tightly in foil or cling film or keep in an airtight container in the bottom part of the fridge.
To bring out its full flavour, cheese should always be served at room temperature. Therefore, to get the most out of your cheese this Christmas, remember to take it out of the fridge up to two hours before serving.
Avoid using the same knife to cut different cheeses as this can lead to the flavours contaminating one another.
If you’ve bought more cheese than you can eat this Christmas, it is possible to freeze certain open textured cheeses such as Stilton very effectively as the texture allows the ice crystals to form in the tiny gaps. Once defrosted in the fridge overnight, the texture and flavour is not affected.
With hard cheese like Cheddar the dense nature of the cheese means the ice crystals force the hard cheese apart, so when hard cheese defrosts it becomes crumbly. You can solve this problem to a large extent by grating hard cheeses prior to freezing.
Tagged in food