Enjoy British cheese with our food swap ideas
As a nation we are spoilt for choice when it comes to buying delicious, locally produced cheeses, yet despite this, a quick look inside most British household fridges will reveal a vast range of foreign made cheeses, and the dairy aisles of the larger supermarkets tell the same story.
Whilst the Nantwich International Cheese Awards are a fantastic celebration of quality cheeses from all over the world, those who are keen to support British made cheeses should have no problem in finding suitable substitutes for their favourite foreign cheeses, many of which will be on show at Nantwich this year.
By increasing awareness of some of the lesser known British cheeses, and encouraging people to try something new, the British Cheese Board hopes to persuade as many people as possible to take part in the great British cheese swap and support our nation’s dairy industry.
The following suggestions for swaps from some of the most popular foreign cheeses, to less well known British cheeses, are a great place to start:
Swap Feta for Crumbly Cheshire
Greek Feta cheese is one of the most popular foreign cheeses in the UK, and is particularly great cubed in salads or accompanying roasted vegetable dishes. Its crumbly texture and fresh flavour are very similar to our British Cheshire cheese, which is also a mild, young cheese with a lightness and tanginess that works perfectly with fresh salads and balances the intense sweetness of roasted tomatoes. As it happens, our British Cheshire also has up to 50% less salt than Feta – another tick in the box for Cheshire!
Swap Parmesan for Sussex Charmer
One of the most famous Italian cheeses, Parmesan, is the perfect partner to pasta dishes and risottos, but few people know that we actually make a fantastic alternative to traditional Parmesan right here in the UK. Sussex Charmer is made using a recipe that is a cross between a Parmesan and Cheddar recipe, and is a hard-pressed cheese matured for up to a year with the flavour profile matching perfectly the hybrid claim. Use this cheese as you would traditional Italian Parmesan or enjoy it as part of a cheese board for an unusual twist on a British Cheddar.
Swap Roquefort for Stilton
The French are rightly proud of their world renowned sheep milk blue cheese, Roquefort, and it remains one of their tastiest exports. Fans of Roquefort are likely to have also tried Stilton but many may not be aware of the full range of Stiltons available and how much the flavour profile alters depending on age. Stilton can provide a real alternative to Roquefort, with the added benefit that it typically has 40% less salt than Roquefort. Like its French counterpart, Stilton works just as nicely in sauces, salads and on the cheeseboard.
Swap Edam for Mild Cheddar
The Dutch hard cheese Edam is known for its distinctive red waxy rind and mild, slightly salty taste. It works best in sandwiches, as it is the perfect slicing cheese. Those who love a mild Edam should try swapping it for a young British Cheddar, which has the same gentle flavour and perfect slicing qualities. As well as having up to 30% less salt than Edam, mild Cheddar also boasts a better texture for melting on toast or in sauces. Mild Cheddar also works well with fruit such as pears or apples for a savoury desert option or snack.
If you are looking to buy mild Cheddar, make sure you check the label to see whether the cheese you are buying is British. Contrary to popular belief, Cheddar is not only made in Britain, even though it was invented here. In actual fact, much of the Cheddar in our supermarkets is imported so you should check the label to see whether the Cheddar you are buying is British, and isn’t just ‘packed in the UK’.
For more information on British cheeses and to get further inspiration on some delicious British cheeses to try, based on those you already love, take a look at the British Cheese Board’s cheese flavour map at http://britishcheese.com/cheese_flavour_map
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