As I sheltered under a shop awning, watching the hail bouncing off the pavements on an English ‘summer’ morning, my mind turned to sunny holidays and then narrowed it down to holidays that aren’t too far away, what with having to listen to small people asking ‘Are we there yet?’ for the entire journey. So, when I finally emerged back into the soggy street, I had decided upon France for my holidays and French cheese for this week’s fromage.
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Tag Archives: cow’s milk cheese
Pont L’Évêque
Filed under cheese
Burwash Rose
I was drawn to this cheese for the simple reason that it looked a bit like Brie. ‘Ah, this one is rind-washed,’ says the cheese-man behind the counter. ‘Do you know about rind-washing?’
This was my first venture to a proper cheese-shop and I was feeling awkward and amateur. I went to an Ann Summers shop once and felt the same way, gawping at shelves full of ‘what-the-hell-do-you-do-with-that’s?!’ When an assistant asked me what I was looking for, I legged it and went to get a cup of tea. Determined to be braver this time, I admitted my ignorance of rind-washing and fortunately the cheese-man was nice and not at all patronising. (As an aside, I suspect if you started talking about rind-washing in an Ann Summers shop, it probably means something quite filthy…) Continue reading
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Dorset Blue Vinny
It was always going to be hard to choose the first cheese to kick off my cheese odyssey. Where to begin? More than 700 British cheeses…at least 400 in France…Mauritanian Camel Cheese… Sardinian Rotting Maggot’s Cheese…
Dorset Blue Vinny won by managing to combine two of my favourite things: blue cheese (dribble) and Dorset, scene of many happy childhood holidays. It’s also a cheese that I’ve heard of but can’t remember ever tasting (I know, I know, but remember that I come to you if not a cheese virgin then certainly a cheese lover who’s only had a few fumbles with fromage).
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Fromage Homage 