I know it is a pretty lame thing to be excited about, but it is the first time I have seen Cheshire cheese for sale here in Bern.

Normally I can only find Stilton and Cathedral Cheddar. They had some other interesting looking Cheddars there as well.

You didn't notice any Wensleydale by any chance?

I didn't see any Wensleydale, which I am also quite fond of, but I was in a bit of a rush. I'm going back tomorrow. I have looked for English cheese there before, and all they have ever had is Stilton. Tonight I noticed on the LCD monitor sitting on atop the cheese counter, it said something about a British Christmas, so maybe that has something to do with the sudden appearance of English Cheese there.

I am going to buy another chunk of the Cheshire for sure. My wife and I had it half devoured by the time we got home!

The cheese shop in the Kramgasse near the Zytglogge (east of tower itself) has sometimes cheddar. I can't remember what kind for the life of me. But if you are in the area pop in and have a look. It's usually in the fridge bit opposite the cheese counter at the back.

Thanks, I will definately take a look.

So far in Bern I have found:

Cathedral Cheddar - available at larger Migros
Stilton - available at Coop, Globus, and lately at Migros
Stilton soaked in port - available at Coop (yummy with walnuts!)

And now some "guest cheeses" at Globus (I hope they keep stocking them!)

I would love to find a Cheddar which is a bit sharp, like the Imperial Aged Cheddar I used to get in Canada, as well as someting that is a bit "nippy".

You could always organise an event and invite our very own Mr Grapefruit to bring some of his wares.

Or just hop on the train to Zurich one Wednesday afternoon...

Yes, I do go to Zurich for work about once a month. I only just found out about Grumpy's English Cheese stand in the Bahnhof there on Wednesday.

My next trip will be on a Wednesday if at all possible!

I don't know about organizing an event here. When I ask around work, people wonder why in the world anyone would want English Cheese in Switzerland.

However when we have people over, and serve up some cheese for a snack or after dinner, I usually throw some Cathedral Cheddar in with the Swiss stuff. It always seems to disappear rather quickly.

That's where Mr Grapefruit would come in: Listening to him talking about cheese is like listening to my Uncle seducing a pert young debutante. A substantial proportion of his customers are aboriginal Swiss types (more than half? Not sure if I remember that correctly - Mr Grapefruit will put you right), who have been won over to the pleasures of farm-sourced cheeses from all over the British Isles by the silky tongue of our favourite turophile.

You could start by getting a couple of different cheeses and leaving them in the staff room or similar common area, with a couple of Mr Grapefruit's flyers... when they've all been devoured (it shouldn't take long), mention the possibility of having a cheese tasting event, and you'll have them hooked.

It's a little ironic that I'm in England at the moment, on my holidays, and find myself missing the cheeses that he sells: I haven't a clue what's good and what isn't when I'm in Tesco - when I buy from Mr Grapefruit, I know it's good, and that's the end of it.

Can't wait to get back to eating proper cheese again...

Grapefruit also does parcels so that you don't have to be at the
Zürich Bahnhof on Wednesday.

www.cheeseclub.ch

The shop window displays in Basel have been all about "British Christmas"; all cosy leather armchairs and nips of glasses of Malmsey with the Christmas pud.

In not one of them is there depicted a drunk being sick outside a kebab shop after pub closing time on Christmas Eve in time to Slade's greatest hit.

Cheers,
Nick

The Cheshire that Globus is selling is Appleby's and is just about the best - well, I would say that 'cos I sell it also - but it is true.

They are having a British cheese promotion at the mo and have some good stuff, especially Lincolnshire Poacher, but they haven't forked out for the vintage 2 year old which is a pity. Also, they are heavily promoting Cashel Blue as their number one British cheese. It's very good, but unfortunately it's not even British!

They don't have Wensleydale (it's not a great favourite with Swiss people, too mild) but I, and Jelmoli in Zurich, do - King Richard III from Bedale, based on the original pre WWII recipe, not on the post war supermarket version. It's so good it's my cheese of the month!

And Cathedral City - sorry, it may melt well for sauces and nachos etc. But it certainly is not real cheddar cheese

Yes, Cathedral City is what I would call "industrial cheese", but as you said it melts well and is OK for cooking, we use it also to make macaroni and cheese.

I went back to Globus today, bought another chunk of Cheshire, a small peice of Shropshire, and some of the Lincolnshire Poacher.

I also bought a peice of Montgomery's Cheddar, and it is very nice.