You beat me to it, yes I will be with Humphrey Errington from 11.00 - 17.00, he makes the most amazing blue cow and sheeps milk cheeses in Scotland and we'll be doing a tasting, and selling his cheese (I don't have much and it will sell out).



There is (allegedly) a great hangover cure using Stilton, bacon and chocolate and some other Stilton recipes here.

If you can't make it into Zurich, my other half will have some at the Moevenpick Wine Keller in Zug on Saturday, next week at the ZH HB market on Wednesday, the following weekend I'll be doing a free tasting with a California wine supplier in Lutry (please PM me if you'd like to come) then on Sunday at the the Leman Expat fair in Morges and the following Saturday 3rd back in Morges for the British Classic car show before I drive back to the UK Sunday to re-stock. Lovers of Irish cheese will be in for a treat as I will be bringing back 12 of the best including Cashel & Crozier blue (the 2nd made from sheeps milk) and 2 or 3 goat cheeses.

Seeing as it's Stilton day, here's a great video with Rick Stein on his "Food heroes" series when he visits Cropwell Bishop dairy (who make my Stilton) to see how it's made. Howard Lucas on the video gave me the same tour last year.

Unfortunately the video report was cut in the middle of the answer to this fundamental question that is whether it is socially acceptable to pour port in the centre of a Stilton. Which side of the fence are you on, Mr Grapefruit?

Forget the socially acceptable aspect. What does it do to the taste when they are mixed over a long period?

It is disappointing that you should even need to ask, Mr Graben.

As a shrewd salesman who does not want to risk alienating any potential customers, I would expect Mr Grapefruit to answer that he is sitting on it, but maybe the cheese business does not tolerate indecision and compromise, hence my curiosity.

"Stilton is traditionally accompanied with port. There is the custom of
pouring port into the Stilton and 'digging' the cheese out with a special
spoon. This custom was born when whole cheeses were served at
banquets and where the entire cheese was consumed at the one sitting.
Many still enjoy this tradition but if you are planning to enjoy a Stilton
over a period longer than a week then this method should avoided. "

I've never know a bottle of port that ever lasted "a long period" anyway!
.

At the end of the day, the customer has the choice and if they like it all well and good. I had a discussion about this with a respected Swiss food writer (who does like it) and he told me that I have little right to complain seeing as Britain "created" spaghetti bolognaise and Lasagna with chips and peas amongst many other horrors.

What does it taste like? I dread to think.

Hi Mike

I agree totally, what a waste of Port

Stilton and Port is one of the truly great food combinations and both products deserves to be treated with respect. For me it has to be Vintage Port or at least a traditional style LBV from a good house being matched with your Stilton. It is after all the salty and creaminess of the cheese being matched with the sweet luscious fruits and tannins of the Port that make this such a great combination.

This whole idea where food is pre-made for us is completely wrong in my opinion and I know that people will say that there are time constraints on our busy lives but spending a few extra minutes longer in the kitchen instead of watching television can't be such a bad thing.

Great cheese is just like great wine, its a natural product of the earth and the more processing that it undertakes the lower its quality and taste.

Paul

I agree.......

Truly great cheese deserves a proper bottle of port (passed to the left of course!!)

That sounds plausible. Beaujolais Nouveau was just a marketing gimmick too.

I attended a port tasting seminar many moons ago, where the presenter started off with Sandeman's Port (popular supermarket fare and heavily advertised in the UK at the time) and we worked up to the finer stuff. About half way towards the finest one of the night he started quoting prices as "would go at auction for...". The finest one of the night was truly superb but the price was astounding - fortunately it had been donated

Deep fried Pizza anyone?

Mr Graben. I have 2 bits of good news for you. 30 Kg of Rachel will be heading to London later this week for me to collect next Tuesday and bring over. There is no market at the HB next week but I will be showcasing the said fermented curd at the Gourmesse exhibition in Zurich. Pete the cheese will also be sending some samples of his other 15 cheeses to taste, mostly goat.

Secondly, Rachel won Gold medal for best Semi Soft cheese at last weekends British cheese festival in Cardiff Castle. The full list of prize winners are on this PDF

There were 884 entries from 189 cheesemakers, representing about 70% of the industry. I will be going next year and will be organising a trip for up to 10 cheese lovers from Switzerland to visit the event on the Friday trade only day, Saturday and Sunday are packed with the public.

Let me light a candle and pull out my portable kneeler to pray so that the mishap you experienced with your consignment two months ago does not happen again. I presume a goat sacrifice will not improve the odds considering the nature of the product that is being transported.

I am not sure I will be able to attend the Gourmesse, although I must admit I find it difficult to resist the temptation now that you have mentioned that your dégustation selection will include several samples of Mr Humphreys goat wonders. I have noted the event tentatively in my diary. If I am unable to make it, I will send my butler to run the errand (added note in my diary: hire butler).

As for the prize, it is of course well deserved. Hopefully it will help the cheese gain public recognition abroad and hence increase its availability. Not that you are not greatly contributing to spreading the Rachel gospel already.

__________________

We went to Jelmoli today and asked for British cheese and they only had Stilton and Cheddar. Were we too early?

Probably. I've always considered the first week in a month to be the first complete week in a month. I may be wrong however.

Oops! Sorry Mr Trix, I forgot to update this thread. The launch if their British cheese selection has been put back to mid Nov. I'll post it here once they have picked the date.

My husband's reaction, "The Stilton we bought is counterfeit?!"

Might as well be - it seems a lot harder/drier than the Stilton we bought from you.

Anyway thanks for the info. Do you know if they will stock other oat cakes? Wasn't able to find any, so went with celery crackers. Weird.

N.B. -trix normally indicates female.

Their current Stilton is not the best, ours will be stocked next month along with our hand made Perthshire oatcakes.

No Market at the HB today but I will be selling cheese to take home at the Rappi Bier Factory ploughmans on Saturday and back at the HB Wednesday, Thursday evening at Delkap (South African) wines in Horgen, Friday morning and lunch at Britshops new premises near Zug and Friday evening and all day Saturday at the Moevenpick wine shop in Zug. The manager there Urs is very generous with his free sampling of wines!

I have loads of new cheeses as well as Rachel and for the first time the cow milk version, Morn Dew. Also the only BIO quality Stilton that went down very well at Gourmesse and one cheese of last years Supreme Champion British cheese Barkham Blue from Berkshire - I sold the other nine this last weekend, it is that good. Made from Jersey milk, it's almost like blue butter.

I won't be taking all cheeses to all of next weeks events so email me if you want anything in particular.

Where is the Britshop's new premises near Zug located at?
Thanks!

sorry if I'm asking the blatantly obvious, but are you implying that you are normally at the Wednesday market at HB?

Whereabouts are you and what's your stand called as I'd love to try and buy some of your cheeses.