Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Stuck for a present? Give cheese!


I received a great present this week from an old friend I’d had to dinner recently - a box of cheeses from her local cheese shop in Louth. Obviously it was tailormade for a cheese addict like me but it made me think what a great way it was to give a taste of your local region to any foodie friend.


Lincolnshire is not particularly noted for its cheese - apart from the cheddar-like Lincolnshire Poacher but there was also a Lincolnshire Red (made to a similar recipe to a Red Leicester), a Brie-style blue and mild yellow-waxed cheese from Cote Hill, a plum loaf and a very good jar of apple and onion-based. Lincolnshire chutney. I particularly liked these accompaniments - a chance to taste cheese in a different way. They both went particularly well with the 19 month old Poacher.

Most cheese shops do something similar - sometimes with booze. Paxton & Whitfield for example does a ‘Cider and Blue’ box with Caradon Blue and ‘Ernie & Gertie’s’ cider, the aptly namd Pong does an ‘Ultimate Pong Box’ of its smelliest cheeses while the Fine Cheese Co in Bath does an elegant Spring/Flower Show Box among other topical boxes.


And if you’re just looking for a small gift to take to someone who’s invited you for a meal I love the nutty, crumbly Maris Otter malted barley biscuits (above) I was sent recently by The Little Rose Bakery which won a gold medal in last year’s great taste awards.

So how much of a cheeselover are you? Would you rather have cheese - or something to go with it - than a box of chocolates or a bottle of wine when someone comes to dinner?

7 comments:

Kavey said...

Any friend who sends me a gift of cheese is a friend indeed!

I can recommend Pong, having used them a few times, in fact I ordered some of my Christmas cheese board from them in December. And I can definitely recommend the Ultimate selection as this was my idea and they implemented it and said it has proved really popular! :)

Fiona Beckett said...

Good for you, Kavey! Appeals to me too . . .

Kavey said...

Also suggested a new mums' box (of unpasteurised cheeses mums might have missed during pregnancy). I think they put that up too.

I know a lot of ladies who would be thrilled by that kind of gift after 9 months of missing their favourites!!!

Fiona Beckett said...

They did! Another genius idea.

Unknown said...

OMG!!! so this is my local cheese shop and they are so lovely in there... they have a selection of the most wonderful cheeses (Lincolnshire and further afield) and they'll be so chuffed you've written about them... and i'm so glad you enjoyed your Lincolnshire Poacher... good stuff!... i feel so proud right now x

Fiona Beckett said...

Hey, that's great, Dom. They certainly seem to be an enterprising lot.

Victoria Pink said...

I love the cheese gifts from Godminster - cute little organic cheddar cheese hearts and other foodie goodies.