Forum Topic

Cheese selection for a cheeseboard.

What would be a good selection of cheeses for a Christmas lunch cheeseboard please?

Gerry Tan ● 4663d24 Comments

First on the list must be a good piece of blue vein.

Tony Maxey ● 4663d

I'm with you all the way Tony - thanks.

Gerry Tan ● 4663d

I normally get a good selection then eat so much in the day that it stays in the fridge and it gets thrown away!

David P Archer ● 4663d

I sympathise David; my wife and I buy a large tub of brandy butter each pre-Christmas and only use a small teaspoonful 'cos we've been too greedy and had too much at lunchtime to tackle much pudding!  Eyes bigger than our bellys!  Ha ha!

Gerry Tan ● 4662d

Cheddar Deli have a super blue cheese called Barkham Blue which comes, I think, from Bucks or Berks. Not the cheapest at about £3 per 100g but an excellent strong flavour.Leave some for me!

Susan Kelly ● 4662d

We haven't tried Barkham Blue yet(never heard of it frankly) Susan, despite the fact we love cheeses. We favour strong cheeses - ones with 'attitude' that bite back at one's oesophagus. Must try Barkham Blue. I fancy a soft ripe Stilton with digestive biscuits this Christmas.

Gerry Tan ● 4662d

A good Stilton, a very ripe Cheddar and an Old Amsterdam Gouda for me and some Brie a nice smoked cheese for those who "only want something mild".

Nigel Brooks ● 4662d

That's a splendid selection Nigel and what would you drink with those stunning cheeses?

Gerry Tan ● 4662d

I'd have to have some Parlick Fell sheep's milk Lancashire which has won many an award and is sharp and creamy.A bit Lancashire creamy blue, blue stilton and maybe a double Gloucester and a Cornish Brie and pickled onions and chutneys. Nice drop of red or a port or a glass of bitter if I have room, which I doubt.

Keith Iddon ● 4662d

and some grapes.

Keith Iddon ● 4662d

Either a crusted port or, my preference, a good winter stout.

Nigel Brooks ● 4662d

I think you have a wonderful taste for cheese Keith - the grapes just give the finishing touch of magic to the excellent chese selection imo. Have a great tasty Christmas.

Gerry Tan ● 4662d

And same to your good self Gerry, and indeed to all.

Keith Iddon ● 4662d

Btw Keith, should one have the cheeses before or after puds?

Gerry Tan ● 4661d

It's either for me Gerry but not both!

Keith Iddon ● 4661d

Blues and a crawling off the board Brie with water biscuits and grapes for me.I also love ripe goats cheese.  It is most disappointing when cheese isn't ripe.Blue cheese and ripe cherry tomatoes are a match made in heaven.  (Don't keep tomatoes in the fridge.)

Philippa Bond ● 4661d

Ah delicious ripe cheeses, but should they be eaten before dessert or after Philippa?

Gerry Tan ● 4661d

Be careful of eating cheese before any meal. I recall going to a breakfast sales meeting and started with the varied cheese that was on display I ate so much that I couldn’t touch the delicious seafood that followed.

Tony Maxey ● 4660d

Technically afterwards but actually often best the next day or in the evening if it doesn't give you nightmares.This year I hope we will eat last year's Christmas pudding because nobody felt like it last year.  At home we always used to have fruit salad on Christmas day after the turkey - even better if there is something special like meringue and cream to go with it.I always think the best bit is the main meal and all the different vegetables and things that go with it.  It is a meal that we only have once a year.Cheese is very moreish (as Tony mentions) and I think it is nice after the lighter meal the next day.It is much nicer to leave the table feeling comfortable and not so full that you can't move!

Philippa Bond ● 4660d

Cherry toms with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar(olive oil optional), sea salt and black pepper for me. And small sticks of celery.

Keith Iddon ● 4660d

Kieth, utterly delicious, especially the crunch of fresh celery with cheese. Yum yum!

Gerry Tan ● 4660d

Surprised at all the mention of 'blue' cheese without being more specific.There is a huge range of blue cheese from the merely mediocre through to the absolutely world beating.Yes, a (good) correctly aged Stilton is an absolute classic, but for me one can't beat Roquefort.I always have a nice big chunk of this as the centrepiece of my cheese board.Swiftly followed up with a decent goats cheese.The cheddar deli (amongst others) does a lovely ash covered goats cheese pyramid which is well worth trying.

Tony Colliver ● 4658d

All utterly delishious Tony.Btw, do you take your cheese before or after your puds?

Gerry Tan ● 4658d

I like a strong blue and a more delicate creamy one too like Garstang Blue..all this talk of cheese is raising my cholesterol!

Keith Iddon ● 4658d