philmayfield 6,240 Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 I’ve not tried the Beauvale but I will do now. The local farm shop has an extensive cheese counter. Cropwell produces a good Stilton. It’s close to Colston Basset so the same mould spores must be in the air. Someone I knew who lived in the Vale of Belvoir said you had to be careful about leaving bread out as it rapidly went mouldy. The only Stilton I don’t especially like is Long Clawson which has a characteristic bitter flavour. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,240 Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 I went to a local home made wine tasting many years ago organised by an old lady who would collect your empty wine bottles.This was before the days of bottle banks. I think elderflower was her speciality. She must have increased the alcohol content by adding extra sugar. Whatever she did I’ve never seen such a collection of paralytic villagers, many of whom were pillars of the church and would not normally let their hair down. A most enjoyable evening was had by all, followed by some embarrassment in the ensuing weeks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,386 Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 Don't underestimate these old ladies. They certainly knew how to make a rocket fuelled wine. Great auntie Emily was a real country bumpkin. Born and grew up in Castle Donington, married her cousin who was a Lambley lad. They'd be out in the countryside every year gathering nature's harvest and turning it into wine. The scullery at Garden Street always had rows of earthenware crocks full of either, bread dough, hot cross bun dough in season, or wine with slices of toast floating on top. The smell was intoxicating, whatever she was making. I don't suppose I will ever sniff the like again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,240 Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 The old country characters are a dying breed. We used to have lots here, generally from farming backgrounds. We have about three now and they won't be replaced. People in the village are now townie 'incomers', hoping that their kids will get a better education at the village school and the countryside will give a better way of life. Even the teachers commute from the city. The headmaster doesn't drive and he comes in by train from Nottingham. I suppose I'm an incomer, not having been born here, even though I've lived here for 58 years. At least my wife is from recent country stock, Kinoulton and rural Norfolk, brought together by war service, so she's able to teach me the rustic ways! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 philmayfield, interesting what you say about bread going mouldy very easily in the Vale of Belvoir. The mould cultures for Roquefort cheese (and several other French blue cheeses) are maintained and propagated on stale bread - although more scientific, hygienic methods are increasingly being used. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,240 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 It's just what I was told by a resident of Belvoir, but that would be over 30 years ago. They may have developed a way of keeping it captive by now! I must investigate further. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stuart.C 497 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 Phil,, you may be looking at this the wrong way around, chicken and egg etc. It may be that the Vale has humidity / temperature etc that turns out is ideal for mould to propogate and the cheese producers discovered that, hence cheese making became popular there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,240 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 Not all the milk for the cheese comes from the Vale. There’s a dairy nearby at Halloughton that supplies some of it. I think there’s only around six Stilton cheese makers now. One is in Hartington in Derbyshire, which is well away from the Vale but still falls into the Notts, Leics, Derby’s area where the cheese can be made and named Stilton. There are plenty of other blue cheeses made around the country which are, dare I say, as good as Stilton! Even the French make some good blue cheese! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,530 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 I always buy a big slab of Stilton at Christmas, and only at Christmas, but much prefer French (St Agur) and Italian (Dolcelatte) blue vein cheeses as they’re sweeter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 LizzieM do try the Beauvale I mentioned above. It's on the lines of Stilton but characteristically different. If you like French blue cheese, have you tried Bleu D'Auvergne? I prefer that to St Agur. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,530 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 Yes, had a massive windfall ...... £10 on the Postcode Lottery. On Saturday I remembered I had some money in a Paddy Power account from about 6 months ago so I put a £2 ew bet on a Cheltenham runner, it was an outsider but I liked the name. It won and I won £33. Then I made £1 from an abandoned supermarket trolley this morning. Every little helps! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,909 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 2 hours ago, LizzieM said: I always buy a big slab of Stilton at Christmas, and only at Christmas, but much prefer French (St Agur) and Italian (Dolcelatte) blue vein cheeses as they’re sweeter. Lizzie, Stilton ( if we can find it) is expensive here. Dolcelatte is very sweet but have you tried Gorgonzola dolce. Much tastier. I like St Agur but I found one a while ago and for the life of me can't remember the name of it. Moncenise comes to mind but I could be wrong. Jonab will know as we discussed it when I found it. But it's only sold in tiny half circles , spread it on a cracker and it's gone. just checked post above and it was Bleu di moncenese. Probably spelt it wrong. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,909 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 5 hours ago, Stuart.C said: Phil,, you may be looking at this the wrong way around, chicken and egg etc. It may be that the Vale has humidity / temperature etc that turns out is ideal for mould to propogate and the cheese producers discovered that, hence cheese making became popular there. A bit like wine here, most wines prefer a certain type of soil, and apparently we have excellent soil for vines . 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,091 Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 We were over in the UK a few Christmas's ago and went to Tesco after Christmas to get our food items to take home with us. Hubby looked in the cheese and there was a half wheel of Stilton on sale. I can't remember now how much but it was no more than 6 pounds. They changed our rules a few years back and we can now bring back cheese so long as it's vacuum sealed. Hubby thought it was his birthday and Christmas rolled into one, with that cheese. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 The cheese that nonnaB mentioned is Blu del Moncenisio produced on the French/Italian border. It's quite a rare cheese, only produced in relatively small quantities. I hadn't tasted it when I wrote previously on cheeses but I have now and it's very nice. I doubt it's exported to the UK - it's difficult to buy here - but if it is, it's certainly worth a try. The French town of Ambert is in the Auvergne close to Val di Susa (in Piedmont where Blu del Moncenisio is made) and that is famed for Fourme d'Ambert. The Auvergne is (obviously) where Bleu d'Auvergne - which I recommended above - is from. Fourme d'Ambert might be said to link Blu del Moncenisio and Bleu d'Auvergne. Anyway, they are all very good cheeses. I'm not suggesting they are better than Stilton, just different , adding variety to the infinite range of tastes and flavours that we can experience. If you enjoy Stilton, any and all of these continental cheeses are certainly worth trying. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,240 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 I feel a ‘cheese and wine party’ coming on. My wife doesn’t drink so, under current guidelines, there will just be me. I shall keep two metres away from the cheese of course and wear a mask with a mouth hole cut in. You’re all invited but sadly you can’t come. 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,234 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Will you be doing a cheese and pineapple hedgehog? If so, I'll pop up. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,240 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 This is an elegant wine tasting soirée, not a childrens' party! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 One of my local cheese shops https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x12cc2ee5a08e15b9%3A0x20f0023256640eca!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPeAnOjPC5PAragJqDu1AGhqgWSLzecfv3AdUat%3Dw150-h200-k-no!5sgrasse fromagerie - Google Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipPeAnOjPC5PAragJqDu1AGhqgWSLzecfv3AdUat&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjoktSG1YntAhVJi1wKHcrCBrMQoiowCnoECBQQAw I live just up the road at le Bar sur Loup (on the D2210). Note that Roquefort les Pins which you may see on the map is not the Roquefort where the cheese comes from. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,462 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 24 minutes ago, philmayfield said: This is an elegant wine tasting soirée, not a childrens' party! Ooer 'ark at 'im.. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,234 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Alright Phil., I'll bring me own cucumber sandwiches, wiv enuff for Brew. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,240 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 I don't think you're getting the point of this BK. The guests will be elegant people, the men in dinner jackets, the ladies in cocktail dresses, sipping the finest wines and eating canapés and cheese portions from a silver tray proffered by the butler. It's not a spit and sawdust do with beer and slices of Dairylea! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,462 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 46 minutes ago, philmayfield said: It's not a spit and sawdust do with beer and slices of Dairylea! Heh, it soon will be when we get there! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,299 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 The Yew tree has finally been cut down. All soft stuff taken away. A LOT of firewood lying around to be collected tomorrow on my mates 3t Ifor Williams. The tree surgeon was kind enough to cut two 2m planks out of the main trunk. They will make a fine rustic garden seat that will be sited where the tree was. 10t skip now filled with soil and will be replaced with an empty one on Friday. Going fishing on Thursday for a rest . 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,878 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 3 hours ago, Beekay said: Will you be doing a cheese and pineapple hedgehog? If so, I'll pop up. Last time I went to a buffet, someone asked me what were the funny looking things on sticks. I told em they were a couple of pensioners from down the road. 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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