What’s new this month – Flower Power Edition
Flower Power comes to Cheesewick
It’s summer! Really it is – the grass is lush; the flowers are in full bloom and in the artisan cheese making world this makes the animal’s milk richer and often higher in fat. This, in turn, makes the cheese a different flavour and texture and in some instances means you need to change the cheese recipe or even make a different cheese.
Artisan cheese is seasonal. Take Vacherin Mont d’Or – the same milk as used for Comté but in the late summer months they switch to making the Vacherin instead of Comté as the recipe needs a richer fattier milk.
The flowers make a real difference too. When animals are feeding in flowery pastures the milk flavour takes on a floral hint. You pay a premium for summer Beaufort as its flavour is fruitier and more floral than the cheese in the autumn.
To celebrate summer we’re bringing the flowery vibe to the market this month and have three very special cheeses for you to try on HQ.
Alp Blossom – made in southern Germany with cow’s milk – this smooth textured cheese has a lovely gentle sweet flavour with floral hints from the dried flowers that make up its rind.
Flower Marie – This cheese is made in the spring and summer only, benefitting from the flavour of the flowers in the field. A soft ewe’s milk with a chalky interior when fresh which gives way to an unctuous stronger flavour as it ages.
Ribblesdale Goat with summer flowers – made with Yorkshire goat’s milk, this creamy goat’s cheese is mixed with honey and rolled in flower petals.
Thank you, Fay @bigwheelcheese for supplying our tasters this month. Join us on HQ to taste the real Power of Flowers.
New Traders this Month
Victoria’s cheese (@vistoriascheese) is bringing some exciting small batch cheeses from Suffolk and Norfolk where she runs her subscription cheese business. You will be able to try and buy Wissington, Norfolk White Lady, Binham Blue, Wells Alpine, Gurney’s Gold, Norfolk Mardler and Norfolk Pink Foot – my goodness what a fascinating array of new cheeses at Cheesewick!
We are also thrilled that The Italians (@theitalians_chiswick) are joining us this month – direct from the High Road, they will be bringing some of their exclusively imported Italian cheeses and pairing them with some of their extraordinary wines. They have recently started baking breads in store and will be bringing some of those along for us to enjoy with our cheese – buon appetito!
My cheese of the month from last month’s market is Pendragon from Somerset Cheese (@somersetcheesecompany). I have long had a love for buffalo milk cheeses and this cheese marries the big flavour that often comes with that milk with a beautiful smooth texture. It is a good melter too and I decadently had a cheese toastie made with this and a sweet apple chutney. It was divine!
It will grace any cheese board and is an excellent picnic addition so if you’re planning some outdoor eating this summer try this one.