Cervelle de Canut? Brains of silk workers? Who could resist such an intriging title? Not this cheesey blogger! I was listening to BBC Radio Food Programme as host Sheila Dillon visited the Taste the World Stage at WOMAD. Musicians cooking food … Continue reading Cervelle de Canut – a French onion and herb dip
Nestled on the fringes of the Christchurch Arts Centre is a treasure trove of cheesey delight – the Canterbury Cheesemonger’s shop. I was down in the shakey city recently and at last got to visit. Earthquakes had conspired against me … Continue reading Canterbury Cheesemongers – cheese in shakey town
I love birthdays, I love the rituals and the traditions. It was mine last week, so I ventured out into the storm to go to the local cheese mongers for my annual ‘Birthday Cheese’… I say annual ‘cos I did … Continue reading Birthday cheese love!
A sip of wine and a slither of cheese and I’m transported. Sea beeze rustles through pine, salt on my tongue, I feel sun reflected off blue water, warmth radiating from ancient rocks. This is Pecorino di Sardo eaten with … Continue reading Evocative Pecorino di Sardo
They peer out from the back of my fridge, forgotten nubbins of cheese, skerricks drying out on their inevitable march to the bin. They are my guilty cheese secrets as I reach for a newer, more appealing piece. This week though, rather than sweep them into the rubbish, I have given these refugees from long-forgotten cheeseboards a second life. Mashed with egg yolk and cream, folded into beaten whites and cooked into puddings, this is a decadent but ultimately frugal feast perfect for an early dinner, Sunday night. Thank heavens for Nigel Slater – the battle cry of the time-poor … Continue reading Nigel Slater’s Cheese puddings for cold winter nights
Winter’s coming and with it stronger, heavier cheeses. Cheeses that shout out for beer. I’d heard beer and cheese were easier to match than wine and so I hollered out to my beer geek friends. 4 beers, 5 cheeses, my best glasses – a tasting afternoon! I love formal tastings, they encourage a mindfulness often missing when you’re sitting round socially, quaffing and snacking. The incidental-ness of the food and drink is replaced by an almost solemn focus. Except of course nothing stays solemn for long when sipping beer and sampling cheese. Soon enough we were giggling our way through … Continue reading Beer and cheese tasting
Cheese rolls are one of New Zealand’s few regional food specialities. They ignite nostalgia in Mainlanders living up north, are a fund raising stalwart in Southland/Otago, and a source of fascination for this cheese obsessed North Islander. Sheltering from a wet Autumnal day I spotted some in the basement café of a posho department store in Christchurch last week, and was inspired to find out more about this uniquely South Island treat. Te Waipounamu tell us your secrets! A cheese roll, for the uninitiated, is a pre-prepared cheese mixture spread on thin white bread, rolled up and toasted under a … Continue reading Cheese rolls – a South Island tradition
Ignite your inner cheesemaker with light and creamy Ricotta. Marvel at the alchemy of lemon juice turning milk into clouds of creaminess you can spread on toast, stuff in pasta with spinach, or combine with eggs as a luscious baked cheesecake. I haven’t made Ricotta in ages after I was frightened off making cheese by a series of spectacular Mozzarella failures. That is, until a recent conversation with my lovely accountant Nina. She didn’t think a failure rate of 3 out of 5 tries was that bad! So my cheesey friends, I’m getting back on the horse, and have returned … Continue reading Ricotta – easy as but totally delicious
Parmesan custard. Not sweet. With toast. Think silken-cheesey ambrosia enveloping salty crunch and assume that alchemy has taken place. This is creme brûlée’s sexy cousin, luring you into the crash of her toast, and she’s a siren of a starter. I’ve been perving these luscious treats in Fiona Beckett’s cheese book for months. I was surprised how easy they were to make, especially for something so special. Indeed I am planning a dinner party right now just in their honor. Don’t worry how insanely anchovy the butter is, the dish needs its salty robustness. Because this custard is delicate and … Continue reading Parmesan custards with Anchovy toasts
Do you get stuck choosing cheese? Follow my 5 tips for a stylish cheeseboard and banish the rabbit in headlights look next time you’re at a cheese counter. A couple of well-chosen cheeses, an easy wine and some quality bread – superb! Today’s board, through simple, was a great reward after working hard in the garden. The ivory white cheese is Cilantro’s Billy the Kid Goat Cheddar, the orange-blue Talbot Forest’s Waihi Blue. Cilantro Artisan cheese from Hamilton Talbot Forest from Geraldine My 5 top tips to easy cheeseboard 1. Choose contrasting colours, shapes or textures. I paired fruity, hard … Continue reading 5 tips for simple, stylish cheeseboards
Life and Cheese 