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a plate of cheese no. 10: saint nectaire, old winchester and barkham blue

30/11/2012

23 Comments

 
"As I sat in the bath tub, soaping a meditative foot and singing, if I remember correctly, ‘Pale Hands I Loved Beside the Shalimar,’ it would be deceiving my public to say that I was feeling boomps-a-daisy"
- from Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit by P.G. Wodehouse

"It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on"
- from River by Joni Mitchell


I should have posted this, the tenth cheese selection from The Cheeseboard a month ago. Many apologies, then, to Robbyn - the manager of the aforementioned establishment - whose notes these are.

The fact that I'm in no mood for this blogging malarkey at the moment (or, indeed, for malarkey of any kind) shouldn't detract in any way from the fact that this is, as ever, a great trio of cheeses.
Picture
L: St Nectaire (£2.50/100g); C: Old Winchester (£2.05/100g); R: Barkham Blue (£2.75/100g)
This lot cost me £7.15.

OLD WINCHESTER Cow's Milk. Pasteurised.

When Mike Smales, a dairy farmer in the New Forest, was looking to diversify into making cheese he knew he wanted to make a hard cheese. But he also knew that he didn’t want to get into the already crowded cheddar market. So, he looked to the continent  for inspiration and he started making a cheese based on a Gouda recipe. Over the years the cheese has evolved into an incredibly versatile cheese that we think is like a cross between a mature cheddar and a Parmesan. Because it grates like a dream, it’s great for cooking. And because Old Winchester is made with vegetarian rennet, it’s a great option for vegetarians to use as a substitute for Parmesan. Old Winchester is now made by Paul Thomas, and just won a gold medal at the highly regarded British Cheese Awards in September. We couldn’t be happier for Paul and Mike!

SAINT NECTAIRE Cow's milk. Unpastuerised.

From the Auvergne, this cheese was first given to Louis XIV by the Marechal de Sennecterre. It is made from Salers cows which produce rich milk. I stopped selling this cheese because I was never that impressed with it. Until a customer came in and requested I order a Saint Nectaire for his party, but he insisted that he only wanted it from the affineur Morin. So, I ordered one for him and one for me (perk of the job, you see) and I couldn’t believe how much better it was! It was a useful reminder of the impact that the affineur can have on cheese. The version from Morin has a silky texture and full-flavoured spicy, walnut flavours. Such a revelation!

BARKHAM BLUE Cow's Milk. Pastuerised.

Made by Sandy and Andy Rose in Berkshire near Wokingham with milk from Jersey and Guernsey cows. Barkham Blue has a rich buttery taste and a smooth texture that melts in your mouth. It doesn’t have the harshness associated with some blue cheese so it is perfect for those who are wary of blue cheese. It has consistently won awards since they started making it in 2003, and it won a gold medal at the British Cheese Awards this year as well.
23 Comments
steph b
30/11/2012 13:23:37

Good to see you post...I miss them. Look forward to seeing you fully back posting when your ready

Reply
The Skint Foodie
2/12/2012 11:01:26

Thanks Steph! Shall be back in the saddle very soon.

Reply
Anne
1/12/2012 13:02:43

Happy to see you posting. And Joni.

Reply
The Skint Foodie
2/12/2012 11:02:45

Thanks Anne. Ah, the blessed Joni - I'm a mahoosive fan.

Reply
Pauline
1/12/2012 22:21:12

Hang in there SF. Miss your comments but hope you know that we're all thinking of you at times like this. Hope all goes well. Take care. Px

Reply
The Skint Foodie
2/12/2012 11:04:37

Thank you so much Pauline - much appreciated.

Reply
Robin
3/12/2012 03:28:24

Echo that.

Reply
Elizabeth
2/12/2012 22:31:48

Great to see you back SF! I read from Sydney and always look in every few days:)

Reply
The Skint Foodie
4/12/2012 08:09:59

Always bounce back, somehow, don't ye know! :0)

Reply
Grainne
3/12/2012 03:40:36

chin up SF, you'll get there.

Reply
The Skint Foodie
4/12/2012 08:10:37

Indeedly-doodly!

Reply
Mark
3/12/2012 05:46:48

Even if the taste is now a distant memory, the mere thought of a decent bit of cheese gets the old metabolism going. As a veg, myself, the Old Winchester seems to wink at me off the screen.

Time to cook something from a warm and sunny shore to beat back the bleak midwinter.

And thanks for the posts as and when they come.

Reply
The Skint Foodie
4/12/2012 07:56:22

The Barkham Blue (I've since discovered) is made with vegetable rennet as well, Mark! It's a luscious cheese.

Reply
KAVEY link
3/12/2012 08:38:52

Sorry to hear you've lost the blogging mojo at the moment. Hope you are feeling better about things soon.
Great selection of cheeses, as ever.
I'm a particular fan of St Nectaire, a friend who moved to the region decades ago introduced us to it, and we were able to get some really aged examples which were just so lovely.

Reply
The Skint Foodie
4/12/2012 08:05:51

Thanks Kavey. Have high hopes that misplaced mojo will return stat!

Reply
Oonagh
4/12/2012 17:42:55

Gald to hear from you, have missed you. Crossing fingers for the mojo's return as well.
And thanks for the spot of Wooster!

Reply
The Skint Foodie
7/12/2012 05:48:42

Ta! Can't beat a bit of The Master.

Reply
PaulT
6/12/2012 09:28:40

Mmmm cheese. Been checking to see if there was anything new up for seems like ages now, so sorry to hear you are 'pissed off' at the mo'. Like all things it will pass.... Look forward to your next receep when you are feeling better.

Reply
The Skint Foodie
7/12/2012 05:49:18

Thanks Paul.

Reply
photokate
7/12/2012 05:19:04

I enjoy your blog very much and have cooked various recipes with success and minimal cost! I wish you a swift return to good spirits.
No-one can improve on Joni, but I also love Barb Jungr's version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIDRie82jUo&feature=plcp

Reply
The Skint Fooodie
7/12/2012 05:50:59

Glad you've enjoyed some of the recipes. If you've got Spotify, search for Prince's version of A Case Of You - superb.

Reply
JonT
8/12/2012 20:30:48

That St Nectaire looks a bit special! Gorgeous!

Keep up the great work!

Reply
French AOP link
31/7/2013 05:37:35

Really tasty the Saint Nectaire it can be eat with bread, but you can also cook and melt it ! :)

Reply

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  • blog
  • about
  • how
  • recipes
    • recipes
    • skint 'takeaways'
    • mid-week meals for the time-poor
    • cheese boards
    • coffee
  • spending
  • links
  • contact
  • spotify playlists