Cheese Wire title graphic
 Issue no 8 - October/November 1999
 

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Welcome to the 8th issue of 'The Teddington Cheese Wire' - as we celebrate the opening of our new shop at Kew. After nine months of painstaking preparations, the doors were finally opened on the 9th September. We also bring great news for cheese-lovers abroad. Our mail order service has now expanded to include Worldwide Deliveries. To commemorate these events, we have introduced two new cheeseboard offers. Read on for more details.

A recent 'cheese of the week', Beaufort, proved so popular that we have decided to allocate an entire article to it. A wonderfully full-flavoured cheese, it stamps its mark on the featured recipe, Tarte Savoyarde au Beaufort.

The competition takes a different form this month with a tricky cheese wordsearch to test the grey matter.


Drawing of a mouse on a cheese wire


Inside

Features
World-wide cheese delivery service

Introducing the Head Cheesemonger at The Kew Cheese

Cheese Focus
Beaufort

Recipe
Tarte Savoyarde au Beaufort

Tools of the Trade
The Curd Mill

Competition
Cheese wordsearch
Winner of last months caption contest


Photograph of the Kew cheese selection

The Kew Cheese Selection
To celebrate the opening of The Kew Cheese, an offer of fine cheeses from Britain and Europe :

Bishop Kennedy (Scotland); Llanboidy (Wales); Shropshire Blue (England); Chabichou de Poitou (France); Pecorino Toscano (Italy); Gruyere Reserve (Switzerland); Scottish oatcakes and a packet of Original Oval Alberts.

Minimum weight of cheese 1Kg.

Only £26.95
including delivery

(to UK addresses only)

OFFER NOW OVER

Photograph of a vine corkscrew
We will include a free!
corkscrew (made from the gnarled branches of old French vines) with every order.


Welcome to Ed Williams
Head Cheesemonger at The Kew Cheese

Graduating from Manchester in 1990 with an English degree, Ed started his culinary career by training as a chef at Leith's school of Food and Wine, going on to work there as a chef in the early 90s. In 1995 he decided to set up a business of his own, providing catering services for a wide variety of clients, including The Tate Gallery and CNN. In the middle of last year, he fell under the spell of the cheese world, and was introduced to Tony and Doug at the Teddington Cheese. Since then, as Assistant Manager, he has readily embraced the world of the cheesemonger giving him the ideal preparation for his new role in the Kew Cheese.

Photograph of Ed Williams  - Head Cheesemonger at Kew

"Those that are passionate about cheese enjoy coming in and tasting new cheeses every week and will want to talk to us about the makers and enjoy learning as much as eating".

"Children also tend to find cheese fascinating and on first entering the store will usually be very wide eyed with their noses screwed up. In The Teddington Cheese, which has tiny proportions, we would allow them to sneak into the back to visit the cheese maturing room as a special treat. With more space available in The Kew Cheese, we decided to build in a viewing area so that the children can goggle to their hearts' content at all our big cheeses sitting quietly on the shelves going about the serious business of maturing - it has a calming effect on them too which is an added bonus for the parents who can then go about the serious job of tasting and choosing the cheeses they want to buy".

Ed Williams

Photograph of The Kew Cheese

Ed outside the new
Kew Cheese shop

Located at:

The Kew Cheese
277 Sandycombe Road Kew
Surrey
TW9 3LU
Tel: 0208 940 2944

 



Worldwide Deliveries

Over the past few years, we have had numerous enquiries about sending cheese abroad. Now that the internet site is gaining more and more popularity, many people from across the globe are showing interest. Some want to try farmhouse British and European cheeses for the first time, whilst others are ex-pats who miss the tastes of home. Whatever the reasons, we are pleased to announce that our new Worldwide Delivery Service is now up and running, so whether you want Tornegus sent to Toremolinos or Stilton to San Francisco, we are now able to cater for your needs.

When shipping cheese abroad it is important to consider the type of cheese. We have taken great care to ensure that our packaging methods are as effective as possible at maintaining cheese in a good condition. However, it is a sad fact that some cheeses travel better than others. As a rule, hard or whole cheeses travel much better than soft, cut ones. Although your penchant may be for soft, pungent Epoisses, there is yet to be found a way of sending cut pieces half way across the globe, and them arriving intact.

The Taste of England cheese selection

Photograph of the Taste of England cheese selection

Fine cheeses to celebrate our new Worldwide Service: Montgomery's Cheddar, Colston Bassett Stilton, Ewes' milk Swaledale, smoked Kirkhams Lancashire, a goats' milk Chabis and a packet of oatcakes (800 grammes of cheese in total).

Yes please, add to basket : OFFER NOW OVER
Choose zone according to countries listed in column on the right.
NB: The cost in your shopping basket includes overseas delivery minus the standard delivery cost of £5.95 which is automatically added on when you go to checkout. (Work is currently going on to include overseas delivery costs in the shopping basket checkout calculator.)

Zone A £42.00
(£36.05 + standard del. of £5.95)
Zone B

£44.00
(£38.05 + standard del. of £5.95)

Zone C £47.00
(£41.05 + standard del. of £5.95)
Zone D

£45.00
(£39.05 + standard del. of £5.95)

Zone E £49.00
(£43.05 + standard del. of £5.95)

Zone F

£51.00
(£45.05 + standard del. of £5.95)

OFFER NOW OVER - please look out for current offers on our home page

 

Worldwide Delivery Charges

We have arranged very competetive rates with DHL Worldwide Express and our delivery costs directly reflect these rates. The first kilogram of a consignment is the most expensive since it includes the actual collection and delivery costs for the package. Additional items can be added at a much lower rate because the only extra cost is that of the aircraft fuel, since collection and delivery costs have already been covered.

Zone A
Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg & Netherlands

£18.35 for the first kilogram and then £2.00 for each additional kilogram

Zone B
France, Germany & Monaco

£20.14 for the first kilogram and then £3.00 for each additional kilogram

Zone C
Andorra, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain & Sweden

£23.64 for the first kilogram and then £4.20 for each additional kilogram

Zone D
New York City

£20.66 for the first kilogram and then £2.40 for each additional kilogram Zone E - USA 1-2days £25.45 for the first kilogram and then £3.30 for each additional kilogram

Zone F
Canada 2-3days, Canary Islands 2-3 days, Gibraltar, Norway & Switzerland

£27.04 for the first kilogram and then £3.40 for each additional kilogram

All deliveries take 1 working day unless indicated otherwise. Please contact us for prices and restrictions to other destinations.

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Caption Competition Result
Photograph of a Yorkshire man enjoying a pint and a chunk of cheese

 

'It's not as messy as dunking biscuits

Thank you to the winner Mr Ross of Newport and all the other entrants who kept us chuckling.

 



Cheese Focus Cheese Focus Cheese Focus

Photograph of Beaufort cheese

 

Beaufort
Savoie, France

 

Beaufort is produced in the Savoie region on the massif Beaufortin, the Tarentaise and the Maurienne. Cows are grazed during the summer months at high altitude in areas free from pollution and fertilizers. Some of the mountains reach 3000m with deep valleys in between. Beaufort originally took its name from the little market town near Albertville.

Beaufort is made from the milk of the Tarines cow, a strong and hardy animal. This breed of cow originally came from the Indo-Asian continent and crossed central Europe before reaching France. During the winter months the cows are kept in sheds to protect them from the heavy winter snow and, in accordance with A.O.C. regulations, they are not fed any silage or other fermented fodder. In spring they are taken high into the mountains to graze on the lush grass and spring flowers of the alpine meadows. In autumn they return to the villages before the winter snows. The cows graze over the mountains for a 100 days from June to September . The Beaufort is pale and white when made in the winter and pale yellow when made in the summer. It is said that the chlorophyll from the grass and the carotene from the alpine flowers gives this cheese its colour and flavour.

The whey left over when making Beaufort is used to make 'Sérac'. Sérac is a white cheese, similar to ricotta. Its name derives from the Latin 'serum' meaning whey. Together with Tomme, Sérac used to constitute the staple diet of the mountain people, who kept their Beafort to sell at market.

There are three types of Beaufort: Beaufort, Beaufort d'été (summer) and Beaufort d'alpage (made in chalets in the mountains). All Beaufort is made in a similar way to Gruyère but can be easily distinguished by the concave shape around the circumference produced by the 'cercle de Beaufort' - this is a band placed around the cheese which is tightened during the first pressing of the cheese. Beaufort does not have holes. The cheese was baptised the 'Prince of Gruyères' by none other than that great gastronome, Brillat-Savarin in the 19th Century and it gained its A.O.C. status on 4th April 1968. This was modified on 29th December 1986 to include a wider area of acceptable production.

Our Beaufort is made in the spring and summer from unpasteurised milk and is matured from 12 to 18 months to give a rich hazelnut aroma and very fruity flavour which lingers in the mouth. Each cheese is matured at 15 degrees C, at a humidity of 92% and is repeatedly wiped and rubbed with brine. Each cheese measures from 35 to 75cm in diameter, 11 to 16cm in depth and weighs from 20 to 70kg. Twelve litres of milk are needed for every one kilogram of cheese.

Beaufort is often enjoyed with Volnay (Côtes de Beaune) or a golden yellow wine of the Savagnin grape (from the Savoie) matured in oak casks for at least six years giving it a walnut flavour. The cheese is often added to fondues and has earned its place in the best chefs' kitchens.

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Tools of the Trade

Drawing of a curd mill

The Curd Mill

Cutting the curds is an important part of most cheese-making. When the curd originally forms, it has a fibrous, matted structure, which needs to be broken down to allow salting and the filling of the moulds. The function of the curd mill is to tear apart the curds into small pieces.

The first description of a Curd Mill appeared in 1778. The machine consisted of two rollers, which worked one above the other. The top roller would break the curds up into chunks, allowing them to fall on to the lower roller, which tore them into much smaller pieces. Both rollers were moved by a crank, attached to the axle of the upper roller.

Today, most cheeses are made by cutting the curds using mechanical blades, which slice, rather than tear, the curds. However, some traditional manufacturers still prefer the old machines, maintaining that the curds have a better quality when torn.

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WORDSEARCH

M U N S T E R B P    
A R O O S B A R I L C
N D G A D R C A C A H
C A R S T I L T O N E
H G U B B E E N D G S
E   Y   F E T A O R H
G J E T O S T   N E I
O U R D E R E     S R
G I E N T O M E T T E
S A I N T M A R C E L

Every letter in this wordsearch square is used to spell one or more types of cheese (words run horizontally and vertically but not diagonally). How many cheeses can you identify?

All entries must be received by 15th November '99 (please include your name, address and telephone number). The winner will receive the Kew Cheese selection.

COMPETITION NOW OVER
Please see issue 9 for details of the winner.


 


Tarte Savoyarde au Beaufort

Photograph of Taret Savoyarde au Beaufort

ingredients:

200g flour
100g butter
half a glass of water
150g Beaufort (grated)
2 dessert spoons
of crème fraîche
2 eggs
600ml whole milk
1 sachet of yeast
nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Prepare the shortcrust pastry by mixing the flour, butter, water and a couple of good pinches of salt.
2. Lie the pastry in a pre-buttered flan dish, and prick the surface with a fork.
3. In a bowl, beat the crème fraîche vigorously with the eggs, milk and yeast. Season, then grate in some nutmeg.
4. Add the grated Beaufort, beat well once again, and pour the mixture onto the pastry.
5. Cook in a hot oven 220°C for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the dish and serve hot.

serves 6-8

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