Issue No. 15 - Christmas 2002 and New Year 2003
Back Issues:
Issue 14
If you came direct to the Cheesewire and want to visit our main site, click here

INSIDE

Features
The Christmas Selection
Closing date for Christmas Orders

How to look after a truckle!

New Year Cheese Board


Cheese Focus:
Colston Basset Stilton

Recipe:
Stilton Soup

Montgomery's Cheese Straws

 

The New Cheese Wire is here!!

As new owners of The Teddington Cheese we are very proud to open its doors once again to regular and new customers. After negotiations with Doug and Tony we officially took over on the 8th November. We were delighted that within a week we were almost fully stocked, repainted and open again. the support has been fantastic and despite a few late deliveries we are able to stock 95% of the cheeses sold before (plus a few new ones such as Norbury Blue - made in Dorking).

We have been lucky to obtain the services of Richard Adamson (former Cheesemonger at Kew and Teddington) and his experience has been invaluable to us all.

We hope that the shop and also the internet site will be packed with cheeses, ports, wines and other goodies which you will enjoy.

Should you have any comments or suggestions on cheeses, wines, biscuits; or comments in general then please do let us know. We are always open to ideas and willing to listen and talk about our range of products. (e-mail us here).

In this edition we are featuring Colston Basset Stilton and a recipe I know you will love to make - Stilton Soup.

Our children wanted us to include something for children to make. We include a very quick & easy recipe for 'Cheese Straws', which they love to make and the eat! .

Orders for Christmas................

The season of goodwill and festive cheer is almost upon us, and now is the time to start thinking about those Christmas and New Year cheese requirements. We opened 6 weeks before Christmas, and we expect this will be our busiest time of year. We cannot stress enough the importance of placing your orders as far in advance as possible. We obviously want to provide as many of our customers (new and former) as we can with their ideal cheese selection. So, the only way to ensure that you get that ultimate Christmas/New Year cheeseboard is to get your order in before everyone else does.

Orders for Christmas must be received by 10am on Thursday 12th December. After this date only a limited number of cheese selections and hampers will be available and then only until Thursday 19th December at 5pm.

Finally, to ensure that there are no last minute delivery dilemmas, our last delivery date will be Thursday 19th December (unless ordered already). This relates both to deliveries for Christmas, as well as for New Year. If you live in or near Teddington then why not pick your order up and beat the queues by letting us know when and walking straight in the shop!

Price: £30.00

The Christmas Selection

Perfect for the festive table from Christmas through to the New Year.

Includes a wedge of Colston Bassett Stilton, a chunk of Llanboidy, a Camembert, a Cabri and a Trami d'Alsace - contains 1.1kg of cheese in total. To buy this click here.

Decorations shown in photograph are not included.

Cheese focus:
Stilton
Colston Bassett

Stilton is known as the 'King of Cheeses' and is now the biggest cheese export to USA!

Stilton is protected by a certified trademark and its making has been strictly controlled since the 1900's.

The best stilton is made from summer milk. During the first month the cheeses are turned every day and at eight weeks they are pierced with stainless steel needles to promote the veining.

The cheese has a velvet, close texture with a pale ivory paste, grading to amber at the edges and marbled with greenish blue veins. The flavour ranges from mild with a sharp edge when young to a rich and tangy when mature.

Stilton is traditionally served with port (see here for our selection) and in some circles port is poured into the middle and then eaten. However this is not recommended if you want to eat the stilton over several weeks.

We have a variety of truckles, half truckles, baby and whhels available.

To buy some Stilton click here

RECIPE

Stilton Soup

Ingredients:

30g butter, 1 onion - finely chopped, 5-6 celery stalks, 30g of flour, 850ml (1 1/2 pt) vegetable or chicken stock, 5 tbsp white wine, 150g Colston Bassett Stilton - crumbled, 140ml (1/4 pt) cream. Garnish - crumbled stilton and celery leaves.

Method

1. Melt butter & fry onion and celery until golden;
2. Add flour & stir mixture on gentle heat for 1-2 minutes
3. Slowly add the stock and wine;
4. Bring back to boil (stirring), then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes;
5. Cool slightly and puree in a liquidiser;
6. Return to pan, add stilton and heat gently so that stilton melts;
7. Add cream, season and check soup is thoroughly warmed;
8. Pour into bowls & garnish - serve with crusty bread.

To buy some Stilton click here




Cheese Straws

by Jozef and Benedict Chapman

Ingredients:

85g of plain flour, pich of salt and pepper, 85g of Montgommery's Cheddar (grated), 60g butter, beaten egg to glaze.

Method

  1. Set the oven at Gas Mark 5, 375 degrees F, 190 degreees C.
  2. Grease two baking sheets.
  3. Sift the flour, salt and pepper into a bowl. Rub in the butter.
  4. Add the cheese and knead to a smooth paste.
  5. Wrap and chill until firm.
  6. Roll out onto a floured board to 1cm thick. Brush with beaten egg.
  7. Cut into thin strips about 1/2cm by 6cm - makes about 30.
  8. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
  10. Cheese straws will freeze very well.

To buy some Montgommery's Cheddar click here


How to look after a cheese truckle

Follow these tips to ensure that your cheese truckle stays in good condition throughout Christmas and into the new year.

Cutting.The top inch of the cheese should be cut a wedge at a time. Each wedge should be about 1 inch thick. Only proceed to the next layer of cheese when the final wedge has been taken from the previous layer. Always use a sharp knife and try to keep the cut as smooth and flat as possible.

Storing. Make sure that the cut surface is tightly covered with cling film. Then over-wrap the whole cheese with a damp cloth and store in a cellar, cool larder or the warmest part of the refrigerator.

 

New Year cheese selection

Elgar Mature, Berkswell, Colston Bassett Shopshire Blue, Greens Cheddar and Epoisses. (Minimum weight of cheese 1kg). Including delivery to UK addresses

Only £30.00
Available as part of the cheese club

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Wishing you a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year


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