Cheese please

irishbuzz

Hey all I hope this thread is ok here.

I was thinking of putting together a small cheese hamper for my girlfriend and her family to enjoy over Christmas. She likes her cheeses, especially Goats Cheese. The cheese board in Sabor Brazil just might be her favourite course ever.

Any recommendations on cheeses to include and where to pick them up? Will I find good stuff in Lidl, am I better hitting an M&S or is there a need to go to a proper Cheese Monger like Sheridan's.

Chutney, crackers and other accompaniment suggestions are also welcome.

hfallada

Cashel Blue is an obvious one. Lidl do some good cheese at the christmas.

Sheridans will give you recommendations to your GF. Although they might not be the cheapest. They will save you buying something she may not like

The Hill Billy

Treat yourself to a block of Comte & some quince jelly. Sheridans will have both. A thin slice of each on a water biscuit goes down great with a good glass of port.

uberalex

Head into either Sheridans or Fallon & Byrne and ask them to recommend. They will let you taste and put one together. It's a super way to get a nice set of cheeses. Be sure to include some dried fruit, quince jelly, crackers and nuts as applicable.

hfallada

As someone mentioned get crackers. But buy good ones. There is nothing worse than eating cheese with someone horrific own brand crackers.

stevenmu

hfallada wrote: »

Cashel Blue is an obvious one. Lidl do some good cheese at the christmas.

Sheridans will give you recommendations to your GF. Although they might not be the cheapest. They will save you buying something she may not like

+1, but dont buy the normal branded packs they have in supermarkets, either get it in a proper cheesemonger or some of the larger supermarkets (eg dunnes in cornelscourt) might have it at their cheese counter. Its much much nicer that way. The stuff in the branded packs isnt matured as long, its still nice but not near as good as the real stuff.

irishbuzz

Cheers for the reply folks all very helpful.

At the moment I'm thinking:

• Comté
• Goat's Cheese
• Camembert
• Cashel Blue
• Chutney
• Quince Jelly
• Crackers

If anyone can advise a particular 'name' to go for with any of these I'd appreciate that too.

I'll swing by Dunnes,Fallon & Byrne and Sheridan's next week and see what I can make up.

Slaphead07

It's a present so... get out of the supermarket and into the monger! Sheridans do a Shropshire Blue that will go down well and a Délice de Bourgogne that I find everyone loves (I do wine tastings with cheese). I second the "Comte & some quince jelly" suggestion. A few plump grapes in there too help as well!

dudara

For the sake of it, try and go with Irish cheeses. I'd replace the Comté with Coolea (perhaps the Mature version), Cashel blue, St Tola goats cheese etc.

uberalex

irishbuzz wrote: »

Cheers for the reply folks all very helpful.

At the moment I'm thinking:

• Goat's Cheese

http://www.st-tola.ie/ especially the ashed one.

[*]Camembert

Cambozola, which you can get in Supervalu, is just divine.
Otherise consider the truffle-stuffed brie de meaux.

[*]Cashel Blue

http://www.cashelblue.com/our-cheese/crozier-blue/

I'd want one or two harder cheeses and some contrast.
http://www.sheridanscheesemongers.com/cheese/red-leicester-sparkenhoe/
http://www.sheridanscheesemongers.com/cheese/gubbeen-smoked/

[*]Chutney
[*]Quince Jelly

http://www.gingergirl.ie/larder.php
+ A tapenade?
+ honey?

[*]Crackers

Brown bread crackers http://www.sheridanscheesemongers.com/sheridans-crackers/
oatcakes:
http://www.gubbeen.com/gubbeen-oatcakes.html

the beer revolu

dudara wrote: »

For the sake of it, try and go with Irish cheeses. I'd replace the Comté with Coolea (perhaps the Mature version), Cashel blue, St Tola goats cheese etc.

This x 100
We have such good Irish cheeses now it really is a shame to be buying imported cheese.

And that mature Coolea is a Dangerously addictive cheese!

fussyonion

I'm not a cheese afiociando but I really like Applewood Smoked Cheddar (I buy it in Tesco).
Have you considered some relishes too?
I really love Ballymaloe Jalapeno Relish

pwurple

Does she like blue cheeses?

Cheese is one of my favourite things.... Cashel make an absolutely awesome cheese called Crozier Blue It's irish, it's a sheep's cheese and it's flipping brilliant. Nice sharp flavour, it's the much stronger version of cashel blue.

Alun

pwurple wrote: »

Does she like blue cheeses?

Cheese is one of my favourite things.... Cashel make an absolutely awesome cheese called Crozier Blue It's irish, it's a sheep's cheese and it's flipping brilliant. Nice sharp flavour, it's the much stronger version of cashel blue.

I love that stuff, creamy soft, and very Roquefort-like.

tfak85

A good tip when you're going to a cheese monger to buy your cheese is to let them know what your budget is, it can be very daunting to be presented with a lump of cheese and then be told it's fifteen euro when you hit the till.

I'll often go to Sheridans and ask for 3euro of this or 4euro of that, they won't be exact but it gives the staff a guideline to help you from.

markmacken

Other places to consider: Kennedy's Foodstore in Fairview and Anderson's Cafe/Deli in both Glasnevin and Drumcondra.

Dawehead

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Treat yourself to a block of Comte & some quince jelly. Sheridans will have both. A thin slice of each on a water biscuit goes down great with a good glass of port.

Quince is lovely!

markmacken

Picked up a Camembert from Lidl on the way home this evening, and warmed it up under the grill. It tastes like heaven on some fresh Cuisine de France bread!

Markcheese

Extra mature coolea is the bomb - crumbly and sweet-almost caramel ,
Mature hegarty's cheddar-slightly creamy-sharp, properly strong,
Clonmore goats cheese, smooth paste-full flavoured hard goats-
Cais Na tire daft name great sheeps milk cheese- hard sweet slightly crystalised-
Carlow sheeps -varying strengths but the bomb
Crozier blue (creamy sheeps)
Bellingham blue- dryer texture,strong but not over the top

It'll be a different list by tomorrow -

the beer revolu

Markcheese, what markets in Cork would one be able to purchase such a cheese board over the next few days?

Markcheese

Usually Keep your cheese board to max 3 or 4 cheeses - gets abit overwhelming otherwise - you could go with just I one -
Markets in cork - stacks of them -
I'll be in mallow today and Douglas tomorrow (sat) . (Shameless plug) ,
Midleton and skibbereen markets are also tomorrow, and there's the English market right till Christmas ...

Layinghen

If you are making up a cheese basket why not put in a bottle of Port as well to finish it off.

markmacken

Layinghen wrote: »

If you are making up a cheese basket why not put in a bottle of Port as well to finish it off.

Some chutney is another suggestion to accompany the cheese. Or some simple crackers: not too salty etc.

Markcheese

Sheridans cheese biscuits are good- (and the dunnes premium ones are the same-all made in west cork -)

Hootanany

Epposie' thank me later you can get it in FB.

anewme

Hootanany wrote: »

Epposie' thank me later you can get it in FB.

M & S and Avoca do it too.....YUMMMMMMM