Speciality Food April 2024

@specialityfood C heddar makes up around 50% of all cheese bought and sold in the UK. A staple of the fridge, it’s many people’s go-to for a quick sandwich. But much of what lands on the shelf alongside that tub of butter, and bag of salad leaves, is mass produced. And this, says cheese expert Charlie Turnbull, presents an excellent opportunity for the independent retailer when new customers file in the door – perhaps looking to upgrade from their usual supermarket block. “Many of them,” Charlie says, “will have a view of Cheddar that doesn’t cover all Cheddar can be. Theymight not know about traditional cloth wrapped Cheddar, or Cheddar aged in caves and cellars, which has so much character. I’ve always found people are surprised at how different it can be to the supermarket. And that’s the joy of being a cheesemonger. You can really demonstrate that point of difference.” “One of the main things that sets artisan Cheddar apart is that the milk is largely from a single herd,” adds James Grant of No2 Pound Street, and organiser of the Great British & Irish Cheddar Challenge. “We know, as cheesemongers, the provenance is right. We trust the milk, and the cheesemaker’s work with the milk, which is often produced by cows fed on good lays such as white clover and red clover.” There is, James says, the environmental aspect to consider too when stocking artisan Cheddar as “a lot more farms are looking to sequester as much carbon as possible, and they see the benefits of using the best milk because they want a fantastic product. They are not just about winning awards. They want to make products that reflect the fauna and flora of the landscape.” How to select Cheddar If you’re new to the cheese world and beginning to consider your counter selections, as far as Cheddar is concerned James thinks seeking out traditional farmhouse cheese will “put you in good standing”. He says, “Searching for those will point you in the direction of the good ladies and gentlemen of the cheese world that shine, like Keen’s and Montgomery’s and Quicke’s.” Having a range of truckled or flavoured Cheddars is an important part of the counter too, adds Charlie, who explains that cheesemongers need to offer something that bridges the gap between supermarket cheese andmore artisanal varieties. Products that are familiar. “The step up for most is to go for Snowdonia or Godminster. They sell really well, and they’re accessible,” he says, adding that you ignore them at your peril. “They are 18 COUNTERPOINT very popular and very value-driven, and their relatively cheap price point makes them great gifts. Many artisan cheese appreciators look down on them, but I don’t look down on profits – ever!” Sometimes, Charlie adds, “you need people to get to your funky Montgomery’s andWestcombe, and they can’t go straight from the supermarket to get there. First they need to pass through some middle ground, and I consider those cheeses very valuable.” Making the sale Your average consumer, used to plonkingmild, mature, or vintage cheese in their basket, has a whole newworld to discover in the artisan cheese shop or deli, where experts can indulge their senses in the SPONSORED BY Artisan cheesemakerswant tomake products that reflect the fauna and flora of the landscape “Any further than this and the cheese takes on almost candied fruit notes. And the exciting thing is you can then take it on a journey into 24months, where you’ll then have a creamy centre, withmore brothy, umami, deep notes towards the rind.” Each wheel of cheese, adds James, can give a few ‘bites of the cherry’. Cutting from the centre will please customers who prefer the buttery flavour of Cheddar, while serving up the outer parts should satisfy those who really appreciate themushroomy notes the rind delivers. Charlie says Cheddars aged over 24months could be at the ‘point of no return’ for some. “They can pick up Parmesan or Gouda notes. It isn’t that they’re not delicious, but you’re thenmoving noticeably away from Cheddar as we recognise it – that salty, savoury, agricultural rural flavour with some meadow, straw and cider apple. I personally don’t like to buy over 13 months except in unusual circumstances, but that’s just my own preference.” When he was in retail Charlie liked to make a ‘thing’ of a Cheddar’s age, keeping the makers’ tags so the cheeses’ birthdays could be celebrated. He thinks this is a nice touch, and a good way to encourage a bit of activity around the product. “We’d occasionally get a cheese ‘born’ on 24th December, so 12 months later it would be sold at Christmas. Or, if it was ‘born’ on 25th December we might call it ‘cheesus’. You’ve got to have fun with it!” Another selling device Charlie found useful was having two of the same Cheddars in the counter, which allowed customers to see the variables between products. “It was so they could see Cheddar is not a process, it’s a creation. And that’s such a good show point for customers.” The way you display and cut your Cheddar plays into the ‘theatre’ of cheese, Charlie continues, saying he would always make a big deal of unwrapping it. “Make it a feature. Tell people about it on social media. Depending on the cheesemaker there could be six of seven pieces of cloth to unravel.” And then, he says, there is the joy of cutting the Cheddar in half. “You get a smell you’ll never smell again. A unique freshness opening it for the first time. If you are opening a Cheddar, get your customers involved. Get them smelling it, and they will have a piece.” Most important of all, Charlie adds, is to “prove you know your stuff. Cheddar is just the best cheese to work with. We’ve got this huge diversity of tastes, and the best cheesemakers. It’s all to be celebrated.” HOWTOSELL CHEDDAR various gradings andmaturities Cheddar has to offer, showing them the distinct nuances betweenmakers and ages. “Cheddar is relatively fresh at nine to 12 months,” says James. “You’re looking here at a cheese with still a goodmoisture content, and that buttery richness and Cheddary taste. From the outside you’ll get some light Dijonmustard notes where the lard breaks down against the cloth.” As you get to Cheddars of around 18 months things get “more complex. Those cheeses are picked due to their initial flavours when the artisan cheesemakers taste them to know which direction they should be sold at. At 18 months you’re looking for a more complex taste, withmore horseradish andmustard notes under the halo. It is considered one of the crowning glories of the cheese counter – but how can you really make the most of your Cheddar offering and get customers excited about it? The experts tell us more