Speciality Food April 2025

specialityfoodmagazine.com 37 so well with these, highlighting their bright, lemony notes. CORNISH KERN, LYNHER DAIRIES This one is an absolute gem. It’s a hard, Alpine-style cheese made in Cornwall, with a firm texture and deep, caramelised, nutty flavours. Think Comté meets Gouda, but with a unique British twist. It’s a dream with a bold white Burgundy or a structured red like a Cabernet Franc. PARMIGIANO REGGIANO Simple but so good. I’ve completely fallen in love with Parmigiano Reggiano drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar or jelly and paired with a glass of red wine – honestly, try it. But it’s also so versatile – great with crisp, dry whites like Verdicchio or even an elegant Barolo. The umami depth of the cheese is just magic with the acidity in the wine. LA TUR This little Italian cheese is something special. Made from cow, goat, and sheep’s milk, it’s rich, creamy, and melts in your mouth like ice cream. It’s also one of the most versatile cheeses for pairing. It works beautifully with sparkling wines like Prosecco, fruity reds like Beaujolais, or even a dessert wines like Moscato. PITCHFORK CHEDDAR, TRETHOWAN BROTHERS, SOMERSET I'll have phases of which Cheddar I like to take home. Sometimes it will be a tangy wedge of Isle of Mull. Sometimes an earthy chunk of Montgomery's. Currently, I'm enjoying the dense and juicy Pitchfork, an artisan Somerset Cheddar that often beholds an orchestra of a flavour profile. CORNISH YARG, LYNHER DAIRIES, CORNWALL The rise and rise of English Wine is something that British cheese shops and delis should embrace – with English cheese and wine pairings the best way to do this. The mild and lemony Cornish Yarg works very well with an English white wine with a bit of acidity – I recommend Cornish Yarg with NewHall Single Estate Bacchus 2022, Rowton Solaris 2022, or Simpsons Gravel Castle Chardonnay 2023. APRÈS-SOLEIL, JUMI CHEESE, SWITZERLAND A recent addition to our counter, Après Soleil is a hard Alpine cheese with a subtle crystalline texture and a great depth and balance of distinctive sweet and savoury flavours. The name ‘Après Soleil’ comes from the unique maturation process for this cheese, where sunlight streams into the cave and alters its character. NORTHERN BLUE, SHEPHERD'S PURSE CHEESES, NORTH YORKSHIRE Again, another tough one to narrow down! Northern Blue is a customer favourite in our shop, owing to the balance of rich and creamy paste against a full-flavoured and tangy blue bite. A great British alternative to stronger continental blues like Gorgonzola Picante. BARON BIGOD, FEN FARM DAIRY, SUFFOLK British producers create some outstanding cheeses that rival, even better, well-known Continental examples. Replace your Manchego with Spenwood, ditch the Gorgonzola KING OF THE CASTLE, WHITE LAKE DAIRY, SOMERSET A recent discovery! King of the Castle is a mild, fresh, crisp and zesty Goat's cheese with a texture quite similar to Cheshire cheese. To find something so similar, yet so different to one of my all-time favourite cheeses is refreshing, and makes you fall in love with cheese all over again! APPLEBY'S WHITE CHESHIRE, APPLEBY'S DAIRY, SHROPSHIRE Appleby's Dairy sits well within 'The Cheshire Plain', a flat lowland area where the majority of Cheshire Cheese was produced. My preference is for a mild and crisp Appleby's White Cheshire, great with slices of apple or fruit cake. Dolce for Beauvale, and switch the Feta for Graceburn! Above all, the Baron Bigod sits as my best replacement – to the point that we only stock Brie de Meaux at Christmas! THE ITALIAN JOB, THE GREAT BRITISH CHEESE COMPANY, CHESHIRE Blended cheese continues to grow in popularity (Ignore it at your peril!). If you want to look beyond the usual Wensleydale & Cranberry, 'The Italian Job' is worth a try. A mild Wensleydale cheese with zesty lemon and refreshing limoncello makes this one of our most popular blended cheeses for summer! The mild and lemony Cornish Yarg works very well with an English white wine with a bit of acidity PARMESAN PITCHFORK