2023 Cheese Of The Year

[mik]

So if you don’t like cheese, you’re essentially a savage. FACT.

We had some superb items from IJMellis in Glasgow - including a fabulously nutty-toned compte, and a magnificent Stilton that came very close to may favourite blue (Roquefort).

But tonight we tucked into a gifted Brie-de-la-truffe from George Mewes. Which was exactly what it says on the tin (it wasn’t in a tin). Fabulous fresh French Brie infused with truffle. Never had this before and it was utterly marvelous.

[Explosive Newt]

Continuing the Brie theme, Baron Bigod has been my absolute favourite this year. A Brie-de-Meaux with oodles of punch, a strong nutty mushroomy smell and taste as well as unctuous texture.

[Nefarious]

Not a new recommendation, but the Tesco Finest Chaource is very good in that mushroomy earthy kinda way
Their Reblichon is actually pretty good too.

Another one I've mentioned before, if you like a milder cheese, is the Asda Manchego knock-off. They call it "Iberico" and is actually (to my taste anyway) a really good Manchego, despite being cheap as chips. Being a cultural hethan, I quite like putting a few slices on an Italian antipasti.

[DaveE]

For me it would be Old Amsterdam

I'm very much a hard cheese person and this is just wonderful IMO

[duncs500]

So if you don’t like cheese, you’re essentially a more evolved human. FACT.

EFA

[Jobbo]

I still don't think cheese should be tainted by other things being infused or mixed into it, so I'm not sure about truffle brie.

Nothing new discovered in 2023, other than my growing intolerance of boring bland cheddars and suchlike. I did enjoy a fair bit of Jarlsberg and I rapidly polished off some creamy blue St Agur over the festive period, which I'm sure gives me gout usually and hasn't yet.

[Explosive Newt]

Not a new discovery but I keep going back to Oxford Blue which is a tremendous semi hard blue that goes awfully well on a cracker but is equally at home lending a sandwich some heft.

Thanks for the above recommendations.

[mik]

I still don't think cheese should be tainted by other things being infused or mixed into it, so I'm not sure about truffle brie.

I’m generally 100% with you on that. But this was very much an exception to that rule.

[Nefarious]

I still don't think cheese should be tainted by other things being infused or mixed into it, so I'm not sure about truffle brie.

I’m generally 100% with you on that. But this was very much an exception to that rule.

Slightly sticking up for the "cheese with stuff in" camp, I'm going to give a nice Morbier a special mention.

OK, Morbier isn't my *favourite* cheese - it's not even my favourite hard cheese (it might not even be my favourite hard cheese from Franche-Comté!) - but I did recently-ish discover Morbiflette. Like a Tartaflette, but with Morbier instead of Reblichon. Obviously it's as good as you'd expect for anything with that much cheese, cream and wine in it, but I think I'd argue that the slightly higher, more iron-y flavour makes it a better pairing than Tartaflette for a big hunk of medium-rare red meat.

[Jimmy Choo]

This year I have decided that plastic cheese slices are the only cheese that is acceptable on a burger.

[Jobbo]

Slightly sticking up for the "cheese with stuff in" camp, I'm going to give a nice Morbier a special mention.

I've not tried it but having looked it up, is the layer of ash in the middle not just part of the process of making it? It's not like the Wensleydale with cranberries sort of crap you find in the shops at Christmas, anyway.

I quite like sage derby too. Truffle essence, still doubt I would. Most truffle essence isn't even truffle based for one, but it's always something you can add yourself if you really wanted it.

[Explosive Newt]

This year I have decided that plastic cheese slices are the only cheese that is acceptable on a burger.

But stilton?

[Sundayjumper]

This year I have decided that plastic cheese slices are the only cheese that is acceptable on a burger.

Glad to hear you've caught up at last

The way they melt and stick it all together, you don't get that with "real" cheese.

[mik]

I quite like sage derby too. Truffle essence, still doubt I would. Most truffle essence isn't even truffle based for one, but it's always something you can add yourself if you really wanted it.

Maybe there are different methods, or maybe it was my poor description, but this stuff had lumps of truffle through it.

[integrale_evo]

Continuing the Brie theme, Baron Bigod has been my absolute favourite this year. A Brie-de-Meaux with oodles of punch, a strong nutty mushroomy smell and taste as well as unctuous texture.

Made by the same people who bought the farmland at our barn

Never tried it, not a fan of soft cheeses or really cheesy cheeses, but everyone seems to love it

[Nefarious]

Slightly sticking up for the "cheese with stuff in" camp, I'm going to give a nice Morbier a special mention.

I've not tried it but having looked it up, is the layer of ash in the middle not just part of the process of making it? It's not like the Wensleydale with cranberries sort of crap you find in the shops at Christmas, anyway.

Yeah, I'm aware that I'm pushing the definition of "cheese with stuff in".

It's a kinda half-way house. Traditionally, Morbier was the cheese the farmers would make for themselves from leftovers, so they used the ash as a protective layer between each layer of leftovers until the barrel was full. Nowerdays, it's essentially the same process as Comte, but with the addition of a minerally/irony ash seam.

[DeskJockey]

All of the cheeses!

[Mito Man]

I love Morbier and always thought the black bit in the middle was mould

[DeskJockey]

So if you don’t like cheese, you’re essentially a more evolved human. FACT.

EFA

More cheese for the rest of us!

[Beany]

I love Morbier and always thought the black bit in the middle was mould

It's Morbierin' time!