The Cheesboard and things to serve with Cheese

One of the golden rules in this household is that when it comes to Christmas I am more than happy to do everything necessary in the preparation of Christmas and am quite happy to cook the Turkey and everything else to go with it.  However, then its my turn to have a break.  This is another reason why I make so many different pickles, chutneys etc. because after Christmas dinner we are on cold cuts, cheese, pickles, cold meats sometimes served with a little bubble and squeak.  This is so I get to have a rest too and am able to do some things that I want to do over the holiday period.  This year I have Christmas at home.  The firm I work for has given us an extra three days holiday which means that we do not have to work between Christmas and the New Year for which I am grateful.  I also have the week off before Christmas in order to get as much as I can get done, done.


We are a tad partial to a lot of cheese in this household - a family tradition.  The stinkier the better.  In fact I order a "Stinking Bishop" cheese direct from Charles Martell especially for Christmas as both of us like it so much.  It pongs and I always keep this in a Lock it box in the fridge, but the pong is more from the Perry pear wash that is given to the cheese rather than to the cheese.  The cheese will keep for approximately 6 weeks so plenty of time to eat it in.  We love it anyway.  Here is the link if you also want to place an order for your own Christmas table or indeed give it as a present to a friend or family member.  There are other goodies available on the website as well.  I am particularly interested in the other cheeses Nuns de Caen and also the Hop.  However they do not sell them via the Internet which is very much a pity.  They are however available from all good cheese shops!  Might mean a visit to the Stamford Cheese Shop.  Could quite fancy a visit on a Friday when I am off before Christmas I could go on the train or the bus.  Friday is market day in Stamford so it might be an opportune time for me to make a visit and do some shopping.

http://www.charlesmartell.com/products/stinking-bishop/

When it comes to the cheeseboard I am afraid we do tend to go the whole hog.  I do my own pickled onions and pickled shallots.  They always go with a cheeseboard; there is also a chutney of one sort or another or an onion marmalade.    Sometimes there is a cheese apple or quince.  However there is a fruitier option to serve with cheese made from dried fruits which is very tasty.  Fig and Walnut slice.  We also have the option of crusty bread and a variety of crackers.

There is a link here:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/863648/fig-and-walnut-slice

and a post I previously put up here:

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7703817848238285099#editor/target=post;postID=4907126605976632088;onPublishedMenu=publishedposts;onClosedMenu=publishedposts;postNum=980;src=link

There is also a different variant made from apricots and cranberries.

the link is here:

http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2014/04/eat-every-doughnut-at-sidecar-doughnuts-coffee.html

This is also a very useful thing to make and then give away as a Christmas pressie especially for a cheese lover.

You can make this in balls, in a pattypan tin, but the more usual way to make it is in a cake tin and then cut into wedges. This is how Waitrose sell it and it is quite expensive for a little bit.  If you make it yourself you will get more for your money.

We also have a variety of different cheeses including Stilton, Brie, Caemembert.  We always have a strong cheddar I am fond of Cornish Cruncher from M & S but I also like their Welsh cheddar too.

Something else I always serve with a cheeseboard or indeed to put in sandwiches is roasted leeks.  Basically I slice a load of leeks and roast them in some oil and butter in the oven until the leeks start to caramelise.  You just want them golden you do not want them burnt.  Once cold pack into a jar and keep in the fridge until you want to use them.  This is very useful to liven up cold cuts, to serve in sandwiches and or buns, with some pate etc. etc.  You just keep it in the fridge until it is all gone.  This one does come under the short term keeping preserve which does have to be kept in the fridge.  It is not a long keeper.

A cheeseboard is a very important part of our Christmas celebrations.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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