A 13th century version of tax avoidance created this beauty. Unique to the Haute-Savoie region this historic cheese is made in the mountains from unpasteurised cows’ milk.

Reblochon derives from the word ‘Reblocher’ which translated means to pinch the cow’s udder again. In 13th century France landowners would be taxed on their milk yields, so farmers decided to only three quarters milk their cattle leaving some milk remaining in the udder till they’d paid their daily tax. The milk left became substantially creamier and richer and the staple taste it became known for. By the 16th Century the cheese had such a following it was often referred to as fromage de devotion (devotional cheese) offered to Carthusian monks by farmers in return for having their farms blessed.

Reblochon offers a nutty long flavour, unctuous smooth creamy texture and an attractive rind. It is often associated with winter for being a central ingredient in Tartiflette (keep your eyes open for this one on our menu very soon).

Sadly for our friends across the pond Reblochon has not been available in the states since 2004 as it’s unpasteurised and has not been sufficiently aged to pass U.S. import laws concerning the pasteurization of soft and semi-soft cheese.

Reblochon became a protected cheese in 1958, known in France as AOC (Appellation d'origine contrôlée) and in the UK as PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). Within its AOC only three breeds of cattle are allowed to be used to produce this cheese, Abondance, Tarentaise and the Montbéliarde.

We know that Stilton has a long history but unfortunately many of the exact facts seem to have been lost over time with patchy mentions here and there which are difficult to piece together. The direct mentions of cheese within the village of Stilton start around the early 18th century and its fairly accepted that The Bell Inn in the village of Stilton was central to the Stilton story and its popularity increase with all class of folk. Through an innovative innkeeper Cooper Thornhill landlord of The Bell Inn 1730-1759 and a skilled cheesemaker/entrepreneur of her time Frances Pawlett of Wymondham they managed to spread the popularity of Stilton cheese to visiting guests staying at the Inn traveling to and from London. As popularity of their superior product grew so did their production needs with Frances rallying other cheesemakers in the area to produce the Stilton recipe and allowing them distribution to popular London Cheesemongers. We don’t know to be exact what sort of cheese Stilton was then and whether it purposefully had blue veining or it was accidental through cracks in the cheese but it is definite that this was the first commercialisation of Stilton and was the start of the Stilton cheese we all know today.

Interesting fact for you - Stilton was traditionally produced during the summer months with the milk at its richest from all the quality pastureland grazed at the end of the summer season. Stilton then needed three months to mature meaning the best quality Stilton from summer grazing was ready just in time for Christmas. This is the exact reason why Stilton is associated with being eaten at Christmas.

A cheese with its own museum! This rather stinky cheese has been produced since the 7th Century, it was developed by Benedictine Monks living in the Alsace region of France in the Vosges Mountains bordering France and Germany. It was originally produced as a means to store the excess milk rather than let it go to waste. Many believe the strong qualities of Munster were developed by the monks as a substitute to meat which they were forbidden to eat through their religious practice.  

Munster has always traditionally been produced in the morning with the warm milk fresh from the morning milking added to the previous evenings milk and the starter cultures added. The milk is then heated to around 32c and transferred to a large copper cauldron called a Kessel where the rennet is then added. Once the curd has reached the right stage of coagulation it is cut and starts to separate into curds and whey. The whey is then drawn off slowly and the curds are hand scooped into moulds where they are allowed to settle before being turned multiple times and salted before being transferred to the maturing room. It takes 10 litres of milk to produce one individual 900g of cheese, they will each weigh a bit more than 900g at this stage in their production and will loose some weight during their maturation. 

Once transferred to the maturing rooms they are matured in damp cellars and washed regularly with brine to develop the pink rind seen on the surface of the cheese. The small cheeses spend 5 weeks maturing and the larger cheeses spend between 2-3 months maturing. 

The brine washing process produces bacterial production on the surface of the cheese that thrives in the moist environment, the enzymes work slowly from the outside in breaking down the microbial structure of the cheese and making the cheese become softer as it matures. 

Although the rind smell can be very strong, giving off a rather pungent, earthy to farmyard aroma don’t be put off by it as the taste doesn’t match the smell at all. Expect a creamy well-rounded taste with a fullness and depth of flavour that gives way to hints of nuttiness and fruity tang. It has a soft texture that melts on the palate and leaves you feeling like you have had two experiences in one from the strong smell to start with that gives way to the taste and texture.

I must at this point offer a small piece of advice from personal experience: do not buy Munster in London and then think it’s a good idea to transport it on a warm train for a few hours, unless of course you want to apologise and explain the smell to every person that passes you for the entirety of your journey. It is however a good tactic if you don’t want anyone to sit near you. 

Munster has been protected by AOC (Appellation D'origine Contrôlée) status since 1969, protecting the characteristics of the cheese and the area its produced in. The AOC stipulates many factors of the cheeses production such as it must be made using unpasteurised milk, the two sizes in which Munster is allowed to be made in, small 7-12cm diameter and large 13-19cm diameter. It also covers regions in which Munster can be produced among many other stipulations. 

The best time of year to eat Munster is during the summer to autumn months typically May – October when the cattle are grazing the ‘high stubble’ a name given to the high mountain pastures that have been mowed for summer hay. 

Munster is traditionally paired with Cumin seeds or can be served on baked potatoes or used in Tartiflette.

Mimolette has sharp, nutty and fruity flavour with a similar aroma to compliment it. It has a striking colour of bright orange to its paste alongside its standout shape of a cannon ball.  Mimolette is notoriously hard to cut through as a whole and gets even harder (but with even more complex taste profiles) the longer it matures. The unique looking rind of the Mimolette is produced from maturation in damp cellar like conditions and the presence of cheese mites which eat parts of the rind and leave the pitted surface. The rind is completely edible on the cheese and 100% should be eaten as it adds so much taste and complexity of flavour. A definite favourite of ours and on the cheese counter instore. 

A semi-hard cow’s milk cheese traditionally produced around the city of Lille. The history of Mimolette can be traced as far back as the 17th century with its original production based on an Edam. During the 17th Century many imported goods were banned in France under the rule of King Louis XIV, Edam fell among these banned imports and was sorely missed in the northern parts of France. As with any banned goods there was soon smuggling involved to get hold of the sought-after items, quickly followed by entrepreneurs of the time that decided to produce a similar product in France as a way to get around the ban. Mimolette was produced using the Edam recipe but had its own quirks added such as the annatto that provides the strong orange colouring, the maturation process and the different pastureland that the animals were grazing which changes the cheese flavours entirely based upon the flavours within the grassland that the cattle have been grazing. 

There are different ages of Mimolette from six months through to vintage at twenty-four months, the Mimolette we most often have in stock is the twenty-four month aged. 

Archaeologists have found evidence that dates cheesemaking in the La Mancha region to as far back as the Bronze age (3700 BC), there is no exact evidence if this cheesemaking was Manchego but throughout written accounts in history from the region it was always a Manchego style cheese described and the Manchega breed of sheep. The Manchega breed of sheep has truly stood the test of time, most probably due to its hardiness that seems to pair well with the regions dry and rocky terrain. The sheep graze mainly dry pastureland and shrub land but seem to fair very well on this sort of terrain, it certainly does not affect their milk quality which offers a very high fat content and is a rich milk perfect for the production of Manchego. Due to breeding of Manchega sheep staying predominantly among the breed itself the bloodline is remarkably pure, this means that the Manchega sheep giving us their beautiful milk today are direct descendants of these historic sheep that were grazing the region in the bronze age. 

Manchego is produced to three different varieties:

• Manchego Fresco is only matured for two weeks and is rarely found outside of Spain, it is mild in flavour due to its freshness. 

• Manchego Curado aged between three – six months, this is a semi firm cheese with nutty sweet flavours. 

• Manchego Semi Curado aged between three weeks and three months, this offers very mild flavours and is semi-soft. 

• Manchego Viejo aged between twelve and twenty-four months, this is a hard cheese with a deep rich flavour. 

It is the Manchego Viejo that we reguarly have in stock.

The distinctive pattern on the rind was originally produced by the curd being pressed into esparto grass baskets which left their imprint on the curd. Today the pattern comes from moulds deigned to replicate the pattern on the surface. The actual rind is inedible as it is sprayed with a breathable plastic or wax coating to protect the cheese once it has matured for preserving it and transportation.  

Manchego has been protected under PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status since 1984. For any cheese wishing to be classified as Manchego PDO it must be made to specific standards set by the PDO legislations, this protects the cheese and the food from geographical regions from replication. This particular PDO states that the cheese must be made in La Mancha region, it must be made from unpasteurised Manchega milk, it must be aged in natural caves for a minimum of two months or a maximum of two years and it must be made to a specific size of no more than 12cm in height and no more than 22cm in diameter. There are 340 producers of Manchego currently registered under the PDO status. 

Manchego exportation is a huge industry for the region exporting nearly 6 million KG of it each year. The area of La Mancha is also famous for the 17th century novelist Miguel de Cervante and his two-part novel ‘The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha’. This fabulous author drops the odd line in about the sheep in the region and mentions Manchego too, it brought much fame to the area and is the second most translated book in the world after the Bible. Don Quixote is also relevant with Manchego as its PDO certification has the image of Don Quixote and riding his horse on it. 

Expect from this cheese a buttery, sweet and nutty flavours alongside a hard yet granulated texture. The aroma is beautifully rich and buttery offering a well-rounded experience. 

Named after the town of Valencay in France where it was originally produced, an unpasteurised goats cheese with a long history. This style of cheese dated back to the reign of Charlemagne in late 700AD to early 800AD. The actual Valencay style and shape of the cheese has direct mentions dating from around the 16th Century onwards (give or take the top of the pyramid shape), there are many stories around how the pyramid became the truncated pyramid that we have today.  

The most popular of these stories and one that does seem to have some historical references to back it up is one involving Napoleon. In 1798 he led a campaign to Egypt where he hoped to establish a French presence in the Middle East and to stop the British having access to the East Indies and India. The campaign did not go to plan after a lack of reinforcements from France and civil unrest in both Egypt and France meant he had to retreat home humiliated by the absolute disaster it had been. On his arrival home he attended a welcome gathering where he was served a Valencay in its original pyramid shape. He was that angry at the reminder of his disastrous campaign he drew out his sword and chopped the top off in a fit of rage. Since then all Valencay cheeses have been produced as truncated pyramids. 

Valencay was the first region in France to achieve both a wine and cheese that hold an an AOC (Appellation d’origine controlle) status. Valencay was given AOC status in 1998 with regulations stipulating the geographic areas it is allowed to be produced in, the two goat breeds that are approved milk producers of Alpine or Saanen, it must be made with raw milk (unpasteurised) and it must be matured for 11 days. These among other regulations that make up the AOC and are in place to protect the characteristics of the cheese and the area it is from. 

Valencay has a light and moussey texture with a fresh and lemony taste, as the cheese ages the flavour develops and becomes stronger.  

The production of Valencay is a lactic set production where a starter culture is added to the milk to start the acidification process, this is sometimes the whey from an earlier cheese make (this can be a risky option, if you have any issues with your prior cheese make you risk transferring this into the next make and so forth) or sometimes a packet starter culture. Slow acidification then takes place before a tiny amount of rennet is sometimes added to coagulate the milk but for the most part the coagulation takes place from the acid produced from the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) which then forms the curd. The curd is then gently ladled into moulds where it is left to slowly drain further before being removed from the mould and lightly dusted with ash. Each cheese is then transferred to drying racks and moved to rooms where it will mature for the next 11 days and form its external mould rind. Due to the maturation process of the cheese our friends on the other side of the pond cannot enjoy Valencay because of their import laws stating a cheese must have matured for a minimum of 60 days before it crosses the border. Sad times for our friends in the USA. 

However, its fab news for us in Europe as more and more Valencay is produced each year to meet demand as more people discover just how delicious it is. On average there is now 350 million tons produced each year.

We regularly have Valencay in stock as its an Aldred’s favourite. 

Putting together the perfect festive cheeseboard doesn’t need to be a task that makes you want to hide in the broom cupboard. It’s all about balance and excitement. Your local cheesemonger will always be able to advise and help you with the task but if you wish to go solo there’s a few rules you can follow to help you along the way. 

Firstly, you need to decide whether the cheeseboard is your main food or whether it is to be eaten after a meal as this will dictate how much cheese per person and other nibbles are needed. 

If it isn’t the main food at your event, I would advise 100g of cheese per person. If your cheeseboard is the main food at your event, I would suggest 200g of cheese per person as a minimum plus other nibbles alongside the cheese. 

Cheese portions I would advise these to be a minimum of 200g each, this is about how it looks on the board. Much less than 200g of cheese and it starts to look very sad, like everyone won’t get to try that particular one. This can’t be helped in cheeses that are produced in a smaller size than 200g such as a Crottin de Chavignol but you can counter this by adding two. 

Now the exciting bit of choosing your cheese, there are thousands of cheeses in the world but if you go by some simple category rules you can put together a well-balanced cheese board without knowing the complete taste profile of every cheese you choose. 

For a simple board of three to four cheeses you might want to go along the lines of a cheeseboard we are all familiar with, Brie – SOFT, Cheddar – HARD, Stilton – BLUE, plus add a wild card to create interest. This could be the centre of your cheeseboard with your other three cheeses arranged around it, WASHED RIND or GOAT are good ones here and could be along the lines of:

Washed rind – Langres, Epoisses de Bourgogne, Vacherin Mont D’Or  

Goat – Valencay , Crottin de Chavignol, Kidderton Ash, Dorstone

If you’re not one for sticking to rules and want a cheeseboard with a bit of difference you can still use the same idea but change the cheeses for ones that you’d prefer under the same categories of Soft, Hard, Blue. 

A few example boards under these categories could be:

Rollright, Kit Calvert Wensleydale, Burt’s Blue

Vacherouse d’Argental, Saint Nectaire, Fourme d’Ambert 

These options are both examples of a soft, hard and blue combinations that will create a well-rounded selection but don’t stick to conventional Brie, Cheddar and Stilton.

If you want to create a cheeseboard with five or six different cheeses you can add further categories to your creation. 

Alpine style 

Washed rind

Variety in milk style – Cow, Goat, sheep, buffalo, 

Smoked 

Flavoured

Soft 

Hard 

Blue

Once your selection is up to five or six different cheeses you can always add in a second blue cheese too, this should be in a different style to your first choice such as a soft blue or a blue from the opposite end of the flavour spectrum creamy or salty (further post of different blue cheese flavours coming soon). You can also look at the different shapes and colours of the cheeses to add interest to your selection. 

Accompaniments for your cheese board can be chutney or marmalades these add new flavours that can be similar or contrasting with your cheese. Membrillo (Quince paste) is always a good choice, its most known for its pairing with Manchego but pairs well with a variety of cheeses and looks interesting on your cheeseboard. Honey is another good addition and easy to dunk into or drizzle onto your cheese. 

Dried fruit such as dried dates, apricots, figs, ginger, and cranberries are all good examples of dried fruit to add as an accompaniment. 

Fresh fruit cuts through many of the flavours of the cheese and can refresh the palate. Grapes, strawberries, figs, currents or berries, sliced apple or something more unusual like persimmon or pineapple can pair with vintage aged hard cheeses.

Nuts – walnuts, pistachios, almonds, brazil (most nuts pair well with cheese) 

Pickled - walnuts (or other pickled nuts), gherkins, onions

Charcuterie or pate – A nice selection of charcuterie alongside your cheeses can always add another level of interest, there’s so many different ones to choose from. A varied selection always works well such as spicy chorizo, serrano ham and Milano salami are a good combination you could add to.  

Crackers – A subjective one here as everyone’s got their favourites, I’m all for a nice none flavoured cracker or oat cake as I enjoy the flavours coming through from the cheese and not being overpowered or sometimes tainted from odd cracker flavours. I must however admit to being partial to a nice beetroot cracker on occasion or an interesting Cajun one I’ve recently stumbled upon. Whichever crackers you choose remember they are transport for something whether its cheese or charcuterie so try not to buy anything too overpowering. 

Happy festive cheese board creating and remember to just ask your cheesemonger if you are stuck for ideas, there’s nothing that I love more than chatting cheese.