CHEESE AND ALE
West Country CHEESEBOARD
CLARE HARGREAVES SELECTS HER TOP TEN REGIONAL CHEESES WHILE EXPERT FRED WILDE OF WEST COUNTRY ALES RECOMMENDS A SELECTION OF BEERS TO MATCH
SHARPHAM
The creamery on Devon’s Sharpham Estate was one of the first in Britain to make a mould-ripened Brie-style soft cheese. The estate began making it by hand in 1980, using methods learned in Normandy and milk from the estate’s own Jersey cows. This full-fat cheese has a wonderfully creamy texture and mushroomy flavour. Also try Sharpham’s Rustic.
www.sharpham.com
CORNISH BLUE
This mellow, sweet blue is Cornwall’s answer to Gorgonzola – only better, of course! It’s made by dairy farmers Philip and Carol Stansfield who started making cheese in 2001 as a way of diversifying. When young it’s creamy, then gets firmer and tangier as it ages. A real winner, as its numerous awards attest.
www.cornishcheese.co.uk
Cheddar Ales Tottypot. A blue cheese is best complimented by a beer with similar depths. The roasted, bitter malt flavours of a traditional dark porter
combine well with this particular cheese and the slightly sweet finish helps balance the tangy saltiness. 4.5%abv
KELTIC GOLD
Similar to a French Alpine cheese, this pungent but sweet washed-rind cheese is fantastic for a fondue. The cheese, made by Sue Proudfoot on the north Cornish coast (see profile on page 13) is washed in brine with local cider until ripe, giving a distinctive (and edible) sticky orange rind, and appley notes in the smooth-textured semi-soft cheese. You’ll also pick up hints of walnut, yeast and bacon.
www.whalesboroughcheese.co.uk
Moor Beer Revival – A very hoppy and refreshing bitter, light in colour but not flavour thanks to a blend of Pale, Lager, Cara, Crystal and Wheat malts. The hops are a blend of American varieties, tending to produce a crisper finish than English varieties. Very full flavoured, it easily copes with the multitude of flavours presented by the Keltic Gold. 4.0%abv
Mighty Hop Brewery Lymebrau -We’re going for a clean, sharp and almost acidic beer to counteract the full fat flavour of this cheese and helping to cleanse the palate in the process. A true lager, strong hop flavours and a crisp, slightly bitter finish. 5.0%abv
CORNISH YARG
Its handsome green coat of hand-foraged nettle leaves makes Yarg a real eye-catcher on any cheeseboard. Like a Caerphilly, Yarg is a fresh, young cheese with a slightly crumbly texture, getting creamier in the centre. The nettles give a wonderful taste and mildly mushroomy aroma.
www.lynherdairies.co.uk
Sharps Brewery Chalky’s Bite is a cracking match for this unusual regional cheese. Sharps, also a Cornish producer, have brewed a strong but subtle fennel infused pale ale. The very slight aniseed notes and fresh clean flavor are a good match for the herbal flavours of Yarg. 6.8%abv
14 | THE WESTCOUNTRY FOODLOVER
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