The festive season just wouldn’t be the same without a spot of cheese, so Sophie Farrah has sniffed out some of this year’s top choices for you to try. Read caerphilly...
Christmas is a time of many indulgences but a magnificent cheeseboard shared with family and friends has to be one of the best. This month I’ve been out visiting local cheesemongers to get their brie-liant tips (sorry) for a truly champion cheeseboard.
The Teddington Cheese, Teddington & Richmond
Founded over 30 years ago, The Teddington Cheese’s two shops sell more than 130 of the finest fromages as well as host monthly cheese masterclasses. Owner Tony Chuck suggests trying something new this year.
“We find that at Christmas our customers want to have a mix of traditional must-haves as well as something to surprise and delight guests,” he explains. “So I’d recommend Bufala affinato al Glera – a hard buffalo cheese with a subtle flavour, marinated in the marc of the Italian glera grape which is used to make Prosecco. I’d also recommend Cirone, a Swiss Gruyere-style cheese that has a sophisticated nutty flavour, and Cremet, a delicate goat’s cheese from Devon enriched with double cream – a real Christmassy indulgence!”
TOP TIP: The Cavan Bakery’s speciality festive bread is a cranberry and walnut sourdough, which goes beautifully with cheese. Or if you prefer crackers, ask your cheesemonger for recommendations.
Visit The Teddington Cheese at 42 Station Rd, Teddington TW11 9AA or 74 Hill Rise, Richmond, TW10 6UB, or alternatively order online here.
Cavan Bakery have stores across SW London. Visit their website here.
Glug, Putney
Wine and cheese is a match made in heaven… and luckily Glug in Putney stocks both, as well as a selection of biscuits, preserves, spirits and craft beer.
"Our bestselling cheese is the Lancashire Bomb, which is matured over two years and is very creamy and full-flavoured. It’s circular and wrapped in wax so it also makes a great stocking filler!” enthuses owner Deepak Kapoor. “It also happens to go really well with our rich, well-balanced Rioja, which has been officially declared an “Excellent” vintage (2010) in Spain.”
Visit Glug in person at 242 Upper Richmond Rd SW15 6TG, or order online here.
MacFarlane’s Deli, Clapham
Founded originally as a cheese shop in 1998, over the years MacFarlane’s Fromagerie has developed into a deli filled with all kinds of delicious delights, and its impressive cheese counter boasts between 90 to 120 different cheeses. “Christmas is all about family and cheese is a food best shared,” enthuses assistant manager, Thomas Preece. “I’d recommend Vacherin Mont D’or – a seasonal winter cheese made by the same producers as Comte. As the cows come down from the Alpine mountains for winter, they’re fed on hay and the result is this fantastic soft, creamy cheese wrapped in spruce bark. And of course, a Cropwell Bishop Stilton, the king of English cheeses. It can be enjoyed all year round, but it’s especially delicious at Christmas.”
Visit MacFarlane’s Deli at 48 Abbeville Rd SW4 9NF, or order online here.
The Real Cheese Shop, Barnes
Found on Barnes High Street The Real Cheese Shop may be small, but it offers cheeses from all over the world and some serious expertise, too.
“At Christmas a good Stilton is a must and we sell what we consider to be the best – Colton Bassett Stilton. It’s creamy with a fabulous flavour,” explains co-owner Valentina Keen. “Another really lovely cheese is Wigmore, a soft, vegetarian and unpasteurised cheese made from sheep’s milk. It has a beautiful clean, nutty sweetness and creamy texture. To continue the celebratory mood you could also try Langres, an oozing soft cheese with an orange rind and a deep dimple. Traditionally, for special occasions, the dimple is filled with Champagne, which should be absorbed before eating!”
Visit The Real Cheese Shop at 62 Barnes High St, Barnes SW13 9LF, or call 020 8878 6676.
Hamish Johnston, Battersea
At the heart of buzzing Northcote Road family-run Hamish Johnston has been selling the finest fromages for over 21 years and stocks a whopping 130 varieties, as well as a vast range of other tempting treats. Co-owner Mark Newman believes that it’s all about the Brie this year. “Baron Bigod is a wonderful English Brie made in Suffolk,” he explains. “It’s deliciously unctuous and mellow, but also has a powerful taste towards the rind giving aromas of mushroom and earth. It’s the perfect end to a Christmas feast.”
TOP TIP: “I always serve a generous slab of Damson Cheese with my cheeseboard. The sweet and sour nature of damsons works with almost any cheese and the deep purple colour is a perfect match for the blues, whites and yellows of a Christmas cheeseboard” Mark Newman, Hamish Johnston.
Visit Hamish Johnston at 48 Northcote Rd SW11 1PA, or order online here.