Page 7 - Our Blog

To mark 400 years since the birth of the humble Devon Oke cheese, we have curated a selection box featuring a cheese for every century after the Oke’s inception.

Headlining the 400 Years of British Cheese box, which was featured in the June 2016 issue of Food and Travel Magazine, is the Devon Oke itself, a cheese that some believe is older than Cheddar. Cheese-maker Rachel Stevens discovered the Devon Oke recipe only 20 years’ ago and was delighted to re-create a lost tradition. Her cows' milk cheese has a smooth, firm texture and a mellow, creamy flavour.

Accompanying the Devon Oke is the 18th-century Colston Basset Stilton, a pasteurised vegetarian cheese. Made by Billy Kevan and his team in Nottinghamshire, Colston Bassett is one of the only hand-ladled Stiltons still in existence. Hand-ladling produces an intensely rich and creamy cheese; and the Colston Bassett flavour is deep, lingering and complex.

Duckett's Caerphilly, made by Tom Calver at Westcombe Dairy, is representing the 19th

To celebrate our 25th year and the opening of our new London flagship shop, we’re launching a new range of cheese macarons.

Invented and made by Gautam Kaila, our very talented Head Pastry Chef in Bath, these sweet yet savoury macarons are a totally new eating experience.

First up is the Motcomb Macaron. Made with goat’s cheese and beetroot, it is inspired by the newly commissioned Motcomb goat cheese and has been created to mark the opening of our new shop.

The delicate cheese (made in Somerset, naturally) is paired with fresh beetroot in the filling. A hint of beetroot powder gives a stunning, deep beetroot colour to the crisp shell.

We also have the Bath Macaron that’s made with World Champion Cheese Bath Blue from our home town. We have worked with this family of farmers and cheese-makers for the 25 years we’ve been open.

The creamed Bath Blue is partnered with chives for a deeply savoury filling and the shell is decorated with poppy seeds and walnuts.

Our co-founder Ann-Marie Dyas

Great news for London, we are opening our first location in the capital. Located in Motcomb Street, Belgravia, our new flagship location will also showcase our À Table casual dining concept.

The Fine Cheese Co. Motcomb Street will sell some 110 cheeses from around the world, with an emphasis on British artisan cheeses. Europe’s finest charcuterie will also be available. It will be cut to order on a vintage Avery Berkel slicer.

Not only will our dining experience, À Table, offer the best from the shop, but there will be seasonal classics too, such as our signature cheese soufflé. Everything can be enjoyed in the venue’s chic surroundings, accompanied by a bottle from the unique “Wine Wall” that boasts 100 European bottles, from Picpoul de Pinet ‘Cuvée Prestige’ 2015 Domaine des Lauriers to Château D’Yquem 1996, sold at retail prices plus a £10 corkage fee.

Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and high tea, featuring a pre-theatre menu ranging from Welsh rarebit to caviar for two, will be served

When it comes to cheese, it can be very exciting when you come across the perfect accompaniment. Most people are familiar with which crackers and chutneys they like with their chosen cheese – but when it comes to lesser knows treats like Dottato Figs, or our Fruit and Nut Torta – not everyone knows how best to enjoy them. So we have decided to launch our “Adventures with Cheese” series, where we hope we can introduce to you a whole new range of exciting possibilities for building a cheese board with an added “wow” factor.

First up, featuring an intense treat all the way from Calabria in Southern Italy, is our video on slow baked Dottato Figs. These figs have been cooked in the oven for 12 hours, and then pressed tightly into a ball and wrapped in natural fig- leaves. To enjoy these figs, all you need do is remove the string and peel away the leaves to get to the tightly packed ball of figs waiting inside. Then you simply pull away the figs – which you will find to be dark & sticky with

I was recently lucky enough to visit one of the country’s top Stilton producers. I spent two days at the Dairy and during that time was able to observe and take part in each step of the Stilton making process. Cropwell Bishop Creamery takes its name from the small village in which it is found. As a protected cheese, Stilton has to be produced within an area known as the vale of vale of Belvoir, this is the point at which Nottinghamshire Derbyshire and Lincolnshire meet. The local sign post reads like a who’s who of great Stilton makers.

There is a friendly rivalry between the villages of Cropwell bishop and Colsten Bassett, they lie no more than 3 mile apart and both are home to the top two Stilton producers, each year a cricket match is played between the villages, each village is rightly proud of their Stilton and the match provides the opportunity to express this rivalry. You can rest assured that there is plenty of cheese provided for the post match tea.

Cropwell bishop uses milk produced

This month, Ann-Marie discusses Baronet with its inventor cheese-maker, Julianna Sedli. Julianna has been making cheese for just over 8 years. She trained with the American cheese maker Judy Schadi who was so impressed with Julianna she named a cheese after her. Made with unpasteurised organic Jersey milk, this English cheese may soon rival the French classic Reblochon from which it draws inspiration.

If this has tempted you, you can order your Baronet here, or pop into our shop in Bath to pick some up (and meet Juliana, if she is behind the counter that day)
Juliana thinks her cheese is perfect with a glass of local ale.

View Video on Youtube

The finest Stilton, hand-ladled and expertly matured should reaches its peak at Christmas. Of course you need to cut and care for it at home. Luckily some tips (and a bit of fun) from a professional are at hand. So, watch Ann-Marie’s demonstration for The Simple Things and impress your family and friends.
Click here for our Stilton page.

Don't forget – last date to order Stilton and cheese for Christmas delivery is Sunday 16th December (midnight)

View video here