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BS: Cheese Course at dinner
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Subject: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 07 Dec 03 - 12:12 PM in light of the recent interest in cheese on Mudcat, I thought I would come to this forum for some help. We will be hosting our annual Holiday Dinner for 5 couples this coming weekend, and I am in charge of selecting the cheese course (this will be our first year to have a cheese course. We slobs in America don't have the refined nature that our European friends have regarding cheese courses, GRIN.) My question is: how many cheeses should I offer? What variety should I offer? Do I suggest a sequence of eating them, ala a wine tasting, where you go from light whites to heavy reds to maximise the flavor? Should I serve a dessert wine or port or brandy or what in conjunction with this? any suggestions will be helpful. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Peg Date: 07 Dec 03 - 12:20 PM is this cheese course to be served English-style, in terms of timing? That is, after the main meal? (and in some cases well after dessert)In which case you should offer the whole selection at once, with a variety of savory biscuits as well. A very civilized practice, is the serving of a cheese course... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Noreen Date: 07 Dec 03 - 12:39 PM At least four cheeses, jimmy, up to seven or so.... :0) As much variety as you can muster- I would have for example: Brie (soft French), medium Cheddar (general purpose English that most people like) Wensleydale with cranberries (English mild crumbly with fruit) and Blue Stilton or Danish Blue. Friend Stuart chips in to say that small bunches of grapes, definitely green but also red if you choose, should decorate the cheeseboard, and a selection of nuts, definitely walnuts (I'd not bother with the nuts myself...) Serve with port (he says a good port, at least 10 yrs old- perhaps an old port like Hull?) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Leadfingers Date: 07 Dec 03 - 12:41 PM I agree with Peg Jimmy.Port would be suitable beverage,especially for the Stilton , though I have know ALL sorts of wine and beer to be served (or offered) with the cheese.Even Coffee. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 07 Dec 03 - 12:49 PM thanks Peg, Terry and Noreen for the quick advice. Yes, it is to be served after Dessert. I have had this course several times when travelling especially in France but also in England. I rather enjoy the whole idea. But, is there a proper way of eating the cheeses, mild to strong or is it a personal preference? Definately the grapes NOreen!Will have to acquire some port, not something Americans routinely serve. This Wensleydale, is it served with cranberries, or is it actually made containing cranberries? I have to admit that is one I have never tried. Thanks What a friend we have in Cheeses. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Peg Date: 07 Dec 03 - 12:59 PM I believe it may be traditional, along with serving coffee with dessert, and dessert wine or port with the cheese course, to serve a bit of chocolate with some brandy as the final topper to the meal! Is this true, or did I just luck out when it was served to me this was a couple of times? I'm almost ready for my Wellingtons! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Clinton Hammond Date: 07 Dec 03 - 01:01 PM Mmmmm stanky cheese and dark beer.... :-P~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Noreen Date: 07 Dec 03 - 01:07 PM Cheese board in middle of table (or passed around), everybody takes a slice of what they fancy, in whatever order, personal preference. Some people won't attempt smelly cheeses or the Brie if it's ripe and running off the cheeseboard...! http://www.wensleydale.co.uk/ is the website for the wensleydale Creameries where this wonderful cheese is made. Cranberries are added to the cheese before packaging, jimmy, so it's really just like eating the chesse with fruit. You can order a 200g Wensleydale with cranberries for £7.75 including delivery to US :0) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Micca Date: 07 Dec 03 - 01:17 PM jimmyt,Good advice above, a good quality robust red( A good Californian Merlot or Syrah, Chilean Cab Sauvignon, Rioja) is also good with cheese for those who do not like the sweetness of port or other desert wines( Sauternes, Canadian Icewine) that I have drunk with this course. I usually have crackers( English crackers ie Carrs waterbiscuits, Jacobs) and Scottish oatcakes on the side and usually aim for a soft cheese (brie, camembert,) a hard strong flavour cheese (Chedder, Red leicester, Double Gloucester) a good Blue cheese (Stilton, Blue Vinny, Blue Cheshire etc) and a crumbly mild cheese (Wensleydale, Caerphilly, Cheshire) so that there is a range of flavours |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST,pdq Date: 07 Dec 03 - 01:39 PM If you serve (imported) Swiss, (imported) Edam and (imported) Provolone (pre-sliced, very thin), and offer cold San Miguel Dark ( a reasonable-priced and underrated beer), it won't matter when it's served!. 'Course, I'm just a beer-drinkin' American slob (and proud of it!).....(and I wouldn't offer Brie to my dog!).... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: C-flat Date: 07 Dec 03 - 01:49 PM My favourite part of the evening! We do a fair bit of dinner-party-entertaining (often work related) but I always find by the time we reach the cheese and port everyone is nicely relaxed and "glowing" slightly from a few large glasses of wine. A good glass of port (it's worth spending a little extra for a decent aged-in-the-wood one) is usually the signal for the jokes and tall stories to commence. Micca has got the cheeseboard covered with a good selection (good sized slabs look nice and are easier to get at) and for anyone still left standing after that lot hit 'em with coffee, brandy/liqueurs and petit-fours (fancy chocolates)! Pour them into their taxis at the appointed hour and sit down with a single malt while congratulating yourself on a job well done! Hope you have a great evening JimmyT, (wish I was coming) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 07 Dec 03 - 01:57 PM C Flat, I will set a place for you if you can get to Georgia. Micca, as I think about this and your description of the cheese board, etc I am moved to remember sharing this course with you and Catherinejayne and Liz and Paul and the artist formerly known as Bratling back in October. Good Lord, how fun was that! And you are right, perhaps that is what commenced the jokes. As I remember, by then you and I were drinking anything and everything that was provided. I took a nice hour nap on the tube thereafter! We need to have another of those parties when I get back over. Let's get Liz lined up! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Micca Date: 07 Dec 03 - 03:06 PM Yah jimmyt, I was thinking about that too as I wrote the above.. I forgot one important point, TAKE THE CHEESE OUT OF THE FRIDGE A couple of HOURS before it is to be served (so it can come up to temperature) and if it is wrapped in plastic of any kind UNWRAP it and let it breathe and develop its flavours, to stop it drying out place it on the cheeseboard and cover with a damp cloth, ie a tea towel that has been soaked and then wrung out so it(the cheese) remains moist!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Dave the Gnome Date: 07 Dec 03 - 03:24 PM I agree with the lot! Except of course no one has mentioned my favourite...:-) I won't hijack the thread though! I would add that not all the biscuits need be savory. A sweet digestive goes well with a sharp cheese. As does a piece of fruit cake. But, at the end of the day, this is just to wind the meal up, not the meal itself! (Although there's a thought.) Love your parting shot pdq. I used to like Brie until I had a recent operation to clear polips from my nose. I got my sense of smell back. The Brie went in the bin... Cheers DtG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Peace Date: 07 Dec 03 - 04:01 PM jimmyt: The only cheese I ever ate that I didn't enjoy was one called "Old Nippy". Something no one has mention is Canadian cheddar. I prefer the aged, but it comes in mild and medium also. The days of needing certain wines with certain cheeses or meals has passed (for the most part). Whites should be chilled, and roses (sorry, can't get the accent aigu on the e of rose) also. Reds should be a few degrees below room temp, but not chilled. The advice above is good. A cheese I am partial to--although I seldom can afford it--is Jarlsbergorst. (I have screwed up the spelling on that, but it's pronounced Harlsberg to rhyme with Carlsberg.) Something you might wish to consider is the traditional eating patterns of your guests. If they are steak and potato people, they may not like some of the more 'exotic' or strong-tasting stuff. I'm thinking here of feta or Danish blue cheese. Cheese made from goat's milk could be too strong. If your guests' notion of spaghetti sauce is something that comes from a can, then having some Romano cheese available might not be a wise choice. It will likely taste like old socks to them. I maen no insult to anyone with the above remarks. I'm a bachelor, and I sometimes eat my ravioli from Mr Boyardee's can, unheated. (I said 'from' not 'in'.) I eat beans that will warm up in my belly, too. Last, I learned thirty years ago that the secret to having happy diners is quite simple: get 'em hungry and make 'em wait ten minutes. At that point, they'll bite the rear end out of a skunk and bark at the hole. Good luck with your dinner. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Peg Date: 07 Dec 03 - 04:15 PM true, Dave, those slightly-sweet wholemeal biscuits ("digestives") are also a nice addition... what's all this "antimosity" (my word) towards Brie??? Nothing nicer than Brie...try it withcucumber and sprouts on a baguette or whole meal bread, mmmm... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST,pdq Date: 07 Dec 03 - 04:47 PM Brie may be the only food that smells better when it's rotten than when it's fresh! Or, maybe that is just a characteristic of things from France? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Cluin Date: 07 Dec 03 - 04:55 PM So what the hell is the deal with cheese here lately? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jacqui c Date: 07 Dec 03 - 04:56 PM Celery goes well with cheese as well. You can get all sorts of goats cheeses - I've been trying them all as I can't have cows cheese - and there are some pretty good ones, including a brie type (and what's wrong with brie???). |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Cluin Date: 07 Dec 03 - 05:05 PM I like old cheddar on a Ritz. Eating one right now and getting crumbs on the keytgbopasrfdg.,n j |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Folkiedave Date: 07 Dec 03 - 06:32 PM I always go for the hard soft blue crumbly routine with a possibility of smoked as well. (Wensleydale do a smoked blue now). The best cheddar is from Montgomery's Farm in Somerset. http://www.teddingtoncheese.co.uk/ is a good source of mail order and if in Edinburgh you have to visit Ian Mellis Cheesemonger and possibly IMHO the world's finest cheese shops. HTH, Folkiedave www.collectorsfolk.co.uk |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Liz the Squeak Date: 07 Dec 03 - 07:30 PM As a non cheese eater, can I suggest some non cheese nibbles, just in case? The suggestion of garnishing the board with grapes, celery etc are good ideas, but the odd slice of a nice sharp apple (cored but not peeled), some variety of olive (but not anchovy, they'll outdo the brie for smell) or some fresh pineapple slices would be acceptable additions. If you want to be different and like the idea of a 'cleansing course' or have a rich, heavy pudding, then do as they do 'sur le continent' and serve the cheese course after the main, but before the sweet courses. If you do this, keep the cheeses mild to medium, and the fripperies down to a minimum. The wine you've eaten with your main course can be finished at this point, cleansing the palate for the sweet. Besides, that way usually means there's more port left for me at the end. As an alternative, can I suggest some bugs or roaches served at the same time? Well, the beetles are more popular than cheeses. LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 07 Dec 03 - 09:42 PM You are MJUCH too late!!!!
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 07 Dec 03 - 10:19 PM liz, you are too much! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Rapparee Date: 07 Dec 03 - 10:53 PM Good port, good cream sherry, and I suppose a good tokay. The sweeter wines. Perhaps a liquer like Izarra, certainly NOT creme de menthe! Certainly olives (ripe black ones), not the green ones as the brine might be too much; grapes and perhaps even pieces of canteloupe and honeydew melons. Consider pieces of a good parmesan, too. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: C-flat Date: 08 Dec 03 - 02:42 AM You might want to try some exotic middle-eastern cheese, very fashionable just now. Look up the main exporter "Cheeses of Nazereth" and I'm sure you'll find something to your taste. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 08 Dec 03 - 09:48 AM I was at a pool party this last summer and they served various colored cheese varieties, some blue, some green and red and purple. I was fascinated by this trendy food presentation, and enquired from the hostess where she had acquired them. SHe said her pool company carried them. I stopped in and was astonished by the nifty advertising display with the banner, Cheeses Dyed for your Swims. sorry, I know it is awful! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: JennyO Date: 08 Dec 03 - 09:55 AM When I visited my brother in Paris for the first time, we had brie on fresh baguettes for an aperitif (or as Graham calls it "a pair of teeth), washed down with Pineau de Charentes. Thort I'd died and gone to heaven! I still try to emulate this here, on special occasions, but the only imported Pineau I could get was about 5 times the price, and not as nice. I keep encouraging Graham to send me a case of it, but he hasn't got a round tuit. Jenny |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Sorcha Date: 08 Dec 03 - 10:51 AM Yea, what's wrong with Brie? I love the stuff, esp on good french, crusty bread....don't much care for Limburger tho.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Peace Date: 08 Dec 03 - 10:55 AM I agree with Rapaire but wanted to correct his typographical error: Good port, good cream sherry, and I suppose a good toke, ay? Rapaire, I still ain't broken the code. Give me something to do over the Christmas break. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: C-flat Date: 08 Dec 03 - 11:01 AM Jenny O, I buy Pineau de Charentes here in the UK fairly regularly. It works as an aperitif or even as a light dessert wine. The one I buy is labelled "Fournier", don't know wether that's the same brand as you've tried but I love it!(not reccommended in large tumblers though) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: JennyO Date: 08 Dec 03 - 11:14 AM C-flat, I haven't tried that brand. The one (or one of the ones) I liked in France was Menard. I tried many specialty shops here in Sydney, and in the end, I found a half-size bottle at Camperdown Cellars which was expensive and not nearly as nice. Then I found a guy in Melbourne who imported them, and I bought four. There was white and rose, so I got 2 of each. I preferred the white. They weren't bad, but still not as nice as the ones I had in France, and they were 5 times the price, as I said before. I know what you mean about the large tumblers. It's very easy to drink, and it sneaks up on you. But what a way to go! Jenny |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar Date: 08 Dec 03 - 12:23 PM Apart from the beer suggestion, which I would question, lots of sound advice, but as regards taking the cheese out of the fridge and removing any (yuk!) plastic wrapping "a couple of hours" beforehand, I would interpret that in the Irish sense of "a couple" meaning anything up to five or six hours in advance, and even more if the Brie or Camembert is not disposed to propel itself across the cheeseboard unaided. French practice is to serve the cheeses after the main course and before dessert, and to continue drinking the red wine with it. This has the advantage that you go on taking second and subsequent helpings of each - a little cheese to finish the wine, followed by a little wine to finish the cheese. All joking apart, do circulate the cheeseboard several times and encourage people to take a small helping of the ones they're suspicious of so that they can have more later on if they like them. I would also definitely recommend adding a goat's cheese to the main categories mentioned already, and it would also be worthwhile including something like a Boursin, which is a soft white cheese with added herbs, or a smoked German cheese, as a less conservative option. Don't forget to stick little flags of origin into the different cheeses, you can make these out of white paper and cocktail sticks (no additional colours required). And enjoy your meal, I'm sure lots of us wish we were there. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Arnie Date: 08 Dec 03 - 12:39 PM The French don't tend to eat biscuits with their cheese - at least not the ones I know. Crusty French baguette is the thing to eat with cheese... Also, I'd back the earlier suggestion to provide celery - this is great with stilton. My mouth is watering at the thought - can I come to dinner????? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 08 Dec 03 - 12:58 PM sure Arnie! I am going to have several seatings to accomodate the Mudcat clientele! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Emma B Date: 08 Dec 03 - 02:04 PM I can only agree with the last few contributors; eat the cheese before the pud with the most robust of the red wines and drink the port or other fortified drinks (Banyuls is nice) slightly chilled as an apperitif. Forget the biccies and for pity's sake don't get any of those confectionary monstrosities flavoured with E number essence of cranberry or whatever; they are to cheese what hooch is to real ale decent wine and single malts - suitable only for immature palettes! If you really want something a little different (and I think it is hard to beat good English cheese) try a creamy Gouda with caraway seed or one of the French cheeses with volcanic ash - much more yummy than it sounds! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST Date: 08 Dec 03 - 06:18 PM Flavoured cheeses are so naff. A choice good hard English cheeses, Stilton or a blue Wensleydale, Danish Blue makes a superb sauce to enliven second rate beef but never on the cheese board. A choice of soft cheeses, I would go for a ripe Pont Eveque and an English soft cheese from one of the many excellent artisan cheesmakers. Plain crackers are traditional in England but fresh baguette is acceptable. Wensleysdale is fantastic with gingerbread (preferably Bothams of Whitby) but that combination is for high tea not a cheeseboard. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 09 Dec 03 - 12:08 AM You can get Feta ranging from dry and crumbly to really fatty and creamy. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Folkiedave Date: 09 Dec 03 - 06:07 PM I agree about flavoured cheeses - but in the end it is personal taste. Wensleydale is also eaten with Christmas (and later in the year fruit) cake. Dave www.collectorsfolk.co.uk |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST Date: 09 Dec 03 - 06:21 PM The problem with setting out a good cheese board(here in the US) is a combination of availability and cost--it is often hard to find shops with a decent assortment of good cheeses, and when you do, the prices can be a bit steep--My suggestion is to head for the Italian neighborhood of the nearest big city and ask where the cheese shops are--you'll find everything you want(including the bread), and won't pay "gourmet shop" prices for it--and no, they don't only have Italian cheeses-- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Folkiedave Date: 10 Dec 03 - 11:59 AM I spent a summer in Oregon (which was great) and suffered badly in the search for cheese. And mostly failed. American cheese lovers you have my sympathy. Dave www.collectorsfolk.co.uk |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST,MMario Date: 10 Dec 03 - 12:03 PM the last few years have made a tremendous difference in the availability and quality of cheeses in many areas of the US. When I first moved to upstate NY I was lucky to be able to find parmasian or romano other then pre-grated in cardboard tubes. Swiss was pre-packaged in slices. if you were LUCKY (and it was near a holidy) you MIGHT find pre-crumbled "blue" cheese. maybe. Now I can actually get CHEESE! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 10 Dec 03 - 02:35 PM So Folkiedave, did you try any of the Tillamook cheese varieties while in Oregon? Supposed to be good, but I have only read about them, never tasted. Supposed to come from the Tillamook Valley in Oregon. Well, tomorrow I go to the Market in Chattanooga to make my cheese purchases, so if there are any other bits of advice. please let me hear! jimmyt |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Folkiedave Date: 10 Dec 03 - 07:40 PM I did indeed........and better than some. I know from book I have purchased that there are some great artisan cheesemakers in America - unsurprisingly they are no more widespread than some of ours in the British Isles are. I have difficulty purchasing locally made cheese in Galloway where I go a lot, for example - even though I know of at least one farm cheesemaker there. Having said that - I do believe that things are getting better. Regards, Dave |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 10 Dec 03 - 09:18 PM I just returned from the market! I selected 4 cheeses: Wensleydale with cranberries (never have tasted it but just have to after all this interest) HAvarti from Denmark, Petit Ponte L'Eveque from France, and a Pecorinno Romano from Italy. Sort of a tour around Europe. WIll update you as to how the whole thing goes. Also got some Carr's Water Biscuits, grapes and a few crisp apples as well. Thanks for all the info jimmyt |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Micca Date: 11 Dec 03 - 06:44 AM jimmyt, and what time do you want us to arrive for dinner? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 11 Dec 03 - 10:00 AM micca, my door is always open to a wise sage like yourself. Did you notice how the more we drank the smarter we both sounded? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Peg Date: 11 Dec 03 - 10:28 AM A tip: if you are going to pre-slice the apples, douse them in lemon juice immediately afterwards so they won't turn brown... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 11 Dec 03 - 10:32 AM peg, also dipping them is sprite will keep them fresh then you can rinse them at last minute if you want but the sprite really does little to flavor them even unrinsed. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST Date: 11 Dec 03 - 02:47 PM No Brie? No Stilton or Danish Blue? Generally, the Pecorino Romano is a cooking cheese, though there are some tasty exceptions--and *no one* suggested Havarti--go back for more--there is still time-- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST,pdq Date: 11 Dec 03 - 03:17 PM Gee, I thought Pecorino were mean li'l pigs that ran around in the hills of Arizona, like near Tubac. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Liz the Squeak Date: 11 Dec 03 - 05:44 PM Jimmy - all I noticed was the LOUDER you two got!!! LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 11 Dec 03 - 08:58 PM I am not sure it was louder, I choose to think we were getting more and more enlightened! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 11 Dec 03 - 09:03 PM Pecorino is a Romano Cheese that is salt cured and it is , in fact, very tasty! We will be serving it tomorrow night as #1 I like it, and #2 I just got back from the store geting the last ingrediants, ie endive and celeriac, and I am not getting anything else. so be it if it is about as classy as cheese curls, it will have to do! I will report in about the relative success of the whole deal. I am stressing about the wine for the early courses so if you want to make sugestions, I need a nice white to serve. I already have a very nice merlot to serve with the fillets. Tomorrow I will post the menu. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 12 Dec 03 - 03:34 PM cheese is out at room temp now(Dinner minus 4 hours). Am feverishly chopping veges, washing dishes and generally helping my daughter and wife get final preparations before the serious cooking commences. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Noreen Date: 13 Dec 03 - 07:05 AM Have a wonderful time jimmy and all! Yum xx |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Folkiedave Date: 14 Dec 03 - 03:51 PM Must be over now....how did it go? Dave www.collectorsfolk.co.uk |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 15 Dec 03 - 11:29 AM The Pitit Pont L'Eveque was enjoyed albiet it smelled a bit like a dirty diaper (nappy) but surprised all with its good taste and texture. I have to say the Wensleydale did little for anyone, but I think I had a bad cheese. It was very chemical smelling. The Havarti was good, but probably a bit boring for such a cheese course. The Pecorino was excellent, dry crumbly and very salty. I have to say that my friends were not big port fans. A bit too robust and sweet for their taste either that or it was the 9 bottled of chardonney and Merlot consumed prior to the port. The entire dinner was excellent. My daughter used lots of her new cooking techniques acquired at Le Cordon Bleu in London this past summer and fall. She made Fillet Mignon Au Poivre, and served riced potatoes and celeriac in a basket of fried Romano cheese. As well as vegetables. Soupe was a cream of potato, leek and endive. Whole experience was wonderful. Our friends brought gifts for a motherr and daughter who is homeless, and we combined with this and my daughter and her friends in getting a whole christmas of needed things for the mom and her daughter. Instead of exchanging gifts with each other we felt this would be something nice to do. Thanks everyone for all your info. 'twas a pleasent evening |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 15 Dec 03 - 11:37 AM MOther and daughter who ARE homeless. Should proofread I guess! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Emma B Date: 15 Dec 03 - 02:07 PM If you bought a flavoured Wensleydale believe me you ain't going to get a better one - they are chemical!! - you were warned Folkiedave served a lovely smoked blue Wensleydale (from Hawes) after the Carols on Sunday (the mussel chowder was pretty tasty too!) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 15 Dec 03 - 02:48 PM You are correcr, EmmaB I was forewarned, however several in this thread as well on Mudchat seemed to suggest the Cranberry Wensleydale worth a try so I did, and I was not quite taken by the concept. Other than that, all was quite fine! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Noreen Date: 16 Dec 03 - 08:32 AM Sorry you were disappointed with the Wensleydale, jimmy- when you next visit I'll get some real Wensleydale (from Hawes, of course, Emma!)and some with cranberries for you to try- oh and lots of other cheeses! Then if you still don't like it, I'll accept it's a matter of taste.... Glad the meal went well, jimmy! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST,James Date: 16 Dec 03 - 11:02 AM Canadian Cheddar, Nova Scotia Ice Wine and some red pepper chutney also go well..and of course grapes and olives. My dog loves brie...but then he's not American...ha. cheers. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 16 Dec 03 - 11:53 AM Noreen granted we have a poor substitute for the real thing here in the USA when it comes to most foreign cheese. By the time it is packeaged to ship, etc it probably is not the same. When we return from England we always bring home some English chedder as it is SOOOOOOOOOOO much better than what we can get here. Will look forward to the cheeseorama when I come back. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: GUEST,James Date: 16 Dec 03 - 12:42 PM Hi jimmyt..you don't have to go to England for a good cheddar..it is right next door to you. Canada produces some of the best cheddar going..try a five year old round of Balderson"s, you won't be disappointed. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: M.Ted Date: 16 Dec 03 - 03:57 PM I'm amazed that you can get the cheese through customs-- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Folkiedave Date: 16 Dec 03 - 05:38 PM Apparently it is fine to do so - I took about two pounds through Atlanta for an American friend. No sweat. Regards, Dave www.collectorsfolk.co.uk |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: jimmyt Date: 16 Dec 03 - 05:38 PM Mted I know it is risky but so far we have not been stopped. They have those food sniffing Beagles at Atlanta airport just for that purpose but we have never been stopped I probably should claim it to make sure I don't get in trouble |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: Emma B Date: 16 Dec 03 - 06:14 PM Don't attempt to bring French cheese (however yummy) back in a very small French car for a twelve hour journey in summer however - no sweat - you must be joking! Any beagle would keel over on the spot. BTW anyone else addicted to pickled damsons as the perfect accompianment to a traditional red Leiscester? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cheese Course at dinner From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 16 Dec 03 - 08:41 PM Hmmm - "pickled damsels and cheese" - what a dish! Robin |
