# British Cheeses **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [February 1, 2022, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758 "2022-02-01T19:09:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/81 "2022-02-04T15:22:26Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > Shropshire blue is pretty damn common round here- unsurprisingly, given that I currently live in Shropshire. I should hope so! To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever had plain Wensleydale. From experiencing it with fruit, it seems to be a bland, inoffensive cheese that is studded with stuff for that reason. But I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s not the case for good Wensleydale. Do they also age it? I know when I discovered aged gouda I was quite shocked it was the same cheese as the day-to-day gouda. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/82 "2022-02-04T15:30:01Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > > > and there seems an unfortunate trend to mix British cheese with random fruits, booze or things like toffee > > I’ve seen that, and not only with British cheese. I agree with you. The resulting food is often tasty enough, but I’d prefer the plain cheese, maybe with a nice bread and possibly a bit of random fruit on the side. My erstwhile brother in law was a cheesemaker (may still be for all I know) - factory production stuff, you understand - and took me on a tour of the factory once. They follow the ageing of the cheese, taste-testing it every so often, as you might expect. The best stuff they age the most to make the extra-mature cheeses; lower grade cheese is shipped out earlier as the mild versions; and the really ropey stuff (relatively speaking) is what ends up mixed with random fruit, or layered with another cheese battenburg-style, or (worst of all, in my opinion) chillies. I assume that our [Mexicana-style cheeses](https://mexicanacheese.co.uk/) are not exported? So as woeful as these various “enhanced” cheeses may be, at least no decent cheese was harmed in their production. j ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/83 "2022-02-04T15:47:18Z")
You are missing out. The plain stuff far exceeds mixed versions in my view. If I want a cheese plate better to do it myself. Though if making a big one I suppose the horrid hybrids add variety. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/84 "2022-02-04T16:21:26Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Wasa ryekrisp My supermarket stopped carrying this version of Wasa Crisp. 😢 But yes, it’s perfect with cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/85 "2022-02-04T16:44:24Z")
Thanks for that, I see they list the ingredients as: Sweet Rennet Whey, Pasteurized Goat’s Milk, Pasteurized Cow’s Cream And Milk. I wonder if it’s goat whey. I would love to try a version that’s all goat; whey, milk, and cream. I love good goat dairy products, I’ve enjoyed goat cheddar & goat yogurt in addition to the more standard chevre and feta goat products. To the naysayers, I say **bah!** ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/86 "2022-02-04T16:52:40Z")
Beware the [Sweet Cheddar](https://www.cheeseconnoisseur.com/the-rise-of-sweet-cheddar/) cheese! This stuff is made with lactobacillus helviticas, and imparts a sweeter flavor to the product. I personally don’t care for it as I feel it blurs the sharpness and tang of my favorite cheddars. And I’d say ‘live and let live’ if it weren’t for the fact that some manufacturers find they can get away with lesser quality ingredients when making sweet cheddar varieties, as the sweetness covers a multitude of sins such as blandness, lack of tang, etc. It hastens the expansion of the _generic cheddar_ product, inoffensive to most palates but truly pleasing to few. I tried a 4 year old sweet cheddar not too long ago & was was horribly disappointed. It tasted like a cloying mediocre medium cheddar, complete with more rubbery texture associated with low quality cheddars. I was at least grateful it was labeled as ‘sweet’. I fear more of this stuff may be getting out there into the market without that designation. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/87 "2022-02-04T17:30:42Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I wonder if it’s goat whey. I would love to try a version that’s all goat; whey, milk, and cream. Here you go. I’ve never had it, but it’s called Ekte Geitost, or “Genuine Goat Cheese”: [https://www.amazon.com/Ekte-Geitost-Norwegian-Cheese-ounces/dp/B085JTFMS2/ref=asc\_df\_B085JTFMS2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475971356299&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1248484907675649548&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021736&hvtargid=pla-1047044599164&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/Ekte-Geitost-Norwegian-Cheese-ounces/dp/B085JTFMS2/ref=asc_df_B085JTFMS2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475971356299&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1248484907675649548&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021736&hvtargid=pla-1047044599164&psc=1) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/88 "2022-02-04T17:32:42Z")
OOOOOOH! I’m salivating. thanks a bunch. Pop by sometime and I’ll crack open a teenaged cheddar! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/89 "2022-02-04T18:17:58Z")
The wife and kids are itching to go back to Blue Harbor, so I may take you up on that offer! ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/90 "2022-02-04T19:12:42Z")
For lunch, i had 3 Wasa crisp, one topped with Caerphilly, one with Cheshire, and one with a Cabot aged cheddar. And a glass of juice and some poached pears a neighbor gave me. Delicious! But, while i like the Caerphilly well enough, I’m not going to bother to order it by mail again. I may well spring for a Cheshire again. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/91 "2022-02-04T19:28:36Z")
Well, I just popped by my local cheesemonger where I grabbed some 12 year old cheddar on sale, along with some caerphilly (never had it before, so I want to try it) and a chunk of english stilton to see if it’s trippy or not. Got to remember to look for a cheshire next time; I don’t think I’ve tried that. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/92 "2022-02-04T19:52:01Z")
Great minds think alike! I just picked up a wedge of Red Leicester, a Cabot cloth bound cheddar, and Borough Market Stilton. Holy cats is that Stilton good. The Cabot cheddar was also phenomenal. The Leicester was friendly. Nice palate cleanser between those two other cheeses. I looked for Wensleydale, and the only kind available was cranberry. No plain. I struck out on Shropshire blue, as well. ETA: closer reading of the Stilton informs me it’s from Colston Bassett Dairy. Fun fact: cheese made in Stilton cannot be called “Stilton.” ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/93 "2022-02-04T20:44:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Fun fact: cheese made in Stilton cannot be called “Stilton.” What do they call it? Sparkling Notlits? ---
**Author:** ![Fortyfold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7c8e57/32.png) [@Fortyfold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fortyfold)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/94 "2022-02-04T22:19:07Z")
Wensleydale as mostly sold in the UK is close to Caerphilly or Cheshire cheese, but probably a bit creamier. There may be some more authentic artisanal versions for sale in places but I’ve never noticed them. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/95 "2022-02-04T22:52:45Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > My trouble with cheddar is that, whilst there are some stonking examples around, most people never come across them and therefore associate cheddar with the mass market supermarket stuff. So much this. Really, if it says Kraft, run away. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/96 "2022-02-04T23:02:33Z")
My wife and several of our friends are British ex-pats. I wish I could remember the name of the cheese, but somebody brought it back from the UK with them. We were sitting around enjoying this semi-soft cheese when I and another native Californian commented that it tasted really familiar. The Brits insisted that it was very unlikely we had ever encountered this cheese on this side of the pond. My countryman commented that he used to use the stuff for bait and I instantly realized this rare import tasted exactly like Velveeta. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2022, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/97 "2022-02-05T00:24:14Z")
I’ll have to look out for those, too. Until this thread, I hadn’t heard of them. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2022, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/98 "2022-02-05T00:41:39Z")
Came home on a cold blustery day. Had toast and butter and stilton, with a cheap red as a chaser. Very good way to end the day. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2022, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/99 "2022-02-05T03:37:26Z")
It’s a pun. You know, one of those things that’s the same spelled backwards and forwards. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2022, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758/100 "2022-02-05T13:37:43Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It is different from all other cheeses in that it’s made from whey and whole milk/cream _instead_ of containing curds. Trying to parse this -[lots of cheeses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whey_cheese) are made without curds. Ricotta, for one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-cheeses/958758.md?page=6)