Lex joined me for this cheesy lunch.
Knockalara
A soft pasturised sheep’s milk cheese, from Ireland, bought from Neal’s Yard Dairy
This is a wedge of pale yellow rindless cheese, with a buttery rich texture.
I think it’s yoghurty; almost like eating a block of yoghurt, in fact. There’s a hint of raisin sweetness underneath. This would be an excellent cheesecake-cheese, and I have a hankering to make a lemon cheesecake with this in the title role.
Lex reports that it’s tangy, the flavour lingers, and the texture’s interesting; solid yet spreadable.
Yarg
A hard pasturised cow’s milk cheese from Cornwall, bought from Neal’s Yard Dairy
This appears as a wedge of pale cheese; moist and dense towards the rind, and very pale and chalky towards the center. Most excitingly, there’s a green nettle rind; very pretty.
It tastes juicy, smooth and creamy, and tangy, and it crumbles towards the middle. The nettle rind provides a bright fresh lingering bitterness that contrasts beautifully with the smooth sweetness of the cheese. It’s a lactic cheese and its sour tang reminds me of Caerphilly, especially towards the centre.
Lex thinks that this tastes wonderfully simple and ordinary.
Crozier Blue
A blue pasturised sheep’s cheese from Ireland, bought from Neals Yard Dairy
This cheese has a yellow soft rind. It’s pale and soft, slightly crumbly inside, and lightly speckled with green mould.
It’s smooth, creamy, moist, and with a very good balance between the blue and the salt and the creamyness; quite a civilised and restrained cheese with a warm nuttiness. I’d feed this to people who don’t think they like blue cheese, to convert them.
Lex says: Bursting with flavour. Creamier and softer than most blue cheeses, yest still stong, Very more-ish, and would be awesome with Port.