The perfect Father's Day gift: cheese
Is your father a fromage fan? Cheesemonger of the Year Andy Swinscoe shares his selections for a great Father's Day gift.
If your dad likes his cheese strong, then give him four very powerful, very different strong cheeses that he’s not seen before. Tell your local cheesemonger what your dad normally likes and ask her/him for alternative suggestions. For example, I would opt for: a strong mature cheddar; a ripe and pungent Camembert; an aged Gouda (these can be tangy, crystalline and sweet); and of course a classic washed rind cheese, such as Epoisses.
More specifically, try the award-winning 18-month Old Winchester (a powerful, crystalline and strong Cheddar/Gouda cross); Tunworth Camembert (vegetal and punchy); or St James, a pungent washed rind from Cumbria.
A cheese and beer box
Cheese is often associated with wine. Yet beer’s natural hoppiness and crispness can go extremely well with some cheeses – what can rival a classic Ploughman’s with a hunk of bread, chutney and pint of ale? Try matching fantastic British cheeses with individual craft beers. Nice combinations include: a light ale (IPAs like Copper Dragon’s Golden Pippin) with a fresh cheese (such as Wensleydale or Lancashire); a more rounded golden ale/bitter (Ilkley Gold is a great match) with Cheddar; and dark stouts and porters with a blue cheese (I love WharfeBank’s Yorkshire Stout).
For something different why not try fruit beer (Sam Smith’s does a lovely cherry beer) with a crumbly fresh cheese – it gives a really interesting and unique combination.
The Ploughman’s selection
A Ploughman’s box is a Father’s Day must: local craft beer, chutney, crackers and, of course, large chunks of cheese. For me, it has to be buttery Kirkham’s Lancashire and tangy Dale End Cheddar. It’s simple really – just buy your dad some wedges of cheese, add chutney, pickles and his favourite beer. With a hunk of good bread it’ll make his day.
Blue cheese only
For the blue-loving dad, try three distinctively different blues: a hunk of Stilton (I like Stichelton – a rich creamy blue from Nottinghamshire); a voluptuous soft blue (like Cote Hill Blue or Gorgonzola Dolce); and a spicy, powerful French blue like Bleu du Auvergne, Roquefort, or its Welsh counterpart Perl Las.
A classic match
Let’s not forget the classic combination of Port and Stilton (or Stichelton). For something different why not try a port from Banyuls? It’s a French town twinned with Settle that creates a famous fortified red wine that is very much like Port – sweet and full of red fruit flavours. And for an alternative to Stilton why not try Young Buck? Michael Thomson has just started making this Stilton-style cheese in Northern Ireland and is creating a new tradition over there.
Cheese and cake
If your Dad’s a Northerner don’t forget that Yorkshire classic: a wedge of crumbly fresh cheese such as Wensleydale (but Lancashire, Anster and Cheshire also work brilliantly) served with a slab of fruitcake. If you don’t have time to bake your own, but still want the ultimate Yorkshire experience, try the fruitcake made by Botham’s of Whitby – it’s the one I always seek out.
Hopefully that will give you enough inspiration for a fantastic Father’s Day gift. If you need further help getting a cheese gift for Father’s Day, The Courtyard Dairy, where I work, has created several new boxes around the above themes. You can check out our gift range here.
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