Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
Aug 26th 2016, 1:15 am
#1
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
Cheese is one of my favourite eating pleasures. I prefer hard cheeses usually, but am open to suggestions on the softer cheeses on offer.
Thing is I've recently come to the conclusion that a lot of the farmhouse stuff and small producer stuff is a load of bollocks, which is somewhat disappointing.
I can remember scoffing at a mate who insisted that his limited reserve cracker barrel was one of the best cheeses available.... Well I've come full circle unfortunately... after being disappointed yet again at a farmers market and coming home with a heap of farmhouse cheeses and putting them to a blind test. Guess what came up tops.....
It's looking like the best available Cheddar is 36 month old Mainland from New Zealand..... Then the 24 month old Cheddars again from Mainland and Cracker Barrel coming next. This blind test result is an eye opener and very disappointing to me.
I do have interest in Sheep and Goats cheeses as well, but in very small portions but they IMO are far away from everyday cheeses.
I've tried heaps of UK cheeses but yet to find a Cheddar that matches that 36 month old Mainland... so I guess I'm looking for some opinions.
Got to say, I dont mind a bit of Stilton either, however I prefer roquefort as it doesn't seem as harsh.
So do you have a favourite cheese and a recommendation for anyone that is interest.
Oh and if you haven't tried 36 month old Mainland from NZealand, which is available in just about every Aus supermarket....Give it a go is my first recommendation....It comes complete with crystals usually only found in the Italian Parmesans and their ilk.. !! and that's above everything I've tried in the last 5 years ! Hopefully that doesn't make me the philistine I thought my mate was when he was on the cracker barrel band wagon..... At 30 bucks a kilo it totally leaves for dead IMO anything I've tried at double the price and more.
I'm definitely going to head straight for the Raw Cheese available on Bruny Island when I go back to Tasmania in a week or so....hopefully that will save the day for the small producers.
Thing is I've recently come to the conclusion that a lot of the farmhouse stuff and small producer stuff is a load of bollocks, which is somewhat disappointing.
I can remember scoffing at a mate who insisted that his limited reserve cracker barrel was one of the best cheeses available.... Well I've come full circle unfortunately... after being disappointed yet again at a farmers market and coming home with a heap of farmhouse cheeses and putting them to a blind test. Guess what came up tops.....
It's looking like the best available Cheddar is 36 month old Mainland from New Zealand..... Then the 24 month old Cheddars again from Mainland and Cracker Barrel coming next. This blind test result is an eye opener and very disappointing to me.
I do have interest in Sheep and Goats cheeses as well, but in very small portions but they IMO are far away from everyday cheeses.
I've tried heaps of UK cheeses but yet to find a Cheddar that matches that 36 month old Mainland... so I guess I'm looking for some opinions.
Got to say, I dont mind a bit of Stilton either, however I prefer roquefort as it doesn't seem as harsh.
So do you have a favourite cheese and a recommendation for anyone that is interest.
Oh and if you haven't tried 36 month old Mainland from NZealand, which is available in just about every Aus supermarket....Give it a go is my first recommendation....It comes complete with crystals usually only found in the Italian Parmesans and their ilk.. !! and that's above everything I've tried in the last 5 years ! Hopefully that doesn't make me the philistine I thought my mate was when he was on the cracker barrel band wagon..... At 30 bucks a kilo it totally leaves for dead IMO anything I've tried at double the price and more.
I'm definitely going to head straight for the Raw Cheese available on Bruny Island when I go back to Tasmania in a week or so....hopefully that will save the day for the small producers.
Last edited by ozzieeagle; Aug 26th 2016 at 1:18 am.
Aug 26th 2016, 6:11 am
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Canberra
Posts: 8,377
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
I struggled to find a decent cheese, like the cheese of my childhood, until one day I bought a Black and Gold pack of grated cheddar(for cooking) and it was amazingly perfect - just the right bite so I zipped back to Supabarn and bought up several packs only to find that they were all the usual plastic nothing. I know they grate leftovers and I just happened to get a bit of leftover perfection so there probably is the "right" cheese out there somewhere, I just haven't found it yet. I used to go for Cracker Barrel by default but won't buy it now for other reasons, similarly Mainland, unfortunately.
Last edited by quoll; Aug 26th 2016 at 6:14 am.
Aug 26th 2016, 6:18 am
#3
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
Cheese is one of my favourite eating pleasures. I prefer hard cheeses usually, but am open to suggestions on the softer cheeses on offer.
Thing is I've recently come to the conclusion that a lot of the farmhouse stuff and small producer stuff is a load of bollocks, which is somewhat disappointing.
I can remember scoffing at a mate who insisted that his limited reserve cracker barrel was one of the best cheeses available.... Well I've come full circle unfortunately... after being disappointed yet again at a farmers market and coming home with a heap of farmhouse cheeses and putting them to a blind test. Guess what came up tops.....
It's looking like the best available Cheddar is 36 month old Mainland from New Zealand..... Then the 24 month old Cheddars again from Mainland and Cracker Barrel coming next. This blind test result is an eye opener and very disappointing to me.
I do have interest in Sheep and Goats cheeses as well, but in very small portions but they IMO are far away from everyday cheeses.
I've tried heaps of UK cheeses but yet to find a Cheddar that matches that 36 month old Mainland... so I guess I'm looking for some opinions.
Got to say, I dont mind a bit of Stilton either, however I prefer roquefort as it doesn't seem as harsh.
So do you have a favourite cheese and a recommendation for anyone that is interest.
Oh and if you haven't tried 36 month old Mainland from NZealand, which is available in just about every Aus supermarket....Give it a go is my first recommendation....It comes complete with crystals usually only found in the Italian Parmesans and their ilk.. !! and that's above everything I've tried in the last 5 years ! Hopefully that doesn't make me the philistine I thought my mate was when he was on the cracker barrel band wagon..... At 30 bucks a kilo it totally leaves for dead IMO anything I've tried at double the price and more.
I'm definitely going to head straight for the Raw Cheese available on Bruny Island when I go back to Tasmania in a week or so....hopefully that will save the day for the small producers.
Thing is I've recently come to the conclusion that a lot of the farmhouse stuff and small producer stuff is a load of bollocks, which is somewhat disappointing.
I can remember scoffing at a mate who insisted that his limited reserve cracker barrel was one of the best cheeses available.... Well I've come full circle unfortunately... after being disappointed yet again at a farmers market and coming home with a heap of farmhouse cheeses and putting them to a blind test. Guess what came up tops.....
It's looking like the best available Cheddar is 36 month old Mainland from New Zealand..... Then the 24 month old Cheddars again from Mainland and Cracker Barrel coming next. This blind test result is an eye opener and very disappointing to me.
I do have interest in Sheep and Goats cheeses as well, but in very small portions but they IMO are far away from everyday cheeses.
I've tried heaps of UK cheeses but yet to find a Cheddar that matches that 36 month old Mainland... so I guess I'm looking for some opinions.
Got to say, I dont mind a bit of Stilton either, however I prefer roquefort as it doesn't seem as harsh.
So do you have a favourite cheese and a recommendation for anyone that is interest.
Oh and if you haven't tried 36 month old Mainland from NZealand, which is available in just about every Aus supermarket....Give it a go is my first recommendation....It comes complete with crystals usually only found in the Italian Parmesans and their ilk.. !! and that's above everything I've tried in the last 5 years ! Hopefully that doesn't make me the philistine I thought my mate was when he was on the cracker barrel band wagon..... At 30 bucks a kilo it totally leaves for dead IMO anything I've tried at double the price and more.
I'm definitely going to head straight for the Raw Cheese available on Bruny Island when I go back to Tasmania in a week or so....hopefully that will save the day for the small producers.
I like a wide variety:
Strong, sharp cheddar (hard to find in Australia)
Blue cheese (Stilton is nice sometimes but usually prefer something not as bitey) after dinner
Guyere (especially in a croque monsieur)
Brie and Camembert with a nice bottle of red
Parmesan souffle
Aug 26th 2016, 7:41 am
#4
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,803
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
Cheese is one of my favourite eating pleasures. I prefer hard cheeses usually, but am open to suggestions on the softer cheeses on offer.
Thing is I've recently come to the conclusion that a lot of the farmhouse stuff and small producer stuff is a load of bollocks, which is somewhat disappointing.
I can remember scoffing at a mate who insisted that his limited reserve cracker barrel was one of the best cheeses available.... Well I've come full circle unfortunately... after being disappointed yet again at a farmers market and coming home with a heap of farmhouse cheeses and putting them to a blind test. Guess what came up tops.....
It's looking like the best available Cheddar is 36 month old Mainland from New Zealand..... Then the 24 month old Cheddars again from Mainland and Cracker Barrel coming next. This blind test result is an eye opener and very disappointing to me.
I do have interest in Sheep and Goats cheeses as well, but in very small portions but they IMO are far away from everyday cheeses.
I've tried heaps of UK cheeses but yet to find a Cheddar that matches that 36 month old Mainland... so I guess I'm looking for some opinions.
Got to say, I dont mind a bit of Stilton either, however I prefer roquefort as it doesn't seem as harsh.
So do you have a favourite cheese and a recommendation for anyone that is interest.
Oh and if you haven't tried 36 month old Mainland from NZealand, which is available in just about every Aus supermarket....Give it a go is my first recommendation....It comes complete with crystals usually only found in the Italian Parmesans and their ilk.. !! and that's above everything I've tried in the last 5 years ! Hopefully that doesn't make me the philistine I thought my mate was when he was on the cracker barrel band wagon..... At 30 bucks a kilo it totally leaves for dead IMO anything I've tried at double the price and more.
I'm definitely going to head straight for the Raw Cheese available on Bruny Island when I go back to Tasmania in a week or so....hopefully that will save the day for the small producers.
Thing is I've recently come to the conclusion that a lot of the farmhouse stuff and small producer stuff is a load of bollocks, which is somewhat disappointing.
I can remember scoffing at a mate who insisted that his limited reserve cracker barrel was one of the best cheeses available.... Well I've come full circle unfortunately... after being disappointed yet again at a farmers market and coming home with a heap of farmhouse cheeses and putting them to a blind test. Guess what came up tops.....
It's looking like the best available Cheddar is 36 month old Mainland from New Zealand..... Then the 24 month old Cheddars again from Mainland and Cracker Barrel coming next. This blind test result is an eye opener and very disappointing to me.
I do have interest in Sheep and Goats cheeses as well, but in very small portions but they IMO are far away from everyday cheeses.
I've tried heaps of UK cheeses but yet to find a Cheddar that matches that 36 month old Mainland... so I guess I'm looking for some opinions.
Got to say, I dont mind a bit of Stilton either, however I prefer roquefort as it doesn't seem as harsh.
So do you have a favourite cheese and a recommendation for anyone that is interest.
Oh and if you haven't tried 36 month old Mainland from NZealand, which is available in just about every Aus supermarket....Give it a go is my first recommendation....It comes complete with crystals usually only found in the Italian Parmesans and their ilk.. !! and that's above everything I've tried in the last 5 years ! Hopefully that doesn't make me the philistine I thought my mate was when he was on the cracker barrel band wagon..... At 30 bucks a kilo it totally leaves for dead IMO anything I've tried at double the price and more.
I'm definitely going to head straight for the Raw Cheese available on Bruny Island when I go back to Tasmania in a week or so....hopefully that will save the day for the small producers.
Salamanca Market usually has a stall for the Bruny guys, as does the market on Sundays in Bathurst Street. And the indoor fruit market in Salamanca has loads of local cheese, besides Bruny.p
While on Bruny, if you are oyster lovers, stop off at Get Shucked Oysters -they are just to die for
Last edited by Pollyana; Aug 26th 2016 at 9:26 am.
Aug 26th 2016, 8:40 am
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 5,461
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
White Castello is my fave...mmmmmm.
Aug 26th 2016, 8:52 am
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
Most unlikely of places but ALDI emporium range.
The club cheddar, good flavour, its crumbly too, beautiful cheese. Love the ash goats cheese, and french goats cheese they sell, and the baby milk boccochini, wrap them in a fresh basil leaf with cherry tomato, OMG so good.
We go into ALDI just for the cheese, well and the odd lawnmower, ski suit
The club cheddar, good flavour, its crumbly too, beautiful cheese. Love the ash goats cheese, and french goats cheese they sell, and the baby milk boccochini, wrap them in a fresh basil leaf with cherry tomato, OMG so good.
We go into ALDI just for the cheese, well and the odd lawnmower, ski suit
Aug 26th 2016, 9:11 am
#7
Joined on April fools day
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: 30 miles from a decent grocery store.
Posts: 10,642
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
I like cheese! Not too picky but like something with a bite.
Aug 26th 2016, 9:56 am
#8
Mostly Harmless
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Semi-rural wonderworld, Brisbane
Posts: 15,109
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
Nimbin for our regular and wasabi for a treat or anything with a bit of kick to it.
Soft cheese is a big no for me, it's a texture thing.
And now I need some cheese and onion on toast ...
Soft cheese is a big no for me, it's a texture thing.
And now I need some cheese and onion on toast ...
Aug 26th 2016, 9:57 am
#9
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
WHY in god's name does country that has so many dairy cattle import cheese such as brie, camembert, even red leicester and edam.
Aug 26th 2016, 10:40 pm
#10
MODERATOR
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Redneck Wonderland
Posts: 9,932
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
I like a variety of cheese & have learned to keep an eye out at the local supermarket deli where often nice cheese is dramatically reduced in price. Deb isn't a fan so I tend to buy small wedges & keep them refrigerated.
I bought wedges of Stilton, Cheddar, Jarlsberg, Gouda and a small wheel of King Island Brie last week
There's a couple of bottles of Merlot with my name on, that as soon as I've fought off this damned flu, I intend to consume with a cheese platter & some dried fruit.
I bought wedges of Stilton, Cheddar, Jarlsberg, Gouda and a small wheel of King Island Brie last week
There's a couple of bottles of Merlot with my name on, that as soon as I've fought off this damned flu, I intend to consume with a cheese platter & some dried fruit.
Aug 26th 2016, 11:07 pm
#11
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
A lot of variation with the cheese tastes..... Hopefully someone will give that Mainland a go and report back, especially those that have a preference for Cheddar. I've not tried that White Castello before.... It's about the only one from the above I haven't so I'll get onto that.
Those Jarlesburg's and Stilton and Gruyer's etc... does anyone have a preferred producer ?
I also buy a fair bit of the Aldi Cheeses but haven't really latched on to a "very good" UK one yet.
Those Jarlesburg's and Stilton and Gruyer's etc... does anyone have a preferred producer ?
I also buy a fair bit of the Aldi Cheeses but haven't really latched on to a "very good" UK one yet.
Aug 27th 2016, 8:27 am
#12
Concierge
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,137
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
Cheese is my most favourite food, I've never met one I don't like.
That's a good and bad thing. Since moving to the UK I've found all sorts of different varieties of cheese that I've never tried before, and of course I love them all. That, combined with the amazingly cheap prices compared to Oz, has seen me on a cheese binge of mammoth proportions for 10 months.
It was getting out of hand, so for now I'm restricting myself to a bit of goat milk feta and an occasional piece of vintage cheddar on a water cracker.
My biggest 'cheesy grin' came when I was shopping in Morrisons a few days after arriving here, and saw enormous wedges of French brie and camembert for 1 pound. Be still my beating heart!
That's a good and bad thing. Since moving to the UK I've found all sorts of different varieties of cheese that I've never tried before, and of course I love them all. That, combined with the amazingly cheap prices compared to Oz, has seen me on a cheese binge of mammoth proportions for 10 months.
It was getting out of hand, so for now I'm restricting myself to a bit of goat milk feta and an occasional piece of vintage cheddar on a water cracker.
My biggest 'cheesy grin' came when I was shopping in Morrisons a few days after arriving here, and saw enormous wedges of French brie and camembert for 1 pound. Be still my beating heart!
Aug 27th 2016, 8:38 am
#13
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: My happy place
Posts: 3,043
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
Cheese is my most favourite food, I've never met one I don't like.
That's a good and bad thing. Since moving to the UK I've found all sorts of different varieties of cheese that I've never tried before, and of course I love them all. That, combined with the amazingly cheap prices compared to Oz, has seen me on a cheese binge of mammoth proportions for 10 months.
It was getting out of hand, so for now I'm restricting myself to a bit of goat milk feta and an occasional piece of vintage cheddar on a water cracker.
My biggest 'cheesy grin' came when I was shopping in Morrisons a few days after arriving here, and saw enormous wedges of French brie and camembert for 1 pound. Be still my beating heart!
That's a good and bad thing. Since moving to the UK I've found all sorts of different varieties of cheese that I've never tried before, and of course I love them all. That, combined with the amazingly cheap prices compared to Oz, has seen me on a cheese binge of mammoth proportions for 10 months.
It was getting out of hand, so for now I'm restricting myself to a bit of goat milk feta and an occasional piece of vintage cheddar on a water cracker.
My biggest 'cheesy grin' came when I was shopping in Morrisons a few days after arriving here, and saw enormous wedges of French brie and camembert for 1 pound. Be still my beating heart!
)
Aug 27th 2016, 10:03 am
#14
Concierge
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,137
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
From the number of kids with buckets and spades on the beach this morning, you'd think it was the height of summer. I got hit in the head with an inflatable beach ball as well. Bloody tourists
Aug 27th 2016, 10:07 am
#15
Concierge
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,137
Re: Do you like Cheese .. Whats your favourite ?
Sorry Ozzie, meant to say earlier that I really liked the Mainland vintage cheddar. There was also one that Mum put on crackers when the family would visit on a Sunday, kept meaning to ask her what it was because it was so tasty and not a hint of that plastic texture or taste. When I finally got around to asking her, she told me it was Black and Gold!
