Bath's finest...
I thought a small fromagerie selling unusual cheeses from British producers would be ideal for my small deli . After speaking to experts, they said although it’s possible and the Brits do make great cheese, you really couldn’t ignore the cheese makers in Europe if you want a balanced offering so I went looking for expert advice.
What did I do?
I hit a food festival.
They do exist though not quite as hedonistic as the ones my kids visit.
I met Ann-Marie Dyas of The Fine Cheese Co in Bath and not only was she enthusiastic and knowledgeable she also invited me down to her shop to sample the cheeses and draw up a beginners list to sell.
Good times.
I went and met with her colleague Oliver who deals with the small independent retailers. The shop is packed with dozens (maybe hundreds) of different cheeses and the young man serving knew something about all of them.
It didn’t smell as unpleasant as I thought, all the cheese was tightly wrapped in cling film and kept chilled . According to the man in the know, cheese should always be chilled and only warmed just before serving . Otherwise it may crack or go sour… nothing like sour cheese to ruin your ‘Come Dine With Me’ finale. It’s also worth bearing that statement in mind when you see big cheese boards in restaurants just sitting on the side sweating away…
Another interesting fact for those people watching their weight. The displayed fat content of cheese is a percentage of the solid matter, not its bulk. So if you eat a hard cheese the fat content per mouthful will be what it says on the packet. But if you choose a soft cheese ie Brie it may say 60% fat but by mouthful it is much less because there is far more water content.
Basically, don’t feel guilty and eat a bit more!
Onto the cheese tasting . This really should be done on an empty stomach because even though you are only given a slither it is extremely filling . We went through hard ,soft , blue and washed ,tasting cheese from the cow, goat and ewe .What a revelation good well-kept cheese is. Nothing like its plastic cousin you can buy from supermarkets, particularly cheddar which is so different and moorish when it comes from a small producer .
From about 20 tastings we narrowed down to 10 that I will be selling from opening day . I will also be stocking apricot pistachio and sunflower seed toasts, flavoured crackers red-hot chilli ,charcoal and fig scented, plus various English fruits for cheese.
Put it this way, if you like cheese, you’re going to love what we’re offering. The best part? None of it is stocked in Waitrose!
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The Deli Tea House 