There are now more than 700 cheeses made in the UK and so many are outstanding including the multi award-winning Isle of Wight Blue, a soft cheese with a natural rind made from the pasteurized milk from pedigree Holstein Friesian cows. It is sold at around 3 to 5 weeks old when it has a mild flavour but that flavour intensifies with age, and by 7 weeks, as it nears the end of its shelf life, it is deliciously strong. Store in the fridge but remove it at least one hour before you want to eat it. Then there is Idle Hour, another award-winning cheese made from pasteurized cows’ milk by Alsop & Walker in East Sussex. A semi-soft cheese with a natural rind and lots of character, a slight crumble in the texture, which is unusual, and a mildly nutty/citrus taste.
Find out more about these cheeses at www.isleofwightcheese.co.uk and www.alsop&walker.co.uk
And to have with it? Making soda bread is so worth the effort. It smells and tastes good and is easy to make with simple ingredients which are so easily transformed into a handsome, wholesome loaf. An excellent recipe for novice cooks too.
Soda Bread
Easy to make and especially good eaten with good butter and cheese or with jam or marmalade. It is also good toasted.
Makes 1 large loaf
250g stoneground wholemeal flour plus a little extra
250g six seed flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp sea salt flakes
450mls organic buttermilk – Ivy House Farm produce a traditional and delicious buttermilk see www.ivyhousefarm.co.uk
If you can’t get buttermilk, 450mls of plain yogurt will work too.
Preheat the oven to 230c
Mix the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk or yogurt.
Mix to make a soft dough (add a little more flour if it is too sticky).
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a flattened ball. Use your hands to shape it into a round, smooth loaf by pulling all the edges up and pressing them into the centre of the dough.
Flip the dough over (it should be smooth on top with no cracks) and flatten it to about 4cm in depth.
Put the loaf onto a baking sheet and use a sharp knife to make some deep cuts into it but don’t cut it all the way through.
Sprinkle a little of the wholemeal flour over the top and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200c and bake for a further 20-25 minutes. To check that the loaf is cooked, turn it over and tap the base – if it sounds hollow, it is ready.
Allow it to cool before eating.
Eat it the same day or wrap it well and freeze it for up to three months.
See also oatcakes for another simple recipe in these pages.
