The Summer Cheese Collection Perfect For Picnics

As Britain basks in wonderfully warm weather what better time is there to get outdoors and enjoy a picnic? If you are looking for a cheese collection perfect for picnics, look out for Paxton & Whitfield

July has picked up where June left off, as a result millions of Britons are packing their picnic baskets and heading to the coast or countryside to eat alfresco. If you are looking for inspiration for your basket, Paxton & Whitfield’s expert cheese mongers have put together a selected collection of artisan cheeses and fine food accompaniments perfect to enjoy this summer. Creamy and buttery cheeses with lighter and fresher flavours, ideal for warmer weather and alfresco dining. Enjoy with a glass of something cold!

The summer collection from Paxton & Whitfield (£42.00) contains a cut of Manchego Semi Curado PDO* (270g), a cut of Cornish Blue (250g), a Le Compostelle (120g), a Golden Cenarth (200g), a jar of Really Proper Piccalilli, a pack of Biscuits for Cheese and a jar of White Fig Confit. It is presented in a Paxton & Whitfield Selected For You Box. All the items are available from Paxton & Whitfield’s shops in Piccadilly, Chelsea Green, Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon, as well as online at: www.paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk

Our team here at RH Uncovered put the cheese to the taste!

Cornish Blue (Pasteurised cows’ milk, traditional rennet)  

A blue cheese with a soft, dense texture and a buttery yet tangy flavor, it is designed to be eaten young. The production process is carried out by hand, relying on the skilled cheesemakers and the quality of the milk from Friesian Holstein cows. Once formed the cheeses are dry salted by hand before being left to mature for between 12 and 14 weeks. The colouration occurs with help from nature and by piercing the cheeses each week with steel rods to allow air that helps the blue mould spread through each cheese. It has a very creamy, slightly sweet aftertaste that has an enticing delicacy seldom seen in British blues.

Our taste tester, Mandy, says: “Not what I was expecting! A really enjoyable cheese!” ★★★★★

Golden Cenarth (Pasteurised, vegetarian rennet, cows’ milk)

This round, soft, rind washed cheese has a buttery flavour with a supple texture is made by Carwyn Adams of Caws Cenarth Cheese, a small artisan family cheesemaking business based in West Wales, the cheese came about from his experiments in cheesemaking. The business itself was started by Carwyn’s parents, Thelma and Gwynfor more than 30 years-ago, and now makes five cheeses, including Caerffilli. The milk used in Golden Cenarth is GM-free cows’ milk sourced from local farms. The skin of the cheese has an orange colour that comes from the brine wash that it is given early in its maturing process.

Our taste tester, Heather, says: “Wow! This is a truly unique cheese – really tasty!” ★★★★

Le Compostelle (Unpasteurised, traditional rennet, goats’ milk)

This is a creamy French goats’ cheese with a slight crumbly texture. It is made by the Etoile du Quercy cheesemakers situated on the Pilgrim’s Way in central France, and is distinguished by its unique Saint Jacques shell shape. It has a delicate aroma of goats’ milk that becomes more pronounced once it ages.

Our taste tester, David, says: “A really good French cheese! One of the very best I’ve had!” ★★★★

Manchego Semi Curado PDO* (Unpasteurised sheep’s milk, traditional rennet)

Manchego has been made in Spain for centuries and traditionally comes from the La Mancha region located in central Spain. Manchego is one of the most famous cheeses to come from Spain and was mentioned in the classic book by Miguel Cervantes – Don Quixote. This cheese is handmade with limited production by a family run dairy based in Cuenca, Castilla La Mancha. Once the curds have been created from the unpasteurised sheep’s milk, they are placed into cylindrical basket weave molds that give the cheese its zigzag relief pattern. The cheese is then immersed in brine for 24 to 48 hours and then placed in a humid room to eliminate excess water. It is at this stage that they are rubbed regularly with olive oil that gives it a red, orange colour. Machego Semi Curado is traditionally matured from three weeks to three months. An artisan Manchego has subtle and complex flavours – nutty with a touch of sweetness.

Our taste tester, Jacob, says: “A fabulous Manchego, love it!” ★★★★★

Other fine food items included in the summer collection:

White Fig Confit (120g) This delicious confit is made by an artisan producer in the French Pyrenees. The white fig and raisins, with a hint of bay leaf, are ideal flavours to accompany any goats’ cheese.

Really Proper Piccalilli (198g) A deluxe version made to a traditional recipe, chunky vegetables are preserved in a mustard sauce to make a rich and crunchy Piccalilli. A high-quality preserve, it has a 75% vegetable content that includes cauliflower, red and green peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, excellent served with hard cheese or cold meats.

Biscuits for Cheese Selection Box (240g) A box containing individually wrapped packets of four flavours: Rosemary Wafers, Charcoal Crackers, Cornish Buttermilk Biscuits, and Poppy and Linseed Crackers.

* PDO – Protected Designation of Origin, for products that are produced, processed and prepared within a particular geographical area, and with features and characteristics that must be due to that area.

By Jacob White