Leerdammer

Leerdammer is a Dutch semihard cheese made from cow's milk. It has an ageing time around 3–12 months. It has a creamy white texture and was made to be similar in appearance and flavour to Emmental. Its sweet and somewhat nutty flavour becomes more pronounced with age. It also has distinct holes. Advertising campaigns have used the slogan "De lekkerste kaas tussen de gaten" ("the taste is around the holes").

The cheese is produced exclusively by the Bel Group. The Leerdammer name is a trademark of Bel Leerdammer BV. On 22 March 2021, Bel Group announced it was handing over the brand and its related assets to Lactalis in exchange for the shares Lactalis held in Bel Group, bar a retained 0.9% stake.

Leerdammer cheese is produced in Schoonrewoerd in the municipality of Leerdam, the city which gave Leerdammer its name. Generic Leerdammer-style cheese is sold as Maasdam cheese. Groupe Bel has a second factory producing Leerdammer in Dalfsen, in the eastern province of Overijssel. It is also produced in France.

The cheese was developed by Cees Boterkooper, who had owned a small dairy in Schoonrewoerd since 1914, and Bastiaan Baars, who ran a cheese shop in a nearby village. The two met in 1970, and soon afterwards decided to collaborate. They worked on a cheese that could compete with Gouda and Edam. Leerdammer was launched in 1977. It is available in supermarkets throughout Europe, Russia and the US.

Mayfield

Mayfield is an  a semi hard wax coated Emmental style cheese that is sweet, nutty and creamy. It is made made with full fat pasteurised cow’s milk and is deliciously creamy yet complex, It is matured for 5-7 months to become a delicious creamy yet complex cheese with naturally developed oval shaped holes in its interior, called eyes. Aparently good for melting in fondues, raclettes or just to make cheese on toast that little bit more special.

Made in the heart of the East Sussex countryside by Arthur Alsop and Nic Walker, both cheese makers are highly skilled chefs and both have a lifelong passion for cheese and cheese making. They have allowed cheese making to completely dominate their lives and have developed some truly unique and distinctive products in a small but modern dairy.

Abaty Glas

I am in Aberystwyth and so a trip to Ultra Comedia is part of the deal. This time round I picked up some Abaty Glas (Blue Abbey). Very creamy. I enjoyed it. It is made with unpasteurised organic cows' milk by Roger Yorke of Caws Penhelyg in a nearby micro-dairy. He apparently developed it after having great success with his raw milk Brie. He is one of very few cheesemakers in the UK currently making unpasteurised soft and blue cheeses. Abaty Glas has won awards, including at the Royal Welsh Show in 2023.

Lord London

Made by Arthur Alsop & Nick Walker in the heart of the East Sussex Countryside, this uniquely-shaped cow's milk cheese is a semi-soft, clean-tasting cheese with a natural creaminess and hint of citrus.

Lincolnshire Poacher Vintage

Lincolnshire Poacher is a hard unpasteurised cow's milk cheese that is generally of a cylindrical shape with a rind resembling granite in appearance. It is made at Ulceby Grange Farm in Alford, Lincolnshire, by craft cheesemaker Richard Tagg. The cheese is matured for between 14 and 24 months, depending on when the milk was collected. It has received awards. There is a smoked version.

Apres Soleil

Apres Soleil is a Swiss hard cheese made from raw cow's milk. Unusually, it is matured for 11 months in sunlit caves, giving it an intense nutty flavour and it's own unique character.

Camembert

Camembert is a moist, soft, creamy, surface-ripened cow's milk cheese first made in the late 18th century in Camembert, Normandy, northwest France. It is sometimes compared in look and taste to brie, albeit with a slightly lower butterfat content, typically 20% - 25% by weight.

The first camembert was made from unpasteurised milk, and the AOC variety Camembert de Normandie (approximately 10% of production) is required by law to be made only with unpasteurised milk. Many modern cheesemakers outside of Normandy, however, use pasteurised milk for reasons of safety, compliance with regulations or convenience.

The cheese is made by inoculating warmed cow milk with mesophilic bacteria, then adding rennet and allowing the mixture to coagulate. The curd is then cut into roughly 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes, salted and transferred to low cylindrical camembert moulds. The moulds are turned every 6-12 hours to allow the whey to drain evenly from the cut curds; after 48 hours, each mould contains a flat, cylindrical, solid cheese mass weighing generally 250 grams (c 9 oz). At this point the fresh cheese is hard, crumbly and bland.

The surface of each cheese is then sprayed with an aqueous suspension of the mould Penicillium camemberti and the cheeses are left to ripen for a legally required minimum of three weeks. This affinage produces the distinctive bloomy, edible rind and characteristic creamy interior texture. Once the cheeses are sufficiently ripe, they are wrapped in paper and may be placed in wooden boxes for transport.

Camembert was reputedly first made in 1791 by Marie Harel, a Normandy farmer, following advice from a priest from Brie. She is credited with having refined a previously existing cheese recipe from the Pays d'Auge region and having launched it into the wider world. She passed her secrets on to her daughter, whose husband, Victor Paynel, presented one of his wife's best cheeses to Napoleon III, who gave to it his royal seal of approval.

The origin of the cheese known today as Camembert is more likely to rest with the beginnings of the industrialisation of the cheesemaking process at the end of the 19th century. In 1890, an engineer, M. Ridel, devised the wooden box that was used to carry the cheese and helped to send it for longer distances, in particular to America, where it became very popular. These boxes are still used today.

Before fungi were understood, the colour of Camembert rind was a matter of chance, most commonly blue-grey, with brown spots. From the early 20th century onwards, the rind has been more commonly pure white, but it was not until the mid-1970s that pure white became standard.

The cheese was famously issued to French troops during World War I, becoming firmly fixed in French popular culture as a result. It has many other roles in French culture, literature, and history. It is now internationally known and many local varieties are made around the world.

The variety named Camembert de Normandie was granted a protected designation of origin in 1992 after the original AOC in 1983. The AOC Camembert can only be made from raw, unpasteurised milk from Normandes cows. Problems with hygiene regulations have caused restrictions on importation and sale in some countries, notably the US; a variant made from pasteurised milk is sold in these territories instead.

Camembert cheese gets its characteristic odour from many compounds. These include diacetyl (buttery flavouring for popcorn), 3-methylbutanal, methional (degradation product of methionine), 1-octen-3-ol and 1-octen-3-one (degradation products of fats), phenethyl acetate, 2-undecanone, δ-decalactone, butyric acid, and isovaleric acid, as well as volatile sulphur compounds such as S-Methyl thioacetate.

Overripe camembert contains an unpleasant, excessive amount of ammonia, which is produced by the same microorganisms required for ripening.

Brie and Camembert are two similar soft cheeses that are both made from cow's milk. Despite their similarities, there are notable differences between them, including their origin, market shape, size and flavour.

Brie originates from the Brie while camembert comes from Normandy. Traditionally, Brie was produced in large wheels measuring either 22.9 cm (9 in) or 36.8 cm (14.5 in) in diameter. As a result, Brie takes longer to ripen compared to the smaller Camembert cheeses. When sold, Brie is typically cut into segments from the larger wheels, although some variations of Brie are sold as small, flat cylinders. Consequently, the sides of Brie segments are not covered by the rind. On the other hand, Camembert is ripened as a small round cheese measuring 10.2 cm (4 in) in diameter by 3.2 cm (1.26 in) in thickness, and it is fully covered by its rind. This difference in size and rind coverage gives Camembert a slightly stronger flavour compared to Brie ripened for the same duration. Once the rind is cut on Camembert, it typically emits a more pungent aroma than Brie.

In terms of taste, Camembert has a stronger, slightly sour, and sometimes chalky flavor. The texture of Camembert is also softer than that of Brie. When warmed, Camembert becomes creamier, while Brie retains more of its structure when heated. These variations contribute to the contrasting characteristics of the two cheeses.

Typically camembert tends to be sold whole in thin, round, wooden containers made from poplar. Modern variations in packaging include cartons and tin cans, with a ring-pull tab for opening (Camembert in metallic boxes does not exist on the French market). The cardboard boxes are reserved for the low-cost camemberts. The product is the same as in the wooden container, wrapped dry in a paper/foil wrapper, and not immersed in brine or oil.

Recently, markets and grocers have introduced a vegan alternative to Camembert cheese which is plant-based.

A similar cheese is produced in Hungary under the same name, the Czech Republic under the name Hermelín and in Slovakia as encián or plesnivec. A Camembert-type cheese is also manufactured in Cornwall and marketed as "Cornish Camembert". Fonterra in New Zealand make a variant called Camembert Log. This is a long cylinder that is about 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and weighs 1 kg (2 lb). Fonterra also make conventional Camembert cheeses under their Mainland, Anchor and Kapiti brand names.

Halloumi

Halloumi (haloumi) is of Cypriot origin made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk and, sometimes, also cow's milk. Its texture is described as squeaky. It has a high melting point so can easily be fried or grilled, a property that makes it a popular meat substitute. Rennet (mostly vegetarian or microbial) is used to curdle the milk in halloumi production, although no acid-producing bacteria are used in its preparation.

Halloumi is popular throughout the Eastern Mediterranean and became widely available in Turkey after 2000. By 2013, demand in the UK had surpassed that in every other European country except Cyprus.

In the US, Halloumi is a registered trademark owned by the government of Cyprus, while in the UK it is owned by the Foundation for the Protection of the Traditional Cheese of Cyprus named Halloumi. It is also protected as a geographical indication in the EU, as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), which means within the EU only products made in certain parts of Cyprus can be called "halloumi". PDO protection for Halloumi was delayed largely by disagreements among farmers of cattle, sheep and goats regarding the inclusion of cows' milk and (if it was included) the proportion of it.

The English name halloumi is derived from Modern Greek: χαλλούμι khalloúmi, from Cypriot Maronite Arabic xallúm, ultimately from Egyptian Arabic: حلوم ḥallūm. The Egyptian Arabic word is itself a loanword from Coptic ϩⲁⲗⲱⲙ halōm (Sahidic) and ⲁⲗⲱⲙ alōm (Bohairic), and was used for cheese eaten in medieval Egypt. The name of the cheese likely goes back to the Demotic word ḥlm "cheese" attested in manuscripts and ostraca from 2nd-century Roman Egypt. The Cypriot Turkish name hellim derives from this source, as does the name of the different modern Egyptian cheese hâlûmi.

Methods of making halloumi likely originated sometime in the medieval Byzantine period (AD 395–1191). A recipe for enhancing ḥalūm ('cheese') by brining is found in the 14th-century Egyptian cookbook كنز الفوائد في تنويع الموائد : Kanz al-Fawāʾid fī Tanwīʿ al-Mawāʾid.

The earliest known surviving descriptions of Cypriot halloumi were recorded in the mid-16th century by Italian visitors to Cyprus, where it is often said to have originated. However, the question of whether the recipe for the quintessential halloumi was born in Cyprus and then travelled to Lebanon and the rest of the Levant, or whether the basic techniques of making cheese that resists melting evolved over time in various parts of the eastern Mediterranean - or both - does not have a definitive answer.

Traditionally, Cypriot halloumi was made from sheep and/or goat's milk, since there were few cows on the island until they were brought over by the British in the 20th century. But as demand grew, industrial cheese-makers began using more of the cheaper and more plentiful cow's milk.

Although it can be consumed raw, halloumi is often used in cooking and can be fried until brown (without melting) due to its higher-than-typical melting point. This makes it an excellent cheese for frying or grilling (as in saganaki) and serving either as is, or with vegetables, or as an ingredient in salads or sandwiches. There are many recipes that use halloumi beyond simple grilling.

Traditional halloumi is a semicircular shape, weighing 220–270 grams (7.8–9.5 oz). The fat content is approximately 25% wet weight, 47% dry weight with about 17% protein. Its firm texture when cooked causes it to squeak on the teeth when being chewed.

Traditional halloumi is typically made from fresh, unpasteurised sheep and/or goat's milk. However, for its commercial production a mixture of pasteurised sheep, goat and occasionally cow's milk is used (with the cow's milk making up the lowest proportion of the milk used, if used at all).

Two main types of halloumi exist: fresh and mature. Fresh halloumi has a semi-hard, elastic texture and a milder, less salty flavour compared to the aged version. As mature halloumi is stored in brine it has a harder, drier texture, as well as a saltier flavour. Both versions have a slight minty flavor, due to the addition of spearmint during the production of the cheese.

Sealed, halloumi (both fresh and mature) can last in a refrigerator for as long as a year.

Production of halloumi cheese involves several key steps. The first step of halloumi production involves the coagulation of the milk in order to make curds. This occurs by stirring rennet into the milk mixture while keeping it at a temperature of 30–34 °C until the milk coagulates (a process which takes approximately 30–45 minutes). Once the curd is formed it is then cut, reheated and stirred in order to increase its firmness. The curds are then added to special moulds and pressed until a sufficient amount of whey has been removed.

The next step involves the boiling of the pressed curds in hot whey (collected during the pressing of the curds) for at least 30 minutes, during a process known as scalding. This is the most crucial step in the halloumi production as it contributes to the characteristic texture of the cheese. The cooked pieces are then removed from the whey and are salted and garnished with fresh or dried mint (Mentha viridis) leaves. They are then folded and stored in salted whey for 1–3 days before being packed in airtight containers, ready to be sold and consumed.

For the production of mature halloumi, the cheese needs to be kept in the brine whey for at least 40 days

Feta

Feta is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it is formed into large blocks and aged in brine. Its flavour is tangy and salty, ranging from mild to sharp. Feta is used as a table cheese, in salads such as Greek salad, and in pastries, notably the phyllo-based Greek dishes spanakopita "spinach pie" and tyropita "cheese pie". It is often served with olive oil or olives, and sprinkled with aromatic herbs such as oregano. It can also be served cooked (often grilled), as part of a sandwich, in omelettes, and many other dishes.

Since 2002, feta has been a protected designation of origin in the European Union. EU legislation and similar legislation in 25 other countries limits the name feta to cheeses produced in the traditional way in mainland Greece and Lesbos Prefecture, which are made from sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep's and up to 30% of goat's milk from the same area.

Similar white brined cheeses are made traditionally in the Balkans, around the Black Sea, in West Asia and more recently elsewhere. Outside the EU, the name feta is often used generically for these cheeses.

For many consumers, the word feta is a generic term for a white, crumbly cheese aged in brine. Production of the cheese first began in the Eastern Mediterranean and around the Black Sea. Over time, production expanded to countries including Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the USA, often partly or wholly of cow's milk and they are (or were) sometimes also called feta. In the US most cheese sold under the name feta is American and made from cows' milk.

Since feta 2002 feta has been a PDO product within the EU. According to the relevant EU legislation (applicable within the EU and Northern Ireland), as well as similar UK legislation only those cheeses produced in a traditional way in particular areas of Greece, which are made from sheep's milk, or from a mixture of sheep's and up to 30% of goat's milk from the same area, can be called feta. Also in several other countries the term feta has since been protected.

Taleggio

Taleggio (Talegg in Lombard) is a semisoft, washed-rind, smear-ripened Italian cheese that is named after Val Taleggio (an Alpine Valley in Lombardy). The cheese has a thin crust and a strong aroma but its flavour is comparatively mild with an unusual fruity tang.

Taleggio and similar cheeses have been around since Roman times, with Cicero, Cato the Elder and Pliny the Elder all mentioning it in their writings. The cheese was solely produced in the Val Taleggio until the late 1800s, when some production moved to the Lombardy plain to the south.

The production takes place every autumn and winter. First, acidified milk is mixed with rennet taken from milk calves. The cheese is set on wood shelves in chambers, sometimes in caves as per tradition, and matures within six to ten weeks. It is washed once a week with a seawater sponge to prevent mould growth and to form an orange or rose crust.

Today, the cheese is made from both pasteurised and raw milk in factories. The factory-made cheeses are apparently brighter and moderate in flavour.

The cheese can be eaten grated with salads such as radicchio or rucola and with spices and tomato on bruschetta. It melts well, and can be used in risotto or on polenta.

It apparently has PDO (protected designation of origin).

Stinking Bishop

Stinking Bishop is a washed-rind cheese produced since 1972 by Charles Martell and Son at Hunts Court Farm, Dymock, Gloucestershire. It is made from the milk of Gloucester cattle.

By 1972, just 68 Gloucester breed heifers were left in the world. Charles Martell bought up many of the surviving cows and began to produce cheese from their milk, not initially for its own sake but to promote interest in the breed. Since then, his own herd has expanded to 25 cows and with a revival of interest by other farmers, which has increased the total number of cows to around 450. The relatively small size of Martell's herd means that the Gloucester milk is combined and pasteurised with the milk of Friesian cattle from another farm nearby. The fat content is 48%.

The colour of Stinking Bishop ranges from white/yellow to beige, with an orange to grey rind. It is moulded into wheels 2 kilograms (4.4 lb) in weight, 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in diameter and 4 centimetres (1.6 in) deep. Only about 20 tonnes are produced each year.

The distinctive odour comes from the process with which the cheese is washed during its ripening; it is immersed in perry made from the local Stinking Bishop pear (from which the cheese gets its name) every four weeks while it matures. To increase the moisture content and to encourage bacterial activity, salt is not added until the cheese is removed from its mould.

This cheese was brought to international attention thanks to Wallace & Gromit. In the 2005 animated film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Gromit uses it to revive Wallace. Demand for the cheese subsequently rose by 500% forcing the cheesemaker to hire more staff and increase production. It was also referenced again at the end of Episode 4 of Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention, where Wallace samples an even more pungent variant of Stinking Bishop, called "Stinking Archbishop."

Chef Andrew Zimmern, host of the TV show Bizarre Foods (Travel Channel), tastes Stinking Bishop during a visit to Harrods in London. The show’s recap mentions other delicacies tasted by Andrew, but not the cheese; one has to watch the part where Andrew visits the famous department store, guided by marketing manager Andre Dange.

In the 2011 Channel 4 show King of..., hosted by Claudia Winkleman, Stinking Bishop was named as the King of Cheese by Winkleman and her two guests Chris Evans and Sarah Millican.

Stinking Bishop is an artisanal, handmade cheese, so is not produced for supermarkets. It currently has over 130 stockists across the UK, and can be found in artisan food stores and delicatessens, as well as in Harrods and Selfridges. i bought mine in Hampstead adn found it a little bland.

Applewood Smoked Cheddar

Applewood, or Applewood smoked cheddar, invented in 1965, is a round, white smoke-flavoured Cheddar cheese manufactured by Norseland Limited (formerly Ilchester Cheese Company) in Somerset.

It is a fairly dense semi-hard cheese. Applewood is not actually smoked but is treated with an artificial smoke flavouring. The cheese is coated with mild paprika, giving it a golden-amber appearance. The cheese itself is rather soft in some cases, making it difficult to grate. The smoked flavour of the cheese does not leave a burnt aftertaste.

In 2019, Norseland Ltd launched a vegan version of their Applewood cheese in collaboration with VBites in both pre-sliced packages and blocks and won the award for Best Vegan Cheese at the FreeFrom Food Awards 2020.

Creamy Blue

Inspired by the mild and delicate nature of white mould cheeses and the intense profile of a traditional blue cheese, the Creamy Blue is sadi to be a classic itself. Braced with tones of toasted hops, the flavours are mild, bordering on tangy, with a creamy consistency to garnish and complete the profile. Its ivory-coloured body, imbued with blue veins is distinctive.

First introduced in 1969, the traditional ways of making the Creamy Blue are still maintained today, ensuring the same level of quality. A harmonic blend of light aromas and mild flavours make this cheese a nuanced and intricate experience. Having a milder profile than a Danablu, it is the perfect choice for audiences that are unversed in blue mould cheeses.

Serve at room temperature by removing the cheese from the refrigerator at least half an hour before serving.

This Danish cheese is made in mid-Jutland, where Danish Jersey and red-pied cows provide fresh milk to the Gjesing dairy. The pasteurised milk is poured into traditional open vats, with added enzymes and a special blend of cultures encouraging the development of blue mould. Once the milk has curdled with the help of rennet, it is cut and milled to release excess whey, allowing for a smoother consistency. Placed in moulds, the curd is drained once more, before finally receiving a coating of salt to shield it from unwanted mould. Workers then pierce the rind with steel needles, allowing the mould to develop and breathe from the centre of the cheese. After the aging process, the cheese has fostered its marbling and achieved its soft and pliable texture.