Readers whose memories stretch back to the dim, dark depths of May might have a passing recollection of me praising The Cheese Stall in Winchester. Those you you with more alcohol damaged minds will need reminding that The Cheese Stall sells a truly excellent range of carefully sourced, impeccably matured curd. But they are, of course, in Winchester and that is bugger all use to most who follow my organ.
There is excellent news! By roping in help from more family members Cheese Stall cheeses can be purchased and delivered anywhere through the wizardry of the The Cheese Boutique website. I’ve tested their service and I can report it’s simply cracking for those far beyond the comforting aroma of a good cheese monger.
The Cheese Boutique has an excellent website. It’s smart and intuitive to use, with enough information about their products to help guide your purchasing. I’m pleased to say they offer cheese in quantities suitable for those who actually like cheese. Some people think they should buy infinitesimally small pieces of cheese once in a while because their spiritualist wholefood adviser alluded that it might put them in better contact with previous life as a cow. I can assure such types that it’s current existence and will only become a past one when you stop being so dreary and buy healthful amounts of cheese from The Cheese Boutique. 250g of Emmental de Savoie is surely the absolute minimum you’ll be wanted to purchase in one go; less would be just crazy!
The cheese is couriered to you and you’ll get a text indicating an hour long time slot when the delivery will be made. No more waiting in all bleeding day for a delivery. I hate that. Even when it might be as an essential delivery as quality cheese there are many times during a day I just have to go out to the boozer, to jump in puddles, swipe at vegetation with a stick, and so on. The Cheese Boutique will carry your curd to you without preventing you from carrying out such life enhancing engagements all day.
The cheese is of the highest quality – as if you’d purchased it moments ago from The Cheese Stall on Winchester High Street. I tried three and they were all so good I may as well give the recommendations in case you need some ideas.
Comte has to be treated right for it to be good, the plastic-wrapped contrivance Waitrose sells is dire, and The Cheese Boutique/Stall certainly get pampered Comte. It has a good granularity and complexity of flavour due to it maturity but remains lovely and creamy. It’s a very good example of what, we are told, is the prince of Gruyeres.
I tried a blue cheese that was new to me: Fourme d’Ambert (pictured at the top of this article). Given my new ability to eat cheese that is not simply stronger than your imagination can handle, I rather liked its mild, scented character. It still had some blue-tang, but was completely delightful and I rather liked it with some Riesling Auslese I had.
The star of the selection was a Camembert Normande St Loup – AWESOME CHEESE! It was sold at a perfect stage of ripeness, not too runny and with a central core of white creaminess; that’s how you should eat Camembert. The flavours were grassy, mushroomy and distinctly complex. And I bloody loved it! Best Camembert I’ve had in ages! You’ll want to get some of this.
With the convenience of home delivery and the quality of Cheese Stall produce The Cheese Boutique deserves every success – I certainly recommend you click on that link.
