Quel Fromage!

Due to the end of something important, or the completion of a landmark piece of policy or something, someone has brought in some Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Well, it would have been rude to go through the morning ignoring someone’s largesse, so I have just scarfed one down. My, my, they do have a different chemical composition to other doughnuts, don’t they?

Tomorrow is the start of GASPs and a four-day weekend for me. At lunchtime I have to nip along to Tachbrook Street in Pimlico and purchase the cheese supplies for the weekend. I haven’t given the chaps much choice in the matter over the past 20 years, largely confining myself to varying the amount of Stilton, depending upon how much I think I can get away with. Over the past few years the selection has been Stilton, Berkswell and Coolheeney, and in the past two, Vacherin.

This year I decided to tout for opinions and it seems that Stilton and Vacherin are definitely still on the menu, plus another soft cheese, so I guess the Coolheeney stays, too. A vote was put in for a nice hard Dutch cheese of some kith, kin or kine, so that might spell the demise of the Berkswell, a nice hard, appley sheeps’ cheese.

I don’t think that we get through enough cheese between us these days to justify a selection of five, but I shall muse upon it.

I shouldn’t have eaten that doughnut; I can see through time and space.

Quel Fromage!

Due to the end of something important, or the completion of a landmark piece of policy or something, someone has brought in some Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Well, it would have been rude to go through the morning ignoring someone’s largesse, so I have just scarfed one down. My, my, they do have a different chemical composition to other doughnuts, don’t they?

Tomorrow is the start of GASPs and a four-day weekend for me. At lunchtime I have to nip along to Tachbrook Street in Pimlico and purchase the cheese supplies for the weekend. I haven’t given the chaps much choice in the matter over the past 20 years, largely confining myself to varying the amount of Stilton, depending upon how much I think I can get away with. Over the past few years the selection has been Stilton, Berkswell and Coolheeney, and in the past two, Vacherin.

This year I decided to tout for opinions and it seems that Stilton and Vacherin are definitely still on the menu, plus another soft cheese, so I guess the Coolheeney stays, too. A vote was put in for a nice hard Dutch cheese of some kith, kin or kine, so that might spell the demise of the Berkswell, a nice hard, appley sheeps’ cheese.

I don’t think that we get through enough cheese between us these days to justify a selection of five, but I shall muse upon it.

I shouldn’t have eaten that doughnut; I can see through time and space.

Quel Fromage! (part deux)

I am in my once-a-year space.

Having acquired the cheese for the GASPs weekend, there is a pleasing aroma around my desk that ensures I am left alone by all but aficionados of the curd.

I bought a little Berkswell at the request of Furtle: that's staying at the Carpathia. The GASPs cheese menu (I do not include the bulk-standard cheddar we also take) for 2008 is:

Colton Bassett Stilton (0.495kg)
Gouda Extra Mature (0.270kg)
Vacherin mont d'or (0.795kg)
Waterloo (0.185kg)

The Waterloo comes in as a last minute experimental replacement for the Cooleeney. It's a similar sort of brie-like soft cheese, but from Somerset rather than County Tipperary (it's a long way to go). Waterloo is made using rich Guernsey milk that originally came from the Duke of Wellington's own herd, hence the name.

As usual, getting this produce home without attracting sideways glances from the curious and unlearned will be a challenge. I am now going to stick my nose in the bag and inhale a lungful of the fine, fine aroma...

Quel Fromage! (part deux)

I am in my once-a-year space.

Having acquired the cheese for the GASPs weekend, there is a pleasing aroma around my desk that ensures I am left alone by all but aficionados of the curd.

I bought a little Berkswell at the request of Furtle: that's staying at the Carpathia. The GASPs cheese menu (I do not include the bulk-standard cheddar we also take) for 2008 is:

Colton Bassett Stilton (0.495kg)
Gouda Extra Mature (0.270kg)
Vacherin mont d'or (0.795kg)
Waterloo (0.185kg)

The Waterloo comes in as a last minute experimental replacement for the Cooleeney. It's a similar sort of brie-like soft cheese, but from Somerset rather than County Tipperary (it's a long way to go). Waterloo is made using rich Guernsey milk that originally came from the Duke of Wellington's own herd, hence the name.

As usual, getting this produce home without attracting sideways glances from the curious and unlearned will be a challenge. I am now going to stick my nose in the bag and inhale a lungful of the fine, fine aroma...