There comes a time in a woman’s life, when she makes the rookie error of mixing her dark and clear drinks and ends up with a banging headache and vague recollections of dancing to Canadian soft rock. This may or may not have happened to me recently. I may also have woken up in a cold sweat realising I promise to bring cheese of some description to a weekend brunch gathering. My options were these: 1. Plead hormonal imbalances and dust off a bottle of vino from the rack 2. Do smash and grab at the local supermarket and lob up with a slab of cheddar and something resembling crackers…
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It’s Not Easy Being Green Cheese – Wasabi Cheese
Let’s be honest, cheese and Japanese food aren’t the most obvious bedfellows. But horseradish and cheese are a actually match made in heaven, so why not wasabi and cheese? I spied this cheese in the dairy section of my local Lulu Hypermarket already sliced (it was the last of the lot apparently). Not the prettiest cheese to photograph, being green and sliced and all. Not actually from Japan, this wasabi cheese hails from Holland. Made by Basiron it claims to be extra strong, but is actually kinda mild. I like my wasabi to blow my head off and cure the sinus allergy caused by our regular dust storms. This gouda was actually quite mild.…
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Tapa the World – Brunch Without the Big Buffet
I used to be a prolific bruncher. Fridays would always consist of a jug of margaritas and a lush buffet. Brunch in the Middle East is an art and I was an old master. But something changed, maybe a desire to get healthier or a realization that I would end up spending Friday nights napping. Maybe I just got old. Last week the Oryx Rotana asked me to come our of my Brunch Exile to try their new “Tap Brunch” at their popular Cellar restaurant. I was glad I came our of retirement. This hotel is actually my “local” and to my great detriment I always forget about it and literally drive…
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I Camembert It…
Baked cheese seems to be a theme in my life in recent weeks. Hot on the heels of this extravaganza on Christmas Day I found myself delving back into the gooey mess that is baked Camembert. Last night’s indulgence was brought to me by the good people at French brasserie La Varenne This was baked in the paper container it comes in and served with honey and truffle oil. It was one of those rare moments in dining where many senses were tickled – sight, smell and of course taste. The fact that it’s a tactile dish involving digging the fresh baguette pieces into the oozing hot cheese is even more exciting. Sorry,…
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A Friend in Cheeses – Here’s to 2015
I don’t really do resolutions. Because like the cliche they are, I usually abandon them quickly like bad boyfriends. Rather I make deals with myself. This year’s are as broad as they are ridiculous: Eat breakfast everyday Read more widely Learn one new recipe per week Finally learn Arabic Be open to love (Oprah made me say that) Say yes more often (except to margaritas) And of course…eat more cheese. Who can ask for more than that?
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Conscious Coupling – Wine and Cheese Pairings for Christmas Cheer
Wine and cheese go together like Brad and Gwyneth Jen Angelina. Like gin and tonic and like me and those lovely Valentino Rockstuds Ballet Flats I ordered in a fit of hysteria last week (they were practically free).
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12 Cheeses of Christmas – Cheddar with Horseradish
I’m on the record about not being a food snob, but I also have a healthy distrust of processed cheese. But my own rules are meant to be broken. On a recent trip to my local supermarket, I convinced myself to try this cheese from the US.Yes it’s processed but the horseradish had my attention. I’m always up for a new experience and I do like horseradish. The horseradish is apparently ground and added into the cheese making process. While it is an aged NY cheddar (they make good cheese in the great state of NY), it didn’t have the bite I was expecting. While I had it on a…
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12 Cheeses of Christmas – Festive Goats Cheese
OK I know I am a couple of days late starting this venture but the spirit is there. I was doing a Saturday smash and grab at Monoprix and saw this little festive beauty. It’s a lovely and fresh round of creamy goat cheese (called a crottin) rolled in red peppercorns and topped of course with a festive (fake) holly sprig. It’s amazing how something as simple as peppercorns and a splash of red can make a humble hunk of cheese so Christmasy. Goat cheese is my go-to (see what I did there) cheese but even among my cheese loving friends it is divisive. Some people find the aroma and distinctive taste…
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Sharp Relief – Snowdonia’s Little Black Bomber
I’ve blogged before about the lengths my friends will go to in search of new cheeses for me. My friend Rachel (yes, we have thought about forming a girl band called The Rachels) found this beauty at Waitrose on a recent trip to Dubai. Hailing from Wales, The Snowdonia Cheese Company has been making contemporary cheese and more traditional types for several years now. This cheese is perhaps their most popular. They market it as a “cheddar with attitude” and that is very accurate. So sharp it could cut itself, it has what I call a “drawback factor”. That is “ooooooof that’s sharp”. It’s made from pasteurized cow’s milk with non…
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Rocky Road with Rambol
Rambol is a well known cheesemaker from France. This cheese included layers of crushed and pureed walnuts. A creamy white cheese as its base, it was like a taste of Autumn (in December).
