Two Great Flavored Cheeses from Great Britain

The British Isles are the home of some really outstanding but sometimes overlooked cheeses. For many years, British cheese makers seemed to be almost afraid to innovate. During World War II the cheese industry was essentially taken over by the government. Many regional small dairies never went back to private cheese making after the war and the big manufacturers concentrated, by and large, on making the widely popular standard products like cheddars and a few not too interesting blues. Fortunately, artisanal cheese making hit England not too long after it became popular in the US and now even a few of the larger dairies are making some unique and distinctive cheese. Two of these are:

Red Dragon (Wales, cow milk, pasteurized, vegetable rennet)

Wales used to make a wide range of cheese but now only a few are made there; one of the best is Red Dragon. Red Dragon is a truly interesting and creative twist on a fairly sharp flavored cheddar. The addition of soft brown mustard seeds and a yeasty Welsh brown ale gives this cheese an earthy look and aroma. The seeds aren’t really crunchy but are certainly noticeable and somewhat tangy. It has a smooth, buttery, creamy texture and pairs well with meats and other firm cheese. It makes a great sandwich on dark bread with a slice or two of ripe tomato or even some pickle. What to drink with it? Brown ale of course or a not so fruity bold red wine.

Huntsman (England, cow milk, pasteurized, vegetable rennet)

We all have probably had a cheese sandwich but a sandwich purely made of cheese? That is exactly what Huntsman is. It is a combination of double Gloucester cheddar cheese and alternating  layers of Stilton blue cheese, a classic  English blue. Stilton is rich and creamy but a little crumbly, with a light tangy nutty flavor.  Gloucester cheddar is a highly valued cheese for its superior flavor that goes well with Port wines. The flavors of both cheeses complement each other to provide a distinctive tasting appetizer or dessert cheese to be served with beer, hard cider, or wine.  Because of the two different textures I don’t recommend melting Huntsman but it makes a great and interesting looking addition to a cheese plate.