A cheeseboard fit for a king and queen
It's official - the nation's favourite royals will showcase the best of British produce at their wedding banquet in April, according to an announcement from the royal chef.
With 700 cheeses made on British soil, they'll have quite a job to narrow their selection down, so the British Cheese Board has put together a William and Kate themed cheese board to give them a helping hand.
• British cheddar is the best in the world (in fact we invented it!) so a tasty cheddar is a must for the Royal cheeseboard. We'd suggest Denhay West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, which is produced for the Prince of Wales' Duchy Originals line - a fitting tribute to the father of the groom. Did you know that West Country Cheddar is also reputed to be a favourite of Tudor Monarchs?
• For the mother and father of the bride, Wensleydale with cranberry is a fruity blended cheese hailing from Yorkshire, just like Miss Middleton's father. Made in the Yorkshire Dales this cheese will bring a taste of the North to the London nuptials.
• Not forgetting the Duchess of Cornwall, St Endellion Luxury Cornish Brie seems a fitting contribution from Camilla's title county. Made with added cream, this cheese will add some luxury to the day, an indulgent cheese fit for two future queens.
• No cheeseboard (no less a royal one!) would be complete without a fine slab of the 'king' of English cheese: Blue Stilton. Queen Victoria was once so impressed with a model of Cleopatra's needle made from over 1,300 Stilton cheeses and exhibited at the 1878 Islington Dairy Show, that she bought the lot!
• To complete the red, white and blue theme, is Leicestershire Red. Not to be confused with the more common Red Leicester, this is a traditionally made cheese with a beautiful strong colour and sweet nutty taste.
If you are following in the footsteps of William and Kate with a 2011 wedding, here are some top tips from the British Cheese Board for creating the perfect cheeseboard, worthy of a prince (and his bride to be!):
• For the ultimate cheeseboard, select between three and five cheeses of different types and textures, including hard (e.g. West Country Farmhouse Cheddar or Wensleydale), soft (e.g. Somerset Brie or Cornish Camembert) and blue (e.g. Stilton, Blue Lancashire, Shropshire Blue or Blue Wensleydale) cheeses. To top up the cheese board try to include a locally produced cheese.
• Serve with natural ingredients - these traditionally include grapes, apples, tomatoes, parsley, celery or pickles, but don't be afraid to unleash your imagination.
• Offer the cheese alongside biscuits or crackers that don't taste too strong or salty.
British cheese has a rich heritage spanning hundreds of years and there are more than 700 named cheeses of outstanding quality currently being made in the UK. British cheese is among the best in the world so make sure you check the label to find out whether the cheese you're buying is British.
To find out more, please visit the British Cheese Board website at: britishcheese.com
