Charcuterie trees to baked Cambozola how to throw the perfect Christmas party with Asda

It's officially Christmas party season! Asda shoppers can enjoy the full festive season with unmissable offers on a delicious selection of grazing and party food - tis' the time to be merry after all.

Grazing dishes are perfect for those who want to curate a plate and get creative with their presentation. This year, influencers are crafting charcuterie trees, chalets and wreaths from a selection of snacks, with the hashtag #charcuterietree gaining 27million views on TikTok.

Asda is encouraging their shoppers to get creative this year, with the Build Your Own Festive Antipasti Board. For just £5, shoppers can enjoy a selection of cheeses and salamis, sweet cranberries, apricots and semi-dried tomatoes. The board comes with instructions on how to build your Christmas tree, so shoppers can impress as the host with the most.

Asda’s Build Your Own Festive Grazing Cones (£6) pack includes a selection of pitted green olives and pepper drops, Iberico cheese, semi-dried tomatoes, air-dried meats and baked breadsticks – plus shoppers can turn the box into a cone stand to create a display centrepiece!

The Mezze Grazing Selection (£4) features a Provolone Piccante cheese, amongst a mouth-watering selection of meats. Racking up five-star reviews on Asda.com, the Party Snack Platter (£5) brings the heat with a selection of spicy cheddar cheeses and is a “great snack to have at a party” according to one delighted customer.

With a sweet and delicate prosciutto, rich and garlicky salami and smoky chorizo, the Continental Sharing Selection (£2.95) is perfect for the meat-lovers, whilst the German Style Salami & Cheese Selection (£2.95) features a Beechwood smoked cheese - for a continental taste of Christmas (think Christmas markets!).

Get this party started! The buffet is open...

Mini foods have been trending in recent years, and the novelty hasn't worn off when it comes to miniaturising party favourites.

Asda’s Mini ‘Mac’ Burgers (£5) with cheddar cheese and diced gherkins are served in mini brioche buns and finished with their own take on the famous burger sauce. Serve alongside Mini Hot Dogs (£5), for the ultimate selection of finger food. Sure to make any party less messy, the Mini Cheese & Pepperoni Parcels (£3.50) are packed with delicious mozzarella cheese, diced pepperoni and tomatoes. Rounding up the selection of minis, the vibrant Oriental Money Bags (£2) are filled with 3 different flavours - tangy hoisin mushroom, sweet and sour shredded vegetables and soy and chilli jackfruit.

Add a touch of nostalgia with the Extra Special Lobster and King Prawn Vol Au Vent Selection. Partygoers can choose from Canadian lobster in a rich thermidor sauce, or king prawns in a creamy beurre blanc sauce - both of which are encased in crisp puff pastry.

Guaranteed to be a talking point at any buffet, the Extra Special Brown Butter & Spiced Dark Rum Stuffing Wreath with Brûléed Pigs in Blankets is an eye-catching pork stuffing wreath, made using only British prime pork cuts. Infused with this year’s signature flavour, this stuffing wreath contains notes of rich brown butter and spiced dark rum and has been hand-decorated with their Extra Special Pigs in Blankets.

Make your party extra special with Asda’s specialty cheeses. It is Christmas after all!

A classic cheeseboard is a must-have at any festive gathering. The Extra Special Cheeseboard (£12) is served on a proper slate board with a tasting card and a wine pairing suggestion from Asda’s wine expert for each of the cheeses. Four new cheeses; Vintage Cheddar, Leicester Gold, 16-month Iberico Reserva and a French Mon P’tit Creamy Brie, join last year's favourite; the Vintage Red Fox.

Bring some festive theatre with the Baking Cambozola with Cranberry Glaze. A first-to-market product, it combines a mild creamy blue cheese with a sweet cranberry glaze, made by a top award-winning glaze maker.

Recent stats have revealed cheddar is the UK’s favourite cheese, so customers are set to love the Extra Special Wyke Farms Vintage Cheddar Bake with Caramelised Onion Chutney (£12). Rich and indulgent and topped with a caramelised onion chutney, party hosts can keep this cheese hot and oozing at the table, as it comes with a stand and candle.

Adding a touch of sweet, the Extra Special Camembert & Cranberry Savoury Profiteroles (£5.50) are indulgently filled with a creamy camembert sauce, and topped with a cranberry, cheddar and parsely crumb for a sweet and crunchy finish.

Fill the freezer now!

Pick and mix all your favourites with Asda’s much-loved multibuy offer on frozen products. Fill the freezer, then the table, and let the party begin! Ending on 2 January 2024, shoppers can shop four products and get the cheapest item free of charge.. The offer includes seasonal favourites like Party Cheesy Stars (£2.50), Party Salt and Pepper Prawns (£2.50) and Party Sticky Chicken Skewers (£2.50).

As always – customers are advised to save some room for dessert. A crowd pleaser is the Tempting Trifle Gateau Bar (£3.50), with fluffy layers of sponge, a smooth cream mousse, strawberry sauce and a shower of coloured confetti sprinkles. Kids are set to love the Jingle the Reindeer Ice Cream (£2) – a chocolate and marshmallow ice cream, rippled with a chocolate sauce and topped with red sugar pearls.

www.asda.com

How to pair your Christmas wine and cheese like an expert with the help of the House of Townend

Most of us love indulging in wine over the festive period. Indeed, 20% of us are looking forward to a glass of red with our Christmas dinner, while 18.8% will be opting for a white (wine) Christmas. 

Ultimately, there’s no better partner for your favourite tipple than some gorgeous cheese. TikTok has seen an explosion in cheese-related videos, with the hashtag #cheeseboard garnering over 901 million views and the festive hashtag #christmascheeseboard receiving over eight million views. 

The hashtag #cheeseandwine has over 36 million views, highlighting how many of us are looking for great pairings to share with friends and family. But how to select the cheese that will pair perfectly with your selected wines? 

Susie Townend of fine wine merchant House of Townend, has some top tips for creating that perfect Christmas pairing to ensure your festivities go off without a hitch. 

Key findings 

    • 20% of us are looking forward to a glass of red wine with our Christmas dinner. 

    • 18.8% will be opting for white wine this Christmas. 

    • The hashtag #cheeseboard has over 901 million views on TikTok. 

    • The festive hashtag #christmascheeseboard has over 8 million views on TikTok. 

    • The hashtag #cheeseandwine has over 36 million views on TikTok. 

    • 35% of respondents to a 2023 survey claim Stilton is among their most-hated foods. 

    • Gorgonzola is aged for around three to six months to give it that distinctive tang. 

What to pair with Stilton? 

Many people turn their noses up at Stilton cheese because of its distinctive blue striations, with 35% of respondents to a 2023 survey claiming Stilton is amongst their most-hated foods. But this cheese is beautifully rich and mellow. One of the more pungent cheeses, Stilton does carry a strong smell but this only enhances the intensity of the flavour! 

Those blue veins are actually Penicillium mould spores. While this may sound off-putting initially, the mould itself – Penicillium roqueforti – is not harmful to humans and works to give the cheese its distinctive creamy taste. 

Gewürztraminer 2021, Dopff & Irion

This dry white wine is zesty and aromatic, with notes of lychee and grapefruit, as well as a lick of ginger and spice. 

Susie says: “Thanks to its round, soft palate, this well-balanced wine brings out the flavour of Stilton beautifully. The lychee flavours of the Gewürztraminer balances perfectly the saltiness of the Stilton for a truly stunning flavour profile.”  

Sauternes 2020, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Sichel

This French dessert wine is rich and indulgently sweet, balancing well with the tang provided by Stilton. 

“A Sauternes is often full-flavoured and stunningly sweet,” Susie comments. “You may be able to taste a fruity undertone with such wines often carrying mango or pineapple notes,  providing the perfect foil to the salty tang of your Stilton.” 

What to pair with Gorgonzola? 

Gorgonzola is another blue cheese, but one with a much creamier texture than Stilton. Its blue veins are much lighter and it has a much milder taste, too. It’s aged for around three to six months to give it that distinctive tang. 

Gorgonzola is available in two varieties: dolce and piccante. Dolce has a sweeter, creamier taste and is soft enough to eat with a spoon, while piccante Gorgonzola has a stronger taste, with clearer sections of blue striations. 

Chianti 2021, Duca di Saragnano, Barbanera

This wine is soft, fruity and smooth. Susie says: “Red wine pairs well with the bold flavour of Gorgonzola cheese, offering a delightful flavour combination.” 

Chiantis are often bright red in colour and carry a distinctive savoury flavour, endearing them to stronger flavours, such as piccante Gorgonzola. 

Verdicchio di Castelli dei Jesi 2022, Pontemagno

Susie also recommends a lighter, white wine to pair with Gorgonzola cheese: “The fruitiness of the elegant and crisp Verdicchio truly works to complement the salty taste of the Gorgonzola.” 

Although the Verdicchio has a delicate flavour, it is also rich with great character, making it the perfect partner to tangy blue cheese. 

What to pair with Brie? 

Brie is another gorgeously creamy cheese, with a buttery, smooth texture and a gorgeous   melt-in-the-mouth middle. There are many different varieties on the market, each with different levels of creaminess. An aged Brie will have a stronger, fuller flavour profile, while a young Brie has a milder taste. 

The rind of this particular cheese is also edible and carries a distinctive, tangy flavour that enhances the overall indulgent experience. Always make sure to check the rind for signs of cracks and mould – a quality Brie should have a creamy, white rind. 

Beaujolais Villages 2022, Domaine Pardon

Susie recommends pairing your Brie with a juicy Beaujolais: “Soft and ripe with an undertone of berries and bramble, this delicious red wine will offset the buttery profile of your Brie perfectly.” 

Some Beaujolais also carries flavours of violet and raspbery, making for an interesting flavour combination, especially if you’re indulging in the mushroom-like taste of the Brie rind. 

Chardonnay 2022 Les Argelieres 

This versatile white varietal encompasses a wide variety of flavours and finishes, but Susie recommends choosing a bottle that has undergone the ageing process with oak: “This process brings sweet notes of vanilla to the wine, helping to bring out the subtle creaminess of a younger Brie.” 

A Chardonnay is generally a full-bodied wine with buttery undertones that pair well with both younger and older Brie cheeses. The recognisable flavours of apple and citrus fruits can evolve into more exotic notes of papaya and pineapple! 

What to pair with goats cheese? 

Goats cheese is well-known for its distinctive smell – like Stilton, this particular cheese has a bit of a bad reputation. But when paired with the right wine, it can offer a fresh and exciting tasting experience! 

Although many goats cheeses are soft, you can find firmer varieties with different flavour profiles. Depending on how the cheese is produced and for how long it is aged, goats cheese can be tangy, mild and even quite sweet. 

Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Le Charme

A classic pairing for goats cheese, Sauvignon Blanc is crisp, bright and juicy. Susie explains: “This pairing works so well because the acidity and citrus flavour of the wine brings out the earthy, herbal taste of the goats cheese.” 

The aromatic notes of the Sauvignon Blanc balance out the rich, gamey flavour of the goats cheese, creating the perfect match. 

What to pair with Manchego? 

This fragrant Spanish cheese has an intense, creamy flavour profile. With hints of fruitiness and a nutty undertone, this hard cheese is sweet and immediately distinctive. 

If you prefer a stronger, full-bodied cheese with a distinctive aftertaste, try aged Manchego, whilst a 

semi-cured Manchego profiles a softer, milder flavour. A semi-cured Manchego has little ‘eyes’ running throughout its interior, providing a fuller, richer aftertaste. 

Muerza Rioja Crianza 2016, Bodegas Ugalde

This red wine delivers a rich, bold taste profile with a variety of potential flavours depending on its ageing process. Susie explains: “Younger versions of a Rioja will feature overtones of red berries, while those that have been left to age for longer will incorporate more vanilla and caramel tones.” 

This rich, tannin-high tipple will meet aged Manchego with bold, bright flavours while balancing out the milder taste of a younger Manchego cheese. 

Verdejo 2022, Oro de Castilla

This delicate white wine pairs beautifully with a lighter, younger Manchego cheese. With layers of elderflower and citrus fruits and a bright, fresh palate, this wine is both subtle and refreshing. 

However, Susie points out: “When aged for longer, this fruity wine takes on a richer flavour profile with nutty undertones,  making it the perfect partner for an older Manchego.” 

What to pair with Gruyère? 

Gruyère cheese carries a nutty, creamy flavour, ranging from mild, green undertones when young and a sharper zest once aged. Firm and yellow in colour, Gruyère hails from Switzerland and usually undergoes an extensive ageing process for six months or longer. 

Pinot Noir 2020, Scotchmans Hull, Geelong, Australia

This red wine is typically refreshing and complex. Susie comments: “A great Pinot Noir is compelling and beguiling, a symphony of flavours with notes of cherry and raspberry that will offset the nuttiness of a Gruyère. 

“When aged in French oak barrels, notes of spice and a hint of vanilla can also become apparent, further enhancing the creaminess of this firm cheese.” 

Kuki Riesling 2020. Marlborough, New Zealand

This white wine offers a more refreshing pairing, with a more natural flavour palette. Susie comments: “With a good Riesling, you can expect delicate fruit flavours, ranging from lime and apple to peach and apricot, perfectly balancing the rich nuttiness of your Gruyère.” 

What to pair with Wensleydale? 

Wensleydale cheese is pale in colour with a delicate, mild taste. Often crumbly and moist, this cheese is traditionally made with sheeps milk, enhancing its sweetness.  This particular cheese becomes firmer as it ages, while retaining its fresh, milky flavour. 

Viognier 2022, Los Coches, Argentina

Susie recommends pairing a glass of Viognier with your Wensleydale cheese for a mouthwatering combination: “With its smooth, rounded finish and perfumed ripe peach notes this rich and spicy white wine delivers a punch of flavour, enhancing the milder notes of Wensleydale cheese.” 

 

With Susie’s tips and an understanding of the flavour profiles of all your favourite cheeses, you’ll be the master of the cheeseboard this festive season. 

Whether your guests are looking for a mild Wensleydale or a bright, bold Stilton, you’ll be able to select the perfect wine pairing to tantalise their tastebuds. 

 That's Christmas would like to thank Susie Townend and her family business, www.houseoftownend.com

FACTFILE: House of Townend was established in 1906 in Yorkshire and has remained in the ownership of the same family for well over 100 years. For four generations, the business has built direct relationships with some of the world's best and finest wine producers. Its buying emphasis lies firmly with the smaller, quality-led, and often family-owned, wine estates and domaines that possess like-minded philosophies. 

Whilst the traditional wine producer is an important part of its portfolio, House of Townend works hard at being at the cutting-edge of the wine world, too. House of Townend seeks out the new star performers, ensuring it gets into the supply chain before the new suppliers become renowned and obtaining product becomes impossible. 

(Image courtesy of Image by Hansuan Fabregas and Pixabay)

Impress Your Christmas Guests: Dinner Designed for you by Masterchef Winner Steven Wallis

With the Christmas countdown well underway, why not impress your friends and family with a Christmas dinner designed by Masterchef winner Steven Wallis in partnership with recipe box company Chefs For Foodies. 

With all the ingredients you will need to create a standout centrepiece with all the trimmings, the Ultimate Turkey Christmas Dinner recipe kit is £139 for six people, which works out at only £23.16 per head.

With zero waste and an easy-to-follow and fun cook-a-long video presented by Steven, the kit includes quality ingredients sourced from British suppliers and family-run butchers including a turkey breast joint with rosemary and Parma ham and pigs in blankets. 

The delicious side dishes feature roast potatoes, sage and onion stuffing, maple roasted carrots with smoked salt, Brussel sprouts with lemon pangritata and, of course, delicious turkey gravy.

Masterchef winner and judge Steven Wallis commented: “There can be a lot of pressure on preparing the perfect Christmas dinner, but just imagine how easy and impressive it would be to have everything measured out and pre-prepared?

"With the recipe box I've created with Chefs For Foodies you're guaranteed to have a less stressful experience cooking the meal of the year, so you can spend more time entertaining your guests whilst wowing them with your skills at the same time.”

To ensure quality, fresh ingredients, the food boxes are delivered a few days before Christmas. Chefs For Foodies ensures minimum waste by supplying pre-portioned ingredients and recyclable packaging.

If turkey isn't your thing, don't despair, because Chefs For Foodies has some great alternative recipe boxes available, all of which are also designed by Steven. 

The Ultimate Festive Beef Wellington recipe kit is priced at £130 for four people. It includes a delectable chateaubriand fillet, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, braised red cabbage with cranberries, maple roasted carrots with smoked salt and rich beef gravy.

If you have any vegan guests, they're in for a treat too. The Portobello Mushroom Wellington recipe kit is £55 for two people and features a vegan alternative to the traditional Wellington, roast potatoes, butternut squash with vegan blue cheese and cranberries, Brussel sprouts with roasted grapes and pine nuts, plus, of course, lashings of delectable vegan gravy.

If you're looking for a delicious way to end your festive meal, or some great snacks and starters, Chefs Foodies also has you covered.

Priced at £35 and serving four to six people, the Festive Cheeseboard includes British Farmhouse Cheddar, Burts Blue Cheese, Brie de Meaux with salt and virgin olive oil crackers, as well as Tracklements caramelised onion chutney. You can also upgrade this box to include a beautiful bottle of 2019 Montepulciano D'Abruzzo.

Perfect for a pre or post Christmas soiree, the Indian Feast platter created by celebrity chef and James Martin show regular, Dipna Anand, is £68 and serves six. It features turkey malai tikka with cranberry sauce, lamb tikki pittas, onion, spinach and potato bhajis and prawn pakoras, all served with mint and mango chutney.

All of these recipe boxes are available to pre-order now and if ordering for Christmas Day, they will be delivered on December 22. You can also use the discount code Autumn10 to get 10% off for a limited time.

To place your order and to obtain your 10% discount please visit Chefs for Foodies at https://chefsforfoodies.com/pages/christmas

Feeding Christmas Nostalgia with Natural, Pasture-Fed Dairy from Hollis Mead

With Christmas just around the corner, who doesn't look forwards to those special nostalgic indulgences like cheese?

Hollis Mead is one of the only certified 100% Pasture Fed, organic dairies and creameries in the UK and produces a growing selection of award-winning soft cheeses.

Their organic Benville Brie and Truffled Benville Brie have both won 3 Stars in the Guild of Fine Food, Great Taste Awards in 2022 & 2023, an accolade given to less than 1% of the 14,000 entries each year. And their special edition Corscombe Camembert, also returns this Christmas and joins their Brie's to form the perfect Christmas triad of cheese!

Founded in 2020, the vision at Hollis Mead is to help people fall back in love with natural, organic, dairy. To do this they realised they need to demonstrate there is a different, healthier, and more natural way of consuming dairy which is in balance with nature.

They are developing a unique dairy brand which disrupts conventional dairy and the growth of plant-based, highly processed alternatives. Their cows eat 100% pasture from our organic farmland and live outside for most of the year until the weather makes this intolerable for their wellbeing. They only milk their cows once a day which means much less stress on the animal and (they believe), a much higher quality of life for them.

From their 100% pasture-fed, organic milk, they produce a glittering array of award winning, natural dairy products including cream, yoghurts, fine cheeses, butters, crème fraiche, cottage cheese and cultured kefir's as well as exclusive Christmas products like Brandy Cream and Brandy Crème Fraiche.

The Great British Cheese Hamper - £50

Treat your tastebuds to their award-winning Sustainable British Cheese Hamper. Hand made with fresh milk on the farm, using only traditional methods. Unique in quality and taste, because of their 100% pasture fed organic cows' milk.

The hamper contains their Benville, an award winning triple cream cheese (250g), their Truffled Benville, an award winning brie style cheese with wild truffles (250g), their Corscombe - a delicious camembert style cheese (250g) and their unique Cottage Cheese - a creamy, protein rich cottage cheese (300g).

The Hollis Mead Christmas Hamper - £60

Treat family and friends to their award-winning dairy products this Christmas! Made by hand with fresh milk on the farm, using traditional methods. Unique in quality and taste, because of their 100% pasture fed organic cows' milk.

The hamper contains their Benville, award winning triple cream cheese (250g),  their Truffled Benville – award winning brie style cheese infused with wild truffles (250g), their Corscombe Camembert, their popular camembert style cheese (250g), their Salted Butter, award winning and hand rolled brandy butter (200g), their special Christmas Brandy Crème Fraiche, made with their 100% pasture fed organic cow's milk with a splash of Brandy (300g), and their Brandy Cream, made using 100% pasture fed organic cow's milk with a hint of brandy (300g).

All Christmas products will be available from https://hollismead.com from mid-November 2023.

Photograph courtesy of Richard Budd Photography (https://www.richardbudd.co.uk).

Elevate Your Christmas With Luxury Cheese and Gift Hampers from the Cheshire Cheese Company

The Cheshire Cheese Company - the multi award-winning, premium cheese producer, has launched two new festive cheese truckles and multiple gift-worthy hampers, which can all be yours in time for Christmas.

And what could be more of a seasonal delight than cranberries and clementines? The zesty, sweet, punchy fruits have been expertly combined with Cheshire cheese to make any cheeseboard pop with flavour this Christmas.

Cranberry (Cheshire cheese with Cranberries – 200g truckle, £5.50) A twist on the iconic Christmas classic, you'll now be able to experience the perfect balance of tangy cranberries and the Cheshire Cheese Company's award-winning oh-so-very creamy Cheshire cheese. Enjoy with crackers, in sandwiches or include in graze boards for a true festive feast.

Clementine (Cheshire cheese with Orange, Cognac and Dried Fruit – 200g truckle, £5.50) Indulge in the exquisite combination of clementine, cognac and dried fruit, expertly blended with the Cheshire Cheese Company's renowned creamy Cheshire cheese. Zesty and smooth, devour as part of a cheeseboard course or any time you fancy a festive snack.

Cheshire Cheese Company's Christmas hampers are the perfect gift for the person in your life who has everything, as well as those you want to say a special thank you to. With options for all price points, ranging from £20 to £100, as well as various combinations of cheese, wine, port, chutney, biscuits and more, there really is something for everyone.

New for Christmas 2023, all hampers are available in brand new black and yellow Cheshire Cheese Company magnetic presentation gift boxes that exude quiet luxury and are delivered to an address of your choice.

Their festive favourites include:

• Cheeseboard for Two - Choose your favourite two flavours from their extensive and unique range of flavoured cheese truckles. Why not try their famous Black Bob Extra Mature Cheddar or Hunter - truffle and cracked black pepper cheddar? Plus, select a jar of chutney as well as a box of artisan cheese biscuits for the ultimate treat. [£19.95]

• Cheese Lovers Hamper - Perfect as a festive thank you gift, pick four award-winning premium cheeses as well as a jar of chutney and a box of crackers for the most lovely surprise someone could wish to receive under the tree this year. [£33.00]

• Duo of Cheese & Wine - Looking for a gift for your special someone? This set is romance in a box - complete with two full size cheese truckles in the bestselling Reserva - caramelised onion and Rioja cheddar, and Black Bob - extra mature cheddar, it comes in a wooden box with a 75cl bottle of Ribshack red wine and a box of caramelised onion crackers. Just add your favourite music and candles et voila! [£33.95]

• Decadent Christmas Cheese & Wine Hamper - The definition of festive luxury, this hamper comes complete with three waxed truckles, a box of caramelised onion cheese biscuits and a jar of caramelised onion chutney all produced by the Cheshire Cheese Company and packaged in its distinctive black and yellow magnetic gift box. Plus, add your preference of a bottle of red or white wine to complete this sumptuous gift. [£49.95]

• No.1 Selection -  They have added their six bestsellers to one gift set ready for you to treat someone this Christmas. Including Red Leicester and cheddar cheese truckles, this supreme selection includes Black Bob, Reserva, Masala, Shamrock, Jerk Spice and Smokewood. [£34.95]

Express delivery options and pre-orders are available. For further information, please go to cheshirecheesecompany.co.uk 

Sharpham Dairy's Christmas Cheeseboards will delight your Christmas guests

Sharpham Dairy has got the makings of the perfect Christmas cheeseboards for you!

The oozy crowd-pleaser - Sharpham Camembert - £6.50 / 280g

It's a moist, soft, creamy, surface-ripened cows' milk cheese, Camembert is made in individual rounds which makes it perfect for baking. When heated, Sharpham Camembert becomes yielding, oozing and is perfect for dipping.

Sharpham Camembert is a unique combination of traditional Normandy methods and singular South Devon terroir. It's inspired by the much-loved French classic, but it is very much its own cheese.

The talking point cheese - Sharpham Rushmore £5.50 / 230g

Known as 'the mistake cheese', Sharpham Rushmore was serendipitously created when their farmer accidentally poured goat's milk into the same tank as some cow's milk. Determined to avoid any waste of milk, the cheesemakers continued to craft cheese with the mixed milk to see how it would taste. Delighted with their creation, the cheese went on to win the hearts of guests at a food show, before becoming an instant hit.

Rushmore is rich and creamy with a subtle floral sweetness and a lingering finish.

The highly decorated famous cheese - Sharpham Cremet £14.85 / 480g

Cremet was awarded the heralded 3-stars in the Great Taste Awards, putting them in the top 2% of the largest and most trusted food and drink awards on the planet. Handcrafted from goat's milk and cow's double cream, judges said the cheese was 'exquisite' and 'extraordinary' in blind taste tests. 

With nothing else like it produced in the UK, Sharpham's Cremet has a subtle, fresh and creamy flavour, with a mousse like texture when young, deepening to a full, rich flavour with earthy undertones when ripe. 

The new accompaniment - Sharpham Dairy Scotch Bonnet Chilli Jam £4.50 / 230g

Introducing the new Sharpham Dairy Scotch Bonnet Chilli Jam to adds a welcome kick to warming wintery flavours.

Perfectly balanced, it packs a punch with heat and sweetness in one delicious package. It's the perfect accompaniment with Christmas gammon, cold cuts or the all-important festive cheeseboard.

Top Tips from the Big Cheese - Greg Parsons

Greg believes there's no right or wrong way to building the ultimate cheeseboard – it's all about preference. Here are top tips for making cheese selections over Christmas.

How to pair wine and cheese

It's a good rule of thumb to pair cheese and wines with equal intensity. Generally, creamy soft cheeses pair beautifully with sparkling wines. If you're going for a cheese with a delicate character, avoid overpowering it with a full bodied red wine.

As you venture into the realm of complex aged cheeses, look for bold or fortified wines to match them with. It's also true what they say, what grows together, goes together. For example, Sharpham Wine and Cheese are made along the River Dart and the terroir shapes products that pair exceptionally well together.  

How much cheese to serve?

If you plan to serve cheese as part of a meal, a typical recommendation is to provide 80g per person. However, over the Christmas period, guests may wish to savour the cheeseboard with drinks, so consider increasing the amount to 150g per person. 

What cheeses to go for?

Opting for a variety of textures and characters is a guaranteed way to please everyone. A classic choice includes a blue cheese, a soft cheese, a semi-hard cheese, a cheddar and a goat's cheese.

Sharpham Dairy has gathered up some of the most popular cheeses in the 'Essential Devon Cheese Board' - £30. Includes the Devon classics; Sharpham Brie, Sharpham Rustic, Sharpham Ticklemore Goat, Quicke's Mature Cheddar and Ticklemore Devon Blue.

Top pairings for the Christmas season

Greg says, “I love the delicate floral notes of our Sharpham Rushmore paired with a light-bodied, aromatic white such as a sauvignon blanc.

“Christmas is a time for popping open the bubbly, which I would pair with one of my favourites – our brie. A good brie is a Christmas cheeseboard essential. I'd also pair our Sharpham Brie with something with a little acidity like apple or plums.”

Final tips:

Once cheese has been cut into, it's best eaten within a couple of weeks. (That's Christmas notes that the life of our cheeses once open is often measured in days or even hours rather than weeks!)

Don't forget to take cheese out of the fridge an hour or two before serving to come up to room temperature.

Do chat to your cheesemonger - they're often a font of knowledge and eager to introduce you to new cheeses, offer tasters and help build the perfect cheeseboard.

To learn more or to buy cheeses and gift vouchers please visit https://sharphamcheese.co.uk.

7 Top Tips for a Festive European Cheeseboard Chef Raymond Blanc OBE Offers His Suggestions for Christmas

All over Europe and indeed beyond, a cheeseboard is a popular way to celebrate time together and the Christmas holiday period always presents plenty of time to dedicate an evening (or afternoon!) enjoying generous board of tasty European cheeses.

For Raymond Blanc OBE, who is the Chef Patron of the two Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, cheese is an integral part of any French celebration. 

Raymond is widely known for bringing his passion for French cuisine to the UK and delivering one of the finest dining experiences in the UK. Diners can also find the very best artisan cheeses on the restaurant cheeseboards.

Raymond says: “No French dinner is complete without cheese and obviously, without a doubt, a cheeseboard would have to be extra special at Christmas.

I would always choose a selection of soft, hard and blue cheeses from my home town and elsewhere, including a Brillat-Savarin, Mont d'Or, Comté (36 months), Bleu de Gex and a Tomme de Savoie.

Presentation is clearly very important and to add a touch of luxury to a festive cheeseboard, I would be sure to have an apricot, vanilla & Jura wine compote or a homemade apple orchard chutney and finally a large glass of pinot noir. Joyeux Noël!”

For those wanting to perfect their cheeseboard offering, below are some top tips.

1/ Before serving cheese, leave it outside the fridge for at least 90 minutes in order to release the full flavours, aromas and texture of the cheese.

2/ Make sure you use a board that won't harm the delicate flavours of the cheese - metal plates and trays are a big 'non'.

3/ Offer a diverse choice of cheeses that complement each other in terms of taste and texture. At a minimum, make sure you have at least one soft, hard and blue cheese but to really impress your guests five is the magic number. For something a little different you could also present a cheese board that brings together cheeses from a specific region - such as the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Such cheeses could include: a Tomme de Savoie - a semi-hard cheese, Reblochon - a soft washed-rind and smear-ripened cheese, Abondance – a hard cheese, Saint-Félicien – a bloomy rind soft cheese and Bleu d'Auvergne.

4/ Provide a knife for each cheese to avoid cross contamination of flavours and leave enough space between the cheeses to allow for guests to cut and remove their cheese easily.

5/ Place the cheeses from the mildest to the strongest in a clockwise direction; this helps people to taste in the best sensory order.

6/ Use your creativity and add a few decorative touches to your cheese platter: dried fruit, fresh fruit, fruit jellies, seeds, aromatic herbs, edible flowers, etc.

7/ Prepare festive labels with the name of each cheese so that your guests don't have to ask you.

Many cheeses are available through large supermarkets but if you want to get your hands on the true artisanal cheeses visit your local dairy, cheesemonger or search online.

Davidstow Cheese for your Christmas cheeseboard

Davidstow has been making Cheddar in the heart of Cornwall for the last 60 years. It is this expertise and skill, combined with milk produced by generations of local farmers, that creates the two subtle and intricate Cheddars, the perfect additions to your festive feasts.

Davidstow Cornish Crackler extra mature cheddar is matured for 19 months. The result is an intense yet pleasant sweet flavour with bursts of flavour due to the naturally occurring crunchy crystals that the cheese acquires with age.

Wine and food matching expert Fiona Beckett, partners this cheese with some ripe fruit or soft tannins red wine, the Quinto do Crasto, made from the same grapes as port, goes really well with mature cheddar like the Crackler.

Davidstow Cornish Classic mature cheddar is matured for 14 months and has a perfectly balanced rich, long-lasting, full and ‘nutty’ flavour with a creamy texture and pale glow. Fiona suggests trying an oaked Chardonnay with this rich mellow Cheddar For a great match.

Two Michelin starred Cornish chef, Nathan Outlaw, whose restaurant Nathan Outlaw in Rock, recently received its second Michelin star, has partnered with Davidstow to create a collection of recipes.

See all of his recipes at www.davidstowcheddar.co.uk.
RRP: £3.99. Available at Sainsbury’s and www.milkandmore.co.uk
Twitter: @Davidstowcheese

Sirana Gligora Paški Sir Cheese is an exceptionally fine tasting hard cheese from Croatia

It is a sheep's milk cheese and it is a very hard cheese with an absolutely genuinely mouthwatering flavour that could make a Christmas Angel weep for joy!

It is like the cheeses one recalls from a halcyon childhood of long ago, when cheeses had real, distinct flavours and you knew that the milk came from herds that were contented and well-looked after, and you also knew that the cheese was made by people who were proud of their heritage as artisan cheese makers and very careful about their craft produced specialist cheeses, who wanted their cheese to be enjoyed by true lovers of good cheeses.

For those of us who believed, as I have to admit that I did, that such things as cheeses with real tastes could only be found in memories of how we used to live long ago, Paški Sir Cheese has made me realise such real cheeses are still being made today.
It has been famous for many, many years in Croatia and to a handful of real cheese connoisseurs throughout the rest of Europe. Sirana Gligora Paški Sir Cheese is beginning to receive the International recognition that it truly and richly deserves!

As spokesman Simon Kerr said: "Indeed there was an awful lot of excitement during the final as we more than exceeded our expectations with our success!"
(Pictured is Ivan Gligora)

It is a must for any discerning cheeseboard.

You can buy Sirana Gligora Paški Sir Cheese at the following establishments

The Cheese Hamlet, Manchester

http://www.cheesehamlet.com/

Yellow Wedge Cheese, Twickenham

http://www.yellowwedge.com/

The Cheese Society, Lincoln

http://www.thecheesesociety.co.uk/

The International Cheese Centre, London

http://www.cheesecentres.co.uk/

Sawers Deli, Belfast

http://www.sawersbelfast.com/

The Lairds Larder, Carlisle

http://www.thelairdslarder.co.uk/

For more information you can visit the following sites:-

http://www.sirena.hr/en/dairy-gligora-s1.htm

and Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/paskisir?ref=ts

and Twitter too

http://twitter.com/#!/PaskiSir