October 2017 Meeting

In October, the Wine Club welcomed cheese judge Jenny Deeprose, Redhill-based, and member of the Guilde des Fromagers (since 1993). Jenny had previously led a cheese tasting for the club in 2014. 18 members enjoyed a selection of named cheeses, accompanied by BYO wines.

Jenny provided a very interesting history of cheese, and threw in a little chemistry. The three ingredients are milk, rennet (from calves' stomach) and salt. We also discussed the benefits of eating cheese (in moderation), eg calcium.

Jenny emphasised the benefits of buying “named” cheeses, where you know who made the cheese and where it's from. The cheese will be of a higher, reliable quality, and provides recognition to the maker for a hand-crafted product. We went on to taste:

• Lincolnshire Poacher (hard cheese from raw cow's milk) 
• Camembert from Isigny St Mère (full fat soft cheese, with micro-filtered milk) 
• Cornish Yarg from Lynher Dairies (from cow's milk, covered with nettles by hand) 
• A cave aged goat's cheese, Wookey Hole from Ford Farm – Dorset 
• Double Goucester from Belton Farm * 
• Rosary soft Goats’ cheese from Salisbury * 
• Chaource by the Lincet family from Champagne/Ardenne region (soft cheese made from unpasteurised cow's milk) 
• Cropwell Bishop Blue Stilton (Duchy organic)* 
• Montagnolo Affine (soft blue cow’s milk cheese from Germany)* 

(* indicates gold medal winner)

Next month, we will be meeting on 7th November for a wine-tasting led by Max Conrad, plus the AGM.