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Post by housesparrow on Apr 21, 2009 6:51:40 GMT
imported ingredient floors "appellation" bidLeicester has failed in its bid to ensure that only cheese made within the county can bear the label "Red Leicester." It seems that cheese makers have fallen out over what receipe to use. Attempts to establish Leicestershire as the cheese capital of the nation are being thwarted by a tussle between rival cheesemakers, one of whom is using an imported ingredient. Extracts from the link above: Four years ago David and Jo Clarke started making a traditional version of Leicestershire cheese, branded as Sparkenhoe Leicester cheese. The couple were anxious to establish a new business at their dairy farm at Upton, south Leicestershire, and decided to bring back production of the traditional cheese to the county after an absence of half a century. The Clarkes’ flat, cloth-wrapped, traditional raw milk version, however, has fast established a reputation among connoisseurs and is sold in the best delicatessens and specialist shops. After its success, the largest dairy in Leicestershire, Long Clawson, one of the biggest Stilton producers in Britain, decided to develop its own traditional version. A third dairy, Quenby Hall, another specialist Stilton producer, also tested a version, though as yet there are no plans for production. Local interest in the comeback of a traditional Red Leicester was so enthusiastic that Matthew O’Callaghan, a county councillor and a champion of regional food production, was keen to secure special protected status. The status would bring prestige to the producers and would secure higher prices. Traditional Leicestershire cheese sells for about £18 per kg whereas standard supermarket Red Leicester costs from £7 to £8 per kg. The plan was to make the production of the traditional variety illegal outside the county. Approaches were made to the Government to back the case for branding Leicestershire cheese, the name by which it was known before the Second World War. The process, however, is in limbo. The Times has learnt that the dispute is over inclusion of a foreign ingredient in the official recipe — a starter culture that is commonly used in the production of Swiss cheese such as Gruyère but which is alien to traditional British cheese production. The heinous crime over use of this culture, according to purists, is that it artificially enhances flavour, making a cheese sweeter and nuttier. They suggest it is a move to drive higher bulk purchases by supermarkets. The Clarkes insist that there is no place for this ingredient and argue that the characteristic nuttiness of Leicestershire cheese is a natural outcome of the way it is made. It appears that the Long Clawson dairy insisted on the inclusion of the Swiss culture.
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Post by riotgrrl on Apr 21, 2009 8:38:44 GMT
I dunno about all this.
These 'local' delicacies that you hear about, specific to one very small part of the world . . .
Are they charming and different, or just a bit Royston Vasey, used to exclude superior products and protect inferior ones on the grounds of 'local culture' (or 'tradition'.)?
Cheese is just cheese at the end of the day surely . . . .
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2009 9:22:46 GMT
I dunno about all this. These 'local' delicacies that you hear about, specific to one very small part of the world . . . Are they charming and different, or just a bit Royston Vasey, used to exclude superior products and protect inferior ones on the grounds of 'local culture' (or 'tradition'.)? Cheese is just cheese at the end of the day surely . . . . //Cheese is just cheese at the end of the day surely // FFS I think you are being deliberately provocative . I thought you didn't even like cheese riot ?  Long Clawson should wind it's neck in . It is now a large operation with it's own speciality . |
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Post by motorist on Apr 21, 2009 9:25:23 GMT
BURN HER! BURN THE INFIDEL!!! Cheese is just cheese indeed |
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Post by riotgrrl on Apr 21, 2009 9:30:21 GMT
Oh no Farmer, I do like cheese. I eat quite a lot of cheese.
But I'm not going to pay twice the price for some cheese just because it has some vague local connection with a specific area.
I don't know how you sort out the reality (of unique, specialist cheese products) and just marketing hype about local traditions and methods.
I'm no foodie I suppose.
Is Red Leicester not a cheddar anyway? And cheddar is really just cheddar. More than any other kind of cheese, surely it's impossible to make a case for a cheddar to be somehow special?
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Post by Patrick on Apr 21, 2009 9:51:32 GMT
As I recall - Trubble thinks Cheese is Evil! So that's an interesting theory!
To regale one of my ancient monologues - I think Lancashire must have more cheeses than the rest of England - it'd be well and truly buggered if they ever started protectionist policies across the UK. Go up to our local cheese counter and ask for some (classic) Bavarian smoked and you'll be greeted by a "No Loove - we've got some Lancashire Smoked! Ask for Cheshire and you'll get Lancashire Crumbly - Ask for something with a bit of garlic and it won't be Frendh it'll be Lancashire with Garlic!
Lancahire Cheese - on size fits all!
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Post by motorist on Apr 21, 2009 9:52:36 GMT
As I recall - Trubble thinks Cheese is Evil! So that's an interesting theory! Horlicks as well. She is a strange lass ;D |
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Post by Patrick on Apr 21, 2009 9:55:18 GMT
But I'm not going to pay twice the price for some cheese just because it has some vague local connection with a specific area. Now I feel like that with "designer" products. Why should you pay more "just because it's got some up themselves tit's name on"? After all - most of the products brought out using these monikers are these days just put together by teams of designers and then just get the nod from the so called "big name". Half the time the quality can be just as questionable. |
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Post by motorist on Apr 21, 2009 9:56:58 GMT
But I'm not going to pay twice the price for some cheese just because it has some vague local connection with a specific area. Now I feel like that with "designer" products. Why should you pay more "just because it's got some up themselves tit's name on"? After all - most of the products brought out using these monikers are these days just put together by teams of designers and then just get the nod from the so called "big name". Half the time the quality can be just as questionable. I agree with both of you on this  |
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Post by Patrick on Apr 21, 2009 10:05:42 GMT
It saddens me that so many people pay so much extra for these things 'cos they've practically been brainwashed into it. Shallowness is sweeping the world! So you get folk who think the small car made by BMW in Oxford is a "Classic" - that sort of thing. Precision engineering has come such a long way in recent years that a BMW is an irrelevance, anyway.
Just had to get one car analogy in there eh!?
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Post by housesparrow on Apr 21, 2009 11:30:41 GMT
Patrick, you of little faith! There is as much difference between real thing and the mass produced supermarket stuff as there is between a good bottle of Chardonnay and the £3.99 version.
I've just popped down to the local deli where they happen to have the Clarke's Red Leicester. I had hoped they'd have a different sort for comparison but no - so I'll have to steel myself and buy some from Sainsbury to see if there really is a difference.
Though I tend to admit that where it is made shouldn't matter a fig.
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Post by Patrick on Apr 21, 2009 12:13:17 GMT
Patrick, you of little faith! There is as much difference between real thing and the mass produced supermarket stuff as there is between a good bottle of Chardonnay and the £3.99 version. I'm not so sure. There are quite a few celebrated wine experts who will state that you can happily spend under a fiver for a decent bottle of wine! I remember once falling in love with Mouton Cadet which in the eighties was sold at between £13 - 17 in restaurants and about £8 in the supermarkets. It was wonderful - not extraordinarily expensive of course but still more than the average. These days I see it's fallen out of favour and can be picked up for about £6 a bottle! Flavourwise though I've had £11 wine boxes that taste better than good quality champagne! With a lot of things hype has a lot to answer for. After all - I have heard that you can buy wine from Aldi costing £6 coming from vineyards where the very next field away they have grapes growing for wine costing three times as much - yet it's the same soil, same sunshine, same rain. Better also not to mention the recent discovery that many of the best vineyards have as their base discarded household waste that came about through some dodgy dealing and backhanders by politicians and their posh vineyard owning friends. |
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Post by housesparrow on Apr 21, 2009 13:12:19 GMT
Patrick, I really can't drink £5 wine any more, much as I kid myself that it is just as good as the £8-£10 bottle, especially white wine. The exception would be an £8 bottle reduced to £5/6, which is often delicious.
I've a cold at the moment so can't taste much at all but will try a blind tasting on Jack Sparrow when I have bought supermarket Red Leicester!
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Post by sesley on Apr 21, 2009 15:54:36 GMT
we love cheese, we get pieces when its been reduced especailly pieces we have never tried before,my favourite is stilton with a little glass of sherry when back from wrok and cooking the tea.Lilds often has loverly cheese and often for a bit less than other supermarkets,but i have to say the supermarket cheese counter is always explored looking for a delicious bargin.
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Post by housesparrow on Apr 21, 2009 16:34:34 GMT
Right! Experiment is now set up.
Plate A is the control: Tesco's caledonian cheddar which I happened to have in the fridge. (price unknown)
Plate B: Clarke's - which they claim is the real McCoy at £11.90 (ish) from the specialist cheese shop down the road.
Plate C : Sainsbury's Belton Farm "award winning"Red Leicester at £10. 32
Plate D: Sainsbury's basic Red Leicester at £5.48 per kilo.
There is a clear difference in flavour between plates A, B and C. And yes, plate B is not so sweet, and has a distinctive slightly sour flavour. I also like the Belton farm stuff but suspect it has that imported culture Clarkes are sniffy about. And the cheddar tastes like okay cheddar.
Plate D was a mistake because it tastes of nothing at all. So if anyone has any ideas for what to do with unwanted cheese please let me know. Though the dog is looking hopeful.
Jack isn't home yet and I will report back with his verdict.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2009 16:39:32 GMT
Plate A will be about £7.80 kg : ) (I am guessing ! )
I hope all cheeses were tested having been removed from the fridge several hours ago ?
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Post by riotgrrl on Apr 21, 2009 16:39:32 GMT
Do it fair now, and don't give him any clues.
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Post by trubble on Apr 21, 2009 16:47:02 GMT
Right! Experiment is now set up. Plate A is the control: Tesco's caledonian cheddar which I happened to have in the fridge. (price unknown) Plate B: Clarke's - which they claim is the real McCoy at £11.90 (ish) from the specialist cheese shop down the road. Plate C : Sainsbury's Belton Farm "award winning"Red Leicester at £10. 32 Plate D: Sainsbury's basic Red Leicester at £5.48 per kilo. There is a clear difference in flavour between plates A, B and C. And yes, plate B is not so sweet, and has a distinctive slightly sour flavour. I also like the Belton farm stuff but suspect it has that imported culture Clarkes are sniffy about. And the cheddar tastes like okay cheddar. Plate D was a mistake because it tastes of nothing at all. So if anyone has any ideas for what to do with unwanted cheese please let me know. Though the dog is looking hopeful. Jack isn't home yet and I will report back with his verdict. Excellent. Now we all sit back and wait for Jack to get home.   This is so exciting that I am adding a cheese smiley. |
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Post by housesparrow on Apr 21, 2009 17:00:33 GMT
The cheeses were out of the fridge (or shopping bag ) for only about two hours, apart from the Clarkes bought earlier today.
Jack (grumbling) tasted with his eyes closed and immediately recognised the "basic" (plate D) as a "cheap plastic" cheese, and the cheddar as cheddar.
He said there wasn't a lot of difference between the others but Plate C (the Sainsbury Belton Farm) came out as his favourite after two tries. Given that he always grumbles if I buy cheese anywhere other than the little cheese shop (owner is a French cheese judge) he remained remarkably good humoured when I told him he had picked the supermarket special as the winner.
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Post by Patrick on Apr 21, 2009 17:41:05 GMT
Talking of variety of taste though - I plucked my pre-wrapped lump of mature Golden cheddar from the top of the market cheese stall's counter yesterday and had a bit hacked off of it to pare down the price a bit. I think someone has slipped a bit of Extra mature in there, 'cos unlike the strong but smooth flavour of the usual this one is knocking me socks off!
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