ALL YOU’LL WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

At Wyke, a cheeseboard is something we enjoy all year round, but there’s no doubt it really comes into its own at Christmas. When we’re gathered with family and friends for feasting, there’s time and appetite to include the traditional cheese course – and to hear the familiar question of “why don’t we do this more often?” Equally, between those big celebration meals, it’s the perfect way to enjoy a light supper or lunch, perhaps with a few leftovers.  

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When it comes to putting together a proper cheeseboard, naturally Cheddar takes the lead – but even we here at Wyke can see the appeal of adding in a variety of cheeses that offer different flavours and textures. There are so many outstanding examples to be found up and down the length of the UK, from the strictly traditional to the more modern takes on both hard and soft cheeses, but we’ve chosen to team up with one of our favourite fellow producers, Clawson Farms.

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Based in Melton Mowbray in the heart of Leicestershire, Clawson is an artisanal dairy with a wealth of history to match our own. One of just five dairies in the world that can make true blue Stilton (which qualifies for the Protected Destination of Origin status), their fame rests on their rich heritage but they’re certainly not ones to stand still, making innovative new takes on blue and other great English cheeses, and winning plenty of awards along the way. 

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Putting together that ultimate Christmas cheeseboard means offering a range of flavours for all tastes and ages. To start, look no further than our Wyke Vintage Cheddar and Red Leicester. There’s no better way to savour the complex balance of flavours and texture in our Vintage than in its naked state, and the contrast with our Red Leicester’s nutty sweetness makes for the perfect match. Longer maturation periods – up to 15 months in the case of the Vintage – build that harmonisation between sharp and creaminess that elevates a good cheese to a great one.

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To sit with these, we choose a PDO Blue Stilton from Clawson Farms. Like Christmas pudding or vintage Cheddar, Stilton is one of the great English tastes, one we often first encounter at this time of year. This hand-turned artisan award-winner is the absolute best: creamy and crumbly with those deliciously tangy threads of blue in perfect balance. 

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Alongside it, we recommend two more of Clawson Farms’ great range of cheeses, each adding something special to the board. One is their Shropshire Blue: milder than a Stilton in a way that lets the creaminess dominate over the more intense flavours, it’s perfectly described by its makers as “fudgy, melting and a touch tangy”. The other is Crimson, a different texture again, based on the crumbly Wensleydale. Rich and mouth watering, this is made even more delicious by freckles of juicy cranberry, which bring out taste and texture in every mouthful – and feel particularly Christmassy, too.

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Our final cheese is another innovation: a Somerset brie. Although our friends across the Channel probably haven’t got used to it yet, we’re very partial to the creamy mildness of this take on the French classic, made with the outstanding milk from our special part of the world. It sits beautifully with the stronger flavours on the rest of our cheeseboard and ensures there’s a proper balance and something for all tastes.

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Of course, there’s more to a cheeseboard than cheese. There’s bread and crackers to accompany – we recommend sliced baguette, sourdough crackers and Carr’s Water Biscuits as the essentials. We’d also bring in an onion chutney or some traditional piccalilli, stalks of celery and olives, and always add in some nuts – especially at Christmas, when there are usually some walnuts and hazelnuts around to add crunch and earthiness. The rest is up to you, but the secret is in a range of sweet and sour, with apples and pears adding a juicy tang and sweeter fruits such as figs or even a dribble of honey bringing some real contrast. 

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For more suggestions on additions and complements, you can have a look at our recipes section here [https://www.wykefarms.com/recipes/festive-night-in-grazing-board]. Just add a full-bodied red wine or a port, dig in, and remember that cheeseboards aren’t just for Christmas.

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To find your nearest Clawson Farms stockist, have a look here [https://www.clawsonfarms.co.uk/stockists/].

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