food discovery

[Fab Foodie]

I find this really fascinating - terroir in cheesemaking. It's a bit like lambic brewing where they leave the wort open overnight and subsequent fermentation is by whatever bugs happen to drop in...

During stilton manufacture, vats are open with a large surface area and as you can see in the film there is a lot of exposure to the air during manufacturing. The microbial cultures added will dominate the various fermentations and salt level and acidity will select for certain other microbial flora. Certainly it's beleieved that the resident flora in any given factory plays a role in subtle flavour developments etc. It's not just true of Stilton, it's true of any cheesemaker, particularly the smaller ones, hence chedder can taste like sparkling wine at one end of the scale to marmite at the other.

 

[carolonabike]

In Sardina a few years ago I was prevailed upon to try some Casu marzu. Once I got over how it was made, it was actually rather splendid. Not for the faint hearted though.

I've just looked that up on Wikipedia and now I wish I hadn't

 

[postman]

Stilton is incredible, especially with biscuits and a glass of red, preferably with cycling on the TV.

You Sir have style and quality running right through you.

 

[smutchin]

Absolutely. No more talk of Oysters on this food conniseurs thread ....

Philistine.

 

[smutchin]

And escargot, which is the very visible personification of dog snot, it has the texture of a punture repair patch and tastes similar.

Snails only taste of what you add to them. Why do you think the French smother them in garlic?

They're an inferior category of edible snot compared to oysters, the best examples of which have a distinctly creamy rather than slimy texture, and should be savoured slowly rather than swallowed as quickly as possible.

 

[TheDoctor]

ALL cheese is vile and should be banned, vile disgusting s***e only mayonnaise is considered by me to be worse than cheese.

BURN THE HERETIC!!!!
And, while we're at it, white stilton with stuff in it is an abomination, and all those who practice this dark art should be nuked from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
Mayo is a bit wrong though, except in potato salad. Or on Vlaamse Frieten.

 

[coffeejo]

to pretty much all the food mentioned on this thread thus far ... apart from marzipan

 

[Fab Foodie]

Philistine.

And proud!

 

[Fab Foodie]

[QUOTE 2444126, member: 259"]Marzipan is pretty much the only food I can't stand either. It's crap. [/quote]
The then proto-Mrs FF worked at Renshaws Marzipan factory in Mitcham at the time of our wedding. Day before the staff made her a giant Marzipan phallus and placed it upright on her desk for when she returned from lunch. It vwas such a hot day it kept wilting and the secretary had to use all her skills to keep it erect ....

 

[Fnaar]

it's what's known as a hot mess.

I once woke up with... oh, never mind

 

[pauldavid]

Mmmmmm, Stilton; I've now got a craving for a chunk of Stilton on a biscuit. I quite like that cheese with a soft gooy centre. Is that brie? Whatever it's called I think it's nice.

What biscuit do you use, I've got some chocolate hobnobs in, will they do?

 

[Fnaar]

I quite like that cheese with a soft gooy centre. Is that brie? Whatever it's called I think it's nice.

That'll be Dairylea

 

[fatblokish]

Haloumi became a favourite when I first visited Cyprus in my mid-thirties. Gently fried, tis like the yummiest meat and delicious with salads.

 

[Durian]

Haloumi became a favourite when I first visited Cyprus in my mid-thirties. Gently fried, tis like the yummiest meat and delicious with salads.

I was addicted to the stuff when I was living in Cyprus. My favourite was halloumi in pita bread with honey drizzled over it.

 

[goo_mason]

the whole point of cheese is its rotting milk, stilton is just more rotten than some others

St Agur is also a personal favourite

Definitely agree with you there - St Augur and Castello Blue are very more-ish!!

Tell you what else is nice and I've just found - Lidl's Bavarian Blue. Goes all gooey when left out of the fridge for an hour .