Cheese library
IDIAZABAL
IDIAZABAL
Navarre, Unpasteurised Ewe’s Milk, Traditional Rennet
A lightly smoked cheese made from Latxa breed, indigenous to the mountainous regions around Navarre. Clothbound during the smoking process to give an extra intensity to the flavours and aromas. The pate has a clean, smooth texture with small eyelet holes scattered through the cheese. The fruity spicy flavours have a distinct creaminess and partner well with full-bodied red wines.
Allergens: contains EGG
More About Spanish Cheese
Spain was slow to develop a modern approach to agriculture, and unfortunately the Civil and World Wars intervened up until the 1950s. Following this, changes started to happen, albeit slowly until 1975 when a more open attitude to farming and cheesemaking communities became possible. Hardship may have existed but the farmers and cheesemakers have held onto their cheesemaking traditions to produce such a diverse range of cheese throughout the country. In Spain the biggest rainfalls happen twice a year and the summers are exceedingly hot causing droughts - these extremes are reflected in the styles and flavours of the cheeses in tune with their terrain.
The northern and western coastal regions and valleys have cows grazing with some mixed farming, while the hills and mountain areas concentrate on goats and sheep. The cheeses from the northern regions are of differing textures and styles, while the more dry, arid and mountainous areas of the west and Canary Islands tend toward goat's and ewe's milk cheeses with strong, spicy flavours. From PICOS DE EUROPA from León to Catalonian GARROTXA to MANCHEGO from La Mancha, discover Spain's diverse range of cheese.
ISLE OF MULL CHEDDAR
ISLE OF MULL CHEDDAR
TOBERMORY, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
The weather plays a big part in the taste of this cheddar. Exposed to the elements of the Atlantic, the salty briny flavours are very evident, as well as the mashed barley used in the whisky-making from the local distillery. The taste is powerful, bordering on fermented, with complex herbal flavours all coming into play.
More About United Kingdom
LANARK BLUE
LANARK BLUE
LANARKSHIRE, UNPASTEURISED, VEGETARIAN RENNET
Humphrey Errington’s powerful blue cheese is not for the faint hearted, but then not many cheeses would be a worthy partner to whisky. The sharp acidity & meaty vegetal flavours are truly Scottish in every way, & this cheese is best eaten right at the end of the meal as its flavours are quite overpowering.
More About United Kingdom
LANGRES
LANGRES
Champagne, Thermised Cow's Milk
Drum-shaped with a depressed, crater-like top (due to not turning the cheese during early affinage) with a soft, luminous, pale orange rind. Washed in Marc du Champagne, the interior pate is rich, moist, and spicy, and should be almost melting below the rind with a flaky centre. Match with a dry Champagne or a velvety smooth Gigondas.
200g
More About French Cheese
The story of LA FROMAGERIE begins with a wheel of BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE; 27 years later and with over 100 French cheeses in our library, France is still an excellent place to start exploring cheese. In France, more so than possibly anywhere else, the variety of terroir - that magical combination of local terrain, altitude, soil and climate - accounts for the great diversity of the cheese. Some French cheeses are only sold locally, and many have their own distinctive characteristics; for instance, some are wrapped in leaves, while others are thickly coated in herbs, or washed in brine or alcohol. The names of many cheeses tie them to and can indicate the village or particular hill or mountain where they are made. From the caves of Combalou to the Mountains of Savoie, learn about the connection between place and product as you explore our selection of cheese from this fantastic country.
LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER
LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER
LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER DOUBLE BARREL, ALTON, LINCOLNSHIRE, UNPASTEURISED COW’S MILK, TRADITIONAL RENNET
Based on a recipe Tyn Gryg a Welsh hard cheese made by Dougal Campbell, the chalky soil where the cattle graze gives the Poacher a distinctive savoury acidity, but with a richness from the Holstein breed milk which lends itself to French style Cantal cheeses. We prefer the 18 month cheeses for their structure & depth of flavours.
More About United Kingdom
LOU BREN
LOU BREN
AVEYRON, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
Natural washed burnt sienna/orange rind, with a smooth, somewhat sticky texture. The pate is delicate and fruity-tasting, with aromatic earthy aromas and a sharp burnt caramel aftertaste. The cheese is produced in very small quantities by artisan cheesemakers, using very traditional methods, varying markedly given the season – hence the rather rustic appearance of the cheese and the range of flavour throughout the year. Limited availability.
More About French Cheese
The story of LA FROMAGERIE begins with a wheel of BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE; 27 years later and with over 100 French cheeses in our library, France is still an excellent place to start exploring cheese. In France, more so than possibly anywhere else, the variety of terroir - that magical combination of local terrain, altitude, soil and climate - accounts for the great diversity of the cheese. Some French cheeses are only sold locally, and many have their own distinctive characteristics; for instance, some are wrapped in leaves, while others are thickly coated in herbs, or washed in brine or alcohol. The names of many cheeses tie them to and can indicate the village or particular hill or mountain where they are made. From the caves of Combalou to the Mountains of Savoie, learn about the connection between place and product as you explore our selection of cheese from this fantastic country.
LOU LARZAC
LOU LARZAC
AVEYRON, THERMISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
In the style of other sheep's milk cheese of the region: creamy, with a slightly running pate, and a supple, bloomy rind. Delicate, smooth and earthy when young, with the rind should just barely hold the cheese intact. With age it becomes firmer and more complex and takes on a much gamier flavour. At certain times throughout the year a faint smokiness can pervade. Perfect with the Grand Chemin or Vieux Parc wines of the region.
More About French Cheese
The story of LA FROMAGERIE begins with a wheel of BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE; 27 years later and with over 100 French cheeses in our library, France is still an excellent place to start exploring cheese. In France, more so than possibly anywhere else, the variety of terroir - that magical combination of local terrain, altitude, soil and climate - accounts for the great diversity of the cheese. Some French cheeses are only sold locally, and many have their own distinctive characteristics; for instance, some are wrapped in leaves, while others are thickly coated in herbs, or washed in brine or alcohol. The names of many cheeses tie them to and can indicate the village or particular hill or mountain where they are made. From the caves of Combalou to the Mountains of Savoie, learn about the connection between place and product as you explore our selection of cheese from this fantastic country.
LYBURN'S WINCHESTER
LYBURN'S WINCHESTER
HAMPSHIRE, PASTEURISED, VEGETARIAN RENNET
A farmhouse cheese made in the heart of the New Forest at Lyburn Farm. Taken from a herd of 160 pedigree cattle, the milk is transported only about 200 meters from the cows to the dairy where cheesemaking begins. The Smales family vowed in the beginning not to make a cheddar, but when popular demand called for a hard cheese, they came up with Winchester – a cross between a strong cheddar and a sweet classic gouda. Aged about nine months when we receive it, the taste is full and nutty with fine crystals and a slight gaminess that deepens the complexity. While still creamy on the palate, the pate is quite close-textured and firm. A lovely pairing cheese, as the balance between sweetness and earthiness allows for a wide range of styles of wine or beer.
More About United Kingdom
MAHÓN TIERNO 'LLUMENA'
MAHÓN TIERNO 'LLUMENA'
MENORCA, PASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
The cheese has a distinctive quality due to the salty humidity on the island. Traditionally stored and aged in underground caves, the farmers have, over centuries, become masterful at changing the humidity and temperatures so that the cheeses reach an ideal state. Rubbed in oil and paprika during the aging process, the interior pate takes on a tangy edge to the flavour, with a rounder, nuttier aroma. We like to pair our mature Mahón with walnuts, as the full, slightly bitter taste of the nut is balanced beautifully by the saltier notes of the cheese.
More About Spanish Cheese
Spain was slow to develop a modern approach to agriculture, and unfortunately the Civil and World Wars intervened up until the 1950s. Following this, changes started to happen, albeit slowly until 1975 when a more open attitude to farming and cheesemaking communities became possible. Hardship may have existed but the farmers and cheesemakers have held onto their cheesemaking traditions to produce such a diverse range of cheese throughout the country. In Spain the biggest rainfalls happen twice a year and the summers are exceedingly hot causing droughts - these extremes are reflected in the styles and flavours of the cheeses in tune with their terrain.
The northern and western coastal regions and valleys have cows grazing with some mixed farming, while the hills and mountain areas concentrate on goats and sheep. The cheeses from the northern regions are of differing textures and styles, while the more dry, arid and mountainous areas of the west and Canary Islands tend toward goat's and ewe's milk cheeses with strong, spicy flavours. From PICOS DE EUROPA from León to Catalonian GARROTXA to MANCHEGO from La Mancha, discover Spain's diverse range of cheese.
MARGALET
MARGALET
Rouergue, Pasteurised Ewe Milk
A soft, supple cheese in the style of Camembert. Delicate and mild, the white blooms on the rind round out the gentle arc of the flavour. Eaten fresh the taste is lactic and grassy, but with a little maturing depths of fruit and gamey sweetness emerge.
150g
More About French Cheese
The story of LA FROMAGERIE begins with a wheel of BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE; 27 years later and with over 100 French cheeses in our library, France is still an excellent place to start exploring cheese. In France, more so than possibly anywhere else, the variety of terroir - that magical combination of local terrain, altitude, soil and climate - accounts for the great diversity of the cheese. Some French cheeses are only sold locally, and many have their own distinctive characteristics; for instance, some are wrapped in leaves, while others are thickly coated in herbs, or washed in brine or alcohol. The names of many cheeses tie them to and can indicate the village or particular hill or mountain where they are made. From the caves of Combalou to the Mountains of Savoie, learn about the connection between place and product as you explore our selection of cheese from this fantastic country.
MIGNON MAROILLES
MIGNON MAROILLES
PAS-DE-CALAIS, PASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
A smaller version of the classic Maroilles, but with a smoother, thinner brine-washed rind. The soft butter texture is supple and chewy and tastes mellow and nutty, with an earthy farmyard style. The pungent aroma from the washed rind does not overpower the flavours, although if the cheese is too aged it can become rather strident, crossing the border into an overpowering medicinal quality (which some folks, it requires mentioning, do enjoy).
More About French Cheese
The story of LA FROMAGERIE begins with a wheel of BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE; 27 years later and with over 100 French cheeses in our library, France is still an excellent place to start exploring cheese. In France, more so than possibly anywhere else, the variety of terroir - that magical combination of local terrain, altitude, soil and climate - accounts for the great diversity of the cheese. Some French cheeses are only sold locally, and many have their own distinctive characteristics; for instance, some are wrapped in leaves, while others are thickly coated in herbs, or washed in brine or alcohol. The names of many cheeses tie them to and can indicate the village or particular hill or mountain where they are made. From the caves of Combalou to the Mountains of Savoie, learn about the connection between place and product as you explore our selection of cheese from this fantastic country.
MIMOLETTE EXTRA VIEILLE
MIMOLETTE EXTRA VIEILLE
Flandres, Pasteurised Cow's Milk
The French version of a classic Dutch cheese. Aged 24+ months, this hard brittle cheese has a bright orange coloured pâté & a dry, grey-brown pitted crust. Very aged cheeses have the appearance of a cannonball. The full rounded flavour of the cheese lends itself to quality dry red wines.
More About French Cheese
The story of LA FROMAGERIE begins with a wheel of BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE; 27 years later and with over 100 French cheeses in our library, France is still an excellent place to start exploring cheese. In France, more so than possibly anywhere else, the variety of terroir - that magical combination of local terrain, altitude, soil and climate - accounts for the great diversity of the cheese. Some French cheeses are only sold locally, and many have their own distinctive characteristics; for instance, some are wrapped in leaves, while others are thickly coated in herbs, or washed in brine or alcohol. The names of many cheeses tie them to and can indicate the village or particular hill or mountain where they are made. From the caves of Combalou to the Mountains of Savoie, learn about the connection between place and product as you explore our selection of cheese from this fantastic country.
MONTGOMERY'S CHEDDAR
MONTGOMERY'S CHEDDAR
North Cadbury, Somerset, Unpasteurised cow’s milk, Traditional rennet
Jamie Montgomery makes a superb unpasteurised farmhouse cheddar using Traditional Rennet, with immense skill, & the crumbly textured cheese melts in the mouth. The lovely grassy aromas offset the fruity mellow rich taste that lingers gently on the tongue. A very sophisticated traditional classic cheese.
More About United Kingdom
MORBIER
MORBIER
Franche-Comté/Haut Doubs, Unpasteurised Cow’s Milk, Traditional Rennet
Semi-hard smooth textured cheese with pale gold/beige washed brushed crust. The pale ivory pâté has a layer of blue/black edible ash & vegetable extract across its centre to separate the morning & evening milks used in the layers. Mild with a fresh milky nutty flavour when young, becoming richer & more pronounced with age.
More About French Cheese
The story of LA FROMAGERIE begins with a wheel of BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE; 27 years later and with over 100 French cheeses in our library, France is still an excellent place to start exploring cheese. In France, more so than possibly anywhere else, the variety of terroir - that magical combination of local terrain, altitude, soil and climate - accounts for the great diversity of the cheese. Some French cheeses are only sold locally, and many have their own distinctive characteristics; for instance, some are wrapped in leaves, while others are thickly coated in herbs, or washed in brine or alcohol. The names of many cheeses tie them to and can indicate the village or particular hill or mountain where they are made. From the caves of Combalou to the Mountains of Savoie, learn about the connection between place and product as you explore our selection of cheese from this fantastic country.
MOTHAIS Á LA FEUILLE
MOTHAIS Á LA FEUILLE
POITOU-CHARENTES, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
A thick white disc covered in a protective sycamore or vine leaf. Farmhouse made since the 19th century, the rind is wrinkled with a slight bloom, due to the high humidity in which it is initially matured. The pate is creamy and rich with a light aromatic earthy perfume. Upon further maturation the rind becomes drier and dots with blue and white moulds, and the taste, once subtle and lemony, becomes complex and more emphatic.
More About French Cheese
The story of LA FROMAGERIE begins with a wheel of BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE; 27 years later and with over 100 French cheeses in our library, France is still an excellent place to start exploring cheese. In France, more so than possibly anywhere else, the variety of terroir - that magical combination of local terrain, altitude, soil and climate - accounts for the great diversity of the cheese. Some French cheeses are only sold locally, and many have their own distinctive characteristics; for instance, some are wrapped in leaves, while others are thickly coated in herbs, or washed in brine or alcohol. The names of many cheeses tie them to and can indicate the village or particular hill or mountain where they are made. From the caves of Combalou to the Mountains of Savoie, learn about the connection between place and product as you explore our selection of cheese from this fantastic country.
MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA
MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA
CAMPANIA, PASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
The fresh delicate alabaster appearance of this cheese almost looks translucent. The milk from the White Water Buffalo has a mossy damp aroma and tastes light and savoury, with sweet hints. The area around Salerno is very marshy which is eminently suitable for these animals, and the taste of pure Buffalo Milk Mozzarella is quite unlike any other cheese bearing the name Mozzarella. We have sourced handmade cheeses from a small dairy near Sorrento using milk from their own herd. We have two deliveries each week.
More About Italian Cheese
stock and availability
The cheese library showcases many artisan cheeses stocked in our cheeserooms throughout the year. Some of these cheeses may be unavailable online but available to purchase from your local LA FROMAGERIE. Please contact marylebone@lafromagerie.co.uk for information on stock and availability
