Cheese library
SAINTE-MAURE DE TOURAINE
SAINTE-MAURE DE TOURAINE
Touraine, Indre et Loire, Unpasteurised Goat’s Milk, Traditional Rennet
Log shaped crumbly textured cheese with straw impaled for ease of handling. Fine close textured with a mild but rich flavour. The cheese is coated in an edible ash which draws out the sharpness of the milk & helps create a lovely mineral acidity.
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.
SAKURA BRIQUE
SAKURA BRIQUE
Poitou, Unpasteurised Goat’s Milk, Traditional Rennet
Sold as individual unit.
Sakura showcases sweet, almond notes from the cherry blossom leaf, used prominently in Japanese cuisine, as well as a delicate balance of distinctive flavours from the goat's milk. A truly elegant cheese.
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SÃO JORGE
SÃO JORGE
Azores, Unpasteurised Cow's Milk
One of the rare cow's milk cheeses of Portugal, from the beautiful island of São Jorge in the Atlantic archipelago of the Azores. On the island there is constant eighty-percent humidity, a volcanic soil composition, and a temperature between 12º and 25º C that is perfect for agriculture. The cheese has a lovely sharp nuttiness, redolent of cheddar, with a simmering undertone of the farm that extends the depth of flavour, and lends a persistent finish.
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SARIETTE DE BANON
SARIETTE DE BANON
PROVENCE, THERMISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
‘Cigarillos’ of small, fresh log-shaped cheeses on a flat wooden base. Topped with a sprig of fresh Sariette (Summer Savoury), the cheese can be eaten rindless and fresh or slightly matured. Young cheeses are bosky and lemony, however once the rind begins to develop the taste becomes tangy, and fruitier, with an almost medicinal edge. Best season is April through September.
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.
SCIMUDIN
SCIMUDIN
LOMBARDY, UNPASTEURISED COW'S MILK, TRADITIONAL RENNET
Delicate cow’s milk cheese in the style of Brie. The bloomy white rind houses a deliciously silky, smooth pate with a light nutty taste and a gentle mushroom aroma. Perfect as part of a cheeseboard selection from Northern Italy – with Asiago, Montasio, Robiola, and Gorgonzola – or on its own melted over Polenta.
More About Italian Cheese
SEIRASS FRESCA
SEIRASS FRESCA
PIEDMONT, PASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
A very fresh light-textured sheep's milk ricotta in a muslin sack. Its light frothy texture and gentle sweet nutty taste is ideal with fresh fruit or used as a filling for cheesecake. For savoury dishes it works wonderfully mixed with spring nettles or spinach as a stuffing for Cannelloni. Also lovely served cold with a sweetly earthy Moscato d'Asti.
More About Italian Cheese
SELLES SUR CHER
SELLES SUR CHER
LOIRE, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
A small, close-textured disc coated in a dusting of charcoal ash, encouraging grey-blue moulds to form as it matures. The taste is similar to other cheeses of the region (notably the Sainte-Maure de Touraine, which is produced for us by the same cheesemaker), with floral notes that deepen into earthiness. The texture on the palate is silky, almost melting, with a persistent flavour that continues to develop long after the initial taste.
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.
SERRA DA ESTRELA
SERRA DA ESTRELA
BEIRA, UNPASTEURISED, VEGETARIAN RENNET
An artisan-made mountain cheese coagulated with rennet extracted from the Cardoon plant (a wild thistle). This is not such a strange idea as the animals are grazing on pastures studded with wild herbs and flowers. The milk will separate into solid curds after about twenty minutes of exposure to the rennet, enough time for the plant to imbue its flavours – sharp, tangy, floral overtones give a delightful contrast to the smoothness of the curds. The rind is smooth and rubbed in oil before being wrapped in muslin to protect it from cracking, a practice we continue in our maturing rooms. Eaten in its younger stages with a spoon, after removing the upper rind, this mature version, though melting on the palate, can be sliced, and is markedly sharper and zestier.
More About Portuguese Cheese
SINODUN HILL
SINODUN HILL
Wales, Pasteurised Goat’s Milk, Vegetarian Rennet
Made by Fraser Norton & Rachel Yarrow from their own herd of pedigree Anglo Nubian goats & additional milk from another local herd. In the shape of a truncated pyramid with a nutty geotrichum rind. The pate has a mellow tangy flavour, with faint citrus notes. Aged for 21 days at the farm, we like to age it a further week in our fridges, tightening the rind & adding deeper complexity to the flavours.
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SMOKED MONTGOMERY'S CHEDDAR
SMOKED MONTGOMERY'S CHEDDAR
North Cadbury, Somerset, Pasteurised Cow Milk
Smoked for six hours at the Brown & Forrest Smokery in one of their oak-smoking rooms, the result is an intensely smoky cheese. The rind takes on a rich sienna hue and the pate – which is inherently a light gold – deepens in tone. Best probably on its own, as the smokiness will overshadow other cheeses on a board, it pairs nicely with dark beers.
300g
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SORMLANDS ADEL
SORMLANDS ADEL
JURSS DAIRY, SORMLANDS, SWEDEN.
Pasteurised Organic Cow's Milk. Traditional Rennet
This is a small scale dairy making a blue cheese along the lines of a Bleu d’Auvergne. The milk comes from two local farms – 5-6km from the dairy - with a third making up the quantity if there is a shortage of milk. The cows graze on pasture in the summer and in winter they go inside into large airy barns where they can freely walk around. On first tasting there is a lovely richness to the cheese with a defined blue ‘bite’ that opens into a sweetly nutty finish. The clean fresh taste is a lovely contrast, and alongside the Wrangebacksost hard cheese from Thomas Berglund will make a great pairing to showcase cheeses from this part of the Scandinavia Peninsula.
SOUMAINTRAIN
SOUMAINTRAIN
BROCHON, BURGUNDY, THERMISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
Soft Camembert size cheese lightly washed with salt/water brine developing scatterings of white bloomy moulds as it ripens. The taste is rich, mellow & fruity like clotted crème fraiche. A ripening period of around 21 days is required during which the cheese is brine washed every 2-3 days.
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.
SPENWOOD
SPENWOOD
Berkshire, Pasteurised Ewe’s Milk, Vegetarian Rennet
Made by Ann and Andy Wigmore in their small Berkshire cheesemaking facility. This is a lighter style 'pecorino' with a clean sweet taste highlighted by fresh young hazelnuts. A perfect cheese for dry white wines or even dry unoaked Chardonnay styles, which could also work so well with Champagne too. This natural rind cheese has been brined rather than dry salted, then pressed to give a supple smoother texture. A great crowd pleaser for everyone in to enjoy.
More About United Kingdom
ST JUDE
ST JUDE
Suffolk, Unpasteurised cow's milk, Traditional rennet
The milk is slowly & gently turned into curds with little intervention – simply lifting the curds & ladling into moulds, turning daily until ready for sale. The flavours of the pasture are intact giving the cheese an earthy richness becoming more evident as it ages.
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STICHELTON
STICHELTON
WELLBECK ESTATE, NOTTINGHAM, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET
Joe Schneider is making his version of a very regional blue using milk from the estate and using very small quantities of starter and rennet. The slower process of hand-ladling the milk and the gentle maturation of two to three months before piercing instills the cheese with enormous complexity. It has a rich, dense and creamy paste and a delicately spiced blue, rather than an attack. Throughout the year the flavours can range from the sweet and vegetal to intensely meaty, with aromas like bacon fat. Tasting alongside the Colston Bassett Stilton you recognize this cheese has its own individual character and is not a Stilton, but a true original.
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STINKING BISHOP
STINKING BISHOP
DYMOCK, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, PASTEURISED, VEGETARIAN RENNET
Encircled with a lath of beechwood, this soft melting cheese is washed in a perry from a variety of pear called Stinking Bishop (hence the name). Four decades ago Charles Martell, the cheesemaker, revitalised the Old Gloucester breed of cow (which was critically endangered) by beginning production of this cheese, and it has become one of the most identifiable British cheeses. Compared with an Epoisses or Vacherin Mont d'Or, the flavour is less strong than the nose, which – with proper maturing – can become quite pungent. A real original.
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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
