“Great Brexpectations”

We may have exited stage right from the EU but that is no reason to cut off our noses and toss back across the Channel the Olympiads of the cheese world, as their history can be traced back four, 40 or even 4,000 years – way beyond the recent political squabbles and, like wine, art or medicine, they are sans frontiers. It’s not that we shouldn’t wholeheartedly support our spectacular, star quality artisan cheeses, but realistically we don’t have the geography, geology, diversity of breeds or complex micro-climates that produce these masterpieces. Any more than Europe can copy our champions. For every cheese is unique, wherever it’s made. It is a reflection of its environment and further influenced by the culinary history, the vagaries of Mother Nature and the palate and passion of the individual cheesemaker. So, despite efforts to emulate the masters, no one can recreate the unique conditions that go to making these iconic cheeses.

The first time I really appreciated this was when I was invited to see how Queso de La Serena, a voluptuous, almost liquid cheese was made. This involved travelling through Extremadura, a journey back in time, crossing mile after mile of arid, stony fields, passing small, ancient villages and the occasional herd of hardy Merino sheep grazing on scrubby oaks, wild herbs and parched grasses. Yet these meagre pastures produce some of the sweetest, richest milk in the world and, with a few pistils from the wild thistle, cardoon to coagulate the milk, this great cheese is born. Slice off the top, breathe deeply and scoop out the inside – a true taste of heaven.

Behind every great traditional cheese is a similar story. Parmigiano Reggiano can trace its history back to the 1300s, and its texture and distinct aroma of fresh pineapple is something no doppelganger could achieve. The hard mountain cheeses of Italy, France and Switzerland attribute their unforgettable flavour to the myriad of wildflowers and grasses in the ancient mountain pastures.

Ned Palmer, author of the hugely successful Cheesemongers History of the British Isles says, “One should stock international cheeses because cheese crosses borders. For thousands of years cheese-making cultures have shared their practices with each other and become enriched by that sharing. Also, given that there are more than 1,500 named cheeses in the world, it would be a shame to limit our cheese-loving customers to only those from one country.”

So, whatever you think about Brexit and no matter how many glorious, modern and traditional local cheeses you stock – there are now over 800 – it’s hard to image a cheese shop without at least some of the great classics. It would be like not having European wines in Britain! This is something wine lovers have long recognised but the cheese world has been much slower to realise; that ‘terroir’ applies to cheese, perhaps even more so, than wine. Each also has a unique place in the culinary world. Imagine pasta without Parmesan, caprese salad without Mozzarella di Buffalo or chevre salad without Crottin. No doubt there are similar cheeses amongst our British, Welsh or Scottish cheese but they are not the same, just as aged Gouda or Gruyère can never replace artisan Cheddar or Gorgonzola replace Stilton!

Now we are independent of Europe maybe there will be an even playing field when it comes to the price of European versus home-grown cheese. Did I mention how much I miss having them at my doorstep?