It’ll come as no surprise when I tell you that for me, Christmas is mostly about the food. It’s also about family. We get together, batten down the hatches and eat.
My parents split up when I was 18 and since that time, we’ve alternated between them. With Dave’s parents in the mix, it soon became a bit turkey heavy. So, for the last few years, my mum has been doing something different. Still festive but NOT turkey. We’ve cycled through everything from steak and chips to goose and even ham egg and chips. This year, we’re going all out with a massive buffet. A massive, luxurious, all out buffet. We’ll be snaffling homemade sausage rolls, ham, beef, pickled onions, pigs in blankets and who knows what else. To say I’m excited in an understatement.
One of my jobs is to sort the cheese board. And I’m feeling pretty smug because I’ve already got that one covered thanks to Discover Delicious – an online marketplace where independent Welsh food and drink producers and experience providers can sell directly to consumers, nationwide. The website connects food lovers with small Welsh producers allowing them to buy as much or little as they like, with everything getting delivered directly to their door! Yay!
Back to the cheese…
The cheeses come from all over Wales. I’m impressed by the variety – from blue to creamy goats cheese, smoky cheddar and even a brie! The Welsh Cheese Company stocks 60 different cheeses, made by 15 producers from all over Wales.
Here‘s what’s included in their medium cheeseboard selection:
- Black Bomber Cheddar – A multi-award winning classic which you may well have seen before. The Snowdonia Cheese Company’s flagship cheese marries a rich and tangy Cheddar flavour with a smoothcreaminess that lingers on the palate.
- Cenarth Brie – This traditional French style Brie from Caws Cenarth has a distinctive and well-rounded mushroomy flavour which grows with age.
- Mon Las – An intensely rich and creamy blue cheese made by Caws Rhyd y Delyn on Anglesey. This delightfully creamy and salty cheese is produced by following a Welsh take on a Gorgonzola recipe.
- Y Fenni – Made from Cheddar spiked with beer and wholegrain mustard, this cheese from Abergavenny Fine Foods really packs a punch. I cannot wait to try this one!
- Golden Cenarth – A soft, rind-washed cheese with a string of awards to its name, including Supreme Champion at the British Cheese Awards 2010 and Best British Semi-Soft Cheese in 2016.
- Pant ys Gawn – This beautifully fresh, creamy goats’ cheese was developed by Tony Craske, owner of Abergavenny Fine Foods, and takes its name from his farm.
I also chose some Welsh crackers to go with the cheese. These are made by Cradoc’s Savoury Biscuits and because you can’t have enough cheese at Christmas, I opted for their Leek and Caerphilly variety. Cannot wait to try them!
Shop small this Christmas
I’m planning to support small, independent and family run businesses this Christmas (and all year round). If you are too, using the Discover Delicious website is a good way to do this. They have everything from foodie gifts to experiences and of course food and drink too. You are sure to pick up something lovely for the food lover in your life.
*Discover Delicious gave me a small budget to choose something I liked from their website. I chose the cheese and crackers and all opinions are my own*
