British Cheese Week

I can't keep up with all the national and international "Days" and "Weeks". On any given day it seems we are supposed to be aware of three diseases, two other worthy causes and a handful of professions, local foodstuffs and indigenous trees. It's too much, so they usually pass in a blur for me. But just today I discovered that it is British Cheese Week. As cheese is something I hold very dear to my heart (well, all my arteries really. And my thighs), I thought I really had to mark the week appropriately.

I happened on the British Cheese Board website while looking for a savoury muffin recipe. I decided that this recipe for cheese & sweetcorn muffins was just the thing. Although I did use fresh corn kernels, rather than frozen. And I replaced 80g of the flour with fine polenta. And I reduced the amount of butter because I added some crumbled, cooked chorizo. But essentially I followed the recipe! And they are delicious. The flavour is very well balanced between the corn and cheese, and the bits of onion and chorizo add interesting flavour and texture. They aren't too heavy either. Paul's taken some fishing with him and I am hoping that a couple will survive long enough for me to have them with a bowl of soup for dinner during the week.


I also felt that I should make something to show that British apples are coming into season now, and that they go so very well with cheese. The Egremont Russet is a very good apple for this sort of thing, because the flesh is fairly dry so you don't end up with a soggy quesadilla, or juice running down your arm.

Cheddar and Egremont Russet Quesadillas

2 flour tortillas
1/4 Egremont Russet apple, thinly sliced
Handful British cheddar cheese
A couple of thin slices of onion
Freshly ground black pepper

Place one tortilla in a dry pan, add the thinly sliced apple, then the onion and freshly ground pepper, then top with a handful of grated cheese. Top with a second quesadilla. Cook gently on both sides until the cheese melts and the tortillas are browned and crisp. Slice into wedges and eat immediately. I think a glass of beer is the right thing with these!