Hello, John and all you fellow cheeselovers, we are just back from expensive England, where we actually tasted a bit of Stinking Bishop (rind washed) that cost 33 pounds per kilo (about $25/lb). I had longed to try this cheese, but it wasn't quite as good as some other smelly rind washed cheeses I've tried, such as taleggio, or epoisses. We did buy quite a bit of stilton and Shropshire blue for bringing home in a suitcase ( this is permissable). As in this country, where the frugal person tries to buy from Sam's Club or maybe Costco, in England Aldi's had some lovely blues and some good imported cheese from the continent at less than half what most other shops charged. Here at home, my advice is to shop wisely, cheese is but milk, after all and it's price is falling. And make your own!
COngrats on your trip. Sounds like you got quite the education as well.
What...no good English Cheddar?
Well, yes we did have some good English cheddar while over there but brought none back because the stilton and Shropshire blue took up all the space and was such a good price at 7 pounds per kilo. But perhaps the best cheese experience was at a cheesemonger's shop in the big enclosed market in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England where Eleanor found a package of bits and pieces of several soft runny cheese and one cheddar, all unidentified, all marvelous, we took it outside and ate it at an outdoor pub, with a pint of real ale and a pint of good hard cider. A memorable experience!
now that is an experience to cherish into your old age!