Say it with cheese?

For the slightly cynical and disillusioned amongst us, I’m referring to myself obviously, February heralds both the systematic relief of shouting good riddance to the seemingly endless month of January and instead welcoming in an ever growing and industrious line of celebration days which have been variously (mis)appropriated by marketing experts and retailers, and which stretch all the way to the next Christmas and its cola-centric stereotype of Santa Claus.  Sorry children.  And Valentine’s Day on February 14th is its starting point!

Named after the patron saint, St. Valentine, February 14th is associated with a day of gift-giving, romantic getaways and spending time with your loved one.  With spending two year’s ago totalling £926m in the U.K., it’s not hard to see that we’ve come a long way from the martyrdom of a 3rd Century Christian in Rome.

And what were loved ones expecting for that £926m? According to Statista.com , in 2021 approximately 20% of women said  they would not want to receive a gift card or a lingerie set as a Valentine's Day gift, whereas 40% expected to be gifted flowers.  A large number were expecting jewellery or sweet confectionery - a packet of New Mills produced Love Hearts?  For men, the most unwanted gift of the year was a Valentine's Day card, and over a third of male respondents believed they would receive a gift card that year.

So if you’re looking for an alternative to flowers or that ubiquitous gift card, why not express your feelings with the gift of cheese?  This year, we have in stock not one but two heart shaped cheeses, and both pair well with beer or wine.

First, the Neufchâtel Heart, a soft white moulded cheese from Normandy.  It’s origins stretch back to the Hundred Years’ War when the French dairymaids fell for their English occupiers and shaped the local cheese into a heart shape as love token.  Neufchatel is commonly matured for sale at 3-4 weeks old, having a thicker, bloomier rind than Camembert and a more tart interior.  This Raw Cow’s Milk cheese is available in 200g pre-packed hearts for £5.75 and makes an appetising Valentine’s Day gift.  We’ve paired it with Mort Subite Kriek and is available in a pairings gift box for £11.50 on-line and from the shop.

Second, back in stock are the Godminster Organic Vintage Cheddar Hearts.  This deliciously smooth and creamy cheese is a multi-award-winning organic cheese, created in the heart of Somerset and enrobed in a distinctive burgundy wax for the perfect Valentine’s gift.

Deliciously melt-in-the-mouth it is made to a traditional 90-year-old recipe and matured for up to 12 months, at which point the very best cheese is selected to be made into one of the award-winning truckles. It has a rich depth of flavour with a smooth texture that’s irresistibly moreish.  Suitable for vegetarians, this Pasteurised Cow’s Milk cheddar is available in 200g waxed hearts for £7.  We’ve paired it with Torrside Brewing’s flagship IPA, I’m Spartacus, and is available with a pairings gift box for £12 on-line and from the shop.

So perhaps this Valentine’s Day, why not say it with cheese!