Kitchen
A bigger cheese board
The cheese board has always been Heather's favourite plate. This season she's made it bigger, braver and a lot more specific about who made what.
Heather picks up the cheese order herself every Monday, and she'll often stand in the maker's shed for ten minutes tasting before she'll sign for it. This season she decided that three cheeses weren't enough, so now there are five, each from a farm within an hour's drive, and each named on the slate beside the board.
What's on it
A mild young cheddar, a sharp aged one, a washed-rind round that smells much bolder than it tastes, a creamy blue and a fresh curd with herbs. A bowl of quince paste sits beside them, along with walnuts, crisp crackers and a few slices of apple. Heather says the board is a conversation, not a lecture.
Naming the makers
On the slate, in chalk, Heather writes the maker and the farm. It started as a courtesy and became a talking point. Guests ask about the farms, and a few have driven out to buy a wheel to take home. That, she says, is the best compliment the board could earn.
How to eat it
Start with the mildest and work up to the strongest. Take a little of everything and a piece of apple between each. If you'd rather not decide, ask the waiter to bring the board with a pot of tea at the end of dinner, and it'll arrive just as the plates are cleared.
Taking some home
If a cheese catches your fancy, ask at the front desk. Heather will cut a wedge, wrap it in paper and write the maker's name on the label. It won't be cheap, but it will be the same cheese that sat on your board, and it'll keep nicely for a week or so in the fridge.
For those who can't
Not everyone eats dairy, and the kitchen knows it. A dairy-free plate of roasted nuts, apple, fruit paste and warm bread can replace the board on request. Tell Vanessa when you book, and Heather will make it look as generous as the original.