Food in the UK

With dictionary look up. Double click on any word for its definition.
This section is in advanced English and is only intended to be a guide, not to be taken too seriously!

There are now over 450 different cheeses in the UK, these are just a few of the most popular (and my favourite) ones. Often eaten with specialy made savoury biscuits and a glass of wine or port.

A - Z of British Cheese

Brodick Blue - A ewes milk blue cheese from Brodick in Scotland.

Caerphilly - The best known Welsh cheese. A fresh, white, mild cheese with a delicate, slightly salty and lightly acidic flavour

Cheddar - Probably the best known British cheese. A creamy cheese which comes in different strengths depending on its age from Mild to Mature. Cheddar dates back to the 15th century when it was stored in the Cheddar Gorge caves of Somerset.

Cheshire - A slightly crumbly and silky texture with a full-bodied, fresh flavour. There is a white and a coloured cheshire. Britain's oldest cheese, dating back to the 11th century. It can claim a mention in the Doomsday Book and boast to have been a firm favourite at the court of Elizabeth I.

Cornish Yarg - A semi-hard cheese that is creamy and slightly crumbly at the core. It has a young, fresh, slightly tangy taste.

Crowdie - A soft fresh Scottish cheese. Originally made using milk left after the cream has separated naturally. Plain or flavoured with peppercorns, garlic or herbs.

Derby - A smooth, mellow texture with a quite mild, buttery flavour

Double Gloucester - A smooth, buttery texture with a clean, creamy, mellow flavour. Famous for its role in the annual cheese-rolling contest.

Dovedale - A creamy soft, mild blue cheese.

Lancashire - A full-bodied flavour that is slightly salted with a creamy but faintly crumbly texture.

Red Leicester - A rich, orangey coloured cheese whose flaky and slightly open texture plays host to a distinctive mellow flavour.

Sage Derby - A green veined, semi-hard cheese with a delightful, mild sage flavour.

Shropshire Blue - Made in a similar way to Stilton, it is a blue veined, soft, orange coloured cheese with a sharp, strong, slightly tangy flavour that takes between six and eight weeks to mature.

Stilton - Known as the 'King of English Cheeses'. A blue veined cheese with smooth and creamy texture it has a complex, slightly acidic flavour. It originated near Melton Mowbray at the beginning of the 18th century.

Village Green Goat - A popular Cornish goat's cheese with a green wax coating, from whence it gets its name, surrounding a great tasting hard cheese.

Wensleydale - A moist, crumbly and flaky textured cheese with a mild and slightly sweet flavour. It can be traced back to the 12th century when it was made in Yorkshire by the monks at Jervaulx Abbey

White Stilton - A mild, crumbly cheese with a delicious tangy flavour. It is younger than its blue cousin and also comes blended with apricots or cranberries.


Interesting Links

British Cheese Board - Lots of descriptions about british cheeses including recipes and other resources.

The Basics of Making Cheese - Fancy having a go? Good luck!