Kitchen HARTS of Stur Xmas issue xmas issue | Page 28

Harts Kitchen Learn by Harts: HowtotoMake Makethe theUltimate Ultimate How Want to wow with a cheesboard worthy of finishing any meal? Mark Hartstone of La Fosse at Cranborne reveals how it’s done… S turminster Newton, the home of Harts of Stur, has been at the centre of all things cheese for over 100 years,” cheeseboard champion and chef proprietor at La Fosse Cranborne, Mark Hartstone tells us. “From 1913 to 1966, dairy trains made deliveries from the town’s creamery. The town’s cheese festival has also become a regular regional phenomenon and was host to Dorset’s Best Cheeseboard competition. Twice creating the winning entry for this set me on the road to having the perfect cheeseboard.” Should we stick to one animal? “It’s best to have a range of pasteurised and unpasteurised cheeses from different animals: – Woolsery goats cheese is award-winning and has a great range, though it’s not as strong as goaty continental cheeses. – Ewe cheeses are being made on Mere Park Farm from this autumn. – Cow cheeses are the most prevalent, with a range made at Chalke Valley Cheese. – Buffalo milk cheeses are appearing from the likes of Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire.” Which styles, and which cheeses? “Try to include the main different styles of cheese and types of milk; Fresh – Woolsery soft goats cheese ticks several boxes and is a splendid introduction to goats cheese as it’s not too strong. Soft – a youthful Cranborne for those liking a milder soft rinded cheese, a mature Tunworth for those with stronger palettes. These two cheeses not only work very well on the board, but can be baked in the oven. Semi hard / rind washed – the king of local washed rind cheeses is Francis. It starts at Lyburn Farm, though really develops its style at the hands of a master affineur in Child Okford. If the Stinking Bishop style aroma is too much, then a nutty Tilly Whim from Chalke Valley Cheese is a formidable semi hard cheese. Hard – Tom Calver at Westcombe Dairy makes a couple of splendid classic cheeses, with the farm’s own unpasteurised milk. Their Caerphilly or Cheddar are of a quality good enough to grace any cheeseboard. Smoked – Ford Farms’ Dorset Red is the Marmite of cheese – you either love it or hate it. Blue veined – has to be Dorset Blue Vinny, reinvented by the Davies family, though the Mere Park Farm’s blue ewes cheese is worth hunting out too.” How much cheese? “The number of cheeses is really dependent on the number of people eating it at the event. Large parties? A handful of large cheeses will work best. Dinner for four to six people is where the fun begins. I’d recommend using up to 10 in that case. Buy more than you think you’ll need, it’s amazing how – when the cheeseboard comes out at the end of a meal – people who say they’re full still keep on picking.” Bread or biscuits? “In answer to the bread or biscuit question, my response is always ‘both’. If you like flavoured cheeses, try getting plain cheeses and serving dried fruit with it. If sitting back and letting someone else prepare your perfect cheeseboard is more your style, then a visit to La Fosse at Cranborne should be on the cards.” MARK HARTSTONE He knows his stuff – Mark has reached the finals in four national chef competitions Guests optional – cheese can be enjoyed alone 28 www.hartsofstur.com