Should I feed the birds this Autumn?

The answer is…a definite yes!

The colder months are fast approaching and as we see the light nights coming to an end, we will notice temperatures plummeting and weather conditions worsening.

When it comes to this time of year, we all tend to feel a little bit flat, but now there’s increasing evidence that wildlife – and birds in particular – have a profound positive impact on our mental wellbeing.

But it’s not just humans feeling the impact from the change of season – our smaller feathered friends also suffer from the colder months.

Not all birds migrate in the winter, so those that are left behind will need a steady source of food to keep them healthy.

But for the birds soon to start their voyage, lots of calories are required for them to cover the thousands of miles they set out to fly – feeding them at the start of autumn is important.

Putting out a high-energy food source for both travelling and familiar garden birds will be of great benefit to their health (and our wellbeing too)!

We have just the thing for this…

Here at Foulgers, we stock high energy food to fuel our feathered friends.

Made from high quality suet and packed with a selection of nutritious seeds including millet and black sunflower seeds, fat balls are a high energy food, suitable for most varieties of garden bird and particularly attractive to great tits, blue tits, long tailed tits and coal tits.

Fat balls provide an important source of nutrition throughout the year, particularly during the nesting season and the colder months when birds need to maintain their fat levels.

Some birds might return to your garden in spring as they’ll see it as a reliable food source – you could even attract new, winter species to your garden!

How do I make my garden bird friendly this season?

We have a few top tips to ensure your garden is the place to be, for both our travelling and home-body birds.

Plant your garden with bushes, trees and shrubs that produce berries in winter, to provide an extra supply of tasty treats (as well as the fat balls), for local and passing birds. Rowan or Honeysuckle are a few examples of this.
Another interesting and potentially controversial thing to do is let the Ivy in your garden grow (it looks great climbing up some trellis!)
Thick hedges are also great – this provides the birds with cosy cover to roost in the colder months.
If you’re starting out, hanging feeders or bird tables will certainly do the trick, when it comes to providing the perfect dining experience. Try to place these in a bird-friendly, sheltered position; close to nearby bushes, shrubs or trees so the birds can use these as a jumping-off point or seek cover if they feel threatened.
In wet winters, or following a fall of snow, remove very wet or soggy bird food from feeding areas. It’s not very appetising for the birds and can quickly rot.
Lastly, if you’re really looking to provide a 5 star experience, invest in a shallow bird bath. Your garden birds need drinking water and a place to spruce up their feathers, so a bird bath is a great addition to your garden!

We hope you enjoyed this month’s newsletter and look forward to seeing you in store! Please don’t forget to tag us on our Social media platforms @FoulgersDairy if we have inspired you to transform your garden into a bird-friendly zone!

Healthier and interesting lunches for the kids return to school!

With the new school term looming, a big subject now is health and maintaining a balanced diet. Something to consider for all ages and any parent who has the daily chore of preparing a pack lunch for their children will know that it is a tough job keeping it interesting and making sure our kids are getting the right kind of nourishment.

Maintaining a good healthy diet is important for our children’s health and wellbeing. In times of fuel crisis and more difficult financial situations, parents want to ensure a healthy diet is maintained, and keep it affordable.

The same old sandwiches can become a little boring, so we thought we would do some research and explore what the professional dietitian’s recommend to go in those lunch boxes to maintain a healthy diet.

Pasta Salad using whole wheat pasta

Undoubtedly, pasta is a very common foodstuff in our homes today. It is a great food to fill those rumbling tummy’s, and you can create an abundance of variety when it comes to the complete dish. Many of us will be cooking those pasta bakes and other traditional Italian delights and cooking that little extra for the next day’s pack lunch can save time and be very cost-effective.

Dietitian’s recommend whole-wheat pasta to ensure your children get the fiber they need. Accompany this with a tasty Italian dressing, some cherry tomatoes, some broccoli, green beans, peppers, cheese (of course), and some hard-boiled eggs. Yes, eggs are a good side dish and provides children with the additional proteins.

Don’t forget to add some fruit and you really do have a great mix of energy inducing healthy ingredients, or brain food for your children’s day at school.

The lunch box mix

We all know most children love those prepackaged meals which invariably contain less goodness than they really should. Very often they are loaded with sodium and other preservatives. There is an alternative, and this is much easier than it seems.

You can shop for low sodium meats. We recommend some turkey or chicken. Accompany that with some slices of cheese, crackers, cooked green beans, apple slices with a low calorie spread, you then have a lunch with variety and healthiness at its core. A great balanced meal with all the necessary ingredients for a healthy diet.

Wrap it all up into one delicious meal

As a nation, we have become somewhat obsessed with wraps. Whole-wheat tortilla wraps are a good healthy option and alternative to bread. Mix in some of last night’s rotisserie chicken, some cheese, spinach, lettuce, and cucumber, you really do have a great healthy meal for your child. To keep it interesting, you could also include some low-fat dressing and accompany the wraps with some blueberries and raspberries, and may be some of Tims Dairy Yogurt from our online store. We also have the excellent range of Benecol products including yogurts and oat shots that help to maintain those healthy cholesterol levels.

We know from talking to parents on the doorstep, they ‘get the guilts’ if they are packing the same old things in the pack lunch box. However, there are an abundance of simple recipes that can be explored, many of which can be timesaving, inventive and interesting. Of course, a good mix of your children’s favourites and the healthy options (which might not be such a favourite) is most certainly the way to go to ensure your child is happy when they lift that lunch box lid, and to guarantee it is empty when they return home.

Foulgers Dairy stocks a lot of fresh produce and an abundance of choice for parents who are looking for a little more invention when it comes to their children’s pack lunches. We all know it’s a tough job being a parent, and keeping it interesting, fresh and those hungry stomachs full is always a challenge.

Talk to us at the Foulgers Dairy office, or certainly visit our store to see what we can deliver to your doorstep.

If you’ve ordered from us lately you’ll have noticed a few additions to our cheese section – actually more than a few! We’re please to say we now stock seven mouth-watering new cheeses from the Snowdonia Cheese Company.

A family-run business, the Snowdonia Cheese Company is run by the sons of third-generation dairy farmers and have creamy, smooth flavours that will leave you wanting more.

The company are inspired by their enchanting surroundings in North Wales, with lush greenery encompassing them and the convenience of the fresh ingredients nearby which allows them to craft natural, premium cheeses.

With a superb depth of flavour and remarkable creaminess, this award-winning range of cheese has its own cult following and received prestigious awards making it a great addition to our range.

The company focus on using the finest fresh and natural ingredients and pride themselves on ensuring the highest product quality. Ingredient provenance is very important and the careful sourcing of ingredients, as well as the expert grading of their cheeses, is conducted by a small, dedicated team that bring to life the exceptional flavour experience they’re known for.

What cheeses do we stock?

Bouncing Berry – Mature creamy Cheddar with delicious bursts of sweet cranberries.

Ruby Mist – Mature Cheddar with warming notes of white port and brandy for rich, decadent flavour notes and a silky texture.

Red Devil – Savoury Red Leicester warmed with fiery Habanero chillies, peppers and spices for an intense depth of flavour.

Beechwood – Mature Cheddar naturally smoked over beechwood chips for a smoky depth of flavour.

Green Thunder – Mature Cheddar with a perfect balance of rich roasted garlic and garden herbs for a delicious savoury taste and creamy texture.

Red Storm – Vintage Red Leicester expertly aged for a complex crystalline texture and an intense flavour with notes of caramel.

Black Bomber – An award-winning extra mature Cheddar loved for its immense depth of flavour and smooth, creamy texture.

All of the Snowdonia Cheese Company cheeses are available in 200g wheels and available to order now through our Doorstep Delivery. Visit our postcode checker to see if we deliver to you.

Indulge in cheddar with these 5 cheesy tips

Cheddar cheese is a staple in many fridges. We naturally add it to our favourite meals, such as pasta, burgers, toast and in sandwiches, but it’s time to be a little more adventurous when it comes to Cheddar.

Cheddar is so much more versatile than people might realise, and this smooth, creamy and sometimes sharp cheese is the perfect addition to many dishes… including sweet ones.

Here are five ways you can use cheese that you might not have thought of.

Biscuits

While many of us think of biscuits as a sweet treat to be enjoyed with a nice cuppa, the savoury versions are just as tasty – although probably not as dunkable as their chocolatey counterparts!

This easy-peasy four-ingredient recipe is a great way to try these delicious little savoury bites first hand.

Ingredients
120g Plain Flour
120g Margarine
120g Mature Cheddar Cheese
1/2 tsp Mustard Powder

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 170°C/Fan 150°C/Gas Mark 5.
Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl using your hands until a dough is formed.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5mm. Then use a cutter to cut out the biscuits.
Place the biscuits onto a floured baking tray and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy.

Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/126738/recipe/easy-cheesy-biscuits

Soda bread

The smell of bread filling your home when you’ve just baked a nice loaf is one of the best smells about, it’s undeniable, however while some of us add extra ingredients to our bread, a lot of loafs are left plain. Next time you make a loaf, add in 250g-300g of cheese (depending on your loaf size) to give it a sharp kick of cheese.

It’s completely normal to have cheese on toast, cheesy garlic bread or cheese rolls, but if you’re a cheese lover you can’t get enough of cheese, so baking it into the bread itself is a must!

There are loads of recipes online for traditional Irish soda bread, as well as some for cheesy soda bread. It’s ideal for anyone who wants that extra bit of flavour when they bite into a still slightly warm slice slathered in butter.

Fudge

You’ve probably heard of chilli and chocolate but have you heard of cheese and chocolate? It might sound unusual but the mild and creamy taste of Cheddar paired with the sweetness of chocolate is a dream, and when you combine that with fudge to make a cheese and chocolate fudge bite… well it’s a treat for the taste buds.

Don’t believe us? Try it out and let us know what you think on our Facebook page!

Ingredients

225g Cheddar cheese
225g unsalted butter
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
128g instant non-fat dry milk powder
110g unsweetened cocoa powder
640g icing sugar

Method:

Line a 9-inch square pan with large piece of foil or plastic wrap; set aside.
Let the cheese and butter stand outside of refrigerator until they are room temperature. Grate cheese.
Combinein a large mixing bowl cheese, butter and vanilla; beat with electric mixer until fluffy. Add milk powder and beat until smooth. Alternatively, combine all in food processor and process until smooth.
Add cocoa powder and 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar; beat or pulse to combine. Gradually beat or pulse in enough of remaining sugar until mixture is very stiff.
Spread fudge evenly in prepared pan. Cover top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or until firm.
Remove from refrigerator shortly before serving. Lift fudge out of pan and cut into small squares.

Source: https://www.cabotcheese.coop/recipe/cheddar-cheese-fudge/

Dipping sauce

The traditional cheese sauce is used in lasagne, mac and cheese, and cauliflower cheese, however a great way to indulge in cheese is to turn it into a dipping sauce. Many dip tortillas in cheese sauce but there are so many other options.

Having chips? Whip up a homemade cheesy sauce to dip them into.

Chicken nuggets? Add a little extra something to them but smothering them in Cheddar sauce.

Baked potato for lunch? Forgo the usual grated cheese and add a cheese sauces with crispy bacon bits for that extra crunch.

Ice cream

It’s a bit different to your usual flavours but if you want a sweet and salty dessert then homemade cheese ice cream is for you. Bursting with cheese to make it full of flavour, you will find that your Cheddar cheese ice cream is just as creamy and smooth as the ‘normal’ alternatives.

You’ll need an ice cream maker for this recipe (unless you know how to make it without that this) and a blender.

Ingredients
3 large egg yolks
30g plus 2 tablespoons sugar
95g heavy cream
175ml whole milk
90g sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
Sea salt

Method:

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Whisk in cream and milk until yolk mixture is fully incorporated.
Place pot over medium-low heat and cook, whisking frequently, until a custard forms on a spoon and a finger swiped across the back leaves a clean line, or until custard temperature reaches 170°F.
Remove from heat and add cheddar. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk to combine. Carefully transfer custard to a stand-alone blender and blend until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Add salt to taste, starting with a small pinch (seasoning will depend on saltiness of cheese).
Pour custard through a fine mesh strainer into an airtight container and chill in an ice bath or refrigerator until temperature drops to 40°F, about 2 hours for ice bath, up to overnight for refrigerator. As base chills, it might separate slightly or form a skin. If so, wait until it’s completely chilled, then blend until smooth.
Churn ice cream according to manufacturer’s instructions on your ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and harden in freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.

Source: www.seriouseats.com/cheddar-cheese-ice-cream-apple-pie

If this post has you salivating for some Cheddar, be sure to add some Wyke Farms Cheddar to your next Doorstep Delivery.

Tasty recipes to enjoy this summer

Enjoy the taste of summer with these simple recipes that will go down a treat with family and friends.

Leek, cheese and bacon tart

1 tbsp olive oil
3 leeks, thinly sliced
375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry
150g pack soft cheese with garlic and herbs
4 rashers streaky bacon, snipped
100g cheese, grated

Methods

Heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas Mark 6. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then gently fry the leeks until soft, about 5 mins. Cool. Unroll the pastry onto a baking sheet. Spread the soft cheese over the pastry to within 3cm of the edges. Scatter over the leeks, bacon and grated cheese.
Flip the edges of the pastry over the filling. Bake for 20 mins until golden.

Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/leek-cheese-bacon-tart

Summer sautéed potatoes

Ingredients
1 ½kg potato, cut into small chunks
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tbsp butter
4 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves (don’t worry about peeling)
1 lemon, zest
Small bunch parsley, chopped

Method

Place the potatoes in a large pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-8 mins until starting to soften but not falling apart. Drain and leave to steam-dry in the colander for a few minutes.
Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Scrunch up the bay leaves in your hands and add them to the pan along with the whole garlic cloves. Once the potatoes are dry, tip into the pan and season. Toss them in the pan and cook over medium-high heat for 20-25 mins, turning often, using a fish slice so you don’t break them up.
When the potatoes are crisp and golden, grate the lemon zest straight over and cook for 1-2 mins more. Taste for seasoning, then scatter with parsley and serve.

Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/summer-sauteed-potatoes

Summery green coleslaw

Ingredients
For the coleslaw
100g peas or broad beans
1 small green cabbage, shredded
1 large courgette, grated or cut into matchsticks
1 large fennel bulb, finely sliced into matchsticks
1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 green apple, grated
½ lime, juice only
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs including basil, mint

For the dressing
2 tbsp plain yoghurt
2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 tbsp fresh herbs
Sugar, pinch

Method

To make the coleslaw, bring a pan of water to the boil, add the peas or beans, bring the water back to the boil and cook for 2 minutes, then refresh in cold water, drain and set aside.
Place the peas or beans, cabbage, courgette, fennel, spring onions, celery and apple into a large bowl and mix. Finish with the lime juice and fresh herbs.
To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Dress the coleslaw just before serving.

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/summery_green_coleslaw_23859

Banana muffins

Ingredients
250g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
110g caster sugar
Salt, pinch

75g butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
125ml buttermilk
50g pecans, to decorate

Method

Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas Mark 5. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar with a big pinch of salt. In a separate bowlmix the melted butter, vanilla extract, eggs, mashed bananas and buttermilk.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Roughly mix together with a fork, being careful not to over-mix. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. Top with pecan halves.
Bake for 20-25 mins, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/banana-muffins

Pear cake

Ingredients

50g butter, melted, plus extra for the tin
500g ripe buttery pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
Juice 1 lemon
75g plain flour
1 heaped tsp baking powder
75g caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp apricot jam, for the glaze
Icing sugar, for dusting
Crème fraîche, to serve

Method

Heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas Mark 4. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment and brush with butter.
Put the prepared pears in a bowl with the lemon juice, to prevent them discolouring. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl, adding a pinch of salt and the caster sugar.
Next beat in the eggs and melted butter. Finally, fold in the pears with their juices. Pour the cake mixture into the tin.
Bake for about 50 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin, gently peeling away the parchment.
To make the glaze, melt the apricot jam with 1 tbsp water and pass through a sieve to remove any lumps. Brush the cake with the glaze, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with crème fraîche.

Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/anjou-pear-cake

Classic cheese scones

Ingredients

225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
Salt, pinch
Cayenne pepper, pinch
1 tsp baking powder
55g chilled butter, cut into cubes
120g mature Cheddar, grated
90-100ml milk, plus 1 tbsp for glazing

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas Mark 6 with a large baking tray inside. Sift the flour, salt, cayenne pepper and baking powder into a bowl, then sift again to make sure the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Add the butter to the bowl and combine with your fingertips to make breadcrumbs. Sprinkle 100g of the cheese into the breadcrumb mixture and rub together until evenly distributed. Try not to mix too much as the heat from your hands may start to melt the butter.
Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in enough milk to give a fairly soft but firm dough. Do not pour in all the milk at once as you may not need it all to get the right consistency.
Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough to approximately 2cm thick. Cut out the scones with a medium (about 8cm) cutter, then put on a sheet of baking parchment, glaze with a little milk and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Slide onto the hot oven tray.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins or until golden brown and cooked through.

Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-cheese-onion-slice

Did the Fondue Ever Really Fall Out of Fashion?

Creamy, gooey and indulgent, the 60’s cheese fondue celebrates communal eating at its finest. Not just for celebrations, a central bowl of hot melted cheese and an array of accompaniments makes for an excellent meal. Originally conceived to turn old ends of cheese and stale bread into something more substantial; the beauty of a fondue is you can use whatever you have in the fridge to dunk, and the recipe is so easy too!

We spotted Foulgers customer Caroline Goldsmith’s (@goldcaro) cheese fondue recipe on Twitter. Made from Baron Bigod, a creamy, white bloomy-rind handmade cow milk cheese from Fen Farm Dairy in Bungay, we just had to have it!

Caroline kindly shared her recipe with us, for you all to try!

Suffolk & Swiss Cheese Fondue

Ingredients (serves 2 or 4 as a starter):
200g Baron Bigod, rind removed and chopped into chunks
200g Gruyere or Emmental, grated
Half a pint of white wine
1 tsp lemon juice
1-3 tsps cornflower
Seasoning

Method:
Bring the white wine and lemon juice to a boil in a small non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped Baron Bigod and grated cheeses and stir gently as they melt. Now add the first tsp of cornflower (mixed with a little water) and allow it to thicken as you stir. The mixture should be gooey and glossy but you may need to add another one or two tsps of cornflower to thicken everything up. This will depend on the cheeses you use and the desired consistency. Add plenty of black pepper then serve immediately, decanted into a warm Pyrex dish or even better, a fondue pot suspended over a tealight. Use fondue forks or skewers to dunk your favourite accompaniments into the warm cheeses and enjoy!

Accompaniments

Melted cheese is especially good because frankly, it goes with most things! Caroline favours serving her fondue with warm crusty bread and chopped up raw veggies – a classic and delicious choice! Other delicious accompaniments include:

Warm crusty baguette or ciabatta, day old is best!
Raw carrots, celery, plum tomatoes, radishes, radicchio
Boiled or sautéed baby potatoes
Lightly steamed cauliflower and broccoli florets
Crunchy cornichons and silverskin onions
Mini or chopped-up sausages
Cured meats such as pepperoni and salami
Thinly sliced apple or pear

Variations:

The beauty of the classic fondue recipe is that it will work with whatever ingredients are to hand. Although not strictly traditional, here are a few tried and tested variations that work well:

Any good quality cheese will work depending on your flavour preferences – just stick to the thirds or 50/50 rule. Try mixing a Swiss variety with buttery cheeses such as Brie, Camembert or sharp Cheddar; or for a classic Swiss go for a mix of Gruyere, Emmental, Fontina and Gouda.
Rub a garlic clove around the pot or dish before you decant the melted cheese for mellow garlicky-goodness without the pungent taste. Or, roast a couple of cloves of garlic in their skin before crushing with the back of a knife for a subtly sweet and infused aroma.
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, half a tsp of dried mustard powder or a dollop of Dijon for a kick of heat!
Grate a little fresh nutmeg into the mixture for added earthiness and nuttiness. Especially good with smoked cheeses!
Mix your cornflower with a tbsp of Kirsch, brandy or cognac for a more complex flavour. Or, try substituting white wine for your favourite ale or beer, for a hearty finish.

Don’t forget to add Baron Bigod to your next doorstep delivery and as always, we love to see your creations, so please do share your images with us!

Baked goods from The Galley now available at Foulgers Dairy!

We are delighted to announce that we are now proud suppliers of delicious baked goods from The Galley, Woodbridge.

A family-run restaurant in the heart of Woodbridge, Suffolk, The Galley is renowned for its fine-dining fusion menu. Chef Patron Uğur Vata, opened The Galley in Ipswich in 1994 followed by a sister restaurant in Woodbridge in 2004. While the premises in Ipswich has since closed, The Galley in Woodbridge remains one of the most successful and loved restaurants in the town.

Uğur who combines classic French cuisine with the influence of his Turkish heritage is passionate about supporting local food and drink producers. “Food is my lifelong passion and the good habits I learned from my family, shopping seasonally and sourcing locally, have stayed with me.”

As so, everything Uğur produces is cooked to order from scratch and with freshly sourced ingredients. From flaky sausage rolls, crisp Suffolk rusks and free-range scotch eggs, to deep-filled meat pies and Uğur’s creamy vanilla rice pudding; see below for the latest Galley products we are proud to now be able to deliver, straight to your door!

Please note that as all products are cooked to order, deliveries must be placed no later than 1pm on Tuesdays for delivery on Friday/Saturday.

Uğur’s Rice Pudding

Rich and creamy rice pudding with vanilla and a drizzle of tart lemon curd.

Suffolk Rusks

10 traditional rusks (think fluffy scone meet crumbly biscuit), delicious with butter and cheese.

Cumberland Sausage Rolls

Two peppery Cumberland sausages baked in light and flaky pastry.

Free Range Scotch Egg

Free-range hen’s egg in local sausage meat with a crisp breadcrumb coating.

Meat Pies

Homemade lard-based pastry, deep-filled with locally supplied meat that changes monthly.

January & February: Local game mix & vegetable, pheasant & vegetable, mallard & vegetable, partridge & vegetable, pigeon & vegetable, venison & vegetable, venison, beef & lamb with herbs and tomatoes.

How to create the perfect cheeseboard

Is a feast without a finale of cheese, a feast at all?

Creating a cheeseboard can feel like a bit of treat but they are an excellent way to enjoy your favourites or incorporate new cheeses. Plus, you can use up what you’ve got to hand in the fridge and empty the cupboards of any leftover bits and bobs!

An all-round crowd-pleaser, the success of a great cheeseboard lies in the variety. Adding an assortment of flavours, colours and textures make for a stunning arrangement with something for everyone to enjoy.

Here’s our easy guide to putting together a delicious cheese board, perfect for a decadent night in, or seasonal entertaining!

The cheeses

Choosing the cheeses for your board is probably the hardest part! It goes without saying that you should choose your favourites, but it’s always good to have a variety of textures, tastes and styles to choose from. Go for 3 or 4 different cheese but if you’re not fond of a particular type, double up on your favourites in slightly varying finishes.

Aged – A hard aged cheese is typically cured for 6 months or more for sharp, strong and nutty flavours. These include Cheddar, Gruyere and Gouda.

Blue – Cheese with visible blue mould is cultivated for its sharp, pungent and salty flavours. These include Stilton, Gorgonzola and Dolcelatte. Try our Suffolk blue from Suffolk Farmhouse Cheeses for its creamy depth of flavour.

Firm – Semi-firm/firm varieties can add more savoury and texture profiles to your board. These include Manchego, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Edam. Try Suffolk gold from Suffolk Farmhouse Cheeses for its buttery, rich and creamy flavour.

Soft – Creamy, buttery and sometimes tangy, soft cheeses are delicious when crumbled or generously spread. These include Brie, feta and goat cheese. Try our smooth and creamy Suffolk brie or Fen Farm Baron Bigod for its award-winning creamy flavour and bloomy rind.

The meats

A match made in heaven, good charcuterie is a must for a great cheese board! Adding tons of flavour, spices and herbs, you won’t need much to pack a punch!

Cured meats – Salami and prosciutto are fantastic options, but anything you fancy or have in your fridge can work too! Roll up into scrolls or fold into halves and quarters to present.

Vegetarians & vegans – There are fantastic faux-meat versions around, or simply leave the meats off and let the cheese be the hero!

Crackers and bread

The vehicle for your cheese, meats and accoutrements, your choice of crackers and bread is just as important.

Crackers – Go for herbed, fruity, salted or peppered crackers to balance your cheeses. Or add sweet and savoury cheese biscuits, cheese straws or crostini to harmonise with big flavours.

Bread – More of a bread fan? There’s nothing a crispy baguette doesn’t go with! Slice into bruschetta-sized slithers, or go for a crunchy ciabatta or a fresh seeded loaf.

Condiments, dips and accoutrements

A great way to use up leftover jars at the back of your fridge, decant your selection into little dishes and dot around your board.

Condiments – Chutneys, pickles, relish, tapenade, piccalilli, honey, jellies and jam all work well. Fresh dips including hummus, beetroot, pea and squash all make a welcome addition for flavour and colour too.

Accoutrements – Fresh or jarred, try adding sun blushed tomatoes, roasted peppers, chillies, artichokes, cornichons, sweet pickled onions, kimchi and sauerkraut.

Olives – Green or black, whatever your preference; creamy, garlicky, salty or spiced olives each add their own flavour profile to your board.

Produce – The cold crunch of celery or warmth of radishes are brilliant with hard cheese and can be a welcome addition to your board.

Fruit, nuts and seeds

Not just for making your board look pretty, fruit, nuts and seeds are great for adding texture, crunch, sweet, salty and sharp flavours to harmonise or contrast with your cheeses.

Fruit – Choose your fruit bowl favourites such as slithers of apple and pear or try adding sharp grapes, cranberries, sliced figs or sweet dates.

Nuts & seeds – Roasted, salted, candied or chocolate covered; nuts and seeds can all be a welcome accompaniment. Almonds, walnuts and pistachios are all delicious choices, a few little squares of good dark chocolate don’t go amiss either!

Remember, cheese is best served at room temperature so take them out of the fridge before you begin assembly!

We love to see how creative our customers are, so please do share your cheeseboard creations with us by sending us a message or tagging us on Facebook!

Don’t forget to add any ingredients you need to your next doorstep delivery or contact our Foulgers Dairy team to become a customer today!

Autumn – the season of colour, mellow sunshine, long shadows and delectable bakes.

2020 has been a somewhat unusual and testing year for us all. It has seen us in social confinement but also spending more time exploring long walks in the Suffolk countryside, and what delights we can produce in our kitchens. Some of us may even have honed our baking skills worthy of The Great British Bake off!

Now as winter draws in and the season of changing colour, it’s about time we rekindled our love of baking, making great food and exploring the produce at hand. So, we thought we would explore some autumn recipes and seasonal delights.

These three BBC Good Food recipes not only look delicious and perfectly autumnal but taste fantastic. A real comforting feast for the family!

Let’s start with a vegetarian favourite. How about a beautiful combination of sweet and savoury flavours in your Autumn pie?

This comforting apple, cheese and potato pie recipe puts a savoury twist on an autumnal pudding favourite, with tart apples, buttery potatoes, creamy cheddar and a kick of wholegrain mustard. Sounds like an interesting combination doesn’t it? If you want to make the pie extra-special, our rich and creamy Suffolk Gold Cheese is perfect with apples!

Looking to take your meat pies to the next level? This humble classic will leave you wanting more!

The next level steak & ale pie is straight from a chef’s book of secrets with the additions of bacon, miso and sweet brown ale for a deep umami flavour. Although it takes four hours to prep and cook, it looks very much worth the wait! Better yet, the filling can be frozen for up to three months, perfect for those chilly evenings. Don’t forget to add butter to your next delivery if you’re making the pastry!

Did you know… Pies are an ancient dish invented by the Romans.

Fancy something sweet to finish off your meal? This warm and crunchy pudding is perfect with bay leaf custard or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This pear and blackberry crumble will really get you into the season of colour with a great combination of colourful fruit, warming spices and a crunchy nut and oat topping. Have a go at making your own aromatic custard with eggs, sugar, whole milk and bay leaves, or serve with a generous scoop of good quality ice cream for the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert!

We hope you get a chance to cook these autumn delights to enjoy with your friends and family during the chilly season. We love to see how creative our customers are, so please do share your final bakes with us on our Facebook page!

Don’t forget to add any ingredients you need to your next doorstep delivery or contact our Foulgers Dairy team to become a customer today!

Spotlight on Fen Farm Dairy

The Crickmore family have been farming the land at Fen Farm for three generations! Their passion and commitment to delivering the best food in the world, straight from nature to your plate, shines through in the quality of their delicious products.

You may have spotted Baron Bigod and other Fen Farm Dairy products on our website, but to truly to appreciate the final product, it’s important to understand where they all come from…

From Waverney River Valley to Foulgers Dairy!

Fen Farm Dairy’s Montbeliarde cows graze the beautiful marshlands of the Waverney River Valley in Suffolk and the Crickmore family carefully make their delicious raw milk into the finest artisan cheese and raw cultured butter, right there on the farm.

The Famous Baron Bigod

If you’re local to Suffolk, you may know all about this creamy, white bloomy-rind cheese handmade on Fen Farm by Jonny and the team, from their own raw Montbeliarde cow’s milk.

It has a smooth silky texture and a brilliant golden curd, with a long-lasting warm earth, farmyard and mushroom favours.

Did you know… Baron Bigod is the only traditional raw milk Brie-de-Meaux style cheese produced in the UK!

Even the French would be jealous of Baron Bigod, as the cheese is one of only a handful of its type in the world to be made by the farmer on the farm and can genuinely be called a true farmhouse Brie!

Delicious Bungay Raw Cultured Butter

Fen Farm Dairy’s Bungay Raw Butter is the UK’s only raw farmhouse butter produced by using a lactic culture! It’s made by hand on the farm in a traditional way, by souring the cream using a cocktail of lactic bacteria, before churning and hand-paddling with traditional scotch ‘butter hands’ made from wood.

It is the closest thing to the original Suffolk butter! They use a milk warm from milking and their grass-fed cows are an ancient breed, Montbeliarde, hand-picked by Jonny from small farms in the Jura region of France. They only give a small amount of milk but it is rich and high in protein, producing beautifully creamy and complex flavours.

A true farmhouse butter.

If you’d like to find out more about local delivery in your area, or discuss placing an order with Foulgers Dairy, please call our friendly team on 01473 784999.