Wine and Melty-Cheese Night

Some people might consider 'Wine and Cheese Night' to be a summer thing, a Mediterranean luxury with fairy lights and mild, balmy evening temperatures. Well- stop there because wine and cheese cannot be contained to one season. Especially as we live in Britain, and those mild, balmy evening temperatures might come about a few nights in a whole year- cheese is too good to be limited to that one occasion. Bring the night indoors, swap the fairy lights for candles and turn the temperature up in the kitchen instead.

'Wine and Melty-Cheese Night' has got all the ingredients to make you feel as cosy as possible. I’m not going to lie to you, the Vacherin was extremely stinky and very strong, but oh-so stretchy and great with the maple cooked blackberries. The Brie was divine, so different when baked. Finally, who can resist a Camembert? Now add smoked bacon and white wine to the mix. Heart palpitations? I think so.

What we had:

The cheese:

• Badoz Vacherin Du Haut-Doubs AOP: Bake in the oven (180C) for 20 mins. Do not eat the rind.

• Brie: Cut a cross in the middle and bake in the oven (180C) for 20 mins.

• Camembert with smoked bacon lardons and white wine: Fry the bacon lardons until crispy. Chop the lid off the camembert, stuff with bacon and splash with wine. Place the lid back on top and bake in the oven (180C) for 20 mins.

Serve with:

• Italian Taggiasca Olives

• A selection of bread (we went just before the shops closed so we snatched some great finds in the clearance section)

• Any remaining bacon you didn't use for the Camembert

• Black Grapes

• Maple Cooked Blackberries: Stir blackberries in a saucepan on a low heat with a drizzle of maple syrup.

The Wine:

• Villa Blanche Terret Blanc

As always, try to vary your cheese board as much as possible. Get cheeses of different strengths, add some sweet fruit and savoury meat or olives to compliment. Don't be afraid to try out different flavour combinations!

I'm pretty fondue you... Enjoy! x