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Rick Stein (whose shows I really like) in Cornwall looks at Gouda cheese. I don't really like Gouda (apparently the most popular cheese). My favourite is Stilton, by far. Then Red Leicester. Then Cheddar.
Your top three?
TThis is the kind of conversation we rarely get these days. It was like this every night at the Bag O' Nails in the 1960s:
DAVE CLARK: Anyone here tried Crackerbarrel? It's like a long cubed piece of cheese and it's in this nice red packet!
LENNON: Cheese Please Me, Oh Yeah. Those were the original lyrics.
McCARTNEY: Jane's mother gave me this soft cheese recently. It's French. It's sort of melting, and it smells funny. Really gear. Would you like some, George?
HARRISON: I'll try what you want me to try. Or I won't try anything at all. Whatever it is that pleases you.
LENNON: Cheeses you, you mean.
HARRISON: I'm off.
LENNON: Then you must be that French cheese that Paul likes.
JK: Did I ever tell you that I was the one who gave Jimi Hendrix his first BabyBel?
I won't discuss cheeses either. It's not ladylike. But I do like that Clive Myrie who does Mastermind. I've met him several times - in quite important places - and he's always been an absolute poppet.
I THINK I've worked out this thread. The idea is to eschew cheese talk and mention famous people, yes? Okay, here goes:
It was the spring of 1979. The place was Kensington High Street. Michael Winner was striding purposefully down the street in one direction, and Frankie Howerd was doing the same in the opposite direction. They hated each other, so, when their eyes met, both men dashed into the nearest doorway to wait until the other had passed. Realising that this poorly thought-out strategy was destined to leave both men stuck in their respective doorways in a Beckett-like limbo, I took pity on them. 'Would you like some cheese, Mr Howerd?' I inquired of the veteran comedian. 'Yes, please,' he whispered to me, and gratefully took a thick slice of Wensleydale from my lunch box. He winked. I nodded. I walked on. 'Would you like some cheese, Mr Winner?' I asked the veteran, um, director. He said nothing and waved me away abruptly. From that moment on, I have always thought fondly of Frankie Howerd, and less fondly of Michael Winner.*
*I realise, on reflection, that I have completely ruined my own plan to avoid mentioning cheese! I do apologise. My dear wife says I'm always doing things like that!
As a veteran of Fleet Street and contented denizen of our serendipitously-named local pub, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, I think I know the reason for Hedda's uncharacteristic attack of reticence on the subject of the milk stuff. Shall I merely say 'Lionel Blair, a cheeseboard, five grapes and a kiwi fruit,' Hedda? Yes, I thought so. Don't worry, old friend, as I said at the time: 'Schtum!'
I am, however, moved to remember, thank to Rick's little vignette above, of the many more innocent times when the subject of cheese reared its firm yet creamy head back in those wonderful 1960s years. That peacock of pop JK, of course, was famous not only for clutching a glass of milk in the fashionable clubs of the time, but also for sipping on it so sparingly that some did indeed speculate that it might have turned to cheese before he got his round in.
I also remember he once devoted an entire episode of his TV talk show to a debate about cheese. It was a remarkable evening's entertainment, and very typical of his talent to provoke. I can clearly recall Charlton Heston's utterly bemused expression as his fellow guests Helen Shapiro and Paul Jones got into a heated argument about Edam. I'm told all tapes of this were wiped but I still live in hope that a telerecording might turn up, perhaps in the basement of some old dairy.
Anyway, I wish dear old Hedda all the best. It's a shame he guards his many cheese secrets so jealously because, let me assure you, you would be fascinated (and perhaps even a little shaken) by them, and all of the famous people he could link them to!
Quentin Delve wrote: As a veteran of Fleet Street and contented denizen of our serendipitously-named local pub, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, I think I know the reason for Hedda's uncharacteristic attack of reticence on the subject of the milk stuff. Shall I merely say 'Lionel Blair, a cheeseboard, five grapes and a kiwi fruit,' Hedda? Yes, I thought so. Don't worry, old friend, as I said at the time: 'Schtum!'
I am, however, moved to remember, thank to Rick's little vignette above, of the many more innocent times when the subject of cheese reared its firm yet creamy head back in those wonderful 1960s years. That peacock of pop JK, of course, was famous not only for clutching a glass of milk in the fashionable clubs of the time, but also for sipping on it so sparingly that some did indeed speculate that it might have turned to cheese before he got his round in.
I also remember he once devoted an entire episode of his TV talk show to a debate about cheese. It was a remarkable evening's entertainment, and very typical of his talent to provoke. I can clearly recall Charlton Heston's utterly bemused expression as his fellow guests Helen Shapiro and Paul Jones got into a heated argument about Edam. I'm told all tapes of this were wiped but I still live in hope that a telerecording might turn up, perhaps in the basement of some old dairy.
Anyway, I wish dear old Hedda all the best. It's a shame he guards his many cheese secrets so jealously because, let me assure you, you would be fascinated (and perhaps even a little shaken) by them, and all of the famous people he could link them to!
I am a Manfred Mann fan and Mike D'Abo and Mike Hugg are wonderful people and musicians.
I have heard that Paul Jones a bit of strange man and can be vulgar and obnoxious despite being a devout Christian.
When I saw the Manfreds with support with Cliff Bennett. Cliff Bennett told some great stories about the past and the people he adored.
One being Brian Eptein who made it clear that he had crush on Cliff, numerous times.
Cliff Bennett found it funny that Brian kept trying it on despite being 'no'. He saw the funny side of it and had a lot of admiration towards Epstein and was flattered that Epstein felt that way.
Paul Jones, looked at Cliff with disgust and gritted teeth. He didn't find any of Cliff stories funny yet the audience was roaring with laughter.
I didn't know of any Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers music before the gig but was blown away by Cliff Bennetts voice and stage presence.
Green Man wrote: Quentin Delve wrote: As a veteran of Fleet Street and contented denizen of our serendipitously-named local pub, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, I think I know the reason for Hedda's uncharacteristic attack of reticence on the subject of the milk stuff. Shall I merely say 'Lionel Blair, a cheeseboard, five grapes and a kiwi fruit,' Hedda? Yes, I thought so. Don't worry, old friend, as I said at the time: 'Schtum!'
I am, however, moved to remember, thank to Rick's little vignette above, of the many more innocent times when the subject of cheese reared its firm yet creamy head back in those wonderful 1960s years. That peacock of pop JK, of course, was famous not only for clutching a glass of milk in the fashionable clubs of the time, but also for sipping on it so sparingly that some did indeed speculate that it might have turned to cheese before he got his round in.
I also remember he once devoted an entire episode of his TV talk show to a debate about cheese. It was a remarkable evening's entertainment, and very typical of his talent to provoke. I can clearly recall Charlton Heston's utterly bemused expression as his fellow guests Helen Shapiro and Paul Jones got into a heated argument about Edam. I'm told all tapes of this were wiped but I still live in hope that a telerecording might turn up, perhaps in the basement of some old dairy.
Anyway, I wish dear old Hedda all the best. It's a shame he guards his many cheese secrets so jealously because, let me assure you, you would be fascinated (and perhaps even a little shaken) by them, and all of the famous people he could link them to!
I am a Manfred Mann fan and Mike D'Abo and Mike Hugg are wonderful people and musicians.
I have heard that Paul Jones a bit of strange man and can be vulgar and obnoxious despite being a devout Christian.
When I saw the Manfreds with support with Cliff Bennett. Cliff Bennett told some great stories about the past and the people he adored.
One being Brian Eptein who made it clear that he had crush on Cliff, numerous times.
Cliff Bennett found it funny that Brian kept trying it on despite being 'no'. He saw the funny side of it and had a lot of admiration towards Epstein and was flattered that Epstein felt that way.
Paul Jones, looked at Cliff with disgust and gritted teeth. He didn't find any of Cliff stories funny yet the audience was roaring with laughter.
I didn't know of any Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers music before the gig but was blown away by Cliff Bennetts voice and stage presence.
Thank you GM for putting this thread firmly back on course with this excellent cheese-free musical anecdote.
I am more than somewhat surprised, given the man behind the messageboard, given the subject at the head of the thread, that the discussion has reached this point without any mention of the striking cheese-related achievements of the ex-Blur bass player Alex James.
The chronically slouching but still quite amiable Mr James, rather sensibly in my view, abandoned the music industry some years ago for the noble art and craft of cheese-making, and he has made a fine fist of it. I have sampled many examples of his curdy comestibles - his Pong Cheese Box is a rather delightful way to end an evening - and I urge you to explore the range.
My one caveat, however, is that, as the following video demonstrates, Mr James is not the cleanest of men, and the thought of his sweaty, smelly, dirt-flecked feet playing any role in the cheese-making process induces in me a feeling of nausea which, while not of the origin envisaged by Jean-Paul Sartre, is nonetheless sufficiently existentially-jarring in its effects to upset me in ways that no Ritz biscuit can posssibly assuage.
Carol Peevis wrote: Green Man wrote: Quentin Delve wrote: As a veteran of Fleet Street and contented denizen of our serendipitously-named local pub, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, I think I know the reason for Hedda's uncharacteristic attack of reticence on the subject of the milk stuff. Shall I merely say 'Lionel Blair, a cheeseboard, five grapes and a kiwi fruit,' Hedda? Yes, I thought so. Don't worry, old friend, as I said at the time: 'Schtum!'
I am, however, moved to remember, thank to Rick's little vignette above, of the many more innocent times when the subject of cheese reared its firm yet creamy head back in those wonderful 1960s years. That peacock of pop JK, of course, was famous not only for clutching a glass of milk in the fashionable clubs of the time, but also for sipping on it so sparingly that some did indeed speculate that it might have turned to cheese before he got his round in.
I also remember he once devoted an entire episode of his TV talk show to a debate about cheese. It was a remarkable evening's entertainment, and very typical of his talent to provoke. I can clearly recall Charlton Heston's utterly bemused expression as his fellow guests Helen Shapiro and Paul Jones got into a heated argument about Edam. I'm told all tapes of this were wiped but I still live in hope that a telerecording might turn up, perhaps in the basement of some old dairy.
Anyway, I wish dear old Hedda all the best. It's a shame he guards his many cheese secrets so jealously because, let me assure you, you would be fascinated (and perhaps even a little shaken) by them, and all of the famous people he could link them to!
I am a Manfred Mann fan and Mike D'Abo and Mike Hugg are wonderful people and musicians.
I have heard that Paul Jones a bit of strange man and can be vulgar and obnoxious despite being a devout Christian.
When I saw the Manfreds with support with Cliff Bennett. Cliff Bennett told some great stories about the past and the people he adored.
One being Brian Eptein who made it clear that he had crush on Cliff, numerous times.
Cliff Bennett found it funny that Brian kept trying it on despite being 'no'. He saw the funny side of it and had a lot of admiration towards Epstein and was flattered that Epstein felt that way.
Paul Jones, looked at Cliff with disgust and gritted teeth. He didn't find any of Cliff stories funny yet the audience was roaring with laughter.
I didn't know of any Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers music before the gig but was blown away by Cliff Bennetts voice and stage presence.
Thank you GM for putting this thread firmly back on course with this excellent cheese-free musical anecdote.
Colin Brie wrote: I am more than somewhat surprised, given the man behind the messageboard, given the subject at the head of the thread, that the discussion has reached this point without any mention of the striking cheese-related achievements of the ex-Blur bass player Alex James.
The chronically slouching but still quite amiable Mr James, rather sensibly in my view, abandoned the music industry some years ago for the noble art and craft of cheese-making, and he has made a fine fist of it. I have sampled many examples of his curdy comestibles - his Pong Cheese Box is a rather delightful way to end an evening - and I urge you to explore the range.
My one caveat, however, is that, as the following video demonstrates, Mr James is not the cleanest of men, and the thought of his sweaty, smelly, dirt-flecked feet playing any role in the cheese-making process induces in me a feeling of nausea which, while not of the origin envisaged by Jean-Paul Sartre, is nonetheless sufficiently existentially-jarring in its effects to upset me in ways that no Ritz biscuit can posssibly assuage.
My God, its like something from those Pan books of short horror stories.
On one of Pink Floyd's albums, I cant remember which, there is a little studio talky bit where it sounded (to a group of young teenagers possibly giddy on cans of Skol) like someone says "Emmo Cheese".
We decided that it must be short for Emmental cheese, and nearly fifty years later, I cant stop myself calling it "Emmo" (with the silly voice) even though in hindsight I think they must have been asking "ham or cheese?"
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