Sage Derby

Like a froggy, ferny cabbage, Sage Derby is unnaturally...

Sage Derby is an English cheese that originated in the seventeenth century. It is flavored with sage, as its name and appearance might suggest. It has quite a striking look and bright color to it - if you haven't seen it in person before, it's much brighter than the picture above shows.

But the important thing is, how does it taste? In my opinion, only so-so. The thing is, there's only so much sage I can take in my cheese. I had thought that Grafton Village Sage Cheddar was extremely sage-y, but I didn't know from sage-y until I tried Sage Derby. It crosses the line from sage-y all the way into minty, which, I think, is bad. It has the flavor of a minty herbal tincture more than anything else.

It settles down a bit when you eat it with strong accompaniments, like salty meats for example, but I still found myself thinking that it was nicer to look at than to taste. If you're okay with idea of a minty cheese, though, you might want to give Sage Derby a try.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Tuxford & Tebbutt English Mature Cheddar

http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodview.aspx?prod=2247S

Do you like cheddar cheese? Have you tried this particular cheese? If you haven't, your cheddar experience is woefully incomplete.

Tuxford & Tebbutt mature cheddar is white, dense, and coated in chic black wax. It is incredibly sharp and rich. One paper-thin slice and your head will nearly explode with the intensity of the flavor. It is like sharp cheddar times ten. It's creamy and velvety. It is by far the best cheddar I have ever tasted in my life.

It is brilliant in a cheese plate and goes great with red wine. You could also use it to great effect in cooking, if you're willing to cook with such pricey cheese. Tuxford & Tebbutt has a great reputation in the cheese world; the iGourmet link above gives an overview of their history and high standards. Now, go out and get some of this cheese. You won't regret it.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars