Wonderful Wensleydale

Welcome to another installment of Prudence Dapperling's "Mouse in a Million" BIG CHEESE Blog!

"Rule Brittania! Britannia rules the waves!"

Yes, I'm feeling patriotic these days. As such, tonight I begin a series on the virtues of cheese from my beloved island home---England.

And the best cheese to start with is one of my all-time favorites...

Wensleydale

What lovely pup-hood memories I have of sitting around the dinner table with my 10 brothers and sisters, doing battle over the last crumbs of this delightful cheese. Oh, the flying fur, the howls, the bite marks! And were they worth it? You bet!

Made from either cow's or sheep's milk, I believe the best Wensleydale comes from Yorkshire in northern England. This cheese is tangy, yet delicate, with a crumbly texture and pure white color.

Sometimes you find it mixed with cranberries or other fruit. Personally, I like mine unembellished.  I love to eat it all by itself, with only a humble cracker to convey it to the lips.

But Wensleydale is worthwhile no matter how it comes--plain or fancy. So, should you come across it while foraging in the aisles of your favorite grocery store or cheese shop, grab some. You won't regret it.

For more exciting cheese lore, check out the latest offering from that fabulous cheese-loving feline, Spaulding Gray, here.

And now for this important commercial message.

Darklings... If you haven't yet read this funny, suspenseful romp set in 1912 Venice, click on the book below

Of Mice and the Isle of Man

Happy New Year!

Welcome to Prudence Dapperling’s “Mouse in a Million” BIG CHEESE Blog!

Whew! Just back from my holiday and what a time it was! For this season’s year-end extravaganza, I booked passage on a shipment of high-fiber breakfast biscuits, got loaded onto a lorry in outer London, then a ferry in Liverpool, and set out for fun and adventure on the Isle of Man. Stayed in the lovely Hotel Caigneyder-St. Patrick, run by some friendly and very hospitable church mice.

The Isle of Man is located in the middle of the Manx (aka Irish) Sea, plopped amongst Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England. Despite it's being the home of the Manx Cat, it's a most attractive and interesting place, boasting sea, sun (sometimes), green rolling hills, and the best thing of all—cheese!

Namely, the Manx Cheddar. I first heard about it from a friend on Facebook and, became so intrigued, I just had to go and check it out for myself.

In 1934, a group of Manx dairy farmers formed a cooperative that to this day produces this outstanding cheese from the creamy, rich milk of Holstein-Friesian cows, grazed year-round in the abundant grasses in the valleys and on the hills of the island.  The Manx Cheddar is aged 12-14 months, producing a nutty, sweet, slightly salty flavor with a nice sharp finish.  The cheese won the Silver Medal at the 2009 World Cheese Awards and with good reason. Never before have I had a more delightful cheddar experience!

If you ever have the chance to try Manx Cheddar, I highly recommend you take it.

One more thing… Though this may get me drummed out of the British Rodent Bloggers Society. While doing my usual web surfing, I came across the blog of a certain cheese-loving feline, Spaulding Gray. Despite the cat thing, I’ve gotten into Spaulding and find his blog both delightful and informative. Spaulding blogs through the fingers of his “Lady,” Marcella the Cheesemonger. Check him and Marcella out here. 

And now for this important message. Darklings… Mice and bats and rats, oh my!

Buy it here