Hello Cheesy1’s!

This week is a battle between three cheeses to see which is the best on top of malt loaf slices. With a recent TV advert for this brand of malt loaf it was being advertised to be eaten with cheese but which cheese to choose? So on this weeks shopping trip I picked up a loaf and three cheeses of varying categories to pit them against each other to see which is victorious. The malt loaf I chose was Soreen which is the original loaf and has less than 3% of fat (Unless you put cheese on top!) and the three cheeses were Vallage Triple Creme, Godminster Mature Cheddar & Kit Calvert Wensleydale. All these cheeses are different in production, place & price which gives a good variation. Now before I begin I should explain that a malt loaf is a very soft, squidgy & chewy fruit loaf that has lots of energy, vitamins/ minerals & is low in fat so its seen as a healthy snack choice which is good for lunches.

I prepped my malt loaf and cheese combinations as seen below.

Next comes the fun part, the taste test!

• Vallage:

This seemed to turn a snack into a dessert which isnt a bad thing but do you want it for lunch? That all depends on your taste but it was its strong & creamy flavour which gave it a depth which couldn’t be found with the Cheddar or the Wensleydale. This was by far the most indulgent option and I actually think that if you were looking for a unique cheese board addition then this would be a great starting place. Overall I felt it paired well and I gave it 2nd place.

• Godminster:

I have had Godminster vintage cheddar which I really do like but I never tried their mature, which is a lot creamier but has a strong, punchy and salty edge.I really didn’t feel like it complemented the loaf because it was too strong for it and ended up overpowering the soft flavours or the loaf. It truly is an exceptional cheddar but it just isn’t suited to a malt loaf pairing and would be better with some fruit. In my opinion this is the weakest pairing so it takes 3rd place.

• Kit Calvert:

Kit Calvert is a premium cheese offered by the Wensleydale Creamery to celebrate the father of Wensleydale who saved the creamery from closing in 1935. Its a mild, buttery & sweet cheese with a slightly zesty edge to it. With the loaf it was mellow, milky and pleasant. It added to the flavour of the malt loaf without any drawbacks and certainly made a good pairing. Both the loaf & cheese worked together in harmony which meant it ranked 1st place in my taste test.

In summary I would reach for the Kit Calvert if I wanted to jazz up my malt loaf slice with some cheese and take a moment to enjoy a lovely snack. I hope that next time you buy some malt loaf you try it with some cheese and if you have any pairing successes then please tell me over at http://jhbcheesy1.com/askthecheesy1/. If you would like to know anymore about malt loaf then head over to http://www.soreen.com/products/ for a wonderful look at more products and helpful information.

Jon