British Cheese - Possibly the Greatest Cheese in the World!

Our in-house foodie, Samantha Bardsley, previously posted a brilliant piece on some of Britain's culinary specialties (click here to read 'An English Winner Dinner'). As this post received some great feedback from our readers, we thought we would narrow this subject down to the dairy delight, cheese!

The French tend to get most recognition for their cheese, but most experienced cheese eaters will agree that Britain provides even better. Included in the 700 cheeses that Britain has to offer, we have:

Bath Blue

Barkham Blue
Blue Monday (named after the song by New Order)
Buxton Blue (Protected Designation of Origin, currently not produced[1])
Cheshire Blue
Cornish Blue
Devon Blue
Dorset Blue Vinney
Dovedale (Protected Designation of Origin)
Exmoor Blue (Protected Geographical Indication)
Harbourne Blue
Lanark Blue, Scotland
Lymeswold no longer produced.
Oxford Blue
Shropshire Blue
Stichelton
Stilton (Protected Designation of Origin)
Blue Wensleydale
Yorkshire Blue

My personal favorite has to be Stinking Bishop. When you're next in Oxford, head to The Oxford Cheese Shop in the Covered Market, just below OISE Oxford, and pick up some Stinking Bishop and crackers, and enjoy!

Oxford’s Dreamy Pub Scene

Oxford is famed for being a “city of dreaming spires" but it is also home to many dreamy public houses (pubs), which are a popular drinking establishment choice for residents, students and tourists of Oxford.

One of our favourite pubs is The Royal Oak, which is situated along the Woodstock road. It is a short walk from the city centre and offers a wide range of world beers, wines and spirits – including English potato vodka (obviously something not to be missed!) It is a cosy 18th century pub with many small rooms and corners to relax and drink in. I would thoroughly recommend the traditional Sunday lunch, which is very comforting on cold, winter day. 

Another firm favourite is The Trout, a 17th century pub in Wolvercote, North Oxford. This pub is a great summer option with its large terrace which opens onto the river Thames, it is a perfect place to sit and slowly sip on cold drinks on a summer’s day. I would recommend a gin and tonic (double). The Trout is also a form favourite in Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse novels and in the television adaption. You may spot a star here while enjoying a pint!

Another absolute cracker of a pub is the Perch Inn. Ensconced in the heart of beautiful Port Meadow, this 17th Century pub has been a place of much pleasure for all the Oxford community. In the winter months, the blazing wood fire oozes a warm tingly feeling throughout, and in summer its delightful beer garden overlooks the weeping willow trees and meandering waters of the river Thames. The garden also boasts a giant Alice in Wonderland-style chess set and a children's recreation ground to keep the little ones entertained.

Finally, it would be rude to talk about pubs in Oxford without making reference to one of the city centre's finest (and oldest - 13th Century would you believe!). Yes, you've guessed it, it's the Turf Tavern. Anyone who has been (including Bill Clinton, a regular visitor in his University days) will tell you  that this hidden gem has a very special feeling about it.  The mouth watering selection of real ales and the top quality traditional pub food it serves is a killer combo.

I think you will agree that a pub crawl in Oxford is more than just a beer or two in any old boozer. We, at OISE Oxford, see it as a cultural experience which is why it makes a regular appearance on our leisure programme. Even if beer and ale is not your 'cup of tea', grab a pie and a glass of OJ and soak up the traditional vibe of Oxford's Dreamy Pub Scene.

Grab Some Grub in Oxford

Oxford is a lively city with many pubs, bars and restaurants to keep all the locals, students and tourists entertained. Sometimes when you're visiting a city for a short period of time, it's hard to know where to go. Of course, there are online reviews and guide books to point you in the right direction, but wouldn't it be nice to hear what the locals have to say? With this in mind, the OISE Oxford team have chosen three restaurants that they would recommend to all of Oxford’s beloved visitors.

Quod Brasserie

The Quod is conveniently located a very short stroll from OISE Oxford, along the High Street.  It is a popular meeting spot for lunch, afternoon tea, evening dinner and drinks.  It has a friendly, relaxed feel with attentive, smiley staff and the service is quick.  Thee menu choices are varied, though rather limited for vegetarians.  The scones for afternoon tea are just delicious and are a great British treat!  There is a terrace area to the back of the restaurant which is perfect for summer lunches, however as it is heated it can be a year round option for hardy diners!  


Pizzeria Verde

Trattoria Verde is a family-owned Italian restaurant on the Cowley Road situated in East Oxford. They serve excellent food and the staff are very friendly and helpful. I would recommend the Pasta Frutti di Mare (pasta with shell fish), not to mention the delicious selection of thin based pizzas on offer! There are also many other restaurants with cuisine from around the world, including Greek, Morrocan, Indian, Thai and Chinese. While this area of Oxford is not known for being the most historical or traditional, it is very multi cultural, has a lot of character and is home to the majority of Oxford's student population.


Jamie’s Italian

Jamie’s Italian, located in the restaurant hotspot of George St, is a relatively recent addition to Oxford’s food scene. Nevertheless its popularity is evident from the queues of people who can often be seen waiting for a table and its buzzing atmosphere. It is certainly a trendy place to eat with its industrial modern interior, graffitied brick walls and basement dining area. The menu, too, steers away from the traditional Italian staples, experimenting with fresh, new, seasonal dishes and wacky names. It is a little on the pricey side but there is a good choice, friendly service and in my view, it is worth paying a bit extra for the experience.

Souper Soup

As the cold weather continues, it is the perfect time to turn to a warming bowl of soup.  Soup is the perfect meal choice for those who are ready to turn over a new healthy-eating-leaf in the New Year.  It offers the perfect opportunity to inject more vegetables into our diets following weeks of festive mince pies and mulled wine.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall raves that the ‘Classic British soups more than hold their own against any bouillabaisse, bisque, brodo or borscht…We invented fire. We roasted meats. We made pots. We cooked soup. That's the story of culinary evolution in a nutshell’.

‘On a cold winter's day, soup lifts the spirits, comforts, warms. It soothes us when we're ill and keeps us going when we're broke. It raises expectations at the beginning of a meal or – with the addition of that other unshakable staple, good bread – it can be the meal’.

I will be turning to a roast butternut squash and red pepper soup to lift my spirits, following a great recipe by James Tanner.  Another good office recommendation is the warming Thai pumpkin soup, favoured by some at OISE Oxford.  What soup will you be turning to?  We look forward to hearing.

Warming Beverages for the Weekend

As we get deeper into winter, it is natural to turn to warming drinks for comfort and cheer.  At this time of year the great British pub starts serving a super selection of warm drinks for the discerning punter.  My winter favourites include mulled wine, hot spiced cider and eggnog.  

Indeed, at the weekend to embrace the cold weather and as an offering to a Thanksgiving celebration I decided to make eggnog.  The result was rather mixed...  

Eggnog is a popular drink throughout the United States and Canada, and is usually associated with winter celebrations such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. 

The origins and the ingredients used to make the original eggnog drink are debated. Eggnog may have originated in East Anglia; or it may have simply developed from a medieval European beverage made with hot milk. The ‘nog’ part of its name may stem from the word noggin, a Middle English term for a small, carved wooden mug used to serve alcohol.  The British drink was also called an Egg Flip.  It was during the 18th century when the drink crossed the Atlantic to North America.

I somewhat followed a combination of two recipes.  It consisted of milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, brandy, rum, nutmeg and also many lumps – which were not included in the original ingredient list.  The lumps I thought added extra texture, but sadly were not to everyone’s taste.  For future attempts I will consider using a sieve.

This weekend I would recommend to all readers to make a warming beverage as the temperature is set to plummet.  Here is a very handy list provided by BBC Food.  At OISE Oxford, we look forward to hearing the results.

"Afternoon Tea" by Stephen Smith

If you consult an English Dictionary, you will find that "tea" can be a drink or a meal.

High Tea is a (usually cooked) meal served in the early evening, when the children come home from school, in place of a somewhat later dinner or supper.

Otherwise, "tea" means Afternoon Tea, normally taken in the late afternoon, consisting of cake and a pot of tea - most often the black English breakfast tea. Popular cakes include crumpets and teacakes - the latter containing dried fruit. Both are eaten hot (the teacakes sliced), with butter.

The Queen, however, of Afternoon Teas is the English Cream Tea, a cornucopia of scones (small, round cakes made from flour, milk and a little fat), jam - most commonly strawberry jam - and thick, clotted cream (ideally, the famous, rich Devonshire clotted cream), again with a pot of tea. You slice the scones, spread a thick layer of jam on each half, and then a thicker layer of clotted cream on top of the jam. Two scones per person will probably suffice. On balance, this mini-feast probably excels even the Great English Breakfast as Britain's finest contribution to the pleasures of the table.

There are tea shops (or Olde Tea Shoppes) in many of our villages, so you can combine this delight - perhaps enjoyed in a typical English garden on a hot summer's day - with vigorous country walk, to burn off any extra calories absorbed.

Although we live in an increasingly global market, good scones, crumpets, teacakes, clotted cream, lemon curd, rhubarb crumble and other English specialities are usually difficult or impossible to find outside their country of origin - so make the most of them whenever you have the chance.

Have your Cake and Eat it!

Whilst British cakes may not have the world-renowned reputation of the French patisserie, they are nonetheless a delightful, and I would say essential, addition to the British diet. Not long ago we did a feature on the afternoon tea and no afternoon tea is complete without a good slice of cake to accompany a steaming cup of tea. As a huge cake fan myself (and I really would be huge if I ate all of the cakes in this blog post), I feel it is my duty to share the very best of British cakes with you so that you too can experience the pleasure of these delicious delicacies. Here are some of our favourites:

The Bakewell Tart (voted by Sam, our Client Manager)

I had the pleasure of visiting the birthplace of this specialty whilst visiting the quaint Derbyshire town of Bakewell, not far from my university in Sheffield. Mr Kipling put icing and a cherry on top of this shortcrust pastry treat, but the Bakewell pudding (a puff pastry and almond paste delicacy) is thought to have been made as a mistake by the cook of Derbyshire landlady Mrs Greaves who misunderstood her instructions.


The Scone (voted by Will, former Sales Executive)


A traditional choice, the humble scone is a must-try for anyone educating themselves in English specialties  Traditionally served topped with jam and clotted cream, the scone is of a bread-like consistency and originates from Scotland. Simple but tasty.



The Eccles Cake (my choice)

This lesser known treat is ram packed with flaky, buttery pastry and currants and can sometimes be topped with demerara sugar. It is named after the English town of Eccles in Manchester.





You may also like to try:- Victoria Sponge, Battenburg, Lemon Drizzle, a Chelsea bun, a Welsh cake or a Fondant Fancy.

Dig in!

Happy Apple Day!

There is no denying that the British love their apples, so much so that an annual festival is held in their honour. And what better excuse to gorge yourself on some of the 2300 varieties of apple grown in the UK? The apple is a hugely versatile fruit and is the perfect addition to any lunchbox or fruit bowl. Whether blended into juices, tossed into a crumble or reduced to a sumptuous sauce for meats, apples feature heavily in British cuisine.

Since 21st October 1990 when the first Apple Day celebrations were held in Covent Garden, London, orchards all over the country have opened their doors for apple tastings, scrumping, bobbing and competitions and this year has been no different. But whilst many of the Apple Day celebrations have now been and gone, here are 6 of the Best British apple varieties you may like to try during your time in the UK:

Cox
Considered by some to be the quintessential English apple, these little beauties have delicate skins, a crisp texture and a subtle flavour.

Egremont Russet
This sweet apple has a rough greenish-brown skin and a slightly nutty flavour.

Worcester Pearmain
An early English variety with coarse, white flesh, this apple is crisp, juicy and aromatic with a strawberry-like flavour.

Braeburn
My personal favourite, the Braeburn was first raised in New Zealand before being grown in the UK since the 1990s and in my opinion it is everything an apple should be - crunchy, sweet and tangy!

Gala
Also originally from New Zealand, this is now the largest single variety of eating apple produced in England. Gala apples are sweet and juicy with an attractive red striped skin.

Bramley
Perfect for any crumble, the Bramley is the most popular cooking apple in England and Wales and has a sharp flavour which holds its own when cooked.

Click here for a delicious Apple Crumble Recipe - the much-loved British dessert.

Source: www.englishapplesandpears.co.uk

The Halloumi Love Story

We love food fads at OISE Oxford - can you remember the Hummus Love Story post? Well we have a new foodie post for you today all about halloumi.

This wonderful cheese has most recently taken Britain by storm and is no longer the niche cheese it once was. It is recognised as a BBQ vegetarian staple, not to say that it can't be loved by the meat fans too.

This salty cheese from Cyprus - made from sheep's, goat's and often cow's milk - has a high melting point, allowing it to be grilled or even fried. Its delicious ways have long been recognised in its homeland of Cyprus, where the average resident gets through an average of 8kg of it each year. But now Britons are said to consume more halloumi than any other European country outside Cyprus, with Sweden coming in behind.

At Tescos its halloumi sales rose 35% for the year 2011-2012, with its Tesco Finest line increasing by 132% over the same period. Similarly, a spokesman for Waitrose reported that their sales were up 104%.

So why has halloumi become so pop? Daily Telegraph food columnist Rose Prince believes it's "a reflection of three things - our love for Mediterranean cuisine, our eagerness to try whatever is new and the effect of TV chefs".

Key to its success is also its convenience and its versatility. The fact that it is kept in brine allows it to be stored unopened in the fridge for up to a year whilst giving it a satisfying salty taste.

"You can do so many things with it," says Antonis Evangelou, owner of London's Lemonia restaurant.

For delicious halloumi receipes we recommend visiting BBC Food.

 Halloumi perfect for the BBQ

The Full English Breakfast

The English are famed for the 'Full English Breakfast'.  This hearty breakfast is a perfect start to the day, especially at the weekend when there is time to savour its culinary delights.

The Full English is a personal thing and it is possible to swap in and out of its famed ingredients.  Though it is typically seen to favour meat eaters, it can be most definitely be adapted to vegetarians.

The key components are the following:

Eggs
Scrambled eggs are my preferred choice, they are the perfect accompaniment to toast.  However, others rate poached and fried eggs.  In any case, you can't go too wrong.

Mushrooms
Must be pan-fried and seasoned properly, perhaps with parsley.

Baked Beans
My favourites are Branston's baked beans which are super tomatoey and delicious.  Many do favour the well-known Heinz variety, but I would encourage trying Branston - you are certain not be disappointed.  I recommend heating them at a low heat, over a fairly-long-sih period of time for a perfect stewed consistency.  Yum!

Toast / Bread
I am a great fan of toast. It offers the perfect platform to pile baked beans, eggs, sausages etc on top. Whilst bread is an option for those who want to mop-up the remains of this great breakfast.

Sausages
It is generally thought that a a plain pork sausage, moderately seasoned with salt, pepper, maybe a little sage is perfect for this morning meal.  More exciting sausages, such as chilli and caramelised onion, are best for evening suppers with creamy mashed potato.  As a big fan of the vegetarian sausage, I especially favour the 'Cauldron' variety.

Tomatoes 
Best to be cooked in the oven at a low temperature with a little oil, salt and thyme.  Grilled tomatoes offer the danger of being blazing hot on the outside, but still raw in the middle.  Best to get the tomatoes in the oven right at the beginning of cooking.

Other favoured ingredients include bacon, black pudding and hash browns.

Though, the 'Full English Breakfast' is just a taste sensation, I would say you can't beat starting the day with a nice bowl of porridge.  The oaty goodness is wonderfully warming and just every so tasty.  Breakfast is truly the best meal of the day!

The Hummus Love Story

Its official hummus is nearly loved by all Britons.  Well, to be exact maybe 41% of Britons, who all have a pot of hummus in the fridge. I completely follow the crowd and couldn't be without my trusty pot - what on earth would I put in my sandwiches or on my jacket potato?  As a nation we consume £60 million worth of this dip every year (I feel I have made a significant contribution to this target).

Hummus has a very long history. It is the Arabic word for chickpeas. "Chickpeas have been around for thousands of years in the Middle East," says Israeli-born chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Some scholars even claim an Old Testament passage indicates that Jews ate hummus in Biblical times. It is impossible to prove exactly where hummus was first made. "It's obviously somewhere in the eastern crescent around the Mediterranean – the area that includes Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Egypt," says Ottolenghi.

Britian's love with hummus is relatively new. It was only in the 1980s, when Waitrose first started to stock this chickpea-wonder-dip, and this was only then followed by the other British supermarkets in the 1990s.

So why do the British love hummus so much? The perceived health benefits are a key factor. "It's filling and sustaining but still has a healthy image, which is justified in many ways because chickpeas have lots of protein and tahini is a much better source of oil than many others. But in all honesty, I think it's mainly the flavour," says Ottolenghi.

I will be totally following this trend and eating some hummus this evening with my jacket potato (below). Can't wait!

Source: Guardian

What to eat when it's hot hot hot..?

When the weather is hot, there are certain recipes that just won't do. For starters, you can forget (hot) soups, stews and Sunday roasts. What you want is some jamon serrano over cold honeydew melon, or chorizo with bread and freshly whizzed gazpacho. And of course BBQs, lots of BBQs!

While the English aren't famed for their culinary abilities, we do still have a few tasty numbers up our sleeves. Here are a few summer recipes that some of Britain's top chefs have created:

1 - Lemon and herb marinated salmon skewers:

This marinated salmon recipe is a fantastic way to barbecue salmon in the summer. Salmon is a wonderful lighter alternative to the usual meats that grace a barbecue grill, and Marcello Tully's recipe really makes the salmon shine.

2 - Mackerel, tomato and samphire salad

This elegant mackerel salad recipe is a perfect dish to serve up as a light main or starter in the summer months. The fish in this salad is paired with tomato and samphire, with a warm mayonnaise which uses reserved tomato stock. Nathan Outlaw is known for his wonderful fish and seafood dishes and this mackerel recipe is another example.

3 - Asparagus and chervil quiche

It is a magnificent spring starter for when asparagus is in season and the inclusion of Parma ham is a classic combination. This asparagus quiche recipe would work well in a summer picnic or with a seasonal summer salad.

If you like the sound of these dishes and fancy giving them a go at home, click on the image below for their full ingredients and guidance on how to make them!

Big Brits Bellies Out

In a recent article (Nov 2012) published by The Independent newspaper, 'Britain is the fattest nation is Western Europe, with more than a quarter of the population ranked as obese.'1 

'The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, which represents nearly every doctor in the UK, said ballooning waistlines already constituted a "huge crisis".'2 There are a number of illnesses that are increased by obesity, including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, asthma, arthritis and some forms of cancer. Unfortunately, there are no signs of obesity slowing down, either.

So what can we do to prevent this problem? 

Education has to be at the heart of where the problem lies, but there are other factors that are also to blame, including advertising and low prices of unhealthy food and drinks. 

In yesterday's papers, doctors were calling for fizzy drinks to be heavily taxed and for unhealthy food ads to be banned until we have seen a dramatic decrease in the UK's obesity problem. Click on the image above to read the full article.

Applying taxes to unhealthy food and drink, like they do with cigarettes and alcohol, would no doubt have an immediate impact, but would it be a long term solution? For it to have a long term effect, ideally this regulation would also introduce subsidies for fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods, and more access to information in schools around the country to build awareness of the issue.

What are your views on how to tackle the problem of obesity? 
Do you think the government should be able to tax unhealthy food?

Big Bellies and Cheer

Christmas has been and gone and our stomachs are now looking and feeling considerably bigger than a week ago. The crispy Yorkshire puddings and bread crumb sauce were just irresistible, not to mention the juicy traditional Christmas turkey! On a more positive note, our hole ridden socks have now been replaced with brand new ones thanks to Father Christmas' recent visit.

So, it's now time to turn our heads to the New Years Eve celebrations. The man without a plan is frantically scrolling through his mobile phone contacts list to see if there are any parties he can crash, while the ones who already have a plan are hoping it won't be an anticlimax.

Here at OISE Oxford, we wish you all a happy New Year and hope that it is filled with much love, good health and prosperity! We hope this little poem puts a smile on your face:

New Year, Cheers!

The season's tidings have brought much cheer
But the time has come for a brand new year.

2012 has flown by so fast,
At OISE Oxford, we've had a blast.

As we all think of how to best progress,
We wish you all joy and happiness!

An Oxford Dinner Winner

Food glorious food,
Food, glorious food!
Hot sausage and mustard!
While we're in the mood --
Cold jelly and custard!...

Food is indeed glorious and Britain is home to great, hearty foods which are perfect for our grey and cold Autumn days. At OISE Oxford we are great fans of traditional British fare such as the Sunday roast, Bangers and Mash, Beef Wellington, Steak and Ale Pie, Fish and Chips, Toad-in-the-hole to name a few. These filling foods are a perfect treat at the end of a chilly day!

Today, I will be cooking toad-in-the-hole, a particular favourite. I will be following Nigel Slater’s recipe which recommends skinless sausages and a couple of added extras… I bought my sausages from the historical Covered Market just by OISE Oxford at lunchtime. I hope this will be a dinner winner with all my friends.

We would also recommend this as the soundtrack while preparing this delicious meal

Please be in touch with samantha.bardsley@oise.com for more British recommended food recipes.
Author: Samantha Bardsley