I'm off again to Prague tomorrow and one of my great pleasures is shopping in the supermarket and practicing my patchy Czech. Can anyone suggest the name of a cheese that would closely resemble our own strong mature cheddar? What also is the Czech for shoulder of Lamb?
Edam is the most popular here I think, and usually you can buy it slightly smoked and brown around the edges with a nice bacon-ish taste to it. I love gohda most though.. that'd be like normal "red" cheddar... i guess both of them are quite similar to cheddar anyway. There's a much better selection of blue cheeses than we have a thome but nothing like wensledale or stilton where I am.. it's funny I miss it even though it was only available in Ireland for maybe 2 or 3 years before I left! Here's a picture of a blueish bitter cheese I liked... http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabbitwhoruns/3055390441/ It goes well with tuc (as pictured) or a nicesalad.
Sorry, CK, I have to disagree. There is no Czech cheese that is anything like cheddar. The smoked edam is nice but again, nothing like cheddar. I speak with feeling because I think that cheese is the only thing the Czechs don't do better than the UK. All is not lost, however, Padraig. Tesco and Albert do sell one brand of pre-packed cheddar, under the name Pilgrim's Choice. Not brilliant, and more expensive than local cheeses, but better than nothing. But a lot better, is Robertsons - see below. You'll probably struggle finding the lamb, though. I bought some in my local Albert just before Christmas and they have it around Easter, but it's not widely available. A good butcher may have it, but I can live without lamb so I've never gone looking for it and anyway, it's a lot dearer than pork and even beef. And I've only ever seen legs, not shoulder. The Czechs don't really get lamb. I did once ask a Czech friend why and she said that it was because the 'lamb' they used to get was usually mutton and no-one liked the taste. And even now, after 40 years in London, she still doesn't eat lamb. One place that does have it all the time, though, if you've not discovered them yet, is Robertsons in Nusle or Dejvice. www.robertson.cz Apart from the range of stuff they sell, their other big advantage is that because Chris Robertson is an English butcher, the staff in the shops speak English! If you don't know Robertsons, it's the place that all UK expats in Prague go to for the things they miss over here, including cheddar! They also do sausages and bacon, the two things I buy there regularly.
Hi my old country. As a former Czech ex-pat living in the UK and now UK ex-pat living in Mauritius I sorely miss Olomoucké Syrečky. I make some cheeses here in Mauritius with cultures from US, but I have no recipe for tvarůžky. Is there anyone who could give me blow by blow description of the manufacturing process i.e cultures, drying times etc. I would also like to know what is meant by washing the cheeses. (apart from the obvious sticking it under water tap) Any help would be very much appreciated. (I'm on jmertl@intnet.mu) Once again many thanks and please feel free to reply in Czech. John Mertl QPM
Recipe for tvarůžky is here: http://jaknato.webpark.cz/html/Syrecky.html But it needs a piece of the original tvarůžek.
To bibax, Many thanks for the recipe. In tropical country such as Mauritius it will be a bit difficult, but I'll have a go. The problem is 'tvarůžek na naočkování'. There is no way I can get one over here. Is there some way around this problem? I'd be happy even with partial success, as long as I get nice strong smell. That will chase vampires away. Once again many thanks John Mertl QPM :lol:
I am no expert, in any way. However I think the bacterial culture is not specific for tvarůžky, but it is the same brevibacterium like in German Romadur, Limburger, French Munster & similar. And, according to all sources, the base ingredients are: - quark (tvaroh nesýřený netučný kyselý) - salt - bacterial culture - acidity regulator
To bibax, Many thanks for that. If I can assist you with anything please let me know. Práci Zdar! Rgds jmertl :lol:
