New Ryvita Crackers For Cheese

I love a cheeseboard we British apparently are not so great at making one. I suppose we have the ready made ones too much sold in supermarkets that usually consist of a brie, a Stilton, a cheddar and a Camembert. I am quite adventurous but possibly because I am more a savoury fan after dinner than a dessert girl.

Ryvita sent me the new crackers for cheese so i could have a go and following the advice from cheese expert Julia Harbutt I set one up for us.

I used a creamy Lancashire and paired it with the new Ryvita Black Pepper crackers, the peppery crisp crunch complemented the smooth light creaminess of the Lancashire cheese, they are good with brie too. I had a look at the nutritional value and they are a mere 27 calories per cracker too, meaning if you are calorie countin you could top with  say extra light Philly or a low fat cheese and not be too sinful!

The rye biscuits are light and have a deep and mellow tatse, I like these with a strong Stilton, a Mexican cheese and Julia recommends a Cornish yarg.

I like the crackers first and foremost as they come in individual servings so no coming back a week later to a soggy cracker, that's so annoying.

The crackers are so enjoyable and make a nice change to a water biscuit.

Both are fab with a light Philadelphia too.

Americans serve it as a starter and the French serve it before dessert, but it seems that even with the growth in artisan British cheeses, us Brits still don’t know how to put together an impressive cheeseboard.

With top chefs including Marcus Wareing and Marco Pierre White dedicating a large part of their menus to international cheese varieties, it is about time that great cheeseboards are brought back to Great Britain.

An important element to an excellent cheeseboard is the crackers! The right cracker can elevate your cheese selection from delicious to sublime. New Ryvita Crackers For Cheese are made with rye and wheat wholegrain flours and are available in two recipes: Golden Rye and Black Pepper. Deliciously light, crisp and airy, they have a texture that is the perfect partner to a wide variety of cheeses. What’s more, they contain only 27 calories each, are low in fat and high in fibre. A selection of chutneys, quince jellies and fruit served alongside creates the perfect after dinner treat.

World-renowned cheese expert Juliet Harbutt from the British Cheese Board says, “Whilst the cheese selection is obviously the central point, it is the accompanying crackers and condiments that really make a cheeseboard stand out from the crowd. Ryvita has created some delicious, versatile crackers which are the perfect partner to any good cheeseboard.”

Preparing the ultimate cheeseboard is a tough task, which is why Ryvita has partnered with Juliet to make navigating the world of cheese that little bit easier. From the ideas and selection process, to presenting the cheeses, to the proper way to cut cheese, Juliet is on hand to share her top tips and hints. Creating a cheeseboard theme is a fun way to experiment with cheeses from around the world and Juliet has created her top five boards, guaranteed to make an impression on even the most discerning dinner party guests. Enjoy all of them with New Ryvita Crackers For Cheese.

However, if you’ve only got time for one cheese matching here are some quick tips from Juliet, “Choose a soft runny Camembert with Ryvita Black Pepper crackers and hard strong cheese Cornish Yarg with the Ryvita Golden Rye variety for a delicious treat.”

Healthy Cheeseboard

For those who want their cake and eat it too! Most people think the fat content of cheese is around 60%, but in fact the majority are only between 20 and 35%, which means many cheeses contain half the fat you expect. This means you can eat twice as much! Try…

·         Pant ys gawn                 Fresh, Welsh cheese made using Goat’s milk                      

·         Camembert                   Soft white cheese from France         

·         Taleggio                        Semi soft Italian cheese made from Cow’s milk     

·         Caerphilly                     Hard cheese from Wales made from Cow’s milk    

·         Parmigiano Reggiano   Hard Italian cheese  

·         Cornish Yarg                 Made with Cow’s milk from Cornwall                                             

Indulgent

There are some cheeses that, despite having a relatively low fat content, taste wickedly rich or wonderfully voluptuous and indulgent.  This is for a lazy day in the sun or to follow your Sunday lunch - just relax, sit back with some wonderful wines or cider and enjoy. Try…

·         Fleur de Marquis           Aged fresh cheese from Corsica      

·         Pierre Robert                 Soft cheese from France made with Cow’s milk

·         Stinking Bishop                         Semi soft Gloucestershire cheese     

·         Langres                         Semi soft cheese from France          

·         Beaufort                         Hard cheese made with Cow’s milk            from France

·         Pecorino Toscano          Hard cheese from Italy         

·         Roquefort                       Blue cheese made with Ewe’s milk from France      

Girls At Home

Light, soothing and delicious, these are the perfect cheeses to wile away an evening with the girls. Serve with lovely crisp English apples and your favourite Ryvita crackers. Try…

·         Herbed Perroche           Fresh cheese made from Worcestershire      

·         St Eadburgha                Soft white cheese from Gloucester  

·         Wigmore                        Soft white cheese from Berkshire      

·         Carre de l’est                Semi soft cheese from France          

·         Manchego                     Traditional hard cheese from Spain 

·         Creamy Lancashire      Hard cheese using Cow’s milk from Lancashire      

·         Gorgonzola Dolce         Blue cheese from Italy          

Boys’ Night Out

For the boys, I’ve selected a variety of strong, bold and outspoken cheeses to match the mood of a boys’ night out, and the beers or big reds. Theses cheeses are boastful, confident and full of character.

·         Cerney Ash                   Fresh cheese from Gloucestershire, made with Goat’s milk

·         Brie de Meaux               Soft white cheese from France         

·         Tornegus                        Semi soft cheese from Sussex

·         Lincolnshire Poacher     Hard cheese made using Cow’s milk          

·         Gruyere                         Hard Swiss cheese made from Cow’s milk  

·         Blue Monday                 Blue Scottish cheese made from Cow’s milk           

·         Beenleigh Blue                          Devonshire blue cheese       

Best of British

The ultimate British cheeseboard has over 700 different British cheeses to choose from. How do you choose just 7?  Start with the following, all major winners from the British Cheese Awards.

·         Innes Button                   Fresh cheese from Coventry 

·         Little Wallop                  Soft white cheese from Somerset     

·         Flower Marie                 Soft white cheese from Sussex          

·         Golden Cenarth            Semi soft Welsh cheese        

·         Lord of the Hundreds    Hard cheese made with Cow’s milk from Sussex    

·         Wyfe of Bath                  Hard cheese from Bath        

·         Shropshire Blue             Nottinghamshire blue cheese          

New Ryvita Crackers for Cheese will be available in all major supermarkets from March 2011, priced at £1.25 for a 175g pack.