Hi there, here’s a quick update from us to you!

How do you eat YOUR Blacksticks?

A HUGE thank you to all those that emailed back with answers to questions that will help us to develop Butler’s range of cheeses. As part of this we asked how you eat your Blacksticks. Here is a small selection…

  • Toasted on wholemeal with a little grated onion sprinkled on first.
  • Secretly so nobody else pinches it from me!
  • With anything, on crackers, on steak, on ham sandwiches, on its own, makes anything taste better!
  • I like Blacksticks Blue spread into the hollow of a crisp celery stick
  • On a summer's evening, in the garden with my favourite wine
  • When you need to impress your friends from the south! Works every time!
  • I prefer mine with fine oatcakes any time of the day.
  • On ciabatta, melted over crispy streaky bacon
  • Melted over a good rib-eye steak!
  • With plenty of friends and some Somerset cider
  • Grated on top of broccoli or cauliflower soup, or grilled as cheese on toast
  • "In the bath"
Our favourite was from Gina Mills with the following – Congratulations, we shall be sending you some cheese shortly!

"Crikey! What a question! Um, straight out of the wrapper on the way back from the market, then when I get home, placed delicately on top of cheese and onion crisps as elevenses, and then later, for lunch in a sandwich on homemade bread with rocket and salad dressing. In our house we have even eaten Blacksticks Blue in bed. And then in our dreams as a result! You may have guessed I love the stuff... I made amazing pasta with it the other day, with some nice little tomatoes and rocket. Yummy! I even chose you in the all important question of "if you could only eat one cheese ever again, which would it be?"

Have you entered our Gourmet Gift promotion currently running on the website? We are giving away a gift a month so don’t miss your chance! Click here to enter.

 
Getting ready for the shows
With the cheese show season looming, the team at Butlers are busy preparing lists of which cheeses to enter at the different shows around the UK. This year, we have chosen to enter:
  The Bath & West (27th–30th May)
  Royal Highland Show (25th – 28th June)
  Great Yorkshire Show (Harrogate 14th–16th July)
  Royal Welsh Show (20th – 23rd July)
  Nantwich International Cheese Show ( 29th July)
  British Cheese Awards (at Cardiff 26th–27th September)
All of these events have at least one day where they are open to the public so maybe see you there! 
Focus on… Kidderton Ash
Kidderton Ash is a unique soft goats brie log developed by the Butlers team four years ago. Before maturing, the young cylindrical cheese is sprinkled with coconut ash. The white mould then grows through the ash resulting in a fabulous visual effect when the cheese is sliced. Great contrasting textures can be enjoyed from the soft coat, the firmer coconut layer and then the soft beautiful goats cheese in the centre!  The cheese has a mild distinctive flavour with velvety texture when young, becoming creamier as it matures. 
Kidderton Ash can be found in M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Booths.
 
A fitting send off!

Bronwen has been with Butlers for 16 years, she is our product development manager by title but like most at Butlers she finds herself involved in a wide variety of tasks due to the small size of the team. Bronwen tied the knot a few weeks ago and for her wedding present we all clubbed together to buy her the bike of her dreams, complete with the all important basket. We are all looking forward to a very athletic Bronwen and another 16 years service from her (probably more than she is!)

   
PS. Do let us know what you think of our news and always let us know what you think of our cheeses - we love to hear from you!
 
Kind regards

Anna

Butlers Speciality Cheeses