Cheese Plate, Ireland – Epcot 2011 Food & Wine Festival

Until 2009 I never knew I liked chutney. During a visit with Harry and Sandy they encouraged me to try some chutney. Now I am a fan. I always look forward to having the Cheese Plate from the Ireland Booth. Kerrygold cheese and butter, chutney and bit of brown bread. Would you believe my mouth is watering just typing this? The photo will not do it justice…

Kerrygold Cheese Selection

We really watch our diets so we rarely have cheese. When we do eat cheese, we reach for higher quality and robust flavor. I realize Kerrygold is not the best cheese but dollar for dollar I am satisfied to choose it. One thing we don’t do is use Kerrygold butter, maybe we should at those rare times we use butter?

I cannot say enough good things about this very simple pairing. I know it is a common one: brown bread, butter, cheese and chutney. But it works so well. Whenever we finally make it to the UK I hope to sample this numerous times for a simple lunch. Mind you, I’ll be walking lots to make sure it doesn’t go to my waistline!

The cheeses are Aged Irish Cheddar, Dubliner and Ivernia. The aged cheddar was firm but smooth with a very rich/deep flavor. The Dubliner has a stronger flavor but similar to cheddar. The Dubliner was also a bit more crumbly than the cheddar. It is distinctive and I think I might like it best of the three. The Ivernia was the hardest of the three – I think it could be grated. It was also the most flavorful (as in “strongest). I liked the flavor and would never turn it down. Yet the Dubliner had the best balance for my taste.

All three cheeses tasted great with the apple chutney. Every time I’ve had chutney the consistency has varied slightly. The serving of chutney we got was a bit “dry” for my taste. This happens though and I’d prefer it a bit dry as to it being syrupy (or too sweet). Hum, wonder how busy Epcot is right now? I want some cheese and chutney!

If you have never tried chutney but you like cheese – give the Cheese Plate at the Ireland booth a taste. You might become a fan…

nick