Sending French cheese to UK

[Iceni]

I want to send some French cheese to the UK for Christmas. Now this is not your normal easy buy cheese but a local variety Bleu d'Auvergne which we think is better than Roquefort.  I could send a selection of cheese for Xmas. Now is there a way to send it or is there a really good supplier of specialist French cheese in the UK that anyone knows of.

I have done the wine and champers for my two best friends and realising how daft they are about cheese I thought that this could be the answer this year.

I am off to try Google but thought a personal recomendation would be better.

[BruceR]

I think it is a good idea to send cheese to your friends, (dunno about postal regulations).  I am sorry to disabuse you but Bleu d'Auvergne which I also love is freely available in the UK - Southern half anyway - in J Sainsbury and Waitrose.

 

[Russethouse]

Di, I know there are very good cheese specialists in both Bath and Oxford, I know the Bath one does mail order, whether they have what you want is another matter. If I remember rightly I read about both shops in the Independent' 50 Best series' it might be on line ???

[Hagar]

Di,

Don't know about posting cheese to UK but can wholeheartedly recommend the Huge Cheese Company in London . Have used them a few times for sending cheese as Xmas presents and they have been excellent. They don't currently show a Bleu D'auvergne on the web site but that doesn't mean they don't have it. Try calling them. http://www.hugecheesedirect.co.uk

Alternatively you could try la fromagerie - have never used them but have seen some very good write ups. http://www.lafromagerie.co.uk/

Hagar

[graham34]

Bleu d'Auvergne is widely available in the UK, but like any cheese (think Cheddar in the UK) quality, style and price varies enourmously depending on the source, the season, affinage and producer - even Roquefort has variation. I assume Di is talking about an artisan Bleu d'Auvergne of superiour quality.

I think the biggest problem with using the post is that the cheese will sweat and get warmer than it should for too long. Blue cheese can stand up to this abuse better than some. As I recall a whole Bleu d'Auvergne (i.e. one with a protective rind) is quite a few kilos. If you can find a smaller, i.e. 1 kilo, whole rinded cheese that would fair much better.

 

[Russethouse]

On an encouraging note I know of an American who had the Breton butter with fleur de sel in it sent from Brittany to the USA every week !!

Luckily Waitrose sell it in the UK

[Eleanor REleanor R<br>www.chicfinance.com<br>06 15 16 10 04]

I use www.fromages.com to regularly send real French cheese to the UK and also to the USA.

The cheese turns up in perfect condition with an icepack to keep it cool. It's delivered by express delivery so it arrives on the day you choose and you can track the cheese on its journey with their online system!

Bon appetit

[Diana]

Two months ago we tried to send a hamper from Fortnums and Masons to some friends in Seattle but were told by F and M they are no longer permitted to send foodstuffs to the US because of the risk of biological terrorism.

Diana