This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/22/in-praise-of-lymeswold-cheese

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
In praise of … Lymeswold In praise of … Lymeswold
(35 minutes later)
Gourmands groaned at the confected name, and denounced the pretensions of the Milk Marketing Board. But the proof of a cheese is in the chewing, and when Lymeswold hit the shelves in 1982 its creamy tang so thrilled the public's tastebuds that the stock disappeared in no time at all. In the end, the new blue fell victim to greed, as the manufacturers answered terrific early demand by releasing cheese which wasn't mature; the brand never recovered and was withdrawn in 1992. But what's easy to forget is that Lymeswold was the first new English cheese in 200 years, and prefigured the great era of curdish innovation that eventually saw the UK's range far exceed the 246 varieties that de Gaulle once said rendered the French ungovernable. In a slumpish economy, the hunt is on for products that will spur invention again; the nation would do well to listen closely to Radio 4's commemoration today of this centrally planned cheese. Gourmands groaned at the confected name, and denounced the pretensions of the Milk Marketing Board. But the proof of a cheese is in the chewing, and when Lymeswold hit the shelves in 1982 its creamy tang so thrilled the public's tastebuds that the stock disappeared in no time at all. In the end, the new blue fell victim to greed, as the manufacturers answered terrific early demand by releasing cheese which wasn't mature; the brand never recovered and was withdrawn in 1992. But what's easy to forget is that Lymeswold was the first new British cheese in 200 years, and prefigured the great era of curdish innovation that eventually saw the UK's range far exceed the 246 varieties that de Gaulle once said rendered the French ungovernable. In a slumpish economy, the hunt is on for products that will spur invention again; the nation would do well to listen closely to Radio 4's commemoration today of this centrally planned cheese.
• This article was amended on 23 January 2013. The original said Lymeswold was the first new British cheese in 200 years. This has been corrected to say English cheese.