Cheese
When to order your cheese?
We recommend ordering your cheese so it arrives at least two days prior to eating. This ensures it not only arrives safely with you in plenty of time if for a specific event or special occasion but also the cheese will be in tip top condition ready for serving. Please try and give us a good few days notice where possible so we can ensure we have stocks and the cheeses are in great condition
Storing and caring for your cheese
Pop all your cheese in the fridge upon arrival or choose a cool place such as a larder or cellar as this will work well. If you have purchased a stinky cheese, it’s good to pop this in an individual lidded pot to contain the smell. Should there be any leftover cheese after serving, do reuse our wax paper this will help keep the cheese in better condition and last longer, it’s also much better than clingfilm to preserve your cheese.
How long will my cheese last?
Generally, larger cheese rounds, large slices of cheese or whole individual truckles will last longer than smaller cut slices. Once a cheese has been cut it will start to deteriorate. We always cut and wrap your cheese on the day of despatch to ensure it arrives with you as fresh as possible.
The following are guidelines: Individual Cheese rounds or truckles: You should expect a minimum shelf life of 7 – 14 days on harder cheese truckles. Our softer/fresh individual truckles should have 7-10 days. Cut Cheese: Hard cut Cheese, such as Cheese Makers Special, Comte or Cheddar will keep for up to 14 days if carefully wrapped and stored in wax paper. Soft cut Cheese, such as Perl Wen or Baron Bigod, won’t keep as well as harder cheeses however you should still expect a shelf life of 7-10 days
Putting together a cheeseboard?
Variety is key for contrast and balance. To cover most taste buds choose a hard cheese, a blue, a soft and a goat or sheep's milk cheese and if feeling adventurous a washed rind cheese is worthy of a place on a good cheeseboard. We would suggest 3-5 cheeses and no more, so as not to confuse taste buds and better to enjoy three good cheeses. Our recommendation would usually include something along the following lines Isle Of Mull Cheddar, Angiddy Brie, Perl Las blue & Rachel goats cheese and don't forget that washed rind cheese
A guide to cheese sizing (How much cheese will I need)?
We suggest a portion size per cheese is in the region of 30g per person. We would aim at approx. 100g of cheese per person for an after-dinner meal or for larger parties, where there is other food then approx. 70g should be sufficient. i.e; If buying 4 cheeses for an after-dinner meal for 8, aim at approx. 200g of each cheese x 4 cheeses.
Serving Cheese
Do bring your cheese out of the fridge and up to room temperature at least an hour prior to serving, the cheese tastes much better when bought up to room temperature
Make it Local
If you want to keep it Local. We have a great variety of local cheeses sourced from our lovely cheese suppliers who are all within a 15 mile radius. And to make this easy, we do have a search facility on our on-line cheese section
What does 'Handmade' or 'Artisan Cheese' mean
Simply as it says, made by people not machines. Mass produced cheese, like bread and wine is made in factories and will often be ultra-processed and have many unnecessary additives. More than 4 ingredients in cheese should raise questions.
Can I eat the rinds
Yes (and no) Most rinds are totally edible and an important part of the flavour and texture. Obviously the wax on wrapped cheeses like Black Bomber needs to be removed, and some cheeses have very hard edges are best cut off.
What do you do with the hard rinds on Parmesan?
Wrap them up, keep in the fridge, and when you’re making a stew or bolognese chuck the rinds in at the beginning. They will melt away and add a lovely umami flavour.
Cheese with bits in?
That's a marmite question! Personally at Forest Deli we prefer cheese with chutney or fruit served on the side rather than having it mixed in. Also a plainer cracker to a flavoured one sometimes works best so you can simply enjoy 'good' cheese and taste the lovely complex flavours they can have. However, we all have totally different taste buds so have a little of what you enjoy
How can you tell when your cheese has gone off?
If it’s a hard cheese with some mould visible, scrape or cut that bit away, the rest of the cheese will be absolutely fine to eat. Some softer cheeses may turn off earlier, your nose will tell you!
What to serve with your cheese?
Try some of our delicious chutneys, pickles or jars of pickled fruits. Add a sprinkling of nuts if your heart desires. Then choose some delicious crackers and you are all set for a fabulous evening of cheese!
"I don't like cheese!"
You just haven’t found the right cheese for you yet. Who doesn't like cheese!
A word about Mould
Mould on cheese occurs naturally so if you find a surface white rind or some grey markings that appear this is perfectly normal, please don’t throw the cheese away, simply cut away a thin layer and rewrap it, the cheese will be perfectly edible underneath. Blue Mould is a naturally occurring event, the mold develops its own characater to add depth of flavour and interesting texture
Can't find an answer to your question
Feel free to contact us in the deli by email athello@forest-deli.co.ukor by phone on 01594 833001.
Gifts and Hampers
Can I add a gift message to the hamper?
Of course! If you would like to add a personalised gift tag to your hamper for no extra charge, then simply type your chosen message into the 'Gift Messages' box when you enter your details if you are ordering online, or tell us in person if you are ordering in the deli
Do you offer collection or delivery for hampers?
You have the option of either collecting your hamper from our deli or we offer free local delivery to GL16 or for a £5 surcharge can deliver to GL14, GL15 & GL17. Gifts going to addresses outside this radius are delivered by Next Day Delivery
How far in advance do I have to order a hamper?
We ask that you please give at least 24 hours notice for collections and local deliveres. If you have any questions or concerns regarding when your hamper will be delivered then please don't hesitate to get in contact with us and we will do our best to help
What sizes do your hampers come in?
Depending on the container that you choose, our hapers usually come in a small (1 to 5 items), medium (5 to 9 items) or large size (10+ items), meaning we are able to suit your different budgets and desires
Are your hampers suitable for dietary restrictions or allergies?
If you have specific dietyary requirements, you have the option to choose the items that go straight into your hamper, or, let us know and we will recommend some suitable options. If you have any queries then please contact us before placing your order
Do you offer Corporate Hamper options for businesses?
Yes, please contact us if you are looking to place a business order. We are very happy to discuss your requirements in detail and can help with large orders and multiple destinations along with dietary or any other requirements
Are your hampers suitable for shipping or long-distance gifting?
Absolutely, our delivery service is Nationwide. If you enter the delivery postcode in the checkout you will see your delivery options. We ensure that all hampers are securely packed for transit and any fresh items are packed with a cold ice pack to keep things cool until arrival
Can I order multiple hampers for different recipients?
Yes you can. If you are ordering online please do make these separate orders, this way you can specify which addresses each one is going to.
What happens if an item is out of stock?
All of our items should be in stock, but on the rare occasion that this should happen, we will substitute it for a similar item of equal or greater value
Do I need to store the hamper in a fridge?
If youre hamper contains any cheese or chilled item we recommend that you keep it cold. Your hamper will be chilled to the point that we deliver it to you. Don't worry if sending as a gift, all Our next day deliveries will be clearly labelled to be refrigerated on arrival
Can't find an answer to your question?
Feel free to contact us in the deli by email at hello@forest-deli.co.uk or by phone on: 01594 833001
Delivery & Tracking
Where we deliver and who we use?
We offer nationwide delivery and can deliver to your home or place of work. We use DPD, so all parcels are sent overnight and are fully trackable. You will receive a consignment no. so you'll be able to track your order on-line once it has been despatched
When to order?
You can order in advance if you are that organised person....you know who you are? We have a drop down calendar at checkout stage which enables you to hand-pick a delivery date of your choosing.
Do we offer collection or delivery for orders
Yes we do; You have the option of either collecting your order from our deli or we offer free local delivery to GL16 or for a £5 surcharge can deliver to GL14, GL15 & GL17. Gifts going to addresses outside this radius are delivered by Next Day Delivery
For urgent orders
If you can place your order by 10:00am Monday-Thursday, we can generally arrange a collection with DPD and your parcel will arrive the following day. However, if your order is urgent and you do require next day delivery, it is best to call us on: 01594 833001 and we will do all we can to help
How will my parcel arrive?
It will arrive in a plain outer brown box, with a Forest Deli label and if perishables it will have a label with "Please refrigerate upon arrival' so for any gift order your recipient will know it has perishable goods inside.
Help us with a smooth delivery?
Please supply full delivery address including postcode along with a contact telephone no for the recipient. If you are difficult to find please help us by providing as much info as possible. As most of our products are perishables, at checkout please provide us with instructions for a safe place the package can be left without a signature, just in case nobody is in (e.g: leave with neighbour or outside storage box etc). This is really important if you are sending a surprise gift.
Why was my order not delivered?
It's likely that nobody was available to sign for the order and we have been given no instructions for it to be left in a safe place, then your order will not be left and DPD will reattempt delivery the following day.
What to do if your parcel doesn't arrive?
Check with DPD online, this will enable you to see the status of your order; you can do this by using the DPD Track & Trace Service to track your parcel online at: www.dpd.com/tracking. You will have received a consingment no. from us upon despatch, simply enter the consignment no and search for your order
If for any reason you do not have your consignment no or having trouble, then do get in touch and we will do our utmost to help. Call us on: 01594 832001