Masterclass - Chalk & cheese

Forget the ploughman's of yesteryear and bring yours bang up to date. It couldn't be simpler. PubChef - with the help of the British Cheese Board and the Cheese Cellar Company - reports.

If you looked at most people's view of the ploughman's in sexual terms, it would fit into the "reluctant once a month on a Friday night and only if you've cleaned your teeth"​ scenario. It's often seen as very unlikely to make the earth move. But this needn't be the case. With a little creativity, there's no reason why this menu stalwart, can't seduce your customers again. The ploughman's is as quintessentially British as roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and has a loyal fan base - so with a little time and effort, it makes sense to build on its popularity. As Brian Baker, managing director of the Cheese Cellar Company, says: "The pub food market is well ahead in terms of innovation and market trends. Nevertheless, I believe that it's time for publicans to re-think some of the basics,the classic being the ploughman's."​

Reinvigorating your ploughman's offering makes sense - the dish needs no cooking, is easy to assemble and has good gross profit opportunities.Also, you can buy in at the low or high end of the product spectrum, providing total flexibility in terms of selling price. Baker suggests substituting a traditional plough-man's Stilton or cheddar, with a cheese that has a more contemporary edge - such as premium types from the King Island Dairy, off the north coast of Tasmania, which could be up-sold along with a glass of New World wine. The range includes King Island Roaring Forties Blue, a six-times award-winning rindless blue cheese matured in wax, and a sweet, nutty flavoured truckle-style King Island Black Label cloth-matured cheddar.

For pub chefs who want to stick with British cheeses, there are plenty of options. Take, for instance, Stilton. UK dairy Clawson, a major producer of blue Stilton and blended cheese, offers a white Stilton with strawberries, cranberries, blueberries and apricots. A creamy white stilton with mango and ginger was also added to the collection and won the Cheese Lover's Trophy at the Nantwich International Cheese Show last year. With more than 400 different cheeses available in the UK, ringing the changes on your cheese offering should be simple. And, as Nigel White, chairman of the British Cheese Board, points out: "Cheese is excellent value for money. It is also worth paying that extra bit if the cheese has a special quality that will appeal to customers, such as if it is made locally or if it's been matured for longer. Remember that people can be looking to try something different to that which they have everyday at home. "The margins on cheese in catering are excellent. It requires little or no preparation or cooking and can be used as a real point of difference. A strong cheese, like Stilton or mature Cheddar, goes a long way in adding flavour."​

Even when it comes to cheeses traditionally associated with more distant climes, there can be a British option. Why not try a Scottish Brie, for example, produced by Howgate Cheese, a British mozzarella made by Malvern Cheesewrights, or Cornish or Somerset brie. With customers increasingly interested in trying local produce, it may also be a good idea to include on your ploughman's board, a cheese produced in your area or region. The British Cheese Board will be able to point you in the right direction - visit its website at www.britishcheese.com​.

And once you've perfected your ploughman's, don't neglect the all-important task of communicating your offer to customers. Include on the menu information about each of the cheeses you offer, such as place of origin, and a brief description of the cheese, eg, mild and creamy. Many pubs are already adding their own twists to the ploughman's and offering different breads, cheeses, fruits, chutneys and accompaniments to keep things interesting. As Cheese Cellar's Brian says: "There's tremendous scope to reinvigorate this traditional fare, and that will obviously impact on margins too."​

Steps to a sexier ploughman's​

If you're able to, source your cheese from local producers. It's a great way to make your ploughman's unique and add value to your offering.

List which cheeses you are using and where they come from - tell the customer that this is a gastronomical experience.

Educate staff about the cheese being served - it helps if they know a bit about the types on offer, especially if they are more unusual cheeses.

Estimate how many ploughman's you will use before each sitting and ensure that your cheeses are up to room temperature in advance of serving so that their full flavour can be enjoyed.

Don't drown the flavours of the cheese with large amounts of salad and chutney - cheese and bread are the real heroes of a ploughman's and accompaniments should compliment them, not dominate.

As with all dishes, presentation is everything. Try to use colourful garnishes such as red and yellow peppers and serve the chutneys in individual pots, rather than dollop them on the plate.

Source:​ Nigel White, chairman of the British Cheeseboard

New twists on an old favourite​

New classics​To add interest to the traditional ploughman's serve it with bacon bits, cheese and onion crisps or apple slices. For a more contemporary flavour, try the new Cornish Wild Garlic Yarg. This semi-hard farmhouse cheese has a clean taste and is slightly crumbly when cut. It comes wrapped in wild garlic leaves, with a hint of wild garlic running through it. One to share Why not turn the ploughman's into a shared experience? Choose a creamy round cheese, such as Vacherin Mont d'Or, remove the crust and warm it under a low heat until runny. Serve with warm sliced baguettes for two people. Offer two glasses of wine or beer to accompany it.

The Combo​Slice a number of different cheeses, mixing flavours and textures, and serve with toasted breads and a selection of relishes. Add deep-fried vegetables and garlic mushrooms for a true combo flavour. Double the portions and serve on a platter. An open idea The popular partnership that is salmon and creamy cheese, can be served with a crisp green salad either in a wrap, or on plain white bread as an open ploughman's. Serve with a tangy tomato chutney. Why not use Wensleydale from the Hawes creamery - the original Wensleydale made from dairies in the Wensleydale valleys.

Get fruity​Combine a light ricotta cheese with fruits of the season such as peaches, strawberries and raspberries. Out of season, substitute dried fruits such as dates, raisins and apricots. Serve on large toasted teacakes or with pitta bread. Go Greek Toss feta cheese with chopped onion and tomatoes and place in warmed pitta bread. Serve with olives, hummus, taramasalata or tzatziki on the side. Fruits of the forest Spread a baguette with a creamy brie, top with a fruity chutney, such as apple, and fill with seasonal berries, almonds and sultanas.

Champions of choice​ How three pubs are bringing new life to the ploughman's: Duke's 92 and the Mark Addy pubs in Manchester offer just cheese and paté on the menu... but what a choice. There are three or four speciality cheeses, 20 to 25 English cheeses and 15 to 20 foreign cheeses, all served with pickles, gherkins and fresh bread. And if people can't finish all the cheese they can have a "doggy bag"​ to take home.

At the Nobody Inn in Doddiscombe, Devon, customers can choose cheese for their ploughman's from a cheese menu, which also has advice on which wines and beers match well with which cheeses. Customers can opt for three different cheeses for their ploughman's or choose a selection of six cheeses served with water biscuits, bread or just on its own.

The Farmers in Portinscale, Cumbria, offers its own version of a ploughman's called the Farmers. This is a choice of three