So many brides and grooms I've been speaking to lately just aren't that bothered with cake - they don't eat it in day to day life, and simply don't have a sweet tooth. Yet some will still opt to spend money on a cake they don't really want to eat, all in the name of feeling like they have to stick to tradition. Well I say, "STEP ASIDE CAKE, THIS IS A JOB FOR CHEESE!"
Tiered cheese cakes are really popular at weddings (well, why wouldn't they be, it's literally a huge stack of delicious wheels of cheese) with more and more couples deciding to go down that route instead of (and sometimes as well as) a traditional wedding cake - HIGH FIVE TO THOSE PEOPLE! Needless to say, an abundance of tasty fromage during an evening reception always goes down an absolute storm with guests.
So I got thinking - what would be the ULTIMATE wedding cheese cake? There are so many varieties of cheese to choose from, so many accompaniments, and exactly how much cheese will you need to have for each guest? It's a hard job, but I felt like someone should do a little research on the subject and report back to you lovely folks (mmm... tasty delicious research). I got in touch with the lovely Harry & Phoebe, AKA Love Cheese in York, who've helped me compile this awesome guide to the wedding cheese cake of your dreams....
"So essentially picking cheeses for a cheese cake has to follow a similar path to picking a cheeseboard, in that variety is key. A standard cheeseboard (in our opinion) should have a Blue Cheese, something soft and like a Brie in style and then a firmer, possibly mature cheese. After that you can go in any direction according your preferences, whether it be smoked, Goat's, Ewe's, crumbly or washed etc. Cheese cakes that we create tend to be 3, 4 or 5 tiers. We have done a 7 tier before, but it got a little precarious...!
There's also a really fine line between choosing cheeses just because you as a couple like them, and then alongside that considering the guests potential tastes, and also choosing aesthetically pleasing cheeses! In terms of cost, a wedding cheese cake can cost anything between £60 - £350, depending on size and your choice of cheeses. After that, there are certain rules to follow: soft cheeses generally work better sitting higher up the cake, blue cheese tends to be a slightly less popular cheese, so having a smaller tier of that. In terms of how much cheese you should allow per guest, we follow a rough guideline of 50-100g of cheese per person. The more guests you have the general rule is the less per person you need.
We love chatting our customers through their cheese cakes, getting to know their preferences, recommending new things for them to try and generally being a part of their big day. Once we've picked the cheeses we then look at accompaniments - we've got a range of crackers and chutneys that go great with a cheese cake. We can even provide pork pie cakes if needed!"
And from there, you can add your decorations - flowers, foliage... whatever you feel! I personally love seeing towers of cheese laden with figs, berries and herbs... it just looks incredible - and every inch and impressive as a traditional cake!
Well there you have it! And if you feel the need to do your own research in person (well, it would be rude not to) then head on over to Love Cheese on Gillygate in York, and make an appointment to create your own bespoke wedding cheese cake! Tastings cost £20.00 and can be arranged by emailing weddings@lovecheese.co.uk, or you can find out more information on their website: www.lovecheese.co.uk.