Wacky Facts by Agent K #37: Did You Know There's a Popular Type of Cheese Made With Charcoal?
While living in England and working for a fairly successful boxing promoter, I used to travel a lot – mainly inside the UK.
I've probably visited Scotland, Ireland and ESPECIALLY Wales (Newbridge AND Joe Calzaghe...I LOVE YOU TO DEATH), more than any other Greek in history, but then again that's only a speculation ;)
Despite ending up being a "family man" and eventually a single father living a quiet life in English Countryside, I fully enjoyed the totally busted hotel rooms, wild pubs and loud boxing events of Britain for as long as my boxing "promoting" career lasted.
In one of my many trips I discovered a store named Manor Farm in Leasingham, known for selling one of the strangest cheeses in the world called Char Coal.
The Menu of the Day
True to its name, this cheese's actually made with real charcoal. Yep, you heard right, it’s made from charcoal and for that reason it’s jet black.
It definitely doesn’t sound very appetizing or tasty and it looks kind of dirty and scary. However, it is a big hit among cheese lovers who literally adore it—at least in Leasingham.
The shop’s staff assures us that people who had it once have been coming back for more and once you taste it you’re addicted. Sounds like we’re talking heavy drugs, doesn’t it?
Dan Mansfield, assistant manager at Manor Farm, says:
“It’s a mature cheddar but it’s completely black inside where it’s mixed with the charcoal but it tastes really creamy. The company we get some of our cheese supplies from said they had got this new cheese in stock and it was made from charcoal so we thought we’d give it a try. I’d never heard of it before and it doesn’t look very appetizing, but it is very nice. We’ve had a sample block cut up in the shop for customers to try and so far everyone who has tried it has bought a whole block.”
The idea of combining coal and cheese was so unusual that this outstanding (indeed!) innovation enabled Michael Lee Fine Cheeses (creators of the cheese) to receive the 2013 award for Best New Idea at the Farm Shop and Deli Show, while Char Coal has become the absolute hit in both retail quarters, restaurants and hotels.
Truth be told is that even though I am still not sold on this cheese, I must confess that its funky look stimulated my curiosity enough to expand my tasting experiences. And I can assure you that it's "disgustlicious."
Sources:
Jet Black Char Coal Cheddar Cheese Is Made with Real Charcoal
Jet Black Char Coal Cheddar Cheese Is Made with Real Charcoal
This Bizarre-Looking Cheese Is Colored Black and Is Made with Real Charcoal
You mean to tell me I don't have to eat just plain-ass old regular charcoal anymore?
Best-day-ever!
Lol...Or wait a minute,mate! Are you being serious? With you I really don't know anymore :P
So now back to the actual cheese... what did it taste like?? Would you recommend it? Is it safe? Does the FDA approve??
(Last one is a bit of a joke)
LMAO@ Does the FDA approve?? (good one).
Alright, I will be blatantly honest here. I think it's safe if you consider how a few thousands of Brits eat it with no problems. However, Brits also love to eat marmite (Dear GOD!!!!), so something's definitely wrong with the Brits (except my son I hope, but then again he's only half Brit lol). And NO I WOULD NOT recommend it to anyone really. I mean, can you imagine a mixture of cigarettes ashes with pig's salty ink (if pig produced ink that would be LOL)? That's how it tasted to me. Not a pleasant experience at all, mate ;)
Hahaha thank you for elaborating... do typically eat cheeses? Do you have any favorites?
Oh hell yeah, man!!! I am mainly Greek and 1/4 French (my mom's half French) so cheese runs in my blood really. Feta, graviera, camembert, kefalotyri, roquefort, cheddar, Swiss, parmesan, metsovone, pecorino. I LOVE cheese!!!! And you?
Yeah me too: kefalograviera, anthotiro, mizithra, brie, manchego, mozarella, gouda, ktl
Amazing story, @tkappa :) Just when I thought I've tried every sort of cheese known to man, living in Italy... I know charcoal is actually very healthy. If someone ingests something poisonous, for example, crush up some charcoal, mix with water and drink it; and yes, it often saves lives. So it makes sense to (at least some, despite seeming gross... LOL) Thanks for sharing this.
You are welcome amico mio!!! Grazie for the honest comment and for sharing this info with us (I wasn't aware of how healthy charcoal is to be honest). May I ask (if you don't mind to share that is of course) from what region of Italy you come from? I love Italy! I've spent a total 25 months in your beautiful country. I did my Erasmus as a freshman and then my Masters in Legal History in the Universita di Pisa. Mi manca bella Pisa!!!!
Che bello, @tkappa. I'm living about an hour northeast of Venice, but not really from Italy. Of British decent, born and raised in the states, cultured in the Netherlands, Brazil and Italy... I get around too... LOL... Pisa is an awesome area to have studied... How cool is that.
Here's a funny Pisa pic (not me though... :)
Hah! Brilliant!!! One of my favourite cheeses is wrapped with ash. Now I'm quite curious to try charcoal..........
Well, it's not that tasty trust me on this lol
Wowwzerrrr osemmmm
Hello tkappa! Thanks for sharing. Keep writing good quality content and let's grow the community together.
Your post smells worse than cheesy toe jam. And your account looks like a barren land of spammery.
And to be honest I think you're being too "soft" and kind with your words he he. Oh well, I just ignore them!
I’m trying my best to not be prejudiced but then I checked out their activity, which proves my prejudice to just intuition. Also I wanted to make something poetic instead of wasting my words on their cunty spammage. I also added a cute little screenshot for proof and then downvoted the post as much as I could currently muster.
;p
LOL....You're an ace, mate ;)
Aiight!