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Androuet is the Cheese!...the cheese of London

ANDROUET is the Cheese-monger in Spitalfields market. 
ANDROUET Cheese shop, restaurant and.. wedding cake?!
On the Eating London food tour, we were treated to some delicious cheeses and some history of Androuet from tour guide Nicole and Cheese info from Luke inside.
 
Henry Androuet wanted to teach Parisians of their rich cheese heritage in Paris  opening up the first shop there in 1909 selling all sorts of cheeses from all regions in France.
5 years ago two brothers named Alex and Leo (Alex is the cheese-monger of the brothers). Both of them in their early 20’s came over to London with limited English, and they set up a Cheese stand in Spitalfields market. 
It went so well they were able to open their own cheese shop- Androuet in Spitalfields. The brothers apply the same philosophy as the Parisian Androuet working hand in hand with the smallest farm producers in Europe with no middle man. Particularly in the UK.
Unlike other cheese shops they buy the cheese young and mature it in their cellar on site, "requiring lots of constant monitoring nurturing and attention and lots of patience"  Apparently, we are told, no books that can teach you this; all mature a different amount of time in the cellar downstairs, 2 weeks to 3 months until they are perfect. It's almost like being a parent Nicole- our Eating London tour guide says.
Luke talked us through the delicious cheeses he had on offer..


English Brie, very very clean without a mushroom flavour?
1, This cheese is creamy, different to French Brie clean in flavour, cabbage, asparagus, very very clean; he is emphatic. And it is, but not sure what he means by mushroom flavour in Cheese. I forgive myself, I am not a cheese connoisseur, but I know what I like, and I like this. 

2, Keen’s cheddar, is made by three major producers in West Country and is 'slow food'. Looking for an AOC currently- making Keen's the only ones that are allowed to call themselves Keens cheddar- much like Champagne can only be called Champagne; if they come from that region.
All the milk comes from the West country; the Keen families own herd.
The cheese is wrapped in cloth to take in flavour of surroundings, and then matured for 9 months, this one has been matured for 13 months. 
Taste flavour- buttery, creaminess, sharpness.
Luke likes the complexity of the flavour and he says he can feel the rolling hills of Somerset as you eat it.  He adds 15 different things need to be included to be able to call it farmhouse cheddar. Not wanting to be too pretentious, I just find it very tasty.
Rolling hills of somerset can be tasted with number two apparently (Far right)

3, Cropwell Bishop Stilton- a blue cheese. Salt, rich buttery taste, and peppery aftertaste. Good to eat alone. Luke added a caramelised walnut- honey, sugar, all made on the premises, which made the taste even better- as if that were possible.

 I have a feeling I will be visiting often.
 
visit courtesy of eatinglondontours.co.uk
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Comments

  1. Unknown8 November 2013 at 10:22

    Ohhhhh, I remember this on the tour. And the cheese went so nicely with those caramelised nuts....

    ReplyDelete

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