Paxton & Whitfield, cheesemonger to Her Majesty the Queen and the UK’s oldest cheesemonger, has released two special edition cheese centrepieces to commemorate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
Paxton & Whitfield has held the Royal Warrant of Appointment to every monarch since Queen Victoria in 1850 and has designed these cakes as the perfect centrepieces for Jubilee street party celebrations for the June Bank Holiday weekend. The two cheese cakes are the Platinum Jubilee cake and the Elizabeth cake.
James Rutter, managing director of Paxton & Whitfield, says: “2022 is an extra special year for Paxton & Whitfield because it marks the company’s 225th birthday and an incredible milestone for Her Majesty the Queen as the longest-reigning monarch in British history. We will be joining the rest of the country to celebrate the Jubilee bank holidays with special events in our shops and by delivering these celebratory cheese cakes.”
The expert cheesemongers at Paxton & Whitfield will also create bespoke cheese cakes to suit any event requirement – with options ranging from miniature birthday cheese cakes to show-stopping large-scale event cheese cakes.
The cheeses to make the cakes come in packaging with re-usable ice packs and 100% sheeps’ wool insulation to ensure a chilled delivery. There are also instructions included explaining how to assemble the cake and dress it to make an impressive centrepiece.
The new and limited edition Platinum Jubilee Cheese Cake (above) is priced at £60 and includes free UK Delivery, and serves 15-20 people (£3 per serving). It includes an all-British selection of artisan cheese – from bottom, to top:
- Paxton’s Half Baby Stilton (1KG, Pasteurised, Vegetarian Rennet) Usually only available at Christmas, these cheeses are being handmade in a limited edition for this very special occasion. Paxton & Whitfield Stilton is made in Nottinghamshire and is specially selected to meet the cheesemongers’ exacting flavour profile.
- Paxton’s Cheddar Pounder (550g, Pasteurised, Vegetarian Rennet) A miniature cloth-bound Cheddar aged in the historic Cheddar Gorge caves. Distinctively fruity, with a nutty bite. It has underlying earthy notes absorbed from its maturation period in the Somerset caves.
- Tor (200g, Thermised, Vegetarian Rennet) The ‘crown’ at the top is the British goats’ milk cheese; made in Somerset. Tor is made near Shepton Mallet, in the heart of the Westcountry, using the unpasteurised milk from the dairy’s own herd of goats.
The Jubilee Cheese Cake is available in a strictly limited number, with only 50 being produced.
Also new is The Elizabeth Cheese Cake, which is priced at £450 and includes free UK delivery. The cake serves 200 people (£2.25 per serving). Five tiers of British artisan cheese – The Elizabeth features the following handmade cheeses (listed from bottom to top):
- Westcombe Cheddar PDO* (4kg, Unpasteurised, Traditional Rennet) One of very few Cheddars to be made by hand in the Westcountry by Tom Calver using the milk from the Friesian cows farmed by his father. It’s made using traditional rennet, unpasteurised milk and pint starters – something that qualifies it as a Westcountry Farmhouse Cheddar.
- Gorwydd Caerphilly (4kg, Unpasteurised, Traditional Rennet) A cheese of two halves, Gorwydd Caerphilly, has a creamy softness by the rind, which ripens from the outside in. The centre of the cheese is crumbly, acidic and bright. It’s made by the Trethowan brothers on their dairy in North Somerset.
- Colston Bassett Stilton (4kg, Pasteurised, Vegetarian Rennet. This is an award-winning blue Stilton cheese that is creamy in colour, with blue veins running throughout. The texture of this delightful cheese is smooth with an enjoyable mellow flavour, without a sharp, acidic taste. Handmade by Billy Kevan and his team in Nottinghamshire, Colston Bassett Stilton is one of the last remaining hand-ladled Stiltons.
- Waterloo (2 x 200g, Thermised, Vegetarian Rennet). This is a soft cheese that is rich and not too powerful. It has a mildly salty flavour balanced by its lactic centre. It’s an attractive and unique cheese for your cheeseboard with its white rind contrasting with the deep cream-coloured paste. Handmade by Anne and Andy Wigmore of Village Maid Cheese near Berkshire.
- Driftwood (3x 215g, Thermised, Vegetarian Rennet). This is a lemony ash-rinded goats’ milk cheese made in the heart of the Westcountry. The texture is close and silky, with a pleasing saltiness and citrusy notes. The pretty grey/black, geotrichum mould resembles bark (hence the name Driftwood).
The Elizabeth is available to pre-order online and in Paxton & Whitfield shops, with 14 days lead-time required prior to the requested delivery date for this particular cake. For UK mainland delivery in time for the Jubilee bank holiday weekend, orders must be received by Monday 30th May.
* PDO – Protected Designation of Origin, for products that are produced, processed and prepared within a particular geographical area and with features and characteristics that must be due to that area.
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