Cotswold Potatoes - A Welcome Side

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Originating in Gloucestershire County, England, Cotswold is Double Gloucester cheese with chopped onions and chives mixed into it for added flavor.  It's a dense semi-hard whole milk cheese which can vary in color from golden yellow to orange.

As for taste, this ten year favorite of mine has a creamy, buttery, sweet flavor roughly akin to cheddar, but not as sharp. The chives and onions give it a uniquely savory bite.

Because it pairs well with blonde & amber beers, Zinfandel, and Shiraz Cotswold is popular as a pub cheese in England.  I bought a wedge last week, and was simply going to top crackers with it, and eat it alongside a beer.  However, the cashier at New Seasons asked if I'd ever made mashed potatoes with Cotswold cheese before.   Not only had I not made it, I'd never thought of it.

Being the cyber nerd that I am, I surfed the web, as soon as I returned home, and found a recipe for Cotswold Potatoes on Tiny New York Kitchen's blog consisting of 2 Pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, 1 Cup Heavy Cream, 5 Tablespoons Butter (Room Temperature), 1 ½ Cups Shredded Cotswold Cheese, ¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper, ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt, and ¼ Teaspoon Paprika.  Like I said, it's not my recipe, but you can visit the blog, "Tiny New York Kitchen," for the full recipe.

I can tell you the potatoes were cheesy and creamy, and the flavors of the chives and onions really came through.  Along with fried chicken livers, pea pods sauteed with lemon oil, and a Blue Moon Beer the potatoes were a delicious component to a wonderful meal.  I'll have these again.