Photo ©2012 madamefromage.blogspot.com

If it’s Sunday night, 9pm means Downton Abbey, PBS’ delightful — and surprisingly popular — upstairs-downstairs British drama. Naturally, you need some good UK cheeses to accompany it, which is where Madame Fromage steps up to the plate, er, wicket, with a post on how to make a Downton Abbey cheese plate.

She even pairs her cheeses with a matching character, for example: 

Lincolnshire Poacher - This smoldering character is named after a 17th century ballad. It has Cheddarish traits, but there’s a bit of Gruyere lurking in the background, making it a bit of a split personality. So of course, you can guess which character it best represents. Character: Thomas the Footman

Stichelton - This piquant, ultra traditional version of Stilton is made with raw milk, unlike other Stiltons on the market. It’s very feisty and worth every penny for its craggy, churlish nature. Character: Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham

 The one opportunity I thought she missed was a pairing for Tom Branson, the politically outspoken Irish chauffeur. My suggestion would be Ardrahan, an Irish washed rind with a distinctive barnyardy kick and pungency, definitely a cheese that demands to be noticed, but whose bark is far worse than its bite, revealing a milder temperament on tasting. 

Read the full post here.