The Oxford Cheese Company

The Oxford Cheese Company is one of those Covered Market stalls that justifies the market's continued existence in the age of supermarkets. The counter displays a carefully chosen selection of British and European cheeses, mostly from small-scale and artisan producers, cut and wrapped to order rather than pre-packaged. The difference in quality between this and the cling-filmed wedges in a supermarket chiller is immediately obvious.

The British selection is the strength — expect to find raw-milk cheddars from Somerset and the West Country, soft cheeses from the Thames Valley, washed-rind experiments from small English dairies, and seasonal specialities that appear and disappear with the production calendar. The European range covers the essentials — Comtes of different ages, seasonal Mont d'Ors, properly aged Parmigiano — without trying to stock everything. Quality over range is clearly the guiding principle.

The staff know their stock and will let you taste before buying, which is how cheese should always be sold. They'll also put together a cheese board selection if you tell them how many people you're feeding and what you're drinking — practical advice that saves you guessing.

What to look for

Ask what's ripe and ready today — the staff will steer you to whatever is at its peak. The Oxford Blue is a natural choice as a local product and a fine blue cheese in its own right. Seasonal cheeses like Vacherin Mont d'Or (winter) and English goat's cheeses (spring/summer) are worth timing a visit for. The accompaniments — crackers, chutneys, quince paste — are well chosen and complete a hamper or picnic nicely.