And suddenly it’s the Easter weekend, and April again, and again – still! – sooo much uncertainty ahead of us. Which is why we need at least a sturdy cheese, one that provides that friendly nudge, tells you to keep swimming and smiling, slaps his arm around your sagging shoulders, and gives you a push, like a fresh gust of April tailwind on your morning run. Sturdy means: reliable, unfussy and yet not boring, just good – such as the Calver family’s Westcombe cheddar from the lush green pastures of Somerset, halfway from London to Cornwall..

Solid wheels of around 25 kilogram, tightly bandaged in linen that in the course of the twelve months of maturation is overgrown by a fine carpet of grey, blue and white cultures. The aroma of the soft, yet flaky yellow paste is intensely milky, almost juicy, like walking on those Somerset pastures, along a small stream with the season’s first green and life. Under the bandaged rind the smell is earthy, more serious, grown-up, of roots such as parsnips and horseradish. On the palate it’s surprisingly creamy, the characteristic cheddar acidity finely balanced by a touch of sweetness, like in a good salad dressing.