Paxton & Whitfield's cheese journal

I'm the sort of person who goes upstairs for something and can't remember what it was until I've walked back down again, so remembering all the different cheeses I've scoffed is a frankly impossible task.

I've got a database on my desktop, which I naturally forget to update, and I scribble things on bits of paper, which I immediately lose.

So I was intrigued to hear that those clever cheesemongers at Paxton & Whitfield had come up with a journal for jotting down cheesey thoughts and musings. Since getting one, I've found it much easier to keep track of what I've eaten, what it tastes like and what I'd drink it with it.

It's small enough to pop in your pocket (A6 size), has room for 40 cheeses and is split into useful sections for detailing things like milk type, style, rind, texture and flavour with space for extra notes. There are also pages on how to taste cheese and tips for putting together the perfect cheeseboard.

Here's what I wrote about Paxton's rather excellent Stilton (which I suspect is made for them by Cropwell Bishop):

"Rich, creamy, salty, sweet, meaty with a lovely cool finish (almost menthol or alcohol). A complex interesting cheese. Lots to go back for. Are the curds ladelled?"

My only criticism is that there isn't a section for recording the maturity of a cheese (but I usually write that in the notes anyway).

At £4.95 it won't break the bank either. I just have to remember where I put it now.