It's a Yorkshire thing

Christmas Cake and Wensleydale Cheese
An extract from The Courtyard Dairy, The History of fruitcake paired with cheese:

What we do know is that matching fruitcake with cheese is not a recent phenomenon. The eminent Yorkshire Food Historian Peter Brears has traced it back to definitely at least a Victorian tradition and the first written reference we’ve found is from Joseph Lucas’s book 1871 ‘Studies in Nidderdale [Yorkshire]’ “On Christmas Eve one Yule Cake is given to each member of the family, along with a piece of Christmas cheese. As a rule, part of it is left for Christmas morning, and eaten at the breakfast.”
It seems certain eating fruitcake and cheese started in Yorkshire before later spreading throughout the other northern counties. The tradition of enjoying fruitcake with cheese was and is strong in the north of England, but seems often frowned upon or ignored elsewhere in the UK.


The true origins of how and why it came about are shrouded in mystery – although Yorkshire is almost certainly the starting point. It may date back to the days when Wensleydale was traditionally a cheese to be eaten in the winter, especially at Christmas. In those days, Wensleydale was only made in the spring and summer, and then collected from the farms in the autumn at the end of the season. Thus the cheese reached full maturity at Christmas – so it was regarded as a special cheese for consumption at that time, not just an ‘everyday’ cheese. Perhaps Wensleydale was the cheese of choice to taste alongside Christmas cake for that very reason. And the marriage works so well, it isn’t surprising.


So now you know lol:


A very heavy frost last night, Wednesday,  and a very cold day today, Thursday. Couldn't get the back doors open on the car at first. only respite was very little wind, so if you got in a sunny spot it was quite pleasant. We set off a bit late for our morning walk because of it.


The heavy rain caused the usual road (Barnsdale Road) to flood on New Years Day and Thursday morning. It causes havoc as it's the main road for people going into Castleford. Unfortunately it's the flood plain to stop Castleford flooding. It came up very quick, first sign is the river starts to peak and overflow into the field eventually flooding across the road making it impassable (to all but the idiots of this world who try, but get stuck, thus ruining their cars. We do have a laugh at them as if they get the lads with the four by fours to tow them out they have to pay a hefty price) It usually takes awhile to flood but this time it came up so fast the guy who sells cars nearly didn't get them all to high ground in time.
 I have been informed by Kirsty  It's flooded down at Fairburn Ings, so that road is impassable too.


I have been taking my trimmings down today, Only got the tree and it's lights to do and the cards to take down and we will be back to normal (well as normal as we can be in my house) so that took up most of the afternoon.


The cat has now become an indoor cat, all of her own choice, she does sometimes venture out for about 15 minutes then shes shouting to come back in.


That's it for Thursday, bit late to bed been watching stuff I recorded, last episode of Strike, then The Traitors, and following with SAS Rogue Hero's 


Keep warm, wrap up well.