In Search of a Full English [Salad]
Words: Jenn Rice | @jennricewrites
Photos & Recipe: Stacey Sprenz | @ssprenzphoto
Editor: Michelle Webb | @cheeseshopnc
The Full English Salad. Photos and recipe by Stacey Sprenz.
I met Michelle Webb for the first time in a blazing hot Raleigh parking lot in summer 2022. She emerged from her Subaru, newborn in the backseat and offers me the goods as promised: a gable box stuffed with cheese ahead of my pilgrimage to Europe. “Perfect plane snacks– semi-firm and nothing too stinky,” she confidently advises me. In two short years, The Cheese Shop evolved from a 2-person farmer’s market stall to the Triangle's only cut-to-order cheese shop — plus a hyped AF Speakcheesy, the consistently sold-out, monthly themed cheese dinner series.
Speakcheesy is where Michelle (co-owner of The Cheese Shop and marketing extraordinaire), Stacey Sprenz (a brilliant food photographer and recipe developer), and I began to collaborate, mixing our respectful skills into one pot. Recently, around a table full of cheese and cultured butter, Michelle announced that Wedgewood Cheese Bar, the couple’s latest concept, a stand-alone 15-seat cheese bar and cheese retail counter, is coming to Carrboro in Fall 2024.
Wedgewood is a subtle ode to all things British, including cheesemonger Stevie, who rocks a not-so-subtle British accent, married with Michelle’s love for Wedgwood porcelain from the UK. If you’ve been to a Speakcheesy, you’ve noticed the stunning blue and white ceramics that have become a signature part of the dinners' visual charm. Wedgewood tips its hat to blue and white porcelains and tiles from around the globe, found in Greece, Spain, Portugal, China, France, and colonial America — places also known for their distinctive cheeses that reflect their rich culture, unique terroir, and trade. In the coming months we’ll drop more details on the space, the design, and of course, the cheesy menu.
“We ditched the heaviness of the Full English but kept the flavor and nostalgia, plus artful plating, reimagining a lighter, brighter, salad form that’ll surely be on your “it’s too hot to cook inside” rotation for summer.”
And now, meet Wedgewords, a blog that dives into cheese-inspired recipes, nostalgia, and modern tales. Imagine high society eats and drinks made approachable — plus all the British charm with American flair penned by three women who bonded over their love for cheese.
First up, the Full English Breakfast. I wrote this while enjoying a vegetarian Full English at The Fife Arms in Scotland. ICYMI, the Full English is a hearty plate of bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, black pudding, and fried bread or toast. It’s the heavyweight champion of morning meals, indulgent and savory, always luring me when I see it on a menu. Michelle first encountered the Full English on a family trip to Tipperary, Ireland, at 3 a.m. after a big night out, but recalls the attention and detail paid to each element of the cook.
Photo by Stacey Sprenz
For the recipe, Stacey ditched the heaviness of the Full English but kept the flavor and nostalgia, plus artful plating, reimagining a lighter, brighter, salad form that’ll surely be on your “it’s too hot to cook inside” rotation for summer. There’s crunchiness, saltiness, tanginess (from the vinaigrette!), crispiness, and yeah, there are some greens for good measure. The best part? You can get all the flavors of the classic dish in just one bite bite here.
The real star of this show is Montgomery’s Cheddar, from the iconic Neal’s Yard Dairy in London. The trick is thinly shaving the cheddar atop the salad in a “proper heaving amount,” which takes it to another level of flavor ecstasy. Pair it with a Buck’s Fizz, a British version of the mimosa, but make it two parts bubbles of your choice to one part freshly squeezed OJ.
FYI: Montgomery's Cheddar is nothing like that neon orange stuff marked as “cheddar” from the grocery store. MC is the epitome of traditional, handmade, unpasteurized Somerset Cheddar from the UK — matured for 12 months in muslin cloth on wooden shelves, boasting deep, rich nutty flavors. Stevie notes it's one of the first batches of raw milk Monty’s to hit U.S. shores since 2022, and he magically snagged a wheel. Get it while you can at the existing cheese shop counter, where English cheddars are aplenty.
What’s Ahead for July: Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on one of my favorite Spanish tapas recipes reinvented with summer’s prized produce: juicy, vine-ripened, bright red tomatoes.
Recipe
The Full English Salad
(Makes 4 servings)
Salad
6 c. mixed lettuce
1/3 c. bread crumbs
2 T butter
2 roma tomatoes
2 T olive oil
4 oz. Montgomery’s Cheddar (UK | Neal’s Yard Dairy)
1/2 lb. breakfast sausage or bacon
4 eggs
1/2 can English beans w/ tomato sauce (e.g., Heinz)
Vinaigrette
2 T malt vinegar
1 t honey
1/2 t dijon mustard
1/8 t salt
1/4 c. grapeseed or other neutral oil
Directions
Toast Breadcrumbs & Cook Sausage: Melt butter over medium heat and add breadcrumbs. Stir often for 5-7 minutes or until toasted and brown. Wipe skillet and cook sausage in crumbles until crispy (10-12 min). Set aside.
Heat Beans: Heat according to directions and puree with 1T of hot water in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
Sear Tomatoes: Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Heat skillet over medium heat and add 2 T olive oil. Place tomatoes cut side down and sear for 5-7 minutes or until caramelized and softened. Set aside for plating.
Soft Boil Eggs: Fill saucepan 2/3 full with water and bring to gentle boil. Prepare bowl of cold tap water and set aside. Using slotted spoon or strainer, gently lower 4 cold eggs into boiling water. Gently roll eggs on the bottom of the pan to prevent cracking and cook for 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, place eggs in cold water for 1 minute. Peel eggs under the water and set aside.
Make Vinaigrette: Combine malt vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and salt. Slowly drizzle oil into mixture while whisking, Set aside for plating.
To plate: Spoon 1-2 T of the bean puree on each plate. Drag back of spoon through the beans to create an arc. Drizzle vinaigrette over lettuce in a bowl and toss to coat. Place dressed lettuce in a mound next to beans. Divide sausage crumbles and toasted bread crumbs over lettuce on each plate. Using a cheese slicer, shave 4 oz of cheddar, divide evenly on top of each salad. Cut eggs and tomatoes in half lengthwise and place atop lettuce or on plate.
