Cheese is one of life’s pleasures, as addictive as narcotics, but thankfully much better for us. Professor Tim Spector, author of The Diet Myth, has a theory that the French are slimmer because they eat funky cheeses full of good bacteria that are vital for a healthy digestive system.

The aftercare of cheese is as important as the making, and my local cheesemonger’s advice is to keep it wrapped in wax paper in a container in the bottom drawer of the fridge, where there’s higher humidity (cheese likes to breathe, so doesn’t like plastic), and to scrape off any mould that forms, to prolong its life.

Cheese is expensive, so it makes sense to enjoy it in its entirety. The rind can be powerfully flavoured, and most (except on waxed cheeses such as gouda) is edible. I leave the rind on when I take a slice of cheese, because it adds flavour, but some nubbins inevitably end up lost at the back of the fridge, slightly dry and without a home.

If you have a similar collection of cheese ends, don’t feed them to the compost monster. Instead, put them in a jar and make a classic fromage fort. My friend Fadi Kattan, a Franco-Palestinian chef, taught me his own potent version: “Squash the old cheeses with a fork, add three bottle caps of armagnac per 250g cheese ends, mix and put in a jar. Leave to ferment for two to three weeks, adding more armagnac if it becomes dry. Then enjoy!” If you’re short of time, try my quick method.

Cheese rind spread

Blend cheese ends with half the amount of wine, a slice of garlic and a sprinkling of leek tops. Serve on toast.