Seasonality is a real buzz word among food writers nowadays — although it's something we chefs have been following all our lives. But how many of you know the seasons can apply to cheese as well as fruit and vegetables? The time of year the milk was produced plays an important role in giving a cheese its individual character. Comté, for example, is made using summer milk from cows that are feeding on luscious fresh grass in France and Switzerland. Once the summer milk starts to dwindle and the cows are brought inside, the same producers turn their hands to making Vacherin Mont d'Or. I particularly like cooking with Comté, because it melts and browns so well.

Try it in the fennel and potato gratin recipe below, for a vegetarian meal with salad, or as an accompaniment to roast meats.

Perhaps we are more likely to associate seasonal cheese with goats and sheep. Unlike cows, goats and sheep give birth at the same time each year.

With lambing normally taking place in spring, April and May sees the start of new-season cheese, with soft goat's cheeses making their first appearance. Although some are available all year round, they are likely to be made from milk or fresh curd that has been frozen earlier in the year, when milk is in strong supply. Now that summer is almost upon us, you can swap the fresh tanginess of the young types for the more complex flavours and aromas of the ripened varieties, such as Dorstone.

Dorstone is a soft cheese made from unpasteurised goat's milk with an ash coating. It's made by Charlie Westhead and Haydn Roberts at Neal's Yard Creamery, near Dorstone in Herefordshire. With its yoghurty and milky flavours, it makes a refreshing contrast to the richness and sweetness of my shallot tatin. When making a tatin, chill the caramel right down before placing it in the oven. This will give the pastry enough time to cook until golden and crisp, while preventing the caramel from boiling over and burning in the oven. And remember to leave the tatin to rest for at least five minutes before turning it out.

Goat's cheese and beetroot were made for each other, if you ask me. If you've never tried cooking your own beetroot before, let me assure you that stained hands are definitely worth the effort. Only then will you properly appreciate its unique earthy quality. Baking them on a bed of salt draws out some of their moisture to concentrate and intensify their flavour. As you peel away the skin after roasting, you'll remove any traces of salt, leaving sweet, juicy beets. For a change, I've opted for Crozier Blue, a young blue made with sheep's milk.

It's gently matured for three months to achieve a fine balance of sweetness from the milk, mild saltiness and fantastic blueness that works so well in this salad.

Shallot tatin with goat's cheese and roasted tomatoes

Serves 4

If you can't get hold of Dorstone, look out for Sainte-Maure de Touraine, Chabichou du Poitou, Rosary or Pantysgawn in good cheese shops.

2 large vine-ripened tomatoes

3 tbsp olive oil

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