We’re very lucky to have some fantastic cheese makers in the Midlands and on the 4th & 5th May many of them will be in Melton Mowbray at the annual Artisan Cheese Festival.
Cheese-makers from the four corners of the British Isles will gather here in the Leicestershire in Britain’s rural food capital Melton Mowbray to serve up over 150 varieties of Great British cheeses – from the well-loved and ubiquitous English Cheddar to the more specialist regional cheeses including Hampshire’s Organic Turnstone, Cornish Yarg and Swaledale – this year promises to be the biggest and best ever.
“As Great Britain is fast becoming a rival for France, in the amount of native cheese varieties the country now produces, the aim of The Artisan Cheese Festival is very much about supporting the specialist business of making good quality cheeses and enhancing the UK’s growing reputation,” says organiser Matthew O’Callaghan.
“This year the festival has grown four-fold and we are expecting a large number of cheese-lovers to come and visit us in Melton Mowbray – the home of one of Britain’s best-loved of British cheeses –
Blue Stilton,” he adds.
“For those interested in how you make cheese, we will also be demonstrating production of one of this region’s oldest cheeses, Colwick Cream Cheese, originally made in Nottingham in 1645. Sadly production ceased in 1995 but we will be bringing it back to life at the festival,” says Matthew.
The Artisan Cheese Fair will also host other fine food and drink stall-holders to complement the
cheese-makers – from chutneys and specialist bread-makers to Old English Cider and wine; as well as a programme of talks, demonstrations and tastings from industry specialists. Entry to the whole event is only £1.
It all takes place on between 10am-4pm on the 4th and 5th of May at The Cattle Market, Melton Mowbray. I will be skipping breakfast to make room for all the cheese and I cannot wait to tuck into a pork pie. See you there?