Last weekend I visited the exceptionally tasty Cheese & wine festival at Southbank centre behind the Royal Festival Hall in London.
Free cheese
You rarely see so much cheese in one place. You could choose from a range of famous French delicacies such as Vacherin, to local British goat and buffalo cheeses. I have got an explanation on every cheese I tasted and a recommendation for wine to pair it with. And, all that was free! What more to wish for in an overpriced city such as London.
Witnessing cheese making
Moreover, you could learn a lot about cheese making from experts like Chris George from Neal’s Yard Dairy. I witnessed cooking and processing of “stichelton”. The audience was listening attentively to a cheese maker as he disclosed the dirty trick of many producers who sell other cheeses under the label of stilton. The truth is that STILTON has to come from licensed diaries in one of three specific areas in the UK and must follow strict rules of preparation. Otherwise it is just a blue cheese. So the cheese he prepared at the venue couldn’t be called stilton.
Accessories
If you fancied to buy some cheese gadgets such as a cheese making kit you had a great opportunity! Now, I can make my own cheese so I just need to buy a little vineyard and produce my own wine and be happy until the end of my days in this life.
Biodynamic wine
There was a stand of a biodynamic wine producer Vintage Roots offering affordable organic wines from all over the world.
Ports and ciders all in bio quality were surprisingly amazing for the price od £3 per bottle of tawny port. It was impossible to resist.
You can order their wines on www.vintageroots.co.uk or call freephone 0800 980 4992 and order their catalogue.
Not only they sell products licensed by the Fairtrade Foundation, but also offset their carbon emissions with carbon-clear and are members of Ethical Junction. Can they be even more responsible? I guess they would have to go sell wines on the moon to care about our planet more or donate all profits to charity.
This event is not a one off so don’t miss it next year.
further info: www.cheeseonline.co.uk
www.companyofcooks.com
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
www.vintageroots.co.uk
Hi Radka!
Nice Blog.
On the 12th of November there is a wine tasting in an Austrian Delicatessen called Kipferl.
Maybe you want to join me to dip into the world of Austrian wines.
1000 000% count wiith me. I love Austrian wines. Especially the white Gruner Veltliner is nice. What is the address of the place? At what time does it start?