The UK at Cheese 2011

The best of the United Kingdom’s cheeses will be represented at Cheese 2011 with events dedicated to the country’s rich cheese heritage and stands showcasing British products in the Cheese Market, held in Bra’s historic city centre.

During the Taste Workshops, cheesemakers, affineurs (cheese agers) and buyers will join Slow Food experts to guide people through tastings of selected cheeses. Participants will learn about the products in detail, compare their qualities and discover the best beverage pairings, increasing their awareness of sensory and production qualities and ability to make conscious choices.

Friday 17 at 4pm, English and Irish Cheeses and Real Ale: Sample some of the best cheeses from the UK and Ireland: Stilton from Colston Bassett, one of the smallest Stilton dairies in the country and the only one to use animal rennet; Stichelton, a rare example of an unpasteurized English blue; Sparkenhoe Red Leicester, a hard cheese from central England; Kirkham Lancashire from the east coast; Cheddar-like Lincolnshire Poacher from the west coast; and Ardrahan, a washed-rind cheese from County Cork, Ireland. The cheeses will be paired with a selection of fine real ales.

The Presidium
The UK will also be represented by the Artisan Somerset Cheddar Presidium, with the producers offering tastings and sales of ‘true’ Cheddar in Via Principi di Piemonte – the street dedicated to showcasing the projects of the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity.

The Presidium was created to support the cheesemakers who continue to produce this traditional Somerset cheese using artisan production techniques and practice sustainable dairy farming. Read a complete description of the Presidium here.

The Cheese Market will be featuring stalls from the Cornish Cheese Company from Liskeard and Neal’s Yard Dairy from London.