‘This was probably our best cheese fair ever’
It’s been running for 14 years now and organisers of this year’s Artisan Cheese Fair, in Melton Mowbray, say it was ‘the best ever’.
Thousands of people converged on the Stockyard at the town’s livestock market site to sample and buy cheeses from dozens of producers from all over Britain and Ireland on Saturday and Sunday.
Organiser Matthew O’Callaghan said: "We had well over 6,000 visitors, including many families with kids.
"Visitors came from across the country including, according to several cheesemakers, a number of Americans living in London and elsewhere.
"By the end of the weekend, several of the 50 or so cheesemakers had completely sold out. They came from all four parts of the British Isles.”
On Saturday evening, St Mary’s Church hosted the annual Artisan Cheese Awards at a spectacular candle-lit supper.
More than 70 judges had earlier in the month worked their way through a record 650 entries from 123 cheesemakers, including 21 from Ireland.
And top award of the night on Saturday – the coveted Supreme Champion – was presented to Yorkshire producer, Shepherds Purse, for their Original Yorkshire Blue.
Judges described it as having a rich velvety texture and an underlying creaminess with herby notes and a mild bluish tang.
Shepherd’s Purse also won Best Organic Cheese with the same cheese and the Best Blue Cheese class with its Northern Blue.
There were 21 categories with national winners being – Best English Cheese: Double Gloucester from Daylesford Organics; Best Irish Cheese: Cais na Tire Sheep’s Cheese from Cais na Tire Farmhouse Cheese; Best Scottish Cheese: Isle of Mull Cheddar from Isle of Mull Cheese; Best Welsh Cheese: Thelma's Original Caerffili from Caws Cenarth.
Chloe Brownbill (22) won the prestigious Young Cheesemaker of the year trophy – she took over the running of the family's Marlow Cheese Company after her mother sadly passed away and is thought to be the nation's youngest cheesemaker.
Some producers took home multiple honours, such as Derbyshire-based Wakebridge Manor Creamery, which was named Best New Cheese and Best Small Producer for its Derwent cheese.
In addition to the Irish cheeses, one of the furthest entries came from Britain’s most northerly cheesemaker, Burnside Cheese, based on Orkney – a 650-mile one-way trip.
Go online at www.artisancheeseawards.com to see all the awards listed later this evening.