Chiswick Cheese Market – Sunday September 20

The Scots are invading from the North, and they are bringing cheese with them!

Guest blog by Lucy Cufflin, Chiswick Cheese Market

A piper will be announcing the takeover of HQ this month by The Fine Cheesemakers of Scotland, so come along between 12 and 2pm to enjoy some authentic Scottish sounds.

Jane, from @standrewsfarmhousecheese will be on hand to chat about the cheeses they make in Fife. Their herd grazes on pasture overlooking the Firth of Forth and it is the milk from this dramatic scenery that produces their award-winning cheeses.

We will taste Anster, a gentle Caerphilly style cheese, and the wonderful Whisky Barrel Smoked St Andrew – a cheddar aged for 9 months and gently smoked over whisky barrel wood chips.

Jane will be joined by Rory from @highlandfinecheeses who will bring us a selection of their cheeses to try – Minger, Morangie Brie and Blue Murder. Rory Stone comes from a long cheese making heritage and it will be a joy to hear stories about cheesemaking from the Highlands. Their milk comes from The Black Isle and using traditional methods the result is some exceptional cheeses indeed!

Join us this Sunday on HQ for the chance to try and buy some very new cheeses to Cheesewick!

Rory Stone from Highland fine cheese and Jane from St Andrews farmhouse cheese

We are proud sponsors of the People’s Choice Best New Cheese Awards

This is our third year sponsoring these exciting National awards where you, the public are the judges – no professionals – just public votes that determine Britain’s Best New Cheese – The People’s Choice.

Most of you will remember our fabulous round of cheese judging in June at the market and what a what a fantastic day that was! You chose 4 cheeses which will do battle at the final on 17th October and you can judge again.

The event is both live and on-line so you can either be at the exclusive event in Wendover 5pm-9pm – price includes welcome drink, all the cheeses being judged and live comedy by Marcus Brigstocke and Jane Quicke (from @quickescheese).

Or you can join in the fun on-line by ordering a home delivered box of the four finalist cheeses. Cheese experts will talk you through the tastings and whether you are at the event in person or joining on-line your vote will count.

Tickets and home boxes available now:
therealcheeseproject.co.uk/eventscalendar/peoples-cheese-the-final

Don’t miss this, it’s going to be a hoot!

Lucy’s Cheese of the Month – Minger made by Highland Fine Cheeses

Minger, Lucy’s Cheese of the Month

Minger has long been a favourite of mine so I am thrilled that it will be found at Cheesewick this month and I can at last really shout about it.

Made by the Stone family in the Highlands it is a soft pungent, washed-rind cows’ milk cheese. It has a sticky bright orange rind coloured with natural annatto and is named after the Scottish slang word for something foul-smelling (ming!).

Rory who is with us at the market this Sunday, has been known to describe the smell as like that of an old welly boot, but don’t let that out you off – despite its ‘barnyard’ nose the inside is buttery, smooth and as it ripens gloriously gooey.

It tastes distinctively ‘savoury’ and mildly nutty. Its bark is much worse than its bite as they say!

I adore it on any cheeseboard, but I do have a secret vice with this cheese – I absolutely love it on slightly burnt sourdough toast topped with a thick layer of bitter marmalade – for me an almost unparalleled weekend indulgence!

My culinary quirks aside, this cheese pairs very well ripe fruits and oatcakes. For whisky drinkers this is a fabulous combo but if you want to enjoy this cheese as a lighter snack then I love it with a crisp white wine as I like the juxtaposition of the tartness of the wine and the creamy richness of the cheese.

A good strong ale will sit happily alongside, and I urge you to taste this cheese this Sunday. Overcome its smell and you will discover a cheese which undoubtably become a firm favourite.

Steve Parker’s market tours

Steve Parker will be back this month with two FREE 30-minute market tours at 9.45am and 10.45am.

A ‘not to be missed’ event for cheese lovers because not only will you taste your way round the best at the market on the day with Steve, but he will pass on some real cheese nerd info! Meet at HQ and join in the tour.

New stalls this month

We welcome @airelle_etivaz who is bringing one single phenomenal cheese from Switzerland.

Airelle Etivaz, one of the new stalls joining Cheesewick this month

In the 1930s a group of over 70 Gruyere producers felt that the Swiss authorities were allowing a lower grade of Gruyere to be made and disassociated themselves to form a new ‘Etivaz’ cheese producing community.

The cheese must be made at the high-altitude Alpine pastures where the cows graze during the summer months but collectively they mature the cheeses together in ‘caves’ in the valleys.

The cheese is usually enjoyed between 3 and 13 months old and has fruity, nutty flavours developed from the flowery alpine pastures where the cows graze. It is this cheese that Airelle is bringing to Cheesewick so bring it on!

Xisco from Treurer will be bringing single estate olive oil from Mallorca

Xisco from @treurer will be bringing their single estate olive oil from Mallorca. Have you tried a salty blue or a Manchego drizzled with olive oil? Both are divine.

Not just for cheese obviously this oil would make a great addition to your kitchen shelf. This oil is produced on a regenerated ancient olive grove keeping strictly to new eco credentials and producing oil that is highly aromatic with a long-lasting spicy flavour.

We are excited to have this rare and delicious oil at the market.

Patrick and Violet of Suve jams

Welcome @suvejams. Owners Padraig and Violet aim to make every jar or preserves bold, vibrant and a little unexpected.

If, like us, you are always searching for that magical accompaniment to artisan cheese we think you might just find it here!

Strangely, I own a tam o’shanter – it was an unusual birthday gift from my bestie a few years ago so I will be sporting it on Sunday to get into the Highland spirit of the market. Buttercup is wearing her best kilt, and we are all very excited to welcome cheesemakers from Scotland bringing new cheeses to Chiswick.

After a month away and eating French cheeses for 5 weeks I am looking forward to re-stocking my Cheese box with some of my favourites and some new cheeses alike.

Don’t forget live bagpipes at noon so “chi mi air Didomhnaich thu” (what I am assured by Google is see you on Sunday in Scottish!)

Lucy

Chiswick Cheese Market is a volunteer-run market on Chiswick High Road, raising money for charity through its stallholders, events and its partnership with the Academy of Cheese.