Cheese lovers will be spoilt for choice at festival

IF YOU don’t like – no, love – cheese then I’m sorry but we can’t be friends. The 16th annual SA Cheese festival takes place from Friday, April 28 till Sunday, April 30 at Sandringham outside Stellenbosch and that’s where you’ll find me. And lots of cheese of course.

Cheesemakers from all over the country will be bringing their very best for visitors to taste and stock up on, including artisan products of first-time exhibitors like Chechil SA from Bloemfontein, Bettie Bok (West Coast), Milkwood (George) and many more.

Naturally one also needs an assortment of goodies to go with one’s cheese so there’ll be wine and beer, freshly baked bread, meaty treats, and sweet delights.

If you don’t know what to do with your cheese, celebrity chefs will be doing demonstrations and sharing their favourite cheesy recipes. This is just the beginning of a long list of events and activities at the festival.

Fill your baskets at the Checkers Cheese Emporium and Checkers Food Market, get your lunch in Gourmet Lane, and be on the lookout for exclusive specials on Friday and new product launches throughout the festival.

Celebrity chefs Nataniël, Carmen Niehaus, Errieda du Toit, Haidee Muller, Amore Bekker and others will entertain you with their food know-how in the new AgriExpo Cooking Pot; and meet the cheese experts and cheesemakers in the new Agri-Expo Cheesery.

Chefs from the Private Hotel School will demonstrate a range of specially developed recipe ideas using cheese and alternative niche products like pomegranates, figs and persimmons in the Cape Made Kitchen (supported by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture).

Kurt Darren will provide the live music entertainment on Friday from 4pm, and Blackbyrd will take to the stage on Sunday at 4pm. Children will be catered for in appropriate areas.

Tickets are available at Computicket, Shoprite and Checkers at R160. Senior citizens pay R100 and children 13 years and younger enter free. No tickets will be sold at the gates. Festival times: 10am till 6pm. For more information go to www. cheesefestival.co.za, call 021 975 4440 or email admin@agriexpo.co.za

The SA Cheese Festival is at Sandringham Stellenbosch, April 28-30.