Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Say cheese! The gouda times roll at food festival
CHEESES from across the nation were sniffed, tasted and graded by dozens of judges in Somerset yesterday.
The prestigious British Cheese Awards have found a permanent home at the brand new Bath & West Food and Drink Festival, taking place today and tomorrow, bringing together the best cheesemakers from across the UK and Ireland with a vibrant festival atmosphere, offering a delicious and educational experience for everyone.
Judging took place yesterday at the Bath & West Showground before the weekend festivities, with the award winners announced at a special dinner last night.
In total, 62 experienced cheese experts judged 640 types of cheese.
Julius Longman, chair of the British Cheese Awards, explained: “The British Cheese Awards historically was fairly nomadic. It kept moving around the country, which is good because it embraced cheese-making from all over the parts of the UK and Ireland.
"In 1994, its founder, Julie Harbert, decided she wanted to move on to new pastures.
“She approached the Bath & West Society, which agreed to purchase the awards in 2015, and hence they found a home in Somerset.
“The Food and Drink Festival, which is happening alongside the event, is a brand-new event. It is hosting the British Cheese Awards so the public can come in”
Among the judges was Emma Young, known on Instagram as the “Cheese Explorer” with 24,000 followers.
She works with worldwide cheesemakers to promote their brands and give advice on everything from retail to wrapping.
She said: “Being at the British Cheese Awards is wonderful. It is the first I've done after judging at other events over the last 12 years.
“There is such an eclectic mix of cheeses and judges.”
She said being invited to become a cheese judge could be ‘tricky' for anyone starting new: “If you look around, the majority of the judges here have either worked in a retail aspect or the food industry or they're cheesemakers who are constantly training their palettes and working on the way we taste things.
“I recently wrote a book called The Cheese Wheel, which is all about the flavour of cheese and can help train you to taste it. T
“hat would be the first recommendation I'd give to anyone: learn how to taste cheese. It's not just eating it and having a nice time, which is the end goal, but also how it smells, how we taste it, and what the texture is like.”
The judging process is meticulously detailed.
Experienced cheese judge Ruth Raskin, from Chippenham, explained the criteria used to evaluate entries, focusing on appearance, aroma, texture and flavour.
“The standout features we're looking for are good textures and enticing aromas, but in the end, it's all about the flavour.
“You want to be wowed by something delicious, which we have been today.”
She explained how important the awards were for makers. “They can help up-and-coming cheesemakers to see how their peers judge them, and it helps them to learn,” she said.
“For the long-established, it puts them back in front of people. They've got years of history and are well known, but sometimes there is that love of the new and innovation, so it brings them before people again and reminds everyone of how wonderful they are.”
The festival offers cheese enthusiasts a chance to meet cheesemakers, sample award-winning cheeses, and indulge in all things cheese.
Ned Palmer, a cheesemonger and author, describes the festival as a “great privilege” and a chance to connect with fellow cheese lovers.
“It's quite geeky, but if you love cheese, when you come to this part of Somerset, you see these names, these places like Evercreach where some of the great cheeses are made. They're all the greats, the gods of British cheese if you like.”
Mary Quicke, a cheese producer and judge from Crediton, shares the camaraderie amongst cheesemakers who gather for these events.
She highlighted the exceptional quality of British cheeses being produced today and the inspiring nature of the competition.
“Cheese is delicious,” she said. “When judging, you don't eat much of each cheese; some spit it out, but I wouldn't dream of doing that.
“We barely had any cheese which was unpleasant, and some were amazing.
“Those amazing cheeses can be inspiring, and you want to taste more.”
Tickets for theFood and Drink Festival are priced at £6 for adults and free for under-16s. They are available at the Bath & West Showground gate from 9am.