Good Morning Cheesy1’s,
Earlier this year I visited London to attend a Walt Disney Studios presentation but while I was there I had to stop off for a visit. Having always wanted to visit but never having enough time I had to make a beeline there so I could try some glorious cheeses. Wandering inside brings you to a quaint cheese shop that has cheese stored in every corner, angle & space within the shop. The smell & aroma that fills the air is clearly that of an aged farmhouse cheese combined with the pungency of a white mould/ blue cheese. The Covent Garden shop has been open since 1992 and the company has been going since 1979.
Having no real aim but to try some cheeses I embarked on an adventure with my taste buds trying an Mrs Kirkhams Extra Mature Lancashire but the real star of the tasting was the Bermondsey hard pressed cheese. I had asked what the Assistant Manager’s favourite cheese was (always a difficult question for us cheese lovers!) but he replied Bermondsey. Bermondsey is based in its namesake Bermondsey, London where the dairy has been producing since 2008. They use a 100 year old (300L) copper vat that shipped over from Switzerland, and the milk comes from an organic farm in Kent. A strong & extremely nutty flavour that would certainly punch Gruyere out of a boxing ring. There is a slight saltiness but it has a balance of a sweetness that you would find in a comte cheese from France, but also shares a similar characteristic.
I couldn’t leave without buying piece to have at home and I used it in a chicken wrap dish which accentuated it’s flavour. I also had the end of it on some cheese biscuits. As you can see from the picture above they store cheese out in the open and so it’s always at the best possible temperature for eating & displaying for the customer. If you’re use to a supermarket cheese environment then you may find this a bit overwhelming, but I can assure you that the people that work & run Neals Yard are so informed & helpful it will be a breeze. With time running short as we had to get to the Mayfair hotel we had to make our pleasantries and bid a farewell to team at Neals Yard Dairy Covent Garden. I thanked them for their help, purchased our cheeses and left the shop although I could of stayed for hours!
If you’re ever near a Neals Yard Dairy shop and you love cheese then this simply is a must to experience. You can also purchase cheese from their online shop here http://www.nealsyarddairyshop.co.uk/ .
Have a brilliant Sunday!
The Cheesy1
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