Northampton Winter Food Festival organiser Crispin Slee has news of an exclusive cheese available at the event…
Cheese-maker Gary Bradshaw has something to please the crowds at this weekend’s Northampton Winter Food Festival – a limited edition cheese.
Gary, Northampton’s only cheese maker and the man behind the award-winning Cobblers Nibble, has gone Dutch for the weekend.
He said: “The new cheese has been matured for eight months and is Dutch in style, nutty and very buttery, like a Gouda or an Edam.
“It has been pressed then brined, which is other way round to how English cheese is made, which gives it a completely different texture and flavour.
“It is a first for us and will only be on sale at the Northampton Winter Food Festival this weekend. I only have 18 kilos so I expect it to go quick!”
Gary’s new cheese is aptly named Shoetown and will be on sale along with his Cobblers Nibble, Northamptonshire Blue and St Crispin – another new cheese.
He said: “St Crispin is a fresh, lactic cheese. It is like a whipped goat’s cheese but made from cow’s milk. It is only a week old and is very lemony and creamy.”
Gary isn’t the only local producer launching something new this weekend. Steve Reid from Friar’s Farm in Northampton will launch his new Decadence range of preserves, which includes a delicious gin and orange marmalade.
And award winning Northamptonshire gin makers Warner Edwards will be bringing their latest creation – Honeybee gin – made with honey from bees in the county.
Festival found Crispin Slee said: “The food festival aspires to be a celebration of artisan food and drink made in the county so it’s great to be a party to all this creativity.”
Northampton Winter Food Festival takes place at The County Cricket Ground in Abington Avenue this weekend (November 11 and 12).
As well as 80 food and drink stalls and a street food market around the boundary edge, there will be free wine and gin talks, foodie talks, cocktail masterclasses and a cookery school for both kids and adults.
Masterchef finalist Giovanna Ryan will star on the chef demo along with the best local cooks. Giovanna will demonstrate two classic Italian dishes each day, rabbit saltimbocca and mushroom arancini.
There is free parking on Abington Park. Adult tickets are £6 if purchased in advance or £8 on the day. Children under ten are free. Those over ten years are £3.
To find out more about the festival, please visit www.winterfood.co.uk. Northampton Winter Food Festival is on Twitter @nptonfood and Facebook facebook.com/NorthamtponWinterFoodFestival.
