Speciality-Food-Magazine-November-December-2024

specialityfoodmagazine.com 31 Cheese dreams realised for duo Two cheese lovers and foodies have finally achieved their dreams of opening their own shops dedicated to showcasing British produce. At the end of summer Louise Bagnall opened Cheese! Louise in Alton, while Victoria Dunthorne has just opened Victoria’s Cheese in Ely. Cheese! Louise is an expansion of Louise’s existing refill business, Fill Up, following the expansion of the space, taking on additional footage last November. Louise spent nearly a year researching and learning before opening the cheese counter, spending time training with expert Emma Young and discovering the fundamentals of cheesemongery at Mons Formation. “I needed to learn more than loving cheese and eating it,” she said. “As soon as I did that, it felt like the right move.” In line with the Fill Up ethos, Louise has dedicated her selection to British-made cheeses, focusing on small makers, and helping to educate customers about the joys of artisan food. Already the business has created a buzz on the high street. “It’s the first speciality cheesemonger the town has ever had, as far as I know,” Louise said. “The food scene is growing here, and all the businesses share a similar ethos and want to help each other. Our opening day was absolutely flat out. People seemed really happy to have something like this on the doorstep!” Her favourite cheeses of the moment are Stichelton, TeifiMature by Caws Teifi, and, more recently, Mrs Bourne’s Cheshire. “It’s just one of those delicate, subtle cheeses. It’s creamy and buttery, and you can really taste the milk,” she said. Over in Ely, Victoria has welcomed customers into Victoria’s Cheeses – her own shop, at last, following years of helping other retailers set up and stock their counters alongside operating an online cheese business. “When this shop became available, it was too good an opportunity to miss,” she said of the building, formerly a chocolate shop. “It was the ancient bone crypt for Ely Cathedral and it looks very ecclesiastical. I’ve got two small tables at the front for people who want to sit with a cheeseboard and wine, a church pew, and chapel chairs – I’m trying to create that feel with a touch of 70s caravan thrown in! I love the beautiful stone archway and crypted ceiling and archway. It’s a dream,” Victoria added. The shop will sell largely British, but also some Continental, cheeses, alongside a small selection of accompaniments, from the familiar (chutney) to the quirky (dark chocolate), bread from a local micro bakery, plus English wines, with Victoria having gained exclusivity with a vineyard in nearby Norfolk. “The cheese will also mostly be smaller producers. The kind of things you won’t find in the supermarket. An example is Becky Enefer who makes sheep’s milk cheeses. She’s got a hard variety similar to a young Pecorino, and a soft cheese in the style of a Brie. It’s just delicious. Also, I went to Cumbria on holiday this year and got really excited about bringing the cheeses I found there to the shop, because often they don’t make it down here. Torpenhow is one of those. What a lovely farm and family. Their Darling Howe Brie is sensational!” There’s a huge appetite for specialist cheese retailers right now, Victoria adds, saying a recent market she attended to drumup business for the shop saw her selling out of everything within hours. “There’s a brilliant food scene here, and it’s a great spot at the moment for anyone interested in artisan food and drink. I’m so excited to be a part of it all.” Young Cheesemonger of the Year finalists revealed The Academy of Cheese has revealed its shortlist for Young Cheesemonger of the Year 2024. Australian entrants Mia Crouch of Supercheese in Victoria and Lily Jenkins of Hill Street in Tasmania will join British finalists Daniel Iliev (Paxton &Whitfield), Orla Jackson (Neal’s Yard Dairy), Dominic Jones (Rennet & Rind), and JackWelch (The Pangbourne Cheese Shop) in Viseu, Portugal on Friday, 15th November, when the overall winner will be announced at the World Cheese Awards. They will go head-to-head across five rounds including Perfect Pairing, a quick-fire Q&A testing their general cheese knowledge, and a fast-paced cut and wrap challenge at the event, sponsored by Peter’s Yard and the Guild of Fine Food. In addition to taking the title, the winner will receive a trophy, a BOSKA professional cheesemonger tool set, a feature in Fine Food Digest , and secure a place on the Academy of Cheese Level Two Member Certification course. They will also be invited to judge at the World Cheese Awards in 2025. Established to promote cheese knowledge and provide career development within the industry, the Academy of Cheese aims to build greater respect for the industry, with Young Cheesemonger of the Year showcasing the skill, knowledge and talent of its members. VICTORIA DUNTHORNE, VICTORIA’S CHEESES LOUISE BAGNALL, CHEESE! LOUISE