Or, the forage for fromage, if you will! Sorry...bad pun.
Since starting Homage2Fromage, our monthly cheese club in Leeds, I have had to expand my cheese purchasing skills and seek out cheese shops and producers in the local area. This has been a whole load of fun although slightly difficult on my purse, as I can't resist buying some cheese in every shop.
I have however, found a veritable smorgasbord of fromageries, delis and local market stalls in and around Leeds who are as fanatical about great quality cheese, as, well, I am!
Anthony's cheese room is superb (and you can get 10% off now with a Homage2Fromage membership) and Millies Organic (milliesleeds.co.uk) has a great range and sells cheese wedding cakes now with a lasered message on the top (also 10% off for members).
I love Salts (www.saltsdeli.co.uk) deli as it has a fab selection of nibbles and I can spend a whole load of money there on cheese...and cakes! Yum.
I recently discovered Haleys and Clifford on Street Lane in Roundhay (www.haleyandclifford.co.uk) who sell the best bread on which you can smother lots of cheese...!
I've not been yet but heard good things about Cryer and Stott in Castleford..next on my list for a visit (www.cryerandstott.co.uk) although Pickles and Potter (www.picklesandpotter.co.uk) source their cheese from them, if you want some regional cheese a little closer to Leeds city centre.
And, if you fancy a day trip to Salt Mills which is always worth a potter around, don't forget to visit Cheese and Chutney (www.cheeseandchutney.co.uk) which I have visited, but it was on a bank holiday Monday and it was sadly closed. I will be back!
And, there are always great cheese stalls at the Leeds Farmer's market on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. I found some real crackers there on my last visit, and Poachers have a stall.
I'll let you into a Poacher's secret. In November, you will be able to buy their Knuckle Duster cheddar. THE strongest cheddar I have ever tasted and is to.die.for. They make very small batches of it as its matured for longer so it's only available in the run up to Christmas. They don't sell it online (unless you ring them) and even on their stalls, you may have to ask. It's a very cheesy secret and rightly so. I can't believe I've just told you about it!! I hope they don't run out!!
That's it for now, but do let me know if you visit other cheese shops in and around the Leeds area which I have missed off. I will pay them a visit.
I will have a look at Kirkgate Market - there are a few stalls there who sell cheese - but maybe we need a bit of a forage for the good stuff??
ReplyDeleteYes, we will have to have a scout around and find some cheese. Bet there's loads hidden in and around the Market. Vix
ReplyDeleteSuch a shame you didn't know about cheese wedding cakes before your own!
ReplyDeleteWe sidled up to a Poacher Cheese vendor in deceased Primrose Hill farmers market and asked to buy the Under-the-counter-knuckle-dusters cheese. He was so surprised we knew about it.