Neal’s Yard Dairy has a shop in Covent Garden (Not Far From Neal Street and the Neal’s Yard Remedy shop).   Borough Market seems like a more natural location for me, right in food central.   The remedies may be better known, but for me, the cheese shop is where it’s at.  A focus on natural wholesomeness and tradition  seem to permeate throughout Neal’s Yard ventures.

When you go into the shop, there is a man who directs you to a “cheese monger” who will serve you with cheese of your choice. If it is busy and there is a queue, fear not! The man gives you cheese to eat while you wait!

The whole shop is just filled with cheese.  Truckles sit on shelves and shelves tempting your fancy.  There is also a selection of pickles, chutneys and posh bread for you to purchase!  Unfortunately, the shop doesn’t sell smoked cheese – they say it contaminates the other cheese. 

I can’t go to Borough Market without popping into this shop, even if it is only to enjoy the smell!  It is a true spectacle and the shop is always full.  You can learn lots about Cheese and they have no problem with you trying before you buy – indeed, they encourage it and the Mongers do seem to enjoy the odd bit of cheese themselves!

On this occasion, I bought “Strathdon Blue” (a cool creamy cow’s milk blue cheese), “Tunworth” (a soft, strong, brie-like cheese) and Wallace and Grommit’s favourite – Wensleydale (this one was nice and firm, not crumbly).  I also sampled several other cheeses, including goat and sheep milk. The “Colston Bassett” was great – Stilton like and sharp….hmmm….cheese.  I don’t think the prices here are high by comparison to vacuum packed supermarket and brand named, mass produced cheese.  In fact, I’d say that in comparison to “not just taste the finest difference select” type supermarket ”posh” cheeses, they win hands down.

Oh, an finally the very best thing about the cheese in this shop – the cheese is all British.  Given that there is so much cheese heritage in Britain, it seems a shame that a sense of continental cheese superiority persists.  Neal’s Yard is not the only shop selling traditional British cheeses.  They all help elevate British cheese to the podium place it deserves.  Nothing wrong with a bit of cheese protectionism I say!

I’ve heard of the Slow Food Movement before, and had a rough idea of what they were about - promoting traditional foods, biodiversity, quality, taste and sustainability.  This market was supporting Crisis Christmas.

There was a great selection of hot and cold food stalls – the aromas were great and the queues for hot pork rolls was immense but well worth it.  The Portuguese pork was marinated in honey and rosemary, spit roasted and served in a focaccia bun.  The crackling was not for the feint of heart!

We tried some great cheese, made by various local producers, wonderful pickles, chutneys, mustard and horseraddish which made you wince!  There was a chap selling mistletoe and apples – he had whole branches of mistletoe which was flying off his stall at Christmas time!

My Favourite producer was Patchwork Pate – a pate producer from North Wales.  We bought a truely splendid handmade duck liver pate, with apricot and brandy.  It was rich and smooth with a lovely sweet gamey flavour.

This was a great food market.  None of the fluffy stuff you often get a farmer’s markets – biodiesel, cushions and South American cheeseballs (all of which are fine in their own right, but out of place at a farmer’s market!).  Nothing but natural products, from independent sources.  I will definitely be looking out for more Slow Food events.