Cropwell Bishop Creamery is honoured to have taken part in the annual Pailherols cheese festival in Southern France. see the festival web site. CBC were kindly asked to participate at the festival to highlight the best of British produce, Cropwell Bishop Blue Stilton Cheese. The festival is very well renowned in the area and has been going for many years. It attracts visitors not only from France but also from neighbouring European countries and from Great Britain.
Having never taken part in such an event before, Robin and his wife, Aideen set off in the CBC refrigerated van to Folkestone before boarding the Eurotunnel to Calais. The drive to southern France was a long one and they stopped at Beaune near Dijon for the night. Robin and Aideen eventually arrived on the Friday night ready for the start of the festival on the Saturday afternoon. Not knowing what to expect Robin and Aideen set up the stand showcasing the cheese.
It was a very successful first day and the Stilton was well received by the very discerning French pallet. The flurry of positive comments was a massive compliment and the cheese seemed to sell itself. They thoroughly enjoyed the first day and had an early night knowing the Sunday was going to be a gruelling day.
Robin had been asked whether he minded being made part of the “brotherhood of the village” which he duly accepted. This took place at midday on the Sunday. He was asked to comment on the flavour of the large cheese he tasted in front of many festival goers, and he wowed them with his expert French saying how excellent the cheese was.
Here is Robin tasting the cheese.
Sunday was an immensely busy day but enormously successful. As with Saturday, the Stilton and Blue Shropshire were extremely well received and everyone who tasted the cheese echoed what soft and delicious cheeses they both were.
After a very successful day Robin and Aideen left the festival full of compliments for the Stilton and got ready for a long drive home. It was a great experience for Cropwell Bishop Creamery and wonderful to get such warm and positive comments from arguably the finest cheese producers in the world.
