 |
| Recommendations from two master chefs |
Despite how much we enjoyed touring the shops and seeing
what the local vendors offered for sale, we had not stopped in the English village of Hawes because it
was market day. That was merely a
bonus. So after we saw all that was on
offer, we climbed a flight of stairs, walked up the slope of a park, and
entered the Wensleyday Creamery, where Wallace’s beloved Wensleydale Cheese is
made.
We could have eaten lunch in their cafeteria, but we had
packed a lunch that morning, having planned to picnic later in Askrigg. We could have paid a few pounds and toured
their factory, but the line seemed long, and the air a little warm and dense
from the people walking down the glass-lined hallways. (Besides, we’d already seen the cheese-making
process at the Tillamook factory in Oregon).
So we divided our time there in two areas: 1) the gift shop, and 2) the
tasting room.
The gift shop was filled with all kinds of goodies, from
prepackages foods, to candy and souvenirs.
We particularly liked the foot-high figurines from the Wallace &
Grommit movies and shorts. I was tempted
to take both characters home with me, as well as the skiing Cooker from "A Grand
Day Out." In the end, reason prevailed,
and after purchasing a few smaller items, my wife pulled me into the tasting
room.
There, we found plates stacked high with little rectangles
of cheese, all cut by an employee who continually pulled out large rounds of
cheese from a refrigerator to replenish the plates. Three tables had been set in a U-pattern, so he didn't have to squeeze through the crowd as he replaced each plate before it was even close to being empty. Shoppers hovered around the tables, moving
back and forth as their taste buds directed, their eyes pressing closed at
times as they savored the rich flavors and textures. We joined the line as it flowed past
Wensleydale cheese made in an astonishing mix of flavors, from Smoked to Blue
to varieties mixed with Ginger or fruits.
They also offered other types of cheese, including Cheddar and Double
Gloucester.
Saying “No” to such rich, flavorful cheese was hard to do,
so in the end we bought three small rounds: a smoked Cheddar, a mature Cheddar,
and a Wensleydale with Apricots. We also
picked up a book of recipes recommended by Wallace & Grommit. I’m not sure if we really needed to eat anything
else that day, for we left with our stomachs full, and our taste buds
rejoicing. Knowing that we would take
the cheese with us, to enjoy back in San Diego, was a bonus.
According to Wikipedia, filmmaker Nick Park selected
Wensleydale as one of Wallace’s favorite cheeses because he thought the name
would be interesting to animate. Later,
his company, Aardman Animations, forged links with
Wensleydale Creamery. Thanks to the
affiliation, the struggling Creamery regained its commercial feet, and helped
make it the tourist attraction it is today.
This reminded people in England of the unique and pleasing flavor of a
cheese made only in that part of Yorkshire.
This is what really good Fiction does.
It reminds us of all that’s good, important, and worth preserving. In so doing, it makes everything new.
Dragon Dave
Related Dragon Cache entries
Related Internet Links
No comments:
Post a Comment