[Invite] – click here

I can’t believe it was all the way back in April when I last visited homeage2fromage! It only feels like a few months ago when I left waddling out of the Grain & Hop Store with the cheese sweats and a plastic bag full of left overs.

Check out Sean’s review of that glutenous display here 🤣

I was delighted to be invited back by the team at homage2fromage to explore their hand-picked selection of award-winning cheeses and ruin another diet.

For those of you unaware, homage2fromage run monthly cheese events all over the country, including Cambridge. This gives people a chance to expand their knowledge and explore new cheeses while relaxing in a friendly atmosphere. The events are hosted at the Grain & Hop Store on Parkers Piece and run from 7pm till around 8/8:30pm.

🅿️ Parking is free at the Queen Anne across the road after 6pm

They’ve changed a few things around since my last visit. Last time all the cheese was set up on two tables. This resulted in a lot of traffic with people hovering around to get their cheese all at the same time. Since then, they have divided up the tables into four to solve this problem. It works really well and I was never behind more than one person before being able to serve myself. It also makes it more pleasant for the person in front of me, as they no longer have had a dozen people waiting behind them.

I noticed a few large groups of people and numerous couples/friends meeting up in twos. The events are very relaxed and casual which make it versatile enough for any number of people. It’s also a good way of making friends while going up to the table to top up your plate.

As this is hosted in the Grain & Hop Store, you are given access to their wide selection of beers. There are some good choices that should be enough to please even craft beer enthusiasts. Being a cheese night however, we decided to go for a bottle of their house red wine.

The event is hosted by Jamie and Marian who talk you through the event, the times, and most importantly, the cheese. They are both a lot of fun and very approachable and did a great job of facilitating the evening and making sure we had everything we needed. I struggled to hear them at times, as the pub is quite large and loud, so I unfortunately found myself missing details.

Luckily, we were given a list of rules for this exact reason. This came with a sheet of paper for note taking as you go through the evening. For people with a terrible memory like myself, I found this helpful to remind myself which cheeses were my favourite for purchasing at home later.

There are 8 cheeses available that are cut up into thumb size pieces. You can go up and take a thumb of cheese in any order you like but you are asked to take only one single thumb of each cheese during your first visit to the table. This is to make sure everyone gets a chance to taste all the cheeses. All cheese comes with grapes, honey, crackers, French sticks, and butter.

Some of the notes of the cheeses below are from the description provided by homage2fromage at the event.

Cheese number 1 – Kaltbach mild Gruyere

First up was the ‘Kaltbach mild Gruyere’. This is a mild cave-aged Swiss Gruyere from Kaltbach. This is quite a creamy and polite cheese that is versatile enough to compliment any cheese board but if you are looking for something punchy and bold then this isn’t it.

Notes: Mild, creamy, and versatile.

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Cheese number 2 – Pextenemant Devil’s Rock

Next up was probably my favourite of the evening, the ‘Pextenemant Devil’s Rock’. Described as ‘a truly local, blue cheese’, this actually doesn’t come from Cambridgeshire but west Yorkshire. It is an organic individual soft blue cheese, similar to Italian soft blue cheeses. Essentially, my favourite sort of cheese! It is named after the ‘Devils Rock’ as it is aged in a cave, which makes the rind “slightly iridescent”. According to the description, cave aging is also what contributes to the mineral flavours and the cheese has won the ‘Best Artisan Soft Cheese’ at the ‘Virtual Cheese Awards’.

Notes: This SCREAMS port!

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Cheese no 3 – Kaltbach Gouda PV

Described as a ‘true Swiss gouda’ – the Kaltbach Gouda PV is produced with ‘the best Swiss milk in Switzerland’ and refined for six months in the unique sandstone caves, under the watchful eyes of the rather fabulously named ‘Cavemasters’. The result is a dark brown rustic rind, a pale-yellow paste and a unique, full taste with fine spicy caramel notes and slightly crumbly texture.

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Cheese no 4 – Manchego Truffle P nV

The ‘Manchego Truffle P nV’ has been described as ‘a new take on a traditional cured sheep cheese from Spain’ that ‘adds the authentic aroma of truffle to this traditional recipe’. I must admit, this had plenty of nose. I met several people this evening who loved this cheese but I felt this was my least favourite of the evening. The texture made it hard to cut and eat, almost like it was chewy.

Note: A very different cheese to what most people will be used to and will divide opinions. Must try!

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Cheese number 5 – The Smoked Raclette

Making its debut for homage2fromage, the ‘Smoked Raclette’ is a classic Raclette with ‘a delicious hint of wood smoke’. Traditionally melted over spuds in the winter, this really stood out as a winter warmer cheese perfect for the Christmas cheese board.

Notes: A nice smokey winter warmer

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Cheese number 6 – Yorkshire Peccorino Fresco PV

Proudly made in Yorkshire by a ‘small scale, award-winning artisan cheese maker’. The description tells a great story of the cheese maker Mario, who puts a tireless effort and dedication into his cheeses.

“Each one is made to perfection on an individual basis. He says ‘quality really does come first. I get up at around 3am each day to start the process of making the cheese, in small batches then individually moulded and cared for until they are ready to be enjoyed.’ He is hands on – even handpicking the supplier of ewes’ milk to ensure quality and animal wellbeing”.

Notes: This was picked in both our top 3 cheeses of the evening.

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Cheese number 7 – Kaltbach Gruyere nP nV

“Aged for twelve full months, this Gruyère AOP is a classic; matured in sandstone caves under the watchful eye of the Kaltbach cavemasters, which allows it to develop a rather fruity tanginess and crunchy crystals. This is Switzerland’s most popular type of cheese. Another multiple award-winner at the World Cheese Awards.”

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Cheese number 8 – Rock Star P V

For me, the ‘Rock Star P V’ was another one of my favourites this evening. This cheddar is made by the ‘Snowdonia Cheese Co’ and has been matured in old salt mines. According to the accompanying notes, this has often been used throughout history to mature cheese due to its consistent temperature, higher humidity, and low barometric pressure. This, it turns out, are the best conditions for cheese maturation with results that are immediately noticeable once you take a bite.

Notes: Both my guest and I rate this 2nd and 1st respectfully.

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Once we had our fill of cheese for the evening, we were then able to take home the leftovers. No cheese is left behind, so get grabbin! My poor wife was ill so was unable to make the event. She loves cheese more than I do, so it was really nice to be able to bring something back for her.

Once again, I waddled out of the pub sweating cheese and with a bag of cheese. How history repeats itself! Both my guest and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was nice casually chatting to people over cheese, enjoying a glass of red wine in a relaxed atmosphere, and going at our own pace. So many food events like this often take us along with them but here it feels like you can go at your own pace and I think that’s important.

Homage2fromage is an accessible cheese experience without the snobbery often associated with it.

For more information on up and coming events from homage2fromage in Cambridge, click here.

Thanks for reading!