Photo credit: Essex St. Cheese
Warm greetings to all cheese-lovin’ travelers!
I hope you’ve had or will have an opportunity to travel a little and safely spend some time with friends, family and loved ones.
If you follow us on social media - and you should! - you know we just returned last week from our British Cheese Odyssey! Not only was it great to travel, it was truly an epic tour: 30 guests along with a great team of cheese professionals, chefs, and co-hosts helping to ensure a safe and fun time for everyone. We had the privilege of traveling with professional food & farm photographer, Winter Caplanson. We’ll be talking about her and sharing many of her beautiful photos in the months to come!
Our Cheesemakers Dinner was a highlight, with over twenty of Britain’s best cheesemakers and other artisans joining us for an evening of excellent cheese, anecdotes, and revelry - in a Downton Abbey-style evening at North Cadbury Court.
Our next trip to the UK - which is already filling up - will be from October 2-9, 2022, co-hosted by Laura Downey & Chris Palumbo, owners of Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Company. This trip is open to all cheese lovers - enthusiasts and professionals, alike!
But before we head back to England, we begin our 2022 travels with a trip to Northern Italy from May 17-28. This spring excursion to the Piedmont, Lombardy, and Lake Country was just added as our June 2022 tour to this region nearly sold out within days - so don’t delay!
Joining me on this Italian trip as co-host will be my dear cheese friend Tenaya Darlington - aka Madame Fromage - as we discover one of Italy’s finest food and wine regions. Some of the highlights include:
Food walking tour in the old central Brera district of Milan
An intrepid trek up into the foothills of the Alps for a visit to Castelmagno Valliera - Italy’s most historic and traditional mountain cheeses
Private tour and meal with Parmigiano-Reggiano affineur Giorgio Cravero
Wine tastings reflective of the terroir of Barolo and Barbaresco wine production
A truffle hunt near the legionary region of Alba, followed by a dinner composed with this delicate treasure
A visit and tasting at the Banca di Vino (wine bank) University of Gastronomic Sciences, Slow Foods University
Alpine cheesemaking and a visit to Guffanti cheese aging caves
Villa accommodations in Unesco World Heritage Site in Langhe region
Private chef-prepared meals and cooking demonstrations
3-day stay overlooking Lake Maggoire and the Swiss Alps- including a boat trip to the Borromean Islands
I’m also delighted to announce that Chef Robert Springer of Chef Springer Catering will be joining the culinary team on this exceptional voyage as well. An avid world traveler with an appreciation for local gastronomy and traditions, Chef Springer brings a sensitivity to his cooking as he incorporates his two passions: travel & food. Published and cited in many print and online publications for his recipes, culinary advice, and cooking methods, Rob is excited to join Chef Sylvain Jamois in the kitchen and share his knowledge and expertise with Cheese Journeys travelers.
I’d love to tell you more about this food & wine lovers’ extravaganza to Italy and answer any questions you may have about joining me and the Cheese Journeys team in May 2022. Look ahead to January’s newsletter with more tour highlights and details about our upcoming 2022 Alpine tour to France & Switzerland! Did I mention a cow parade?