Five years of Cheese on Towcest': my highlights and takeaways

Sounds cheesy (excuse the pun) but I never imagined five years ago I'd be where I am now!

We recently celebrated five years since setting up Cheese on Towcest'. Things have been so crazy busy that the milestone almost passed me by but thankfully I had some eagle eyed people (aka my wife) to remind me.

I know it may not seem so, especially for those of you who have had your ears chewed off at one of our markets or events, but I'm not a fan of attention or fuss but was persuaded that actually we should be proud of what we have achieved since a random lockdown idea in 2020.

I started delivering cheese boxes in and around Towcester, I didn't expect to receive so many orders!

A quick recap for those of you unfamiliar with our beginnings. I was furloughed during the first lockdown in 2020 but couldn't sit still. I've always loved cheese and had been making it for fun for a few years at home. I decided to contact cheese makers across the UK who were having a difficult time to see if I could help them, and also help bring a bit of happiness to people in the form of cheese.

The very first market, the set-up has come a long way!

The response was beyond any expectations I had. We were overrun with orders and I was flat out putting together cheese boxes to be delivered. The idea has been, and always will be, to celebrate UK artisan cheese. There are so many cheeses made in this country, many of which don't make it to our plates but are incredible with fascinating stories behind them. I really should count up how many cheeses we've actually sold over the last five years, needless to say it would be A LOT!

So yes, it began with cheese boxes, subscriptions, gifts, and then we went to our first market in Towcester, borrowing a neighbour's gazebo, it was a very amateur set-up but the cheese went down a treat and it grew from there until two years ago I bought a 15ft trailer which many of you now see at local markets and events.

The cheese wagon - a lot of love, and work has gone into this beast!

We also opened an actual premises, The Cheese Place, in May last year which was a huge pinch-me moment! It has been nice to sit and reflect on the last five years (before getting back to orders) and I wanted to share my highlights and takeaways:

1. The people. Always the people. I wouldn't be where I am now without the people around me, the customers, the cheese makers, other traders and so many other people who have helped me along the way.

2. Cheese. A huge highlight. Obvs. People ask me if I get fed up of cheese. Never. It is wonderful stuff and discovering the stories behind it being made up and down the country makes it even more enjoyable.

Opening The Cheese Place was a very proud moment.

3. Running my first ever cheesemaking masterclass, who'd have thought it? Definitely not me but it was amazing and only the other day a lady who attended it brought a cheese that she had made to the market for me to try, very proud moment! (well done Jane!)

4. Silverstone Festival. Being invited back for a third year we now have "regulars" messaging us to check we are going, aside from the cheese and the tasting tent, it's a super weekend and I also get to host masterclass/tasting sessions.

5. Opening The Cheese Place and hosting my own cheese tasting evenings. A huge achievement and again, a big pinch-me moment!

6. Numbers: there are so many cheeses to choose from, I try to keep it interesting by providing regular items like our favoured True Grit Cheddar or Baron Bigod Brie - and mix it up with some guest cheeses - sometimes the guests are so good that they end up staying!

7. It's not cheap... sounds like the wrong thing to say but hear me out. What we sell isn't in the supermarket, so there is no comparison. we focus on smaller dairies where farmers are diversifying or carrying on time honoured tradition with love and care and the quality speaks for itself.

8. Do it right! I have learned that people want to see something different, something they don't see everyday and they want to see it done properly.

9. Stilton is STIL' my favourite. Even with the huge variety and selection in front of me, Colston Bassett Stilton is the one I go back to.

10. We all like what we like and that's ok - I will be the first to admit that goat's cheese isn't my favourite, and some people only eat cheddar, and some people just want smelly cheese. I don't judge you!