After ten years of running Cheese Journeys, we’re so honored to be featured in The New York Times! Writer Alexander Lobrano joined our British Cheese Odyssey last year to witness Cheddar-making first-hand, and he fit right in with our guests at North Cadbury Court – enjoying scones and tea, tromping around pastures, and hanging out in the library with a dozen or so British cheesemakers who descended upon the manor house for an evening of tasting and storytelling.
Lobrano’s description of Cheese Journeys in The Times perfectly highlights what we do: we curate delicious tours that uplift artisan cheesemakers. We especially loved Lobrano’s description of meeting Cheddar-maker Jamie Montgomery for the first time:
“When he came to fetch half of us for a personal tour of his farm and dairy the next morning, Mr. Montgomery had straw on his sweater that established his credentials as a farmer, and his easy smile and slightly bashful manner immediately put us at ease. As we walked by his farm, he gestured at his cow-dotted pastures and said, “Our job is to try and get the taste of all of this into our cheese.”
--Alexander Lobrano, The New York Times
We also appreciated Lobrano’s shout-out to our longtime private chef, “the exceptionally talented Frenchman Sylvain Jamois” whose “meals were a highlight of our trip….”
If you’ve been on one of our tours, you know that Chef Sylvain brings an important element to our tours; he not only creates meals that highlight the region’s best produce and culinary history, he also welcomes guests into the kitchen to cook alongside him. Giving our guests kitchen access to bake pies, roll pasta, or peel potatoes (LOL) as they enjoy a glass of wine and chat with Chef Sylvain has become a Cheese Journeys signature. It’s one thing to travel, it’s another thing to feel at home while traveling.
If you’d like to walk in Alec Lobrano’s footsteps, join our next British Cheese Odyssey October 6-13, 2024. You’ll spend a week at North Cadbury Court and enjoy all the highlights that Lobrano describes, from visiting Neals Yard Dairy in London for a private tasting of top British cheeses, to stirring cheddar curds with “the king of Cheddar” Jamie Montgomery himself. And you’ll be sure to enjoy Chef Sylvain Jamois’s “handmade pies, potted prawns, and gorgeous roasts” as described in the article.
Photos by Winter Caplanson
Our 2024 Tours At A Glance
Looking for a complete list of tours? Here’s what’s around the corner! Take a peek at our upcoming itineraries around England, Italy, and France.
Brie & Bubbly Around Paris - May 12-May 19, 2024
Imagine eating the world’s most decadent Brie and sipping Champagne in the City of Love -- and by that we really mean “The City of Cheese Love!” Join Laura Downy and Chris Palumbo, owners of Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Co., and the Cheese Journeys team, on a trip that begins with a relaxing stay on the grounds of a 17th- century château and ends at a cooking school in the heart of Paris overlooking the Seine.
Northern Italy: Piedmont & the Lake Country – June 11-22, 2024
Join Cheese Journeys’ legendary educator, author, and host, Tenaya Darlington, aka Madame Fromage and Jilly Sitch, The Mary Poppins of Cheese Travel, for an unforgettable food and wine tour through Northern Italy. This is a custom curated travel experience taking you through Italy’s back door to visit some of the finest food, wine, and cheese producers in the world – all friends of Cheese Journeys. Plus, you’ll experience Italy’s stunning Lake Country for an island stay.
Jura & Savoie Regions of France + The Swiss Alps – July 3-14, 2024
Join Tenaya Darlington, aka Madame Fromage, and Jilly Sitch, The Mary Poppins of Cheese Travel, for a once-in-a-lifetime culinary adventure to the Alpine regions of France and Switzerland. Stay in a 1,000-year-old newly restored château nestled in vineyards at the foot of the French Alps while enjoying excursions to visit alpage cheesemakers.
Savoie Region of France + Gruyère, Switzerland – Sept. 11-22, 2024
Join Cheese Journeys’ owner Anna Juhl, Jilly Sitch, The Mary Poppins of Cheese Travel, and journalist Patrick McGuigans for a new culinary adventure to one of France and Switzerland’s foremost cheese, food, and wine-producing regions. You’ll stay in our favorite château nestled in vineyards at the foot of the French Alps, plus you’ll witness a Swiss cow parade!
British Cheese Odyssey – London, Somerset & Bath – October 6-13, 2024
Join Emilio Mignucci, co-owner and VP of Culinary Pioneering for Di Bruno Bros., Anna Juhl of Cheese Journeys, Jilly Sitch, The Mary Poppins of Cheese Travel, and London-based author/educator Patrick McGuigan for this all-star tour that was featured in The New York Times. Learn from Britain’s most renowned artisan cheesemakers, all while staying in a beautifully restored English Manor that was once the childhood home of Cheddar-maker James Montgomery.
Grand Cru Tour of Burgundy Cheese & Wine – October 19-30, 2024
Our newest tour! Join Anna Juhl of Cheese Journeys, along with Bryan and Andrea McGinness of WineStyles, on a culinary adventure to the Burgundy region of France – home to Époisses cheese, Dijon mustard, the world’s most exquisite wines, and glorious gourmet cuisine.
If you have questions or would like to a book a tour, please don't hesitate to email me at anna@cheesejourneys.com.
Check out Patrick McGuigan's New Book!
This winter, we’re also celebrating the new book of our British cheese educator Patrick McGuigan, who joined us for our Italy and England tours!
Patrick has written extensively about cheese for publications, including theTelegraph and The Financial Times, and his first book, The Philosophy of Cheese, was published by the British Library in 2020. His latest opus, The Cheese Life, is a gooey collection of recipes and cheese tips co-authored with restaurateur extraordinaire Matthew Carver. Carver is the mind behind London’s best-loved lactic snacktopias, including The Cheese Bar and The Cheese Barge. (And yes, The Cheese Barge really is a boat full of cheese-centric delicacies.)
You’ll find mouth-watering recipes in The Cheese Life, along with profiles of great wheels, plus tips on how to cook with cheese, including the perfect grilled cheese. Order Patrick’s new book, and make yourself a grilled Cheddar, Raclette & Onion sandwich (recipe below)!
Psst...meet Patrick during our first Instagram Live @cheesejourneys this Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at noon!
Cheddar, Raclette & Onion
Grilled Cheese
Used with permission: The Cheese Life by Mathew Carver & Patrick McGuigan, Kyle
Photography by Lizzy Mayson
Recipe:
50g (1¾oz) salted butter
4 sourdough bread slices
140g (5oz) Cheddar cheese, grated (see note)
100g (3½oz) Ogleshield cheese (or use raclette), grated
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
The year is 1983. You’re 23 years old. You walk into the Haçienda in Manchester and New Order are playing live. The sound of Blue Monday is powering through the speakers across the dancefloor. Your first time hearing this STONE-COLD CLASSIC.
It’s sometimes easy to underappreciate the magnitude of a song, or a dish for that matter, when it becomes so iconic. But a Cheddar grilled cheese sandwich is just that: iconic.
Yes, it’s simple. Yes, it’s flogged just about everywhere, from service stations to fine dining restaurants. But when it’s done right, that first bite is like hearing the opening drum beat to Blue Monday.
• Melt the butter in a pan, then butter the bread.
• Mix the two cheeses together and add the mixture to two slices of the bread: cup the cheese in your hands and press it into a sort of rugby ball shape, then push this down onto the slice. This ensures you get a decent amount of cheese on each slice, and it doesn’t all trickle away when you move the sandwich to the pan.
• Next up, add your sliced onions. We always add a decent layer to the top of the cheese. No one cares about your breath when you’re eating this, so don’t skimp, if that’s what you’re worried about.
• Top with the other two slices, ensuring the buttered side is on top, then cook in a pan as on page 29. This is great served with pickled cucumbers (page 176) or cornichons.
Note: We use clothbound mature cheddars, such as Keen’s from Somerset or Quicke’s from Devon.
Take Virtual Classes With Our Educators!
Did you know that cheese educator Patrick McGuigan teaches for the Academy of Cheese in London? He offers online classes (Level 1 & 2) for anyone interested in building their cheese knowledge. The class comes with live virtual instruction, a great handbook about cheese, suggested wedges to taste in each session, and the option to take a certifying exam. Yes, you can be certified by the Academy of Cheese! Several of our staffers have taken classes with Patrick, and they’ve shared rave reviews.
Wait, there’s more! Our educator Tenaya Darlington a.k.a. Madame Fromage is teaching classes from her new book, Madame Fromage’s Adventures in Cheese. Each class covers a different style of cheese (i.e. soft-ripened, stinky, flavored) and corresponds with a chapter in her book. The classes are one hour each and include a list of suggested cheeses and accompaniments (optional) to create a board. You’ll learn about sourcing, savoring, pairing, and serving each style. Tenaya’s mini courses are great for anyone looking for fresh ideas or home entertaining tips.
Phew! That’s a lot of good news. Thanks, as always, for supporting Cheese Journeys! We’ve got an incredible year of tours in 2024, and a few are almost full, so please reach out soon. I’d love to have a conversation with you. You can always email me at anna@cheesejourneys.com.
