Great Yorkshire Show 2017: Royal cheesemaker guest in the dairy tent

Creating a cheeseboard fit for a Queen will be one of the talks in the Great Yorkshire Cheese and Dairy Show as a Royal cheese supplier makes its debut.

Jeremy Bowen, of London-based Paxton & Whitfield, purveyors of fine cheese to the Royal household, will take to the stage to lift the lid on creating a cheeseboard fit for a monarch.

As well as top cheese tips, he will also be giving dinner party tips on pairing the correct cheese and wine, or a more unusual cheese and beer get together.

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Another speaker sure to gather a crowd will be former Syrian refugee Razan Alsous.

Razan and her family fled war- torn Damascus in 2012 settling in Yorkshire. Struggling to find a job, despite her degree in pharmacy, she founded her own award-winning cheese company making traditional halloumi.

The cheese, which was a staple in her home country but hard to find in Yorkshire, is now a firm favourite and made from her base in Huddersfield.

More than 850 entries have been received for classes which range from milk, butter, hard and soft cheese and ice cream, a number chief steward, Judy Bell, says is up on last year.

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Judy, who founded artisan cheese company, Shepherd’s Purse, says she is delighted at the number of entrants looking forward to an exciting three days.

“This really is fantastic news, and I am delighted that our numbers are creeping up.

“The Great Yorkshire Cheese and Dairy Show is a wonderful event, which is very popular with everyone, and this is reflected in the high number of entrants,” she said.

A team of 40 judges will be picking the winners and the show’s ultimate prize, the Supreme Champion Dairy Product, which will be presented on Wednesday, July 12.

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Visitors are able to watch the judges at work, an element of the show, Judy said, had proved very popular. “Cheese and dairy judging is a real spectacle and since we opened up judging to visitors it has proved incredibly popular.

“Often the judges will talk to the spectators and explain what they are doing, what they are looking for and sometimes even let visitors have a taste themselves,” said Judy.

Visitors will once again have the chance to try their hand at cheese and ice-cream judging, while the final day of the show will be the traditional treat day for cheese lovers when the Grand Cheese Auction takes place. This year, money raised will go the Yorkshire Cancer Centre.

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