We’ve been big fans of The Courtyard Dairy run by affineur Andy Swinscoe since he opened last December and now he’s been recognised by the prestigious British Cheese Awards. He’s only won the coveted ‘Best New Cheese Retailer’ and not before time, we say.
Andy set up his fabulous shop with his partner Kathy, and the business has gone from strength to strength, supplying direct to the public through the shop and to top-class restaurants throughout the north of England. Andy visits each cheese-maker regularly. “I need to ensure that I fully understand the nature of each cheese, so that I can use the skills I acquired as a student of Hervé Mons in France to further age and mature the cheese. That way, every cheese we sell will have a flavour that is delicious, special and unique.”
This year was the 20th anniversary of the first British Cheese Awards, designed to support and promote British cheesemakers. If you haven’t been yet, we urge you to take the trip. Andy’s enthusiasm and knowledge is infectious and the choice of cheese is impressive – we challenge you to come away empty handed!