A CHESHIRE hotel is serving up tasty treats as part of a campaign to save Britain’s oldest cheese.
Portal Hotel, Golf and Spa – part of the Macdonald Hotels & Resorts group – will serve Cheshire cheese-inspired options on its menu throughout June after statistics revealed a sharp drop in production of the local food.
General manager, Jerrod Latham, said the Tarporley hotel’s double AA rated restaurant, with its panoramic views of the Cheshire countryside, was an appropriate setting to celebrate local food.
“At Portal we pride ourselves on using quality, local produce wherever possible so it made sense to support the campaign,” he said.
“You can’t get much more local than Cheshire cheese and the full-bodied, fresh flavour is a welcome addition to our menu.
“Our chefs are busy creating some delicious dishes to celebrate the heritage of the cheese and to show our support for such a tasty slice of local history.”
The cheese section at the Cheshire County Show is spearheading the campaign to save Cheshire cheese after statistics revealed the amount being produced in the UK every year has fallen from more than 40,000 tonnes in the 1960s to around 7,000 tonnes now.
To show just how good Cheshire cheese is, the chefs at Portal will be using it to inspire dishes throughout June to coincide with the Cheshire County Show on June 21 and 22.
The cheese’s heritage dates back to Roman times and it is even mentioned in the Domesday Book.
Before the Second World War there were more than 200 Cheshire cheese producers in the county, but changes in retail trends, the growth of cheaper mass produced pre-packaged cheeses, and an increase in other cheese varieties on the market means there are now only six local producers left.
Jerrod added: “Cheshire cheese is such a great product and has such a long history that we were more than happy to back the campaign to halt its decline and support our local producers.”
