Allison and I are in London for a few days before heading to SIAL in Paris. We were both pretty tired by the time we arrived, but we managed a short walk around the hood. Our first stop was Bedford & Strand for a glass of wine and a bit of cheese. We tried Isle of Avalon, a washed rind cheese from James Aldridge's farm in Godstone Surrey, made more in a French style. Next was Waterloo, which was originally made with Guernsey milk from a herd of cows on the Duke of Wellington’s estate, hence the name. It has a white rind flecked with grey and rust coloured mold which, when opened, reveal a buttercup yellow interior, an oozing texture under the rind and a slightly firmer, curdy consistency in the centre.
We stopped in at Gordons Wine Bar, the oldest wine bar in London. Try passing these stairs and ceiling heights with city inspectors...It was standing room only. No table service. You get your drinks from the bar, and your food from a separate bar/counter. Great atmosphere here. We both didn't have too much energy left so we headed back to the hotel to get a good nights sleep in preparation of a whirlwind of looking at food and cheese shops today, including a tour of the maturing rooms at Neals Yard Dairy.
