OOZY Ogleshield might sound like a disreputable public school type but instead it’s a ToM cheese fave. Given time off from chiselling away at the coalface of the Manchester food and drink scene, our idea of a day out is tootling up to Austwick in the Yorkshire Dales to the Courtyard Dairy, contender for Britain’s best cheese shop.
Here after purchasing our body weight in artisan curds we relax in their cafe with a raclette, that Alpine melted and scraped cheese treat, served on sourdough.
For it the Courtyard, specialists in UK cheeses, substitutes Ogleshield, crafted from raw Jersey milk in Somerset, because it has the perfect meltingness.
The good news is that you don’t have to drive a 100 mile round trip to experience raclette. Cheese-centric The Creameries Chorlton is offering a replica winter warmer as the centrepiece of their newly launched Cheesy Sundays. So ditch that smashed avocado brunch chore or that predictable roast lunch and melt into their arms.
Their raclette is spooned over chargrilled vegetables, home-cured meat or fish and potato rösti. What’s more, you can have lunch, stay all afternoon and partake in one of The Creameries’ workshops, gigs or events that will be taking place every Sunday night. Be it a bread making class or an open mic evening, all tastes are catered for.
All this has been sparked by the custom-made raclette machine bought as a Christmas present from Courtyard Dairy, a key supplier for chef/co-owner Mary-Ellen McTague and her Creameries team.
Cheesy Sundays (a working title) will also revolve around fresh home-baked bread, craft ale and natural wines. As well as raclette, there will be home-cured meats, whole-baked cheeses and pies served alongside homemade pickles, roast vegetables and their own in-house bread.
The children’s menu offers split pea chips, fish or seasonal vegetable pie and local Ginger’s Comfort Emporium ice cream, as well as a dedicated children’s corner full of games and toys to keep the young ‘uns occupied while parents tackle that raclette.
As part of its mission to be a creative community hub the restaurant has launched an extensive winter programme of events. Every Sunday will see a different event, rotating each week between bread workshops, open mic storytelling, supper clubs and acoustic gigs. Throughout the week, they also be offering childrens’ baking classes, adults’ cookery demos and arts and crafts club.
Named Best Newcomer and Most Sustainable Restaurant at The Manchester Food and Drink Awards 2018, the Creameries have also planned in special events to mark big occasions such as a Burns Night whisky tasting and a weird and wonderful celebration of St Trifon, the patron saint of drinking wine with friends. Book via the website or by emailing [email protected]
The Creameries, 406 Wilbraham Rd, Manchester M21 0SD. Cheesy Sundays are from 12pm until 2.30pm, with drinks, bread, homemade butter and crisps available until close.