I was in the Bloomsbury area and had a little free time after heading home. Pondering where the wind could take me, I saw numerous cafes I could go in for a coffee and a cake, but this wasn’t appealing to me. I began my walk to the tube station and went by a cheese establishment.
Cheezelo looked like a cosy place, with its array of fine cheeses, brick wall and cheerful owner. It took me out of London temporarily and transported me to a quiet town in France. The owner herself hailed from France and contrary to stereotype, she was a sweet polite lady.
I decided to make this a relaxing, slightly different pit stop and have a plate of cheese served with a glass of wine. The offer on the chalkboard outside had enticed this decision as it was £10 for three types of cheese with a glass of red or white. I ordered the deal and patiently waited for her to serve me as I lounged in the chair.
I had expected several slices, with maybe a few crackers, but to my delight, she arrived with a generous portion of cheese, a small mountain of crackers, fresh fruit and homemade yellow plum chutney. This was accompanied by the house red wine. I could have easily shared this plate, but I had it all to myself.
I had never had cheese and wine like this before and therefore never used a cheese knife. As I was the only customer there at the time, I had no one to embarrass myself in front of, and began cutting my first cheese. I had a mixture of popular camembert, soft brie and English staple, red Leicester. I didn’t pick as told the owner, I’m happy to have any that are not blue. In hindsight, I would have asked for a different one to red Leicester, simply because I’m so used to it, but this did remind me of how smooth and creamy that particular cheese can be
The brie especially went well with the homemade yellow plum chutney that the owner makes when she goes back to France from yellow plums which grow near to her. The chutney was sweet and fruity, which went well with the melt in your mouth brie. The Camembert was sharp and mature, with the flavour being enhanced with my red wine, as the two perfectly complemented one another. After all, it was a French cheese with wine, how could they not?
The brick walls and rustic charm of the place almost made it feel like I was in someone’s local establishment, not 5 minutes away from Euston Station. Although it was just me at the time, there were several customers that came in to buy blocks of cheese that come from around Europe. I found out you can host dinner parties here and they also have vegan cheese and gluten free crackers, perfect for vegans, vegetarians and those with celiac! It’s clearly perfect for most as their 4.9 star rating on Google reviews suggests.
As I was making my way through my platter, I pondered why I don’t do this more often. This felt like the kind of thing people would enjoy on holiday, but here I was enjoying a bite of France in my own city. I could have easily gone home as I had no reason to stay, but by going somewhere different and that too alone, for no reason at all, I discovered a hidden little gem. This solo cheese and wine night allowed me to enjoy time to myself, and unwind in a place I wouldn’t usually think to do so, and how pleasant it was!
Wayfaring Guji Girl 