An elegant postcard came through our door yesterday, for the Norbiton Fine Cheese co -- black design, tempting photos of cheese, etc. "Experience Europe's finest farmhouse and artisan cheeses delivered to your door.....over one hundred types of French, British and other European cheeses." I've never heard of this outfit before, which is odd as I have lived at the Norbiton end of Kingston for 16 years now. (Though it doesn't feel like it.) The NFCC are a bit shy about their street address on their website, though they provide email, phone number and order form. Here is how they describe themselves (their capitals):
The Norbiton Fine Cheese Co is all about good food. We have a passion for fresh natural produce, especially cheese and we are dedicated to providing only the finest British, French, Irish and other European cheeses. We also have a wide range of wonderful Pickles, Chutneys and Crackers, and to help you display and enjoy your cheeses to the fullest we have created a range of hand crafted cheese Larders, Knives, Boards and other fine accessories.
Why buy cheese from us online? Because all our cheeses are sold perfectly ripened for consumption, so you always get the freshest produce, and almost always delivered within 24 hours of ordering. Our selection of cheeses is second to none and from the best small farmhouse producers across Europe. You really will notice a difference in taste and quality.
At the prices they charge for delivery outside the UK, you might think twice before ordering cheese from them, especially if you are Susan and order something that is likely to go runny -- would her postman retain his polite demeanour under such trying circumstances? -- but even if you aren't buying, there is lots of fascinating information on the site, for example "eating cheese" (yes, there are rules and tips) and "cheese recipes". If you are in the UK and want to find out about the upcoming cheese news (yes, really, there are events), order from the impressive collection available or find out any piece of information about cheese you can dream up, this is the site for you. In the meantime, I'll keep an eye out for the premises on my wanderings round the borough. Norm/Uriah of Crime Scraps, resident emeritus, did tell me that the area is going upmarket: first the fish shop has turned into a quasi-restaurant, and now this.
I feel very old and emeritus at the moment. I still have not recovered from the shock of seeing an organic butcher in East Dulwich, and French restaurants in Wandsworth. Bandit country has become trendy, and I have even heard that the Borough Market is sophisticated!
Posted by: Norm | 15 May 2007 at 13:44