Cheese Hamlet

Where?
706 Wilmslow Road
Didsbury Village
www.cheesehamlet.com

History:
35 years ago, the Cheese Hamlet was opened by a former baker who had simultaneously developed a flour allergy and a desire to commercialize his passion for quality cheeses and meats. Since then the shop has stayed in the Axon family: his son and daughter have taken it over, maintaining the personal relationships their father had with their suppliers. “We're even able to make suggestions about the cheese to Appleby's Farmhouse, our Cheshire supplier,” said Liz Lynch (née Axon). They'd played on the Cheshire milk farm as children, grew up learning the art of cheese-making, and now are able to say, “Age that Ch

What's it like?
The shop is small and filled to the brim with a mind-boggling array of products. At different hours of the day it is filled with different smells: around noon, the paralysingly delicious odour of roasting ham and pork pies filled the place. Aesthetically, the shop is a feast for sight, smell and taste, but if you can't make it to Didsbury you can order from their website. The store has won over 40 awards including British Deli of the Year.

Who shops there?
Locals who the staff know by name and people from further afield. They cater to the Didsbury community, so they offer samosas, bhajis and Polish sausages. While most customers are from the surrounding neighbourhoods, Liz said that quite a few will make a half-hour trip to come to the shop. I believe this, because I would do.

What does it sell?
What doesn't it sell? There is a stunning array of cheeses: they've a wide range of local Cheshires, Lancashires and cheddars as well as “one of the biggest selection of Swiss cheeses in the country”. So if you fancy a fondue on a chilly night, pick up some Gruyère, Emmental and Comté from the Hamlet to make it a dish fit for Heidi. There are about 15 variations on good old bleu and all the Chèvres you could dream of. Creamy Reblochon, pungent wine-washed Epoisse...it's cheese heaven. There are some accessible prices – the cheese ranged from £1.50 to £7 per 100g.

They make pies, sausage rolls, and quiches on site, and they also roast hams. There's orange and Cointreau pâté, thick cuts of bacon fetchingly lain out next to seasoned ox tongue, local roast beef and a sexy selection of cold cuts.

You'll also find wines and ports, fresh coffee to grind, chocolates (in both gift-giving and eat-it-like-it's-about-to-be-taxed bar form) oils and vinegars, marmalades, mayonnaises and chutneys. The shop has free-range eggs, olives and garlic-soaked sun-dried tomatoes, bread and buns. And “sometimes Liz makes some scones”.

Why go there?
Have you not been reading? Go because the Cheese Hamlet has so many delicious foodstuffs. I took away some fragrant pesto, some lemon and bay leaf olives, a bit of pepper pâté and some Irish Porter Cheddar, which is absolutely delicious and yes, made with Porter beer. I also ate a sausage roll fresh out of the oven and a red onion marmalade and Stilton and cream quiche for lunch. All of it was exquisite and came to a total of a bit over £7.

Future:
Liz said that they've seen no drop in business due to the recession. Sales have remained strong, especially in local cheeses. “People would still rather buy high-quality cheeses and meats for a bit more money,” she reassured me. “They're not really luxury items.” In the past year she tells me they've branched out on something new: cheese wedding cakes, at £2 to £3 per guest. I was imagining mascarpone or ricotta cakes, but she opens this photo album that show wheels of cheese stacked on each other with their crust still on and decorated. I thought it looked a bit daft really, but she said they're very popular.

Verdict:
It'll be a sad day when absolutely everyone decides they'd rather buy crappy anonymous cheese wrapped in plastic from Tesco to save a few bob. Happily, from the looks of The Cheese Hamlet, the apocalypse is a long way off. The shop is a great place to find gifts and treat yourself to some high-quality food for not that much more money. It's rather like travelling back in time to when folk knew each other's names, where the food came from, and how it was made.