Cheese Tasting with Champagne

Cheese tasting with added bubbles! The popping of Champagne corks is combined with the creamy sensations of some fine cheeses on this tasting experience at Ann Hood's Smart School of Cookery in London or Essex.

To put it simply, if you like your cheese, you'll love this tasting experience. You could say that nibbling on cheeses while sipping on a flute of nicely cooled Champagne is a divine union that was totally made in foodie heaven. And we'd agree. Forget eating a slab of cheddar with a dry, dull cracker biscuit, this is all about tasty appetisers, delicious toasted ciabatta all perfectly complimented by your Champers.

And the thing about cheese is that there are hundreds of them out there, so which ones go best with Champagne? Your expert host will explain all the flavours and how softer cheeses accentuate the Champagne, or inversely how the Champagne refreshes the palate with stronger cheese tastes.

The cheeses that will be chosen for these tastings are all artisanal and made with high quality dairy ingredients. Naturally, you associate French Champagne with French cheeses (a nice, creamy Brie springs to mind) and whilst these are sure to feature, you might well be discovering cheeses you've never tasted before. And yes, even a cheddar might make it on the cheeseboard - albeit a high-quality, hand produced one from artisan cheese maker!

With the Champagne flowing and the bite-sized morsels of cheese being passed around, these tastings are certainly convivial affairs. They are also educational, as you'll learn which cheese goes with which type of Champagne. For example, tangy, hard cheeses from high alpine pastures, such as the Swiss Gruyere, could easily overpower a fruity Champers, so a nice sweet, almost nutty fizz is the order of the day. And a fresh goat's cheese could give your Champagne tasting a nice little kick too.

These cheese tastings are available at both the central London location and the Chelmsford site in Essex. All workshops are fully hosted and take place in a relaxed and informal environment. In essence, they're great news for cheese fans and those partial to a glass or two of Champagne too!