Speakcheesy nights, Christmas pre-orders and a return to the Harbour Arm at Finnian’s

Our Speakcheesy tastings at Finnian’s are booming, and both dates in October have sold out. We are opening another date on 5 November, and will also be hosting weekly Speakcheesy nights on 7, 14 and 21 January. They’re bookable now and make a great post-Christmas treat and gift. Tickets are £35 per head, which includes guided tastings of six cheeses with paired wines and other nibbles and accompaniments, with a maximum of 12 people per event on site in the shop. Finn is also happy to host these for private and corporate groups and to arrange them externally. Please call or email direct for further details.

It might feel absurdly early to mention the festive season, but as cheesemongers know, the festive rush catches up with us in the blink of an eye. To help you get ahead of the game, Christmas pre-orders are officially open. Not sure what to choose? Come on in. Drop by the shop to taste through the counter with us and talk through your plans, for your Christmas Day board, gifts for family and friends, or parties throughout December. Pre-orders apply across our full range including wines, and you can take advantage of 10% off any mix of six bottles of wine to stock your cellar early. As a special perk for our Curd Herd newsletter subscribers, every pre-order worth over £50 submitted before 31 October comes with a free, brand-new Finnian’s tote bag.

We will also be returning to the Folkestone Harbour Arm for the festive period from mid-November. This will be our third winter season on the Harbour Arm and we are really looking forward to wrapping up for the cold sea breeze, the huge Christmas tree, lots of twinkling lights and mountains of glorious cheese and other treats.

As the mornings take on a familiar crispness, cheesemakers everywhere are catching their breath after an extremely demanding summer. Yet those challenges lead directly into what many consider the golden season of cheesemaking. As animals transition to cooler weather, their milk naturally becomes richer, and wheels of firm Alpine-style and traditional hard cheeses made at the peak of summer grazing are finally ready to be cut. Vacherin Mont d’Or season is around the corner too.

Finn’s pick this month is Montgomery’s Cheddar, the gold standard of traditional British clothbound Cheddar. Made by Jamie Montgomery and his family at Manor Farm in North Cadbury, Somerset, from the unpasteurised milk of their own herd and aged in cloth for 12 to 14 months, it is deeply savoury, rich and crumbly, with a nutty, earthy profile and a long, glorious finish. Pair it with Bratton Seymour Orchard Blend Cider, made from apples hand-picked in the orchards at Manor Farm, the very same pastures where the Montgomery cows graze. It’s naturally sparkling, with subtle sweetness, rich tannins and crisp acidity that cuts right through the Cheddar.

Closer to home, our local artisan spotlight is on Zambur Ferments. Founded by Zakinah, the business is rooted in her fondest childhood memories of watching her mother simmer summer preserves, her grandmother blend fragrant spices, and whey slowly dripping through cheesecloth to make homemade feta. Those early lessons in patience, flavour and seasonality inspired her to launch Zambur Ferments right here in Kent. Her raw, unpasteurised krauts, kimchis and pickles are handcrafted in small batches using traditional slow fermentation, and a spoonful alongside a thick wedge of Montgomery’s adds a sharp, refreshing crunch to your cheese plate. Grab a jar off the counter to try it.

Find out more at https://www.finnians.co.uk