I always think it rather sad that St George’s Day isn’t celebrated in England like St Patrick’s Day is in Ireland. With everything from national sausage day to national kissing day on the calendar it seems ironic that we don’t attach more importance to St George’s Day... surely it should be a bank holiday?!

As an old Georgian (Pashminas and Pearls went to school at St George’s Ascot) and someone that loves any excuse for a party, I thought St George’s Day was a prime opportunity to get some friends together and celebrate all that is English. With that in mind, I put my thinking cap on to come up with a truly ‘English’ spread.

Immediately all the clichés came to mind – roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, jam roly poly and scones with Cornish clotted cream and jam. But, in P&P’s truly individual way, I decided to go slightly off piste. When one thinks of English cheese, one tends to think of English cheddars and stiltons… And then one’s mind wanders to the creamy French bries and tangy but delicious Italian dolcelatte.

But on my hunt to be individual I discovered that English cheese doesn’t have to be so predictable – in fact it seems there’s a far more interesting world of English cheese out there for fellow cheese lovers like me!

The Cheese Works came up with the perfect solution. They’ve created a St George Hamper for celebrations on 23rd April! The hamper includes traditional Godminster Cheddar, St Eadburgha – that has a deep and rich creaminess and Ragstone, a goats cheese with a lemony tang. Not only does it include all you’d desire for a dinner finished off with cheese but it also includes delicious rosemary crackers and Old Spot Ale Chutney.

And, to put the icing on the cake, they also include a bottle of Three Choirs Special Cuvee (English ‘Champagne’ so to speak!) which in my book beats any French fizz hands down!
A date for your diary, St George’s Day this 23rd April - the perfect reason to enjoy all that is English!