2004 SA Cheese Festival – Bien Donne

Thursday, 5 February, 2004
Marlene Truter
The ultimate cheese experience – April 24 to 27
Cheese lovers are in for a treat at the 2004 SA Cheese Festival. This ultimate cheese experience – set for the extra long weekend from 24 to 27 April – promises a delectable haven of cheese, wine, food and fun on the historic Boland farm, Bien Donné.

The SA Cheese Festival has become a highlight on the Cape calendar and according to the organizer, Agri-Expo, next year’s event will be more exciting as the venue has been redesigned for maximum enjoyment over a larger area.

A bountiful selection of cheeses and gastronomic delights in the Cheese Emporium and newly-created Cheese Market promises an explosion on the taste buds. The air-conditioned Cheese Emporium and open-air Cheese Market will allow cheese lovers ample time and space for savouring favourite treats. Cheese connoisseurs can also look forward to sampling the recently crowned 2004 SA champion cheeses and winners of the Qualité Awards.

The open-air Gourmet Lane is lined with restaurants and wine stalls, for those in need of something special to eat or drink in an atmosphere of great festivity, enhanced by the wide repertoire of the band BRAWOU! who will be performing live in the Music Gazebo. The new Market Square will entice family and friends to enjoy good company and the excellent foods and beverages associated with cheese.

The LG Cheese Workshop is a totally new attraction, where enthusiasts will be able to watch the age-old craft of cheese making and learn about the different kinds of cheese and how to use and enjoy them with various accompaniments – even a sip of brandy.

The LG Celebrity Chefs Kitchen – housed in a permanent building with room for 200 people – is one of the most popular attractions. Every hour, throughout the duration of the festival, well-known food personalities will entice visitors with cheese-inspired talks, demonstrations and mouth-watering dishes. Don't miss these hot tips from our top chefs!

Supervised entertainment for children ensures a relaxing day out in the country for the whole family. Professional entertainers, face painting and inflatable play stations keep the Kiddies’ Corner abuzz with activity. The Snack Food Lane, situated next to the Kiddies’ Corner, will offer special treats for pint-sized gourmets.

Various breeds of dairy cattle, milk goats and milk sheep will be on show at the Milk Factory. Here young and old will be able to wonder at activities like the milking of cows and goats, tasting the foaming fresh milk and demonstrations of traditional methods of butter and cottage cheese making.

If you are a cheese lover, food writer or retailer, make your way to Bien Donné, on the R45 between Paarl and Franschhoek during the long weekend from 24 to 27 April. It is the place to become familiar with all that’s new, unknown and really worth knowing about cheese and the delicacies that go with it.

Gates will be open between 10:00 and 18:00 from Saturday 24 April to Monday 26 April, and from 10:00 to 16:00 on Tuesday 27 April. A handy goodie bag and full colour festival programme will guide visitors through this ultimate cheese experience.

Limited tickets per day will be available. Obtain yours from Computicket, Cape Town Tourism, Paarl Tourism, Franschhoek Tourism and Agri-Expo at a special rate of R55 from 1 March until 23 April. As of 24 April tickets will be sold at the gate, Computicket and the tourism offices at R70. A discount rate of R35 applies to senior citizens on Monday 26 April only. Children up to 12 years will be admitted free of charge.

Issued by Marlene Truter Communications on behalf of Agri-Expo
Contact: Mariana Rabie, Agri-Expo
Tel: +27 (0) 21 975-4440
Email: mariana@agriexpo.co.za
Website: www.cheesefestival.co.za

Marlene Truter Communications
Contact: Marlene Truter
Tel: +27 (0) 21 871-1376
Email: marlene@marlenetruter.co.za