Great British Cheese Festival

There are times I wish I lived in England.

August, for example, when hundreds of high-quality beer makers descend upon London for the Great British Beer Festival. Or June, when hundreds of high-quality bands arrive at Glastonbury for a great, British, music festival.

Or this upcoming weekend, when hundreds of tremendous cheeses will be available, all in one place, at the eighth annual Great British Cheese Festival in Oxfordshire. It's taking place at the Millets Farm Centre.

There will be cheesemaking lessons, tastings galore, and even a School of Big Cheese, brought to you by Tesco, the supermarkets chain. There's also a Whisky Workshop (!), and the fair organizers promise that the "finest cider to the sauciest pies" will also be on offer.

Sadly, I'm half a world away, in sunny California. But I have half a mind to jump on that 4 pm Virgin Atlantic flight to Merry Olde, drive up to Oxford and join in the fun. Alas, I probably won't. But you should.

Here's more on the festival: Great British Cheese Festival.