Islands of plenty
Last week, I attended the IFE at the local exhibition centre, Excel. I went to see what the 28-farm co-operative Isle of Man Creamery folks were up to, as well as the other producers on the island, which included a brewery, a distiller and a salt making company.
The cheese was delicious and the creamery story about being over 100 years old, along with continued doorstep delivery, makes it a place on my bucket list. Also, who wouldn’t want to visit the world’s only whole nation UNESCO biosphere?
Isle of Man’s horse-drawn tram? Steam railways? The world’s largest waterwheel? Cats with no tails? Tales of woodland fairies? Plus Celtic lore and world-famous motorcycle racing. It’s all there on the island.
Even buying a block of the island-made cheddar feels like a holiday to me. Another highlight is Snaefell, Isle of Man Creamery’s grass-fed cheese that had overtures of the Continental cheeses we all know and love, such as Gruyere and Emmenthal. The cheeses are exported to the UK, Europe and North America and available in major supermarkets such as Tesco, Morrisons and Publix.
I did ask when the Manx version of Bergerac was going to be on television. You realise how these shows promote tourism for various places, and it can’t be a bad thing for Jersey and the rest of the Channel Islands. It has even given me impetus to watch the 1980s version of Bergerac on the alternative channels here. However, I prefer the modern version. Sorry, Inspector Barnaby the First (John Nettles) – I associate you too closely with Midsomer Murders to appreciate your work on the Classic Bergerac, as they are calling it now.
Islands by their nature have to get out into the larger world, and the Isle of Man is no different. I expect to see a murder mystery or a police drama series based on the island soon, with a Celtic twist. Topped with cheese!
- Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
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