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56 culturecheesemag.com E N T E R TA I N I N G 202 2 C elebrations call for cake, but that cake does not have to be sweet. Beyond the elaborate cheeseboard, savory wheels and wedges can be a party centerpiece, and increasingly, the multi-tiered wedding cake is being swapped for a tower of cheese. Instead of choosing between vanilla and chocolate or marzipan and whipped cream, brides, grooms, and party hosts are tasting gooey washed rinds, spicy blues, and nutty Alpine styles to decide which layers will make up their "cake." Cheese celebration cakes seem to have started in the UK. The trend began around 20 years ago but has taken off in the last 10 years, both in the UK and US. These towers of cheese are particularly popular in my home region, Yorkshire. Here we traditionally eat fruitcake with Wensleydale cheese, so it is not surprising that some have gone as far as to replace the cake itself with cheese. Cheese has a number of advantages over cake. A cheese tower can be assembled on site, eliminating worries about the car jolting, or someone tripping while carrying the cake. The huge variety of cheeses available caters to individual tastes. Cheese is versatile, eaten at any time of day. "A cheese tower is at home alongside cocktails, as part of a buffet or at the end of a formal dinner," says Shannon Berry, Wisconsin cheese specialist at the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) and a former cheesemonger at Fromagination in Madison, Wisconsin. It may also be more economical; you are paying for the cheese rather than the labor involved in decorating a traditional cake. CHEESE LOVERS After Michelle Taylor's daughter, Heather, was married in New Zealand, Michelle arranged a second ceremony for her at home in the UK. "Heather is a cheese fanatic," her mother says. "She had a cake in New Zealand, so we wanted something different for Yorkshire." Michelle visited the Courtyard Dairy in Settle to taste a range of cheeses. She Let Them Eat (Cheese) Cake WRIT TEN BY DEBBIE ROLLS saltpigdeli Celebrate your next special occasion with a cheese tower, perfect for engagements, weddings, birthdays, parties. SAVORY TOWERS MOVE IN ON SWEET TIER TERRITORY