Episode 3 : Cheese Rolling

Bob leaves behind the haze of Los Angeles for Gloucester, England, for the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling Competition. This 200-year-old tradition involves a mad group of cheese-lovers who catapult head-over-heels down an insanely steep hill in hot pursuit of a speeding ten-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. The aim is to catch up with the cheese, which gets a one-second head start and can reach speeds of up to 70mph. Bob’s strategy unfolds over a few pints with the locals at the local pub where he gets the encouragement and insight needed to brave the hill. To prepare for this challenge, Bob will have to learn the ins and outs of making Double Gloucester cheese. Then he will need to get himself in top shape if he is to have any chance of walking away with the winner's prize – a wheel of Gloucester's finest.

Recipe:

Bob's Own Classic Cheese Fondue

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

1 pound of Emmental (Swiss cheese), coarsely grated (If you do not have a grater, the cheese can be sliced into thin strips.)

1 pound of Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated

¼ cup of flour

¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon of black pepper

3 cups of any dry white wine

1 garlic clove, cut in half

2 ounces of kirsch (cherry brandy)

2 loaves of fresh crusty French, Italian, or sourdough bread, cut into bite-size chunks with one edge of crust on each bite.

Directions:
1. Place cheese in a large bowl. Sprinkle flour, nutmeg, and pepper over top, then toss thoroughly so that the flour evenly coats the cheese.
2. Heat wine in a medium-size pot, over medium-high heat, until tiny bubbles begin to rise to the surface.
3. Slowly add cheese to wine, allowing each handful to melt before adding another.
4. When cheese is fully melted, add kirsch.
5. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the cut side of a garlic clove.
6. Transfer entire mess to the fondue pot and maintain flame hot enough to keep cheese melted but not boiling.
7. Place fondue pot in the center of the table and let guests dive in.

Links:

• Gloucestershire Cheese-Rolling Contest
• Gloucestershire Tourism
• Parkour
• UK Parkour Association
• The Cheese Rollers Pub
• Diana Smart's Handmade Gloucester Cheese
• More Cheese Rolling Festivals