Cheshire cheese, Cheshire cat

As a lad, I never did like Cheshire cheese much, on the odd occasion it appeared on the table. Nor did I particularly care for Lewis Carroll's Chesire cat, one of the wierder characters that Alice encountered. Today has put them both in context, as we've drifted through the Cheshire plains. Rich grazing country, and I have discovered that Cheshire cats pre-date Carroll. Wikipedia says their grins are documented from the end of the 18th century, and that the explanation most favoured in this county is "the abundance of milk and cream".

Strolling into Nantwich at the end of the day we passed the Cheshire cat hotel. It's worth a return visit tomorrow, not so much for the small glass of cold Strongbow we talked about but didn't stop for, but for the photo.  I'd never thought that Nantwich might be photogenic – lots of amazing Tudor or Tudor-style buildings in the centre. But if we do stop for some refreshment it's unlikely to be Cheshire cheese, even though they say it makes the best Welsh rarebit. I've never got used to the taste.