

519: Charles Martell | Stinking Bishop, Perry Pears & Luck
Charles Martell has spent decades preserving some of England's most remarkable cider and perry traditions — often with a healthy dose of luck along the way. In this episode, Charles joins Cider Chat from Gloucestershire to talk about the story behind Stinking Bishop cheese and its Wallace & Gromit fame, rare and disappearing perry pears such as Dymock Red, his historic distillery, Gloucester cattle, and a lifetime rooted in the orchards and traditions of the region. 00:00 Charles Martell on Quality of Life 00:30 Welcome to Cider Chat 02:05 Out and About in Ciderville 02:57 Filming Chronicle at New Salem's Museum Orchard 07:13 Totally Cider Tours and a France Preview 07:54 Arriving at Hunts Court 08:56 How Charles Became a Farmer 10:16 Saving Rare Perry Pears 13:54 Small Farm, Low Volume, High Value 16:22 Books and Lost Fruit Varieties 21:55 The Curious Names of Perry Pears 23:48 Perry Versus Cider 25:37 Saving Rare Gloucester Cattle 30:12 Discovering the Farm's Distilling History 32:23 A Wood-Fired Copper Still 34:52 The Historic Distilling House 35:50 A Look Around the Courtyard 37:36 Tracing the Distilling House's Origins 38:12 Building the German-Made Still 39:38 The Stories Behind the Spirits' Names 40:30 Tasting Poireau 42:17 Pommeau and Barrel Aging 44:45 May Hill and the Surrounding Landscape 46:53 Stinking Bishop and Wallace and Gromit 49:07 Single and Double Gloucester Cheese 50:58 Cheese Pairings, Rinds, and Bacteria 57:20 Hulla Baloo Blue Cheese 58:36 A Turning Point for Perry 59:57 Growing Perry Pear Trees 01:02:59 Where to Buy and How to Visit 01:04:10 Final Reflections and Farewell 🍎 Get the full story, photos, links and more in the Episode 519 show notes at CiderChat.com. Listen & Subscribe 🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify ▶️ YouTube Learn More 🌐 Episode show notes: Charles Martell's Stinking Bishop, Lost Pears and Pure Luck 📰 eCiderNews: https://ciderchat.com/ecidernews/ Support Cider Chat 🍎 Become a Cider Chat Patron: https://www.patreon.com/ciderchat Stay Connected 🌐 https://ciderchat.com 📸 Instagram: @ciderchatciderville 📘 Facebook: Cider Chat
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