On the lookout for the perfect British cheeses to purchase? Learn Andy Swinscoe’s final information, then take a look at our present information for cheese lovers, our cheese recipe assortment, or head to the olive store to purchase the perfect cheeseboards and cheese equipment.
Farmhouse cheddars
A resurgence in farmhouse cheese-making implies that traditionally-made cheddar is now out there from at the least a dozen cheddar makers throughout the nation, all of who’re producing fascinating, unpasteurised, farm-made cheese. What does ‘conventional’ or ‘farm-made’ imply? Merely put, it refers to a product that is made by caring professionals on their very own farms, utilizing their very own herd’s unpasteurised milk. Such cheeses are made utilizing conventional native micro organism, are at all times ‘cheddared’ by hand, and are cloth-bound (quite than waxed or vacuum-packed) and aged to kind a pure rind. Making cheddar on this age-old approach produces a cheese that is distinctive to the farm and has a larger depth of flavour.
Barwheys (Ayrshire)
Made by Tricia Bey in Ayrshire utilizing her personal Ayrshire cattle, having constructed up the herd and diary from scratch in 2005. This cheddar is quick turning into famend for its advanced and lengthy flavours.
Obtainable from:
The Courtyard Dairy (from £6.30/250g)
Dale Finish (Yorkshire)
Made utilizing the standard Dairy Shorthorn breed. This unpasteurised, natural cheddar, aged for 18-months, is made by Botton Camphill neighborhood (using individuals with psychological and studying disabilities to farm the animals and make the cheese). Tangy, full on-flavour.
Obtainable from:
The Courtyard Dairy (from £8/250g)
Hafod Cheddar (Lampeter)
Created by the Holden household in 2005, they used a recipe from the early 1900’s to recreate cheddar ‘because it was’ – a a lot slower manufacturing course of. Their cheese is wealthy and buttery, and brings out the perfect of the hilltop farm and wealthy Ayrshire-cattle milk.
Obtainable from:
The Fantastic Cheese Co. (from £9.79/250g)
Neal’s Yard Dairy (from £12.55/250g)
Isle of Mull (Argyll and Bute)
Having made cheese with Montgomerys, the Reade household relocated to the Isle of Mull to arrange their very own farm and create this ‘trendy traditional’. Their cows are consumed the ‘draff’ from the close by whisky distillery and the ensuing cheese is sharp and fruity.
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Obtainable from:
DukesHill (from £7.95/200g)
Eager’s (Somerset)
One of many cheddar makers of previous: ‘cheese has been made right here so long as anybody can bear in mind’, says present technology James, who makes cheese together with his father, George. Their cheeses have that traditional, sharp cheddar chunk.
Obtainable from:
cheesegeek (from £7.95/200g)
Fantastic Cheese Co. (from £7.15/250g)
Lincolnshire Poacher (Lincolnshire)
Simon Jones made his first batch of cheese in 1992 on his household farm in Lincolnshire. Based mostly on a cheddar recipe however utilizing a little bit of methodology from the Alpine cheeses, this cheddar has a barely waxier texture and fruitier, sweeter notes to contribute to that conventional cheddar tang.
Obtainable from:
The Cheese Society (from £6/250g)
Loch Arthur (Dumfries and Galloway)
A Scotland-based sister neighborhood to the Botton Camphill neighborhood (see Dale Finish, above). Loch Arthur hails from Dumfriesshire and the creamery once more supplies employment for individuals with studying disabilities who work the land and the dairy. Their cheese is bought at 9 months previous and is barely milder, with a softer texture and full flavours.
Obtainable from:
Kilnford (£5/250g)
Montgomery’s (Somerset)
One of many archetypal conventional cheddars, Jamie Montgomery makes a mighty-fine cheese on his farm in Somerset. Caramelised, beefy, and wealthy advanced flavours are why this cheese is so nice.
Obtainable from:
Pong (from £14.95/500g)
Neal’s Yard Dairy (from £9.20/250g)
Quickes (Devon)
Mary Quicke’s father restarted cheddar making on their household farm within the 1970’s, adopting the previous methodology of cloth-wrapped conventional cheeses. Now one of many bigger farmhouse cheese makers within the UK, they produce some nice conventional, old-style cheddar, nonetheless utilizing all their very own milk.
Obtainable from:
Ocado (oak smoked, from £4.75/175g)
Quickes (mature cheddar, from £5.75/200g)
St Andrew’s Cheddar (Fife)
Jane Stewart initially began out on the coast in Fife making a Cheshire recipe (Anster), however now additionally makes a small quantity of farmhouse cheddar from her personal cows’ unpasteurised milk. St Andrew’s cheddar is highly effective, robust cheddar – even at 10 months previous.
Obtainable from:
St Andrew’s Cheddar (from £5.50/200g)
Westcombe (Somerset)
After a protracted interval making ‘block’ cheddar, Richard Calver restored their farm to its former glory and commenced making conventional cheese in 2001. Now run together with his son, Tom, they’ve additional improved their cheese to make wealthy, deep, savoury-flavoured cheddar that graces a number of the greatest cheese retailers within the nation.
Obtainable from:
Pong (from £7.95/250g)
Area & Flower (from £4.98/200g)
Westcombe Cheddar (from £6/250g)
Winterdale Shaw (Kent)
Robin Betts began making cheese in 2006, after constructing a mannequin eco-friendly dairy on his household farm. The cheese cave is thus far underground it stays cool naturally and desires no refrigeration, and the heat of the make room is used to warmth their home, even their automotive is electrical! Utilizing the household farm’s unpasteurised milk he produces fascinating and diverse-flavoured cheddar.
Obtainable from:
Chart Farm (from £10/500g)
Ashcombe (Gloucestershire)
A Morbier-style cheese that swept the board on the Artisan Cheese Awards in 2021. It has a candy nuttiness and a line of wooden ash that runs by its center.
Obtainable from:
Paxton & Whitfield (from £12/250g)
Pong (from £8/200g)
Better of the remainder
Capra Nouveau
Sarah Hampton makes thrilling cheeses with milk from her 60 goats in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Capra Nouveau is her standout creation. Based mostly on French recipe methodology, this supple cheese is washed in cider from the farm to present it a fruity, appley notice.
Obtainable from:
The Courtyard Dairy (from £6.90/200g)
Beauvale
An excellent-creamy blue cheese, Stilton-style. Made by Cropwell Bishop Creamery in Nottingham, it is delicate and spreadable in texture, with a mellow flavour.
Obtainable from:
Cropwell Bishop Stilton (£25/800g)
Baron Bigod Brie
Unrivalled British brie made by Jonny Crickmore, who’s dedication in the direction of high quality has clearly put him on the best path. Utilizing his household farm’s unpasteurised milk, Jonny makes a Brie-style to match the perfect Brie de Meaux. Nicely value searching for out.
Obtainable from:
Ocado (£9.50/250g)
The Courtyard Dairy (£9/250g)
Rollright
David Jowett has labored for a number of the best cheese-makers and cheesemongers within the UK. Establishing by himself in mid-2015, this cheese made it is mark on the UK scene. It’s a buttery, washed-rind cheese, delicate, unctuous and melting within the mouth.
Obtainable from:
Paxton & Whitfield (£14.95 per unit)
Pong (£9.95 per unit)
Corra Linn
Made utilizing wealthy sheep’s milk from the Errington’s farm within the wild Pentland hills overlooking Edinburgh, this difficult cheese is paying homage to a wealthy Manchego… however with a touch of Scotland! Christmas 2015 will see the primary launch of this 12 months’s new spring season cheese, and at six-months previous they’re wealthy, honeyed and floral.
Obtainable from:
Neal’s Yard Dairy (from £19.60/250g)
The Cheese Girl (£9.20/200g)
Gorwydd Caerphilly
This crumbly Caerphilly received Tremendous Gold on the 2022 World Cheese Awards, making it one of many high 16 cheeses on the planet. It is mushroomy, semi-hard and barely bitter, with an edible rind and a contemporary, lemony centre.
Obtainable from:
Paxton & Whitfield (from £9.75/250g)
Classic Sparkenhoe
That is for individuals who like a powerful, mature cheese. Jo and David Clarke began out making pink Leicester on their farm in 2005. Usually bought at 4-6 months, this classic model is a whopping 18-months previous and because of this is extra classic cheddar in fashion, highly effective and robust.
Obtainable from:
Actual Meals Hub (£7.50/250g)
Younger Buck
A blue cheese to present any stilton a run for its cash. Based mostly on the same recipe, Michael Thompson solely makes tiny quantities by hand of this sought-after cheese, utilizing unpasteurised milk and piercing barely lower than most stilton. This enables advanced, wealthy and clean blue flavours to develop that linger on the tongue.
Obtainable from:
The Courtyard Dairy (from £8.95/250g)
Yarlington
Washed in cider, Yarlington is the results of a collaboration between cheesemaker David Jowett, cider maker Tom Oliver and Cellarman Sam. Supremely unctuous and mushroomy.
Obtainable from:
cheesegeek (£10 per unit)
Rennet & Rind (£8/220g)
About Andy and The Courtyard Dairy
Andy Swinscoe is proprietor of The Courtyard Dairy in Yorkshire. He set it up together with his spouse Kathy in 2012 (each pictured above), after a few years working for a number of the greatest cheesemongers in France, London and the South West; together with a apprenticeship finding out cheese-maturing with Herve Mons close to Lyon.
The Courtyard Dairy received The Finest New Cheese Retailer on the 2013 British Cheese Awards, and was a runner-up for Yorkshire Meals Vacation spot of the Yr 2013. Following these accolades The Courtyard Dairy additionally received ‘Finest Cheese Counter’ and ‘Cheesemonger of The Yr’ at The World Cheese Awards 2013; earlier than being awarded runners-up in BBC Radio 4 Meals and Farming Awards 2014 ‘Finest Meals Retailer’. Andy additionally shares Hebden Goat cheese, which was topped Supreme Champion on the 2023 Artisan Cheese Awards.
