Curds and Whey

There are many varieties of cheese produced in Britain, all different in flavour and texture and well worth making a point of trying. This guide highlights some of them and is designed to whet your appetite! The nine regional varieties of cheeses are:

	Caerphilly	Creamy white, with a moist and crumbly texture and a delicate, mild flavour.
	Cheddar - mild, medium or mature	Creamy yellow, close and smooth textured, the flavour ranges from mild when young to full flavoured and nutty when mature. It varies in colour from white to deep yellow. The Romans first brought cheese and their knowledge of cheesemaking to this country in AD 55. From these early beginnings cheesemaking has developed. Cheddar was originally made in Somerset and is now produced throughout the world.
	Cheshire	White, red or blue veined, Cheshire has a loose and crumbly texture, with a slightly salty, tangy flavour. Cheshire is one of the UK's oldest cheeses.
	Derby	Pale honey colour with a firm texture and mild delicate flavour. Sage Derby is green marbled and flavoured with sage.
	Double Gloucester	Golden coloured, smooth textured and full flavoured.
	Lancashire	Today most Lancashire is mild and crumbly but there is also a more mature traditional variety which is moist with a sharp tang. It has a creamy white colour. Traditionally it was known as 'Leigh Toaster', as it is such a good cooking cheese.
	Leicester	Red Leicester is firm with a slightly flaky texture, varying in colour from russet to deep red and from a mild mellow to a mature flavour.
	Stilton	Most famous is the blue veined Stilton with a soft and moist texture. White Stilton is, as the name suggests, white and is a young version of Blue Stilton without the mould. Blue is rich and creamy, white has a fresh and milder flavour. Stilton is often referred to as the 'King of Cheeses'.
	Wensleydale	Creamy white with a flaky texture and a mild creamy flavour. Wensleydale is traditionally eaten in Northern England with apple pie. It is the favourite cheese of Wallace in Nick Park's 'Wallace and Gromit' animated films!

Stilton (see above) is one of the most famous blue cheeses in the world. Britain produces many other fine blue cheeses as well such as:

	Blue Cheshire	This blue variety of Cheshire is matured longer than ordinary white Cheshire and although softer and less crumbly, has the same characteristic saltiness.
	Blue Wensleydale	A white close textured cheese with blue veining and a delicate creamy flavour which develops on maturing. Relatively mild, this is probably the best one for new 'Blue cheese eaters' to try!
	Buxton Blue	A russet coloured blue veined cheese with a mild creamy and mellow flavour.
	Devon Blue	Milder than other blue cheeses, Devon Blue is made by Ticklemore Cheese in Devon using their own recipe. Local milk is partially heated giving it an almost continental flavour. The cheese is matured for about 4 months to produce a cheese with a subtle, succulent flavour, especially favoured by those who find traditional blue cheeses too strong.
	Dorset Blue Vinney	Originally a cheese made in Dorset, the word 'Vinney' comes from the old English word for mould, vinew. The cheese was well known in the 18th and 19th centuries but began declining when factory cheesemaking increased in the 1900's. Traditionally it was made from the milk remaining after the cream had been skimmed off by hand. Today, semi-skimmed milk is used to make Blue Vinney, which gives it a lower fat percentage than other blue cheeses with a light texture and fairly mild flavour.
	Dovedale	A rindless, white soft cheese with blue veining and a distinctive flavour.
	Hinton Blue	A relatively new English blue veined cheese. It is a two curd cheeses which gives it an attractive golden white marbled effect. It has a smooth, nutty flavour and is made on a Shropshire farm.
	Oxford Blue	A relative newcomer to the ranks of British blues, Oxford Blue was developed in 1994 and is made exclusively for the Oxford Cheese Company. Based in Oxford's indoor market, the company supplies unusual cheeses to high tables in the colleges. Oxford Blue is a soft blue cheese with a creamy, mild flavour.
	Shropshire Blue	A thick crusted, orange coloured cheese with blue veining and a firm, creamy texture. It has a strong rich flavour. It is made by a process similar to Stilton and by the makers of Stilton cheese. Shropshire Blue was developed in the early 1980'.

As well as the hard and semi-hard cheeses Britain also produces a number of soft cheeses:

	Cottage Cheese	Available in a variety of flavours, the moist granules of white curd are coated in a mild, creamy dressing.
	Cream Cheese	A creamy coloured, spreadable soft cheese with a rich buttery flavour.
	Curd Cheese	A white, spreadable soft cheese with a clean tangy flavour, making an excellent lower fat alternative to cream cheese. A classic use for this cheese is in Yorkshire curd tart.
	Fromage Frais / Quark	A soft cheese that looks, tastes and has similar uses to yogurt. Low fat and creamy varieties are available.
	Pencarreg	A full fat, smooth creamy cheese, with an edible white rind and mellow flavour. Pencarreg is made by Welsh Organic Foods. The organic sources of the milk contribute to a complex and unique flavour, as the mixtures of grasses and herbs eaten by the cows vary throughout the year.
	Somerset Brie	A glossy, straw coloured cheese with an edible white rind and a distinctive full flavour and aroma.

There is a great variety of flavoured cheeses now available, all of which will add colour and interest to a cheeseboard, snacks or sandwiches. Here are just a few examples:

	Bishop Kennedy	This soft cheese has a continental character, yet it is made in Perthshire by Howgate Cheesemakers by Royal Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen. The orange-red crusted cheese owes much of its character to the Malt Whisky applied during ripening. When ready to eat the cheese develops into a smooth, creamy runny texture with a strong aroma.
	Cornish Yarg	This is a light, creamy mould ripened cheese whose unique character and taste result from being wrapped in nettle leaves. This traditional method of coating survives only in Cornish yarg and gives it its distinctive pattern.
	Double Gloucester with Chives (Cotswold cheese)	May also be known as 'Cotswold'. The addition of chives combines well with the mellow cheese flavour.
	Five Counties	This original combination of five of England's finest cheeses consists of layers of Derby, Leicester, Cheshire, Double Gloucester and Cheddar. An attractive cheese which adds interest to a cheese board both in colour and texture.
	Huntsman	The outer layers of this cheese are Double Gloucester and the inside is Stilton. A delicious combination of two of England's great cheeses. It is also known as 'County' cheese.
	Isle of Mull Cheese	The abundant rainfall of the West Coast of Scotland produces the lush pastures of Sgriod-ruadh Farm Dairy, above Tobermory, isle of Mull. Sgriod-ruadh is the only dairy farm on the island where they use their own milk, unpasteurised, to produce Isle of Mull Cheese. The burn which flows past the farm also supplies the water for the Tobermoray Distillery and it can be said that this cheese, too, has a unique character, similar to that of a fine single malt. The cheeses are hand made in the traditional manner and are ripened in an underground cellar before being sent to cheese shops throughout the country.
	Lincolnshire Poacher	Made at Ulceby Grange in Lincolnshire, this full bodied unpasteurised cheese is well rounded in flavour, resembling a cheddar and yet it has a bitter sweet bite with a long after-taste.
	Orkney	Made at Grimbister Firth on the Isle of Orkney. This unpasteurised young cheese is only made from spring to late autumn because of the nature and flavour of the milk. Moist and crumbly with a mildly acid bite, which becomes more fruity as it matures. A fresh tasting cheese that is also good crumbled into salads.
	Sage Derby	The green marbling is due to the addition of sage to this traditional English cheese. The flavour develops further with maturity.
	Stinking Bishop	Produced in Gloucester, this is a full fat, rind washed, soft cheese. This type of cheese traces back to the Cistercian monks who once settled in the village of Dymoc, where it is now made. Stinking Bishop is a name derived from a variety of pear peculiar to the north-west of Gloucestershire. Once you have been alone with the cheese you will realise how aptly it is named!
	Tiskey Meadow	This pale, mellow cheese is made from a traditional Yorkshire recipe, updated to include sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil and oregano. Matured and ready to eat at 6 weeks, the result is a light but flavourful cheese with a Mediterranean taste.
	Tornegus	Made at Walnut Tree Farm in Somerset using milk from the farm's herd. The cheese is 'washed' in kentish wine and brine which produces the apricot coloured rind and softening of the interior. Finally the cheese is lightly coated with mint and lemon verbena leaves, giving the cheese a distinctive pungent flavour bursting with character.
	Wellington	Hand made in Berkshire, near Stratfield Saye, the country estate of His Grace the Duke of Wellington. This hard pressed cheese is made from fresh Guernsey milk and matured for 6 months to give the cheese its golden yellow colour and rich creamy taste. The cheese is made with unpasteurised milk and a vegetarian rennet.
	Windsor Red	Windsor Red is cheddar cheese with red wine. The marbled red colour is produced by the addition of Elderberry wine.
	York	Confusingly made at Park Farm in Bath, this cheese is inspired from an old Yorkshire recipe, hence its name. This golden full-fat soft cheese has a straw yellow stripe running through it which carries the strong flavour of sage. The cheese is best eaten at 6 weeks old - when it will ooze across the plate!