United Kingdom Farmhouse Cheeses
Cheese
Most people think that the best cheeses come from France actually the United Kingdom produces 700 different cheeses. These are the farmhouse cheeses made to ancient recipes by people, who care about the taste. These proud cheese makers belong to the Specialist Cheese makers association in the United Kingdom. The cheeses they make are Worlds away from the factory made article, called cheese, available, shrouded in plastic packs, in the supermarket. Real cheese is always wrapped in natural wrapping, such as paper. Looking down the list of their cheese manufacturers you will not find the big names that one sees in supermarkets, you will find farm, creamery, and family names.
Cheddar is a hard British cheese that most people know. It is sharp and tangy and the very best cheese for cooking because to melts without going stringy, no French cheese does so. Cheddar is equally tasty just as it is, and with fresh crusty bread some pickles or chutney makes the Ploughman’s lunch, you can add some salad articles to the ploughman’s lunch if you wish, and make a tasty lunch. Ploughman’s lunch is found on most Pub menus in Britain and can be a sublime experience.
Another famous British cheese is Stilton, a blue veined cheese. Known as the King of English cheeses, whole Stilton is a traditional Christmas gift. Traditionally it has rich mellow flavour with a sharp after taste. Stilton comes from only three counties Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire and the milk used to make the cheese must come from those three counties. Stilton is always a cylindrical shape. Stilton is a European Union protected name and the conditions for its production are very strict.
Stilton and Cheddar are deservedly famous but there are lesser-known but nonetheless delicious cheeses. Caerphilly is a wheel shaped cows’ milk cheese from around Caerphilly in Wales. It is a crumbly with a mild, clean, slightly sour taste.
Crowdie is a traditional Scottish cheese, called ‘gruth’ in Gaelic is made to a traditional method from 8th century Viking times. Crowdie is made from cows’ milk and it is traditionally sold in a log shape, although today you may also find it in tubs. Crowdie has a creamy, crumbly texture and a slightly sour taste. Scottish people use it to make the delicious Scottish dessert Cranachan.
Northern Ireland too has its traditional cheeses including blue cashel a semi soft blue cheese. Cashel blue is a cows’ milk cheese. An award winning cheese with marble veining, Cashel blue has a creamy texture and a slightly acidic taste.
Red Leicester, Cheshire, Wensleydale, Cornish Yarg, Devon blue, each area of the United Kingdom has its own traditional cheese. You can find a British cheese to suit every taste and every occasion. There are much tastier alternatives to those sad little plastic packets in the supermarket. The British food revival means that people are taking more interest in the origin of their food. When you buy United Kingdom farmhouse cheeses you know you are buying quality, try some real British Farmhouse cheese, it will be a revelation.
