MAY 2021
Personal Note
Delighted to announce I am now an associate of the Academy of Cheese having successfully completed the first level course. Academy of Cheese is an industry recognised institution which provides comprehensive 4 level training for trade and aficionados alike. Level 1 is associate and level 4 — my final goal — is that of Master of Cheese. For the first level, one has to master 25 cheeses and I must confess the examination was a lot tougher than expected. I aim to pass level two later this year (75 other cheeses to master for that one !).
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Cheese of the Month — Somerset Pitchfork Cheddar
There has been a lot talked and written about this award-winning cheese, so I can only contribute in terms of the meaning and emotion it had stirred in me (more of this below). The Pitchfork (so called after the pitchforks that are used to toss the curds in the salt just after milling and before packing into the moulds) presents a dense, creamy texture with a long consistent flavour with a deep respect for the milk for whence it came. This is a genuine hand-made, artisan cheese (clothbound in lard), which may contain naturally occurring blue veins (as opposed to added penicillium roqueforti cultures). These are natural and intrinsic to the nature of this type of cheese and add to its character. It is matured between 10–12 months.
Cheddar is one of the best know cheeses around the whole world and amazingly, the name not a protected brand as such. It is also true however that there is a protected PDO for West Country Farmhouse Cheddar for cheeses made in Somerset, Dorset, Devon or Cornwall and matured for a minimum of nine months. While you can make cheddar anywhere in the world per se, a traditionally made, raw milk, cloth wrapped cheddar made 7 miles from Cheddar Gorge is in a league of its own. Made at Puxton Farm by brothers Todd and Maugan Trethowan (see below), it is their second major success after their equally award-winning Caerphilly. The milk comes from Jersey cows, whose milk is unusual for cheddar. It may account for the extra succulence and creaminess of the cheese.
If cheese is the metamorphosis of milk into emotion, the Pitchfork manages to convey a range of amazing personalities. It is not the strongest cheddar around but hides a subtlety most just do not have. This is the most authentic cheddar my humble palate has tasted and by authentic, I mean the real feel of a place. Mary Quicke, of Quicke’s Dairy (incidentally another great cheddar maker) talked about a new way of mapping flavour and used the words — stairway of flavour. I cannot think of a better way of tasting the Pitchfork — it starts with a fragrant nose followed by a full bodied, dense, and nutty paste, a creamy texture that rolls around the mouth and follows on for a while. The pitchfork is the cheese equivalent of glamping — it is undoubtedly rooted in the rural setting it calls home but has an elegance which is equally at home in any highfalutin circles. It reminds me of sunny afternoons, seating under a shady tree after a long countryside walk, tucking into a snack of cheese and fresh bread overlooking the green and pleasant land before me. In other words, this is the cheese equivalent of Vaughn Williams.
If you are going to support artisan British Cheese and I hope that you do and consider doing so, you will struggle to do any better than start with the Pitchfork Cheddar.
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Cheesemaker of the Month — Trethowan’s Dairy
Brothers Todd and Maugan Trethowan are the masterminds producing the award winning Gorwydd Caerphilly and Pitchfork Cheddar. Todd started cheesemaking in 1996 in Wales and originally made a raw milk, natural rinded Caerphilly. Maugan joined him later and the rest, as they say, is history.
In 2014 they moved to Somerset to improve the quality and consistency of their milk and they settled on Puxton Farm, where they have access to a mix of organically reared pedigree Holstein (around 100) and Jersey cows (around 20), grazing on silty, organic peat soils. The diary is linked to the famous Yeo Valley family, who have been farming in this part of the UK since the 1400s.
The brothers only produce two cheeses — the Gorwydd Caerphilly and Pitchfork Cheddar (see above). This suggests they are perfectionists who believe less is more and who would rather do few things very well indeed than trying to be a jack of all trades. It is this quest for purity that has led to them being the only cheesemakers that have two cheeses in the Super Gold category at the world cheese awards. This category contains 50 cheeses selected from a sample of 3000. The Caerphilly came 11th overall while the Pitchfork climbed to 4th.
The Trethowan brothers are also part of the Slow Food Movement, an organisation that supports food producers who protect food biodiversity. The movement is concerned with animal welfare and the need for good, clean choices in the food system.
The cheese making process at Trethowan Dairy is special and everything is done by hand. The milk is fed into the vats by virtue of gravity and not pumped into a tank. This gentleness ensures that the fat consistency in the milk is not disturbed too much early on. The milk is organic and unpasteurised and the cheese is made by mix of morning and evening milk (many producers milk only once a day).
The cheesemaking process starts with a considered and careful heating of the milk and the addition of a well refined culture. When the milk sets, it is then cut by certain size blades (depending on which cheese is made). The curd is then salted and mixed, in the case of the Pitchfork, the cheddaring process is carried out.
The next stage is packing the cheese in cloth, using traditionally shaped moulds. They are piled one on the top of another to allow for additional drainage. They are then moved on to the presses — the dairy uses some presses which are over 100 years old! The Trethowan brothers are also collectors and these presses have been picked up from all over the country, from museums to pub gardens. These presses are used to provide a traditional finish to their masterpieces. The cheese is then taken to a sealed cave where they are kept at the optimum temperature and humidity for at least 10 months.
While I have not personally visited the Trethowan dairy yet, it is a definite destination for my next getaway. Everything I read, hear, see and taste by and from them make me star-struck. They are a genuine example of cheesemaking at its finest, passion, enthusiasm, respect and understanding for the ‘terroir’, as well as boundless love for their craft, making a cheese which is truly remarkable.
If you want to find out more visit them here — https://www.trethowanbrothers.com/
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Cheese and Emotion
I admit that, even for me, this is a little abstract, but hear me out. It is personal so I will keep it short.
The French have a term for the slightly chalky part of the middle of the paste in a relatively under ripe cheese — they call this — l’âme du fromage — or the soul of the cheese. When this ripens, the cheese is at an optimum level. I found a good example of this in a nice Capricorn cheese I had for my lunch recently (see below).
Coming across this term made me reflect as to why I love cheese so much, as opposed to any other food. It may be that I find the process of making it fascinating, but it is more than that. It could be the voyage of discovery each bite of cheese invites me on, the variation, the exploration of themes and flavours, the way it evolves and develops. I think it is more than this however, it is a foodstuff which enables me to imbibe it with a deep personal emotional connection in a way other food may not. At a basic level, cheese makes me happy. It is truly my happy place. I have cheeses for celebration in as much as I have cheeses for consolation. It is more than comfort food however, eating cheese provides and overwhelming feeling of wellbeing — it touches that part of my soul which is truly rural, which pines for the removal of the shackles of the mundane — and allows me to stroll carelessly through nature. Cheese eating is the desire to be pastoral, a return to something genuine where what we eat become part of our narrative. Does your cheese have a story too ?
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British Cheese Weekender 23 -25 April 2021
https://britishcheeseweekender.com/
If you missed this year’s event, make sure you do not do it again next year. This was an absolute joy to take part in and had something from everyone, tastings, masterclasses, dairy tours, and a whole range of other cheese related webinars. It was all free and all online — you can catch up on the action here — https://britishcheeseweekender.com/programme/. If you don’t have the time to focus on it all make sure you do not miss the talks by Patrick McGuigan, Ned Palmer, Paul Thomas and especially Max Melvin. As good as everything was, Max’s talk was for me the highlight of my cheese year.
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Virtual Cheese Awards
This was such a fun event, and it was just marvellous to see the passion and enthusiasm of the people making, selling, and judging the cheese. It really felt like a cheese family event — lovely atmosphere supportive and knowledgeable comments and an opportunity to network and chat.
You can find the full details here — https://www.virtualcheeseawards.com/awards-2021
The winners were as follows:
The ultimate winner, La Fresca Margareta (from Feltham’s Farm) is a fresh, lemony light cheese, smooth and creamy and fresh as a daisy (hence the name). This is made to order as it must be consumed within around 2 weeks of production. While I have not tasted it yet, it is definitely in my sights now, especially after hearing the judges rave about it.
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Book of the month — Gimblett’s Guide to the Best of British Cheeses
This is a remarkable book. The authors visited all 80 cheese producers reviewed in his work and provides over 230 cheese profiles with compressive tasting notes, drink matches and photographs. This is without doubt the most authoritative work on the subject and what I like about it is that he tries to sell his book via farm shops and his own website, rather than large book sellers. This is not one for the kindle, it is best consumed when held in one’s hand. Francis is also the founder of The Campaign for British Artisan Cheese and you can find more about this and order his book at www.gimblettcheese.co.uk.
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Interesting Article
How Ash Is Used in Cheesemaking —
https://www.thespruceeats.com/why-is-ash-used-in-cheesemaking-591201
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Somewhat Gimmicky but Still Interesting Happenings
THE CHEESE BARGE (a barge that sells cheese not made from the stuff) — a Floating Cheese Restaurant Is Coming To London From The Same Team As The Cheese Conveyor Belt — https://secretldn.com/the-cheese-barge-paddington/
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STAY SAFE OUT THERE !
