| "Now more than ever there's no need to look | | | | production side. Whether it's dairy farmers seeking |
| beyond the British Isles for a world-class | | | | to diversify in the faceof low prices for milk, or |
| cheeseboard", said The Times' Frances Bissell in | | | | people with no farming background looking to |
| the mid 90s. Tenyears on, the same could equally | | | | 'downshift'and change their lives, there are now |
| be said of the English Westcountry alone, | | | | more makers of farmhouse cheese than at |
| wheretradition and innovation have combined to | | | | anytime in the last 50 years. |
| create a range of quality cheeses that | | | | New cheesemakers often means new products, |
| anycountry would struggle to equal. | | | | like the three goats cheesesproduced by Dave |
| The four counties of Devon, Dorset, Somerset | | | | Johnston near Crediton in Devon, one of which - |
| and Cornwall are justifiably famed forthe quality | | | | Norsworthy -won a coveted Gold at the 2005 |
| of their produce, and can boast more food and | | | | World Cheese Awards. Impressive given that |
| drink producers than anyother English region. At | | | | Daveonly produced his first cheese in 2002! In |
| the centre of the Westcountry tradition is, | | | | Cornwall there is Cornish Blue, and Sue |
| naturally,cheddar cheese, which takes its name | | | | Proudfoot's three cheeses: Miss Muffet, Keltic Gold |
| from the Somerset town. Cheddar, however,has | | | | and Trelawny. At other timescheeses are revivals |
| long since moved outwards to the neighbouring | | | | of earlier traditions. The Dorset blue cheese, Blue |
| counties. The importance ofthis cheese is indicated | | | | Vinney (or |
| by the fact that it has now been awarded the | | | | Blue Vinny), had almost died out when Michael |
| EU's Protected | | | | Davies resurrected it. A now verypopular cheese, |
| Designation of Origin. The PDO scheme was set | | | | Cornish Yarg (distinguished by its covering of |
| up in 1993 to define theauthenticity of traditional | | | | nettles or wild garlicleaves), is based on an old |
| foods and help to preserve their place of origin, | | | | recipe, while Cornish Garland continues an old |
| methodsof production and essential ingredients. | | | | Westcountry tradition of herb-flavoured cheeses. |
| Only a very select group of British foodshave | | | | In the area of soft cheese one can |
| been protected in this way. | | | | - unexpectedly perhaps - find a Somerset |
| Long established Cheddar makers include | | | | Camembert and award-winning bries |
| Montgomery's - winner of Gold at the | | | | (Somerset Brie, Cornish Brie) as well as the |
| 2005 World Cheese Awards, Keen's, Westcombe | | | | similarly mould-ripened, but creamenriched Elmhirst. |
| Dairy and Quicke's. The | | | | One small area of South Devon - south of |
| Montgomery and Keen families have been | | | | Totnes, alongside the River Dart - canboast two |
| cheesemakers for three generations, buteven | | | | makers of fine cheese, both relatively recent. As |
| they look like newcomers when compared to the | | | | well as a vineyard, the |
| Quickes, who - but for a fewdecades- have been | | | | Sharpham estate produces Elmhirst and the |
| making cheese on their Devon farm for 450 | | | | wonderful Sharpham Rustic, whilst |
| years! Traditionalcheddar as made by these | | | | Robin Congdon of Ticklemore makes a trio of |
| makers has an intensity and complexity that | | | | superb blue cheeses: Devon Blue |
| comes fromthe muslim-wrapped truckles that | | | | (cows' milk), Beenleigh Blue (sheeps' milk) and |
| mature on wooden shelves for over a year. | | | | Harbourne Blue (goats' milk). |
| Allowed to breathe, the cheese forms an old | | | | Other makers are expanding away from cows' |
| fashioned rind that is the hallmark of | | | | milk cheeses into goats' milk, sheeps'milk, and |
| awell-matured traditional cheddar. Newer examples | | | | even buffalo milk products. Historically, sheeps' |
| include Godminster Vintage | | | | cheese was actually farmore common in England, |
| Organic Cheddar, a powerful, moist cheese | | | | but there is no denying the present-day |
| coated in a distinctive red wax. | | | | dominance ofcows' milk cheeses, and cheddar in |
| Other traditional cheeses include the so-called | | | | particular. A shift, however, is underway, |
| 'territorials' such as Caerphilly and | | | | andproducers are keen to respond: the region can |
| Double Gloucester. The Westcountry can boast | | | | now boast excellent ewes' milkcheeses such as |
| fine examples of these in Duckett's | | | | Nanterrow and Somerset Rambler alongside a |
| Caerphilly and in Quicke's Double Gloucester. | | | | whole host of goatcheeses such as Norsworthy |
| Quicke's also make a Red Leicester, asdo | | | | and Ticklemore (hard), Gevrik, Capricorn and |
| Westcombe Dairies whose 'Westcombe Red' is | | | | Vulscombe (soft). |
| the only cheese of its kind madewith | | | | One problem for lovers of gourmet cheese has |
| unpasteurised milk. | | | | always been that many of theseitems are difficult |
| Wartime rationing allowed production of only | | | | or impossible to buy if you live at any distance |
| seven varieties of cheese - allpasteurized, and in | | | | from the makers. |
| the early postwar period production of 'artisan | | | | Now however, we are in the era of the online |
| cheese' or 'realcheese' languished - reflecting the | | | | cheese shop: over 50 of these cheesesas well as |
| general threat to traditions that which | | | | gift and cheese board selections are available mail |
| oftenseemed anachronistic in the modern world, | | | | order from an onlinecheese store like The Cheese |
| not to mention competition from | | | | Shed. If customers all over the UK can buy |
| largefactory-style creameries with their | | | | cheese online, the prospect is of avirtuous circle in |
| economies of scale. The last 30 years, | | | | which a geographically broadening market adds to |
| however,have seen a renaissance in small-scale | | | | the makers'financial security. |
| cheesemaking. The impetus here comespartly | | | | There seems to be every reason to think that |
| from the consumer, tired of homogenized, | | | | the re-invigoration of the Westcountryfarmhouse |
| low-quality food, and partly alsofrom the | | | | cheese tradition will continue. |