BESTCHEDDARSLOCAL
BESTCHEDDARSLOCAL
Cheddar Gorge is the home
of Cheddar cheese and it is
still being made there today.
Tessa Gates talked to the
cheesemakers who are keen
to teach others their
traditional skills
CHEDDAR cheese is made all over the world but the "real thing" started in the Somerset village of Cheddar some 800 years ago.
Locals will tell you that no matter what international manufacturers say, the true flavour and texture of Cheddar can only be found in cheese that has been hand-made from top quality milk produced by cows grazing pastures in the surrounding areas.
Cheesemakers Tony Rich, Sarah Constable and Andy Paton, of the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Co, have gone back to the roots of Cheddar making for their award-winning product. Local farmers Harold and Trevor Lukins, of Pump House Farm, Rodney Stoke, have supplied milk to the company for 10 years from their Friesian Holsteins and the cheese is made in the traditional way with just the addition of rennet and salt.
However, health and hygiene regulations dont allow the truckles to mature in the caves in the Gorge, as was once the case, but they are kept at the same cave temperature in the companys cheese room for up to a year to allow a full-bodied flavour to develop.
Much of the cheesemaking process is viewed by the thousands of visitors who tour the company each year but from June Mr Rich will regularly have a very different audience questioning him about his skills. He will be leading three-day residential courses for people interested in becoming farmhouse cheesemakers.
These will help people to decide if cheesemaking is a viable option for them and will cover the theory and the practice of the craft.
By the end of the three days participants will have experienced making soft and hard cheese from two types of milk – cows, goats or ewes milk. Aftercare and maturation will be demonstrated and students will be shown how to develop a cheese to their own specification. In addition to the daily course there may be informal discussions in the evening when students can benefit from Mr Richs wisdom accrued in 44 years of cheesemaking
"Successful cheesemaking is 51% making and 49% aftercare, presentation and marketing," says Mr Rich, whose skills have taken him round the world three times. The courses wont produce farmhouse cheesemakers immediately – it takes experience to develop techniques – but Mr Rich can offer follow-up advice on a consultancy basis and go out to farms.
Each course will be kept to a maximum of six students, who will each have to provide their own white overalls, trousers and wellingtons. The cost per student is £280 plus VAT (total £329) and this includes two nights accommodation in a local hotel, breakfast and light lunch at Cheddar Gorge Cheese Companys on-site restaurant. Evenings meals are the students own responsibility. On successful completion of the course each student will receive a certificate.
For full details telephone 01934-742810.
Win a three day course
Farmlife has one three-day course to give away to a reader (over 18-years-old) who is keen to explore cheesemaking as an on-farm business. For a chance to win this course simply answer the following question.
What are the essential ingredients for a "real" Cheddar cheese?
Send your answer, plus your full name, address and telephone number to Cheese Please, Farmlife, farmers weekly, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS to arrive no later than Thur, June 7, 2001.