This summer our deli counter has taken a virtual road trip, around the south western counties of England. Now on the final leg of the tour, as the summer winds down, we find ourselves in Dorset and Wiltshire.
Cheeses already resident on the deli counter, from the area, include Rosary goats cheese from Salisbury, Wiltshire and Oakwood Cheddar from Ford Farm, Dorset. Joining these two stalwarts, this month, will be guests Dorset Red, Stoney Cross & Lyburn Garlic & Nettle.
Members of our cheese club will as usual be entitled to a 10% discount off the four featured cheeses. To join the cheese club simply fill in the form at the bottom of the page and then collect your membership card from the deli counter next time you are in the farm shop.
The Cheeses are:
Old Winchester (pictured above)
Also known as Old Smales, Old Winchester is a multiple award winning cheese, made on Lyburn Farm, Salsibury, Wiltshire. Aged for 18-22 months it becomes a much dryer harder and crystalline cheese than Winchester. Reminiscent of an old gouda with a distinctive nuttiness in flavour. Made with vegetable rennet it offers a good alternative for vegetarians to many of the hard styled continental cheeses of a similar nature.the tour, as the summer winds down, we find ourselves in Dorset & Wiltshire.
Dorset Blue Vinny
Once commonly made across the county but now exclusive to Woodbridge Farm, Sturminster Newton. Historically, the farmers’ wife made the cheese using left over milk after the cream had been skimmed off to make butter. The result, a very crumbly, dry texture and a lower fat content than many other cheeses.
In days gone by some would drag mouldy horse harnesses through the milk, or store the maturing cheeses next to farmer’s dirty boots to encourage the mould to grow. Thankfully the blue is now generated through the addition of penicillin.
Wiltshire Loaf
The phrase chalk and cheese comes from Wiltshire with the chalk downs in the South and the cheesemaking pastures in the North where the Brinkworth Dairy is located. Wiltshire Loaf has long history and is mentioned in Jane Austens novel, Emma.
The cheese is matured for 2 – 5 months semi hard, smooth, mild and creamy with a mild camomile and daisy flavour.
Francis (pictured)
Created in 2012 by a joint venture between Lyburn Cheese and James McCall. Francis is a beautiful washed rind cheese that starts life as ‘Stoney Cross’, made by Lyburn Cheese. James then carries it off to Dorset, matures it and washes the rind, which gradually produces quite a different beast. The result is supple, richly-flavoured and generally gorgeous. You might also want to know that this is a very pungent cheese with a sticky rind.