Our Cheese

Here's a selection of our finest cheeses.

• Blue Cheese.
• Cheddar Cheese
• Continental Cheese
• Devon Cream
• English Territorial Cheese
• Farmhouse Lancashire Cheese
• Speciality Blended Cheese
• Whey Butter

Cheese and you

Cheese is a living commodity in constant process of change and careful treatment to preserve its quality. Cheese should be sold and eaten within the recommended period otherwise it will spoil and be wasted. Keep cheese in its original form until cutting is necessary. Unwrapped cheese should not be stacked on top of each other.

It is essential to preserve the correct moisture when handling as cheese that is not properly protected can quickly dry out. Any unused cheese should be carefully wrapped in its original parchment, in aluminium foil, or plastic film and stored in a refrigerator at around 3'-5'C (38'-42'F). Do not store cut cheese for more than 2-4 weeks (firm/hard) cheese or 1-2 weeks (semi hard e.g. Stilton).

Cheese should not be frozen except those where the curds have not been pressed to start with, such as Blue Stilton and Mature Stilton. Pieces of these cheeses (up to 1 kilo) will freeze exceptionally well for up to one year. To use, place in a refrigerator for over 24 hours and allow the cheese to gradually return to chill temperatures.

Ideally, cheese should be stored in a humid atmosphere to prevent drying out but excessive moisture encourages mould. Mould grows in the presence of air and moisture and is a natural element in cheese. Natural cheeses grow a mould or rind on the exterior, but sometimes the mould will penetrate into cheese, particularly if it is opened textured, e.g. some farmhouse Cheddars. Some soft cheeses e.g. Camembert, are deliberately "mould ripened" from the outside in. The correct use of mould or rind is important, to provide a natural protection or coat for the cheese and to give it unique characteristics.

Traditional cheeses are wrapped in cloth or bandage and the mould or rind develops over the bandage. Blocks of Cheddar are matured in vacuum bags - the denial of air means no mould here. Although not harmful, the general rule would be to cut off the rind or mould from a hard-pressed cheese. Soft, white mould cheeses, such as Brie, can be eaten, rind and all. These moulds are friendly and desirable. Undesirable moulds normally grow on cut surfaces and can simply be cut or wiped off. If a cheese has some mould spotting, then a clean cloth dipped in a 1% solution of salt is all that is needed to wipe the mould away, then wrap the cheese in plastic film. More cheese is spoiled by being too cold and drying out than by moulding or ageing.

Government Guidelines suggest that it is an advisable precaution for all pregnant women, the very old and the very young to avoid ALL SOFT CHEESE that is surface or mould ripened, whether pasteurised or not, due to the possible risk of Listeria.