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round or loaf, as such cheeses are known locally. Colour: that of the
cow's milk cheese is golden yellow; the sheep's milk version is a
paler, buttery colour; both are waxed with natural beeswax. Flavour and
texture: the cow's milk cheese is mild and creamy; the sheep's cheese
is denser, with a sweet rich flavour.
HISTORY
This is a modern version of a cheese formerly known as Wiltshire. Its
history over the past 200 years is fairly well documented. It is related
by method to Cheddar and Gloucester cheeses; as with the latter, both a
thick and a thin version were known in the past. Val Cheke (1959)
estimates that in 1798 5,000 tons of North Wiltshire cheese were made.
This was said to be of excellent quality and in part was attributed to
the particular method of dairying in Wiltshire which allowed for
consistency in temperature and method. At this time, the milk of
Long-horn cattle was used; these have long since been replaced by
modern dairy breeds. As with Cheddar, there is some evidence for
communal cheese-making. Small cheeses, known as Wiltshire loaves, and
larger ones, similar to Gloucesters, are both recorded. A sheep's milk
cheese is now made to the same recipe.
The local cheese-making industry declined rapidly after l914-18 and
remained a memory until Jo Hale, a farmer's wife, began her research in
the late 1980s. She located a family recipe for North Wiltshire Cheese
and has developed it for both sheep's and cow's milk under the name of
Baydon Hill, where she lives.
TECHNIQUE
The milk comes from a flock of British Friesland sheep, pastured in the
valley of the River Avon, or from the maker's herd of cattle, mostly
Friesians with a little Guernsey, feeding on semi-permanent ley pasture.
It is not pasteurized. The method is the same for both cheeses.
Starter is added, plus annatto, followed shortly afterwards by a
vegetarian rennet, and the milk left for the curd to form. It is cut
into cubes of roughly 1cm. The temperature is
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raised slightly and the curd stirred for
about l00 minutes until the correct acidity is reached; then it is
allowed to settle for a few minutes and the whey is drained off. The
curd is cut in blocks and turned up to 5 times; the number of turns
varies according to the state of the milk, and fewer turns may be
required with the sheep's milk curd. The curd is milled, salted and put
into moulds. It is pressed for about 2 days, the cheeses being turned
once. The cheeses are removed from their moulds; the larger ones are
larded and bandaged, the smaller ones simply larded. They are stored
for 4 months, turned daily for the first 6 weeks and once a week
thereafter; then they are washed, dried, waxed and distributed.
PRODUCTION
About 9,500kg per annum.
BEENLEIGH BLUE CHEESE
Region of Production: South-West England, Devon.
DESCRIPTION
There are 3 cheeses in this group: Devon Blue (cow's milk); Harbourne
Blue (goat's milk), and Beenleigh Blue (sheep's milk). Dimensions:
Beenleigh Blue: 14cm diameter, 12cm deep; Devon Blue: 16cm diameter,
12cm deep; Harbourne Blue: about 16cm diameter, 12cm deep. Weight:
2.5-3kg. Colour: Beenleigh Blue: very pale creamy yellow, with
green-blue veining; Devon Blue: very pale cream, almost white, with
pale green-grey veining; Harbourne Blue: almost white, with very slight
green tint, grey-green veining. Flavour and texture:
Beenleigh Blue, rich velvety texture, well-balanced flavour notes of
blue, salt and sheep, with underlying sweetness; Devon Blue, firm
textured and salty, caramel-leather flavour note; Harbourne Blue, firm
texture, initial goat tang, developing into a rich blue flavour.
HISTORY
This cheese originated in the late 1970s in Devon. It arose in part
from necessity, as the producer sought new markets for sheep's milk; one
answer was to make a blue cheese. The
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