St Agnes: Our Most Sculptural Cheese Cake Yet
On a visit to St Agnes in the Isles of Scilly a few years ago, we came to a tiny cove full of pebble towers (there's a picture here)* - a striking sight, these strange sculptures set against the dark Atlantic.
Up to now, all our cheese cakes have been 'traditional'. But it's good to do something different, so here - inspired by that encounter, way out at the very rad end of the country, is the St Agnes cheese wedding cake, featuring some notable pebble-shaped cheeses, and even a pyramid, perched up on top!
* Very Andy Goldsworthy!
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 August Cheese Selection
Here's the idea: as a way of putting the spotlight on different cheeses,
we're going to offer a different box every month, each with a
contrasting selection drawn from our 100+ list. August is Month Two of the plan. So what's in our August Selection? Well, there's Cranbourne Chase's Alderwood,
a semi-soft 'washed rind' cheese. Matured for 12 weeks it's a very
attractive thing with it's orange/brown rind, rich and full of flavour.
Robin Congdon is south Devon's blue cheese supremo, and his ewes' milk
Beenleigh Blue is a true modern classic. A few years ago we sent a box of cheeses to chefs Michael Caines and Gary Rhodes for their Local Hero TV show: this was one of the ones they raved about! Devon Oke
is a firm cows' cheese, creamy, sweetish, that makes a lovely change
from cheddar - made by another important name in the cheesemaking
revival, Rachel Stephens. The final cheese is Sharpham Rustic, made by Sharpham, Robin's near-neighbours on the banks of the River Dart. Now I don't like come over all authoritarian, but (picks up megaphone) ... EVERYBODY SHOULD TRY THIS CHEESE! |
Two Accidental Cheesemakers and the King's Favourite.
 James
McCall and Alison French might be described as accidental cheesemakers. After a degree in zoology, Alison
returned home to Dorset then somewhat unexpectedly found herself working for the newly created Cranbourne Chase Cheese
back in 2004. She's been there
ever since. Likewise, James hadn't exactly planned a LIfe In Cheese. Back in 1987
the 15 yr old James was in his home town of Beckenham looking for a Saturday
job. He was fortunate enough to be
taken on at the first shop he came to, a cheesemongers. |
 But
this wasn't just any cheesemongers.
Run by James Aldridge, it was a focus for the sort of artisan
cheesemaking which - back in the 1980s - had almost been smothered by market
power and public indifference.
Aldridge toured the country, finding the real makers, encouraging
them and tirelessly promoting their cheeses. He also started to make his own - including Celtic Promise
and the Duckett's Caerphilly-based Tornegus. These are both washed-rind cheeses, and James' Saturday job
- which turned into 17 years working with Aldridge - turned him into a real
expert in this technique.
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 After a spell working at Daylesfsord Organic, he joined Alison at Cranbourne Chase in 2009, bringing his washed-rind experience to bear on
the dairy's established Alderwood, then developing the new King's Favourite (see below).The dairy - which uses unpasteurised milk from local herds - also makes Windwhistle plus the soft cheeses Gold
Hill, Win Green and Eldren. Future possibilities include 'Double Dorset' - a
long-extinct local cheese - and a cheddar.
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 King's Favourite (bottom left in the picture here) is James' attempt to really capitalise on his specific experience by creating a new washed-rind cheese. As with all cheeses of this type, there's a rich, full flavour, moist - slightly squashy - texture, attractive orangey rind, and a bit of pungency too. The special feature here is final wash in a cider made entirely from one variety of apple. This is Crimson King, known locally as 'King's Favourite' - hence the name. Right at the moment we don't stock this cheese, but I'm working on it!
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 James stresses the skilled nature of the washing process involved. Pointing to a rack of Alderwoods maturing, he tells me that each one will be washed differently, according to the needs of the individual cheese.
With a tougher economic climate, and more high quality cheese available, it's getting more competitive for artisan makers. But the skill levels found at Cranbourne Chase should ensure they continue to thrive.
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New: Our Newsletter Archive
You'll no doubt be delighted to learn that the Cheese Shed Newsletters - those elegant gems of dairy-related literature - are now available in a handy online archive. If you've forgotten which Two Great Women made the Nine Great Cheeses, why there was definitely No Compromise In The Cheese Triangle, or what on earth the World's First Cheese Lighthouse was, never fear!
The answer's here.
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