2 7 MARCH 2024 News&Views Jaunting across the country to sample specialist varieties of cheese is gaining traction. Sarah Barratt speaks to some of those leading the charge WHEY TO GO! DAIRY TOURISM ON THE RISE IN UK What do Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Hanks and Mary Berry all have in common? It has nothing to do with epic bakes or Hollywood smiles, but rather that the trio have all been spotted at Nettlebed Creamery – an organic dairy near Henley-on-Thames where Waitrose’s No.1 Bix, Leckford and Highmoor cheeses are made. Each week, thousands flock to The Cheese Shed on site, an informal eatery o ering simple yet sumptuous toasties – made with the farm’s award-winning Highmoor and Witheridge cheeses, wedged between thick slices of local Cornfield Bakery bread. “Alongside locals, we have regular visitors from London and Bath – but some people ‘Cheesemakers by their nature are quite solitary. But for many of us, their way of life is aspirational’ have come from as far as LA,” says owner Rose Grimmond, who had the idea in 2021 as a way to use up o cuts (often wasted as part of the packaging process). “We’ve been very surprised by its success. Our cheesemakers are now accustomed to friendly customers walking past and seeing them hard at work. Who knew that people loved cheese so much?” Cheese tourism is well and truly taking o , with dairy devotees willing to travel great distances for a decent wedge. “People get so excited about cheese,” says Ned Palmer, author of the bestselling, A Cheesemonger’s History of the British Isles. Now, thanks to a resurgence of artisan makers, there are plenty of places to visit – from the Cheddar champions of Somerset to the Wensleydale whizzes of Yorkshire. “In the 70s, most British cheese was factory-made and you’d be hard-pressed to find an artisan producer,” says Ned. “Today, there are well over 800.” This is celebrated by Angus D Birditt, who travelled across the country photographing makers for his book A Portrait of British Cheese. “Food tourism is a win-win,” he says. “It’s a great way for people to reconnect with food and those who make it.” Ned and Angus both wax lyrical about The Courtyard Dairy in the Yorkshire Dales. Run by Andy and Kathy Swinscoe, visitors can indulge in a cheese-making course before dining at on-site restaurant Rind. The menu includes British cheese and charcuterie boards, as well as wood-fired pizzas with artisan cheeses like Old Winchester and Devon Blue Cream. The Leckford Estate in Hampshire comes recommended by Waitrose Partner and cheese buyer Sarah Miness. “The farm shop there is a great place to try artisan cheese, plus there’s an incredible café and garden,” she says. Sarah is also a fan of Lynher Dairies in Cornwall, the maker of Cornish Yarg. Visitors to the shop might witness the cheese being wrapped in nettle leaves, which form an edible rind. For those eager to observe the entire process, Quicke’s Cheese in Devon o ers tours on selected Fridays in spring and summer. Visitors can learn about ‘Cheddaring’, see the ‘Cathedral of Cheese’, and enjoy a tutored tasting. Further north, the Wensleydale Creamery in the Yorkshire market town of Hawes o ers visitors yearround demonstrations. If you want to fork out, tour operator Cheese Journeys o ers a £4,500 eight-day British Cheese Odyssey, involving a stay at a historic Somerset manor, scenic tours and a grand dinner party with top producers. Or, for a more modest excursion, Visit Scotland has created Delicious Cheeses, a free self-guided tour, linking up seven independent producers like the Isle of Mull dairy – with its exquisite The Glass Barn café. Ned, a cheesemonger for 20 years, finds this upsurge in interest heartening. Still, he points out that many of his friends are bewildered by it. “Cheesemakers by their very nature are quite solitary,” he points out. “They say, ‘I don’t know what all the fuss is about – I just make cheese.’ But for many of us, their way of life is aspirational. These days, few of us create things with our hands. Through learning about their processes, we get to partake in them.” The cheese, it’s fair to say, no longer stands alone. TOP TASTE (Clockwise from far left) The Cheese Shed at Nettlebed Creamery; Cornish Yarg, Andy Swinscoe of The Courtyard Dairy; a tasting set-up as part of one of the Cheese Odyssey tours; a toastie from Nettlebed Creamery (below)
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