Hey cheddar fans, maybe it’s time to try to try some Sparkenhoe Red Leicester. First thing first: it’s reddish orange. Don’t be daunted. I meet a lot of customers who steer clear of orange cheese because they assume artificial dyes are used, but the source of those cheerful hues is the annatto seed, not something whipped up in a lab. It’s all very wholesome, made by David and Jo Clarke, dairy farmers whose families have farmed in the Liecestershire area for generations. Red Leicester is a hearty English cheese, cheddary, earthy, with a hint of sharpness. I’d eat it with beer and some good rustic bread. We have plenty of it around, so ask us for a sample the next time you visit us.
You know how I feel about sheep cheeses? Yep, I love ‘em! No offense, goat and cow cheeses. I love you too. But sheep cheese? Extra love.
We don’t get Spenwood too often. Maybe that’s for the best; absence makes the heart grow fonder, and my fondness for this mellow, nutty, slightly caramelly English cheese continues unabated. In a refreshing change from all those cheeses made in monasteries and old castles, this one’s produced in a converted garage. Also, it’s made with vegetarian rennet and raw milk. Right now it’s a bit younger than we sometimes get it, so it’s a bit less sharp and a touch nuttier and milkier.
Good job, sheep! I salute you!
Once again, I’ve fallen for Berkswell, a raw milk English sheep cheese made with vegetarian rennet. I should eat this more often; I like being in love. It’s hard and hearty, sharp and a little nutty. The cheese, that is, not love. Love’s totally not like that.
Yeah….right. Me neither.
Anyhow, check out that website, because it’s got lots of stuff, including photos and exciting descriptions of the charming 16th Century farmhouse where the cheese is made.
Berkswell! Yum!
