Summer Seasonal Cheeseboard

 

"Summer is well and truly upon us," muses Angus D. Birditt, poet, writer, photographer and passionate cheese lover, who returns to Fortnum's with his second cheeseboard, after a very delicious Spring Edition. "The skies are full of swifts, swallows, busy bees and buoyant butterflies, and the meadows and fields are lush with wildflowers, herbs and grasses. These lush pastures translate into rich, fulsome milk, and it's normally springtime and summertime when the animals produce their highest levels of milk, to which our blessed cheesemakers can work their mightily impressive magic."

 

"Traditionally, due to the abundance of delicious high-quality milk, summertime was when cheesemakers made two cheeses; a fresher cheese that they could sell more frequently at local markets in summer and autumn, and a harder cheese, which they could mature over the ensuing months and sell in winter when their animals were producing less milk."

 

"For these balmy summer days, I have chosen four stellar artisan cheeses that celebrate, not only the season’s rich pastures, but those cheesemakers and associated farmers putting sustainability at the forefront of their work, whilst aiming to improve the health of their soils and farm in harmony nature. So, spread out your picnic blankets, line your tables with wooden boards, and unwrap your cheeses as you please!"

 

 

Sparkenhoe Red Leicester

This Red Leicester is like no other. Made by the Clarke family in the East Midlands, who source their milk from their own herd of Holstein-Friesian cows, they use raw milk to make this cheese. In general, using raw milk is often understood to give cheese more complex flavours as it reflects the true essence and character of the soil, land and animals, from which it’s been produced. Sparkenhoe Red Leicester has the most pleasing orange appearance and edible terracotta rind. It’s full of rich, sweet, almost caramel flavours.

 

Again, what’s special about these cheesemakers is that the Clarke family are working in ways to regenerate the health of their soils by using various farming methods that work alongside nature, otherwise known as ‘regenerative agriculture’. 

 

Milk: Raw, unpasteurised cow’s milk 

Rennet: Traditional Rennet

 

Gubbeen

Gubbeen is a semi-soft washed rind cheese made by the Ferguson family at Gubbeen Farm on the Mizen Peninsula in Southwest Ireland. It is made using nutrient-rich milk from the farm’s mixed herd of Holstein-Friesian cows, with a few native Kerry and Jersey cows in the herd as well. The unique aspect about Gubbeen is how they mature the cheese. Being a washed rind cheese, during the maturing process the cheesemakers wash each cheese in a mixture of water, salt and a slosh of white wine, producing completely unique moulds that translate to delicious flavours for us to enjoy. Gubbeen’s appearance is a soft ivory paste with peachy-white bloom rind. It is packed full of sweet and nutty notes with hints of umami. It’s a farmhouse cheese so varies throughout the year and length of maturation. 

 

Milk: Pasteurised cow’s milk

Rennet: Traditional Rennet 

 

Blue Clouds  

Blue Clouds is a light, fresh blue cheese made in very small batches by Chris Heyes who runs Balcombe Dairy, located within the Balcombe Estate in West Sussex. The cheesemaking room is situated right beside the farm and milking parlour, where Chris sources his milk from the farm’s herd of Holstein-Norwegian Red cows. Each stage of the cheesemaking is done by hand. Chris has only been making cheese for a handful of years, yet last year he collected a Gold Medal at the Artisan Cheese Awards in 2022. Blue Clouds is mild creamy blue cheese, often compared to a light Gorgonzola style cheese, one certainly favourable for this hot, dry season

 

Milk: Pasteurised cow’s milk

Rennet: Vegetarian Rennet

 

Westcombe Ricotta

This fresh, delicate Westcombe Ricotta is perfect for a hot summer day, eaten alongside warm crusty bread and a fresh leafy salad. The literal translation of Ricotta is 'recooked', usually made from the surplus whey produced when making other cheeses. To make Westcombe Ricotta, the cheesemakers use the warm surplus whey from their Cheddar and Caerphilly production, and quickly heat the whey to 90C in a large metal vat, forcing any remaining proteins and fats in the whey to rise to the top. These proteins and fats are left to cook for a few minutes before being ladled out into small baskets to set and cool. This ricotta is made using raw milk from the farm’s mixed herd of Holstein-Friesian, Ayrshire and British Shorthorn cows. Westcombe Dairy is another brilliant example of a farmhouse cheesemaker aiming to produce flavourful milk to make their cheeses whilst looking to improve the health of their soils and surrounding environment.

 

Milk: Raw, unpasteurised cow’s milk 

Rennet: Traditional Rennet