Darleywood

This hard pressed cheese is a relatively new cheese from Cheshire and although predominantly made with Cheshire milk and animal rennet is quite unlike a traditional Cheshire cheese with its hard rind and firm gritty texture and paste.  The cheese is made with 80% milk from their Holstein Friesian herd, which is piped directly from the milking parlour on the farm to Anne’s cheese making rooms, plus 20% goats milk which Anne collects from a goat farm in Mid Wales run by three sisters who are devoted to their goats. Both milks are then stored in copper vats before traditional animal rennet and starter is added. Each cheese is matured on pine plank shelving for up to 6 months, allowing the very distinct rind to form on the exterior and the delightfully nutty and gritty texture to develop in the interior. The cheese was originally called “The Cheese With No Name” due to the fact that when Anne and her friend were labelling the cheeses ready for one of the farmers markets Anne was attending, she was busy labelling her Crabtree and Federia cheeses whilst her friend was labelling the other. Having not told the friend the cheeses name, the friend promptly called it “the cheese with no name “ but since another cheese exists with the same name, Anne decided to call it “Darleywood” after one of the woods on the farm. This is true Artisan Cheese, Anne makes the cheese by hand, in small quantities, using equipment that has been passed through the family.  After making the cheese, it is matured on the Farm. A wonderful cheese to eat on its own or to grate over pasta and gratin dishes.