Darts Farm

Topsham, Devon
EX3 0QH
Tel: 01392 878 200
Email: info@dartsfarm.co.uk

RAW MILK CHEESE APPRECIATION DAY

Raw Milk Revolution

Many of the cheeses we have in our counter are made with Raw Milk, that is milk that hasn’t been pasteurised – a process of heat treating that kills any potential pathogens that may be present in the milk. When making raw milk cheese, meticulous control and expertise is required throughout the entire cheesemaking process, from farming to milking and during the make. For industrial cheesemakers, who take milk from hundreds of farms far and wide, this simply isn’t possible. Firstly because they can’t guarantee the absence of pathogens, but also because they demand a uniform input to their boringly consistent cheese. So, given the extra admin, why bother? Most of the flavour in cheese is determined by the activity of microbes within the milk, the process of pasteurisation also destroys many of the naturally occurring native microbes that are unique to each farm or herd. This means raw milk cheeses have a more diverse set of microbial residents, which in turn can lead to more complex and interesting flavour development as a cheese ages.

Here are four of our favourite raw milk cheeses...

 

Baron Bigod

The only raw milk Brie de Meaux style cheese in the UK. Johnny insists it’s made using milk that’s still warm, as the process of refrigeration promotes the growth of bacterial strains associated with bitterness.

Sparkenhoe Mature

David and Jo Clarke revived traditional raw milk Red Leicester from 50 years of extinction to create the most amazing nutty, rich and bold territorial classic.

St Jude

Julie Cheyney makes this delicate little cheese, inspired by the French cheese St Marcellin, on the same farm as Baron Bigod. She also uses still warm milk, gravity fed from the parlour.

Stichelton

Technically, Stilton must be made using pasteurised milk. In 2006, Joe Schnieder and Neals Yard Dairy founder Randolph Hodgson said to hell with that and developed the now iconic blue in Welbeck, Nottingham.

 


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