Speciality Food - October 2025

@specialityfood 34 a useful selling tool, Paul adds. Then they can truly experience the differences for themselves. “I’ll tell people the next time they reach for a ‘plastic Cheddar’ to remember it could have come from 10,000 cows, whereas about 100 cows’ milk has gone into a Keens, for example, from the land next door. I think proper Cheddar needs to be properly isolated from the rest of the market to get the recognition it deserves.” In an independent retail setting, consumers get the whole picture behind territorial cheeses, Emmanuelle adds. The beauty of these cheeses is in their stories and their romanticism– things that cannot be explained standing in the bright lights of a supermarket multideck. She gives Stonebeck Wensleydale as an example. “This cheese is just amazing, and they do such a brilliant job. When you give people a piece they say, ‘oh wow’, and I tell themhow it’s from a really small farm and you won’t find it in supermarket. They appreciate that.” The modern British cheesemonger It’s not enough to simply stock cheese these days – everyone wants an experience, be that cheese and wine pairing events, dine-in options, or even fondue hire. One way a growing merry band of cheesemongers in the UK is differentiating themselves is by diving headfirst into the art of affinage – taking British cheeses and giving them subtle (or bold) treatment, transforming them into something that cannot be bought in any other shop. Practising affinage is a daily part of running a cheese shop in France, and something Emmanuelle has brought to her own business, working with other producers close by to put a Yorkshire stamp on some of her range. She encourages others to do the same. “I feel like it’s transforming something into your own territorial, and you create something new in the identity of your place, your village.” In affinage you should aim, she adds, to create the very best – products you would be proud, she says, to present to your mother. Emmanuelle likens it to a dance. “When you really like a cheese and you want to give it your own little twist, it’s like taking it on a dance, you just have to decide on the perfect dance partner. One I’ve got at the moment is Highmoor soaking in stout. And something very popular was our chocolate bon bons. One was Stilton and quince dipped in chocolate, another one had some triple cream cheese with chilli jam, and one of my favourites was Glaston Brick with candied lemon and verbena in dark chocolate. Chocolate and goats’ cheese is just amazing.” To others, Emmanuelle says affinage is just a matter of confidence. “Allowing yourself to do something new can create something very special.” SHEPHERDS PURSE ORGANIC YORKSHIRE BLUE Some say this is the perfect blue cheese. And the awards lavished upon it tend to agree. Creamy, a bit crumbly, and beautifully balanced, it is a real crowd pleaser. shepherdspurse.co.uk RIBBLESDALE CHEESE GOATISAN Often likened to a goats’ milk version of Parmesan (hence the name). The cheese has bags of flavour, and a salty tang. It melts well and is excellent used in cooking. ribblesdalecheese.com GOLDEN HOOVES SMOKED CHEDDAR All the milk for this creamy Cheddar is from farms that take looking after the soil and nature seriously. Naturally smoked, it’s bold, tangy and incredibly moreish. goldenhooves.co.uk 1912 ARTISAN STILTON A traditionally made, craft PDO Stilton, made with sustainably sourced milk. Creamy but crumbly with a savoury blue tang. An incredibly versatile cheese. 1912.co.uk CORNISH CHEESE CO DOZMARY A new launch for the maker, and already a Supreme Champion at the ICDAs. This striking soft cheese is rich and buttery with a luxurious texture and complex taste. cornishcheese.co.uk BELTON FARM RED FOX This is a household favourite, beloved for its rich, unmistakeable flavour and smooth texture. Wonderful on cheeseboards or grilled on toast. beltonfarm.co.uk CHEESEMONGERS’ FAVOURITES Speciality Food asked cheese experts across the UK to share their top British varieties EDHANCOCK THE CHEESE GEEK: SPENWOOD, VILLAGE MAID CHEESE My favourite sheep’s milk cheese made in the UK by quite some way, and the most awarded by a country mile. Made in the style of a Pecorino, it is toothsome and fudgy in texture, and ranges all the way from caramel nuttiness to a slight fermented fruitiness earlier in the year. FRANCISCOAND SABINA PERELLO, THE CHEESE HOLE: CHEESEMAKER’S SPECIAL, ALSOP &WALKER A 10-month Cheddar-style cheese like no other. Made from a blend of four different breeds of cow’s milk, it is surprisingly naturally sweet, with a fudgy texture, a nice savoury undertone, and a buttery finish. Quite remarkable. VICTORIA DUNTHORNE, VICTORIA’S CHEESES: NORFOLKWHITE LADY, WILTON FARM When it’s younger I will add a touch of sweetness with honey, but when riper, the strong vegetal notes need something punchy – Garden of Eva Chow Chow is an excellent pairing.