Devon Cheeses

Ian took Helen and I to Otter Nurseries on Tuesday. Then we went next door to Joshua's harvest store. These splendid apple trees are outside in the garden/orchard.

While we were there I bought some local cheeses.

Curworthy Black Wax is produced by Curworthy Cheese at Stockbeare Farm in Jacobstowe, near Okehampton.  The semi-hard cheese is made from full-fat, pasteurised Friesian cows’ milk. It has a light, buttery taste when young becoming more full-flavoured and mellow with age. No colouring or preservatives are added, except for salt. Matured for three months, the cheese is coated in black wax. It was very pleasant and reminded me of Gouda.

Meldon is also produced by Curworthy . The semi-hard cheese is made from full-fat, pasteurised Friesian cows’ milk and vegetarian rennet. The cheese is the same as Curworthy cheese but with the addition of English ale and mustard. Matured for three months, the cheese is coated in yellow wax. It was pleasant enough but I wouldn't rave over it.

Ticklemore is made by Robin Congdon who learned to make cheese in France, principally in the Roquefort style. His dairy sits above the valley of the Dart. Ticklemore is a gentle, very pale, goat’s milk cheese with a white bloomy rind. It is a peculiar UFO shape: an innovation of Robins is to mould the cheeses in colanders he used to get from Woolworth’s. The natural grey/white blooms on the crust form during the maturing process. The flaky pate has tiny eyelet holes scattered throughout and the taste is fresh, light and gentle. Perfect for cooking as well as part of the cheeseboard. The one we bought had added garlic and chive and was very tasty indeed.