Appleby's Cheshire

The Appleby family has been farming at Hawkstone Abbey Farm, North Shropshire since 1942 when Lance and Lucy Appleby bought the farm. Lucy began making Cheshire cheese in 1952. The recipe has been handed down over generations and is now in the hands of son Paul and his wife, Sarah. Unlike commercially made Cheshire that is stamped out in factories and often waxed, Appleby's is made by hand on the farm. Each wheel is bandaged wrapped. Its beautiful color comes from annatto, which is a seed that is ground and added to the milk. Their herd of cows grazes on the salty pastures at the edge of the Cheshire Plain. The soil in Cheshire is extremely rich in minerals, and not surprisingly, one of the main characteristics of traditional Cheshire is a complex, minerally flavor. It is also savory and vegetal with notes of grass. Cheshire has an incredible crumbly texture, and we suggest eating it by chunking rather than delicate slices.

Farm/Producer/Importer: Hawkstone Abbey Farm/Appleby Family/Neal's Yard Dairy
Place: North Shropshire, England
Style: Firm, British Territorial
Milk Type: Raw Cow
Rennet: Traditional
Age: 4 months
Pairing: Pinot Noir, dark ale