Sarah Coombes, mail order manager at Paxton & Whitfield, has selected Pitchfork (£32.00/kg) (unpasteurised cows’ milk, traditional rennet) to enjoy as Paxton’s Cheese of the Month for August. It has a dense, creamy texture and an acidic, juicy bite.
Pitchfork Cheddar is a new cheese from Trethowan’s Dairy, the award-winning makers of Gorwydd Caerphilly, based near to Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset. Brothers Todd and Maugan Trethowan have been making Gorwydd Caerphilly here since 2014, before this they had been based in South Wales.
What is interesting about this new cheese is that there is a history of Somerset Cheddar-makers producing Caerphilly, as it’s quicker-maturing and provides a faster turnaround than other cheeses. As the farm is near to the village of Cheddar, the Trethowans felt compelled to add a clothbound Cheddar to their production. So they have turned this tradition on its head adding a long-maturing cheese to their Caerphilly production.
The milk to make the cheese comes from a cow herd on the farm that the dairy is located on. Although the Trethowans are not involved in the day to day care of the herd they are involved in its overall wellness in that they are able to dictate the herd’s diet for their cheesemaking needs. The herd is made up of mainly Holsteins with a few Jersey cows as well. The milk used to make the cheese travels 20 metres from the milking parlour to the dairy, so it’s a very close knit production process.
Pitchfork won Best Traditional Cheddar at the British Cheese Awards in May of this year, a great achievement for such a new Cheddar.
Sarah says: “I’d enjoy Pitchfork with our No. 93 Ale Chutney (£4.99/189g) and Original Oaties (£4.25/150g), for a take on the traditional Ploughman’s Lunch. This chutney is made from our own Paxton & Whitfield English real ale and packed full of Bramley apples and plums for a rich, tangy hit. Our Oaties are handmade with locally sourced rolled oats in County Armagh, to create a delicious oatcake with a golden, open texture and a characteristic nutty taste. Perfect to complement Pitchfork.”