Cheese News: Updates from the speciality cheese and dairy scene

Cheesemakers unite for collaboration

The folk at Lincolnshire Poacher and Trethowan Brothers came together recently at The Kernal Brewery in London for a one-of-a-kind event – Poach-Fork – The Tasting.

In the spirit of collaboration, teams from each cheesemaker swapped locations (but not recipes), making their signature cheeses on site with their own starter cultures and methods, using the host’s milk and maturing environments. These cheeses were then matured for between one and two years, resulting in Lincolnshire Pitchfork Cheddar (made at Poacher’s Dairy by the Trethowan team) and Somerset Poacher (made by the Poacher’s Team at Trethowan’s Dairy).

The tasting event, hosted by food writer Patrick McGuigan, allowed attendees to explore and taste the experimental batches for the first time ever, reflecting on the nuanced impact of milk, microflora and maturing conditions. It was more than a simple dairy swap, they said – it was a statement about what’s possible when artisan producers step beyond tradition to learn, experiment and innovate.

“We wanted to see what would happen when you take the essence of one cheese and place it in another landscape,” said Todd Trethowan, from Trethowan Brothers. “It’s about curiosity, experimentation, and learning from each other.”

Tim Jones from Lincolnshire Poacher added, “This is about curiosity and shared learning. We wanted to see how much of a cheese’s identity comes from recipe and culture—and how much comes from place, milk, and people.”

The teams explained some of the challenges they faced in preparing and then making their cheeses.  Aspects such as size of vat, amount of milk, and starters used were generally expected to make a difference.  More unexpected was the impact of the head cheesemakers in having to adapt and change their recipes and processes as the make progressed – something most would find challenging. 

Ben Ticehurst, dairy manager at Trethowan Brothers noted, “For cheesemakers, their own cheese is a testament to their knowledge, experience of many years and a rigid (some would even say obsessive) need to follow the established recipe. Here, decisions had to be made as the make progressed to accommodate the different milk, kit and environment, which gave us all a few uncomfortable moments!”.

What started as a fun challenge, also stands as a testament to the dynamism of the British cheesemaking scene and its capacity for creativity through cooperation. The event highlighted the broader potential of collaboration within the artisan food world.

Try new buffalo halloumi

The Buffalo Farm in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, has forayed into the world of grilling cheese, launching Buffalloumi. Fashioned on a halloumi-style recipe, it’s crafted using a blend of Scottish cow’s milk, and creamy buffalo milk from their own herd of water buffalo.

This twist, they say, brings extra depth and a luxuriously creamy texture to the mouthfeel of the cheese, which is at its best pan-fried or grilled, developing a golden crust and signature squeaky, soft centre.

Like the maker’s Buffalo Mozzarella, Buffalloumi is made on site at the dairy. Initially, it’s available as a catchweight product – the average block weighing 250-350g.

The Buffalo Farm’s managing director, Steve Mitchell, said, “We are delighted to bring our new product to market, allowing buffalo milk and it’s benefits to be enjoyed by even more people. Buffalloumi is versatile, making it a great addition to summer menus up and down the country.”

Charles Martell launches blue cheese

There seems to be a lot of development in the blue cheese arena at the moment, and amongst the innovators is Stinking Bishop producer Charles Martell & Son, which has recently revealed Hulla Baloo. When first made, Charles said, the cheese was heralded with the words ‘helluva blue’, morphing into its final, commercial name.

Charles (whose range also includes Single and Double Gloucester and Hereford Hop), said the cheese is “fresh” and “zesty”, taking those who try it on “a new flavour adventure”.

Made in the heart of Gloucestershire, using traditional methods and the finest local milk, Hulla Baloo strikes a balance between being creamy and indulgent, and intensely tangy, while its marbled appearance, he adds, gives it presence on the cheeseboard.

“Whether melted into a gourmet sauce, crumbled over a salad, or enjoyed on its own with our Poireau, Hulla Baloo is a showstopper that will delight both connoisseurs and the curious alike.”

Truer Kaas unveils spicy new addition

Family run cheesemaker Truer Kaas (producer of Weydeland), has just launched Villa Jalapeno – a farmstead cheese with a bite of warmth. Made from thermised cow’s milk, it contains jalapeno chilli, pepper, garlic, coriander seeds and tomato and is aged for around eight weeks, resulting in a creamy, soft texture.

It makes a fiery, interesting addition to the cheeseboard, but also taps into consumer interest in spicy flavours and Mexican tastes, being an ideal melting or accompaniment cheese for tacos, burritos, tostados and more.

It’s available now.

Fen Farm Dairy working on its third cheese after Raedwald success

Following the enormous success of its first seasonal cheese (Reblochon-style Raedwald), Fen Farm Dairy is already thinking about the next addition to its stable says founder and farmer Jonny Crickmore.

There was lots of excitement at the beginning of the year with the limited batch launch of Raedwald, particularly as the farm’s take on a Brie (Baron Bigod) is recommended and enjoyed widely across the UK and the rest of the world, held up as one of the finest modern artisan cheeses in Britain. And Jonny is looking forward to seeing where the journey takes them next.

“I was so chuffed with how well Raedwald went,” he said. “The cheese just got better and better. I think the last batches we made were really good. And it was quite fun doing it, really - a seasonal cheese. The pressure is off with it.”

Raedwald will be back in January, Jonny confirmed, hopefully with bigger capacity to fill the orders that flooded their books this winter. And trials are underway for the third cheese, due to be ready next summer.

While his lips are sealed for now, Jonny will confirm it’s going to be a small, soft, square-shaped lactic-style, around 200g in size. “The name will have a Suffolk link to it – but it won’t be predictable!”

It’s been an interesting few months for the dairy, he added. “I just loved the idea around developing a seasonal cheese and people reacting to it and celebrating it. I’m really quite proud of how Raedwald went, and at how people embraced it. We saw it through exactly as we said we would – we made it for three months, and now it’s gone. The funny thing is, we could take the opportunity this Christmas to sell loads of it, but for me, this is about the bigger picture, using the milk when it’s available, and fitting it in with the time of year. It’s something to look forward to.” 

Annual SCA farm visit heads to Manor Farm

The Specialist Cheesemakers Association gave its members insight into low-input, organic, regenerative agriculture practices this month as part of its annual farm visit.

Members travelled to King Stone Dairy at Manor Farm in Chedworth, Gloucestershire, where David Jowett (whose cheese Burford recently won Supreme Champion at the 2025 British & Irish Cheese Awards) played host.

King Stone Dairy is a small operation with a strong focus on improving soil health and biodiversity through careful land management, while crafting artisanal cheeses by hand, using single herd organic cow’s milk, directly from the farm.

Members learnt more about the set-up and facilities, and joined in ‘cheese speed dating’. “It’s a nice social event,” a spokesperson said, adding that its just one of the benefits of joining the organisation, which is dedicated to championing British speciality cheeses.