Storefront – Photo courtesy Blaenafon Cheddar Co.
High on a hilltop just south of Brecon Beacons National Park—a lush landscape with miles of walking trails, sheep-studded meadows, and expansive dark skies—sits the town of Blaenavon, Wales. Behind a red-trimmed storefront on Broad Street, you’ll find Blaenafon Cheddar Company, where Susan Fiander-Woodhouse practices her craft. She’s a cheesemaker and a storyteller who gleans inspiration from Welsh traditions.
Creating a Welsh Flavor Trail with Cheddars
Cymru Crunch – Photo courtesy Blaenafon Cheddar Co.
Wales may not be top of mind for every food-minded traveler, but the country’s varied geography has always lent itself to wholesome, flavorful ingredients. Through Blaenafon Cheddar, Susan has made it her mission to turn visitors on to Welsh food and drink in hopes they’ll see it as an invitation to further explore the country’s offerings.
“We want to use everything Welsh, but it’s got to be about what’s in my heart,” says Susan. “It’s about the love of my homeland and wanting other people to come and enjoy it. I thought if I could entice them in with a smile, with the cheese, then they’d go and have a look elsewhere. By using ingredients from the south, mid, and north Wales, we’ve created a flavor trail.”
Susan, Charlotte, Gerry – Photo courtesy Blaenafon Cheddar Co.
Susan’s “we” includes husband Gerry Woodhouse and daughter Charlotte Hill, both of whom help with production and serve as directors of Blaenafon Cheddar Company. And the ingredients from across the Welsh landscape? Those are sourced and carefully paired to create Blaenafon’s unique, wax-cloaked cheeses—like Capel Newydd, a medium cheddar with garlic, elderflower, and white wine from Abergavenny’s Sugarloaf Vineyard; or Cymru Crunch, with chives, pickled onions, and Welsh ale from Tomos Watkin Brewery in Swansea; or Blaenafon’s namesake cheddar, with ginger preserves and Danzy Jones whisky from Celtic Spirit Company, a distillery on the island of Anglesey; just to name a few.
“There are so many lovely stories and there’s so much to see in Wales,” Susan explains. “Not just commercial places, but things off the beaten track, like our lovely castles and the stories behind the castles, the walks, the little villages—that’s what I want everybody else to enjoy as much as I do.”
Continuing her efforts as an unofficial representative for Wales tourism, Susan and Blaenafon Cheddar regularly host international tour groups for tastings and talks, they’re a member of the Guild of Fine Foods, and they participate in a government-funded program for Welsh food producers called Cywain. “Never a dull moment here!” Susan laughs. “And we’re always open to writing people’s itinerary for holidays.”
Caerphilly
Between her community involvement and story-driven cheddars, Susan also produces Caerphilly, a hard, mild cheese with practical origins that originated in and around the town of Caerphilly, Wales. Despite its crumbliness, Caerphilly isn’t dry—it’s creamy with a pleasant tang, and it used to wrap up nicely for tucking into the pockets of the coal miners who would descend into Blaenavon’s depths when The Big Pit was still a working mine. Today, Caerphilly cheese tastes great with an oat biscuit and a cup of tea served above ground—but it’s a matter of tradition.
“It’s all about the heritage of food,” says Susan. “It’s about a sense of place and keeping the miners’ traditions alive. As the aging population dies off, many of the younger generation aren’t interested in what went on before. It’s a select few these days who want to keep the traditions going, and iconic Welsh food and drink has got to be kept in production.”
Susan’s commitment to Welsh food and heritage isn’t going unnoticed. Her family’s cheeses are award winning and in November 2022 at the conclusion of an award ceremony hosted in Newport, Wales, a wheel of Blaenafon Cheddar’s Pwll Ddu—a cheddar flavored with leeks, mustard, and Welsh ale—was presented to a representative from Norway as a passing of the baton to the 2023 host country. “It was a privilege,” Susan recalls.
Her passion for Wales and its producers is immediately clear to all who meet her. Whether she’s dressed up at an event or behind an apron in her Blaenavon shop, Susan almost certainly has a welcoming smile on her face.
“I don’t think we sell cheese at Blaenafon Cheddar, we sell smiles. That’s what we say,” she laughs.
Visiting Wales
Wales is a year-round delight and arriving via train or a flight into Cardiff is an excellent place to begin. Spend some time in the Welsh capital and enjoy an introduction to local fare on a tour with Loving Welsh Food before heading an hour north to Blaenavon to say hello to Susan. While bus service around Wales does exist, your best bet is to rent a car to navigate the roads at your leisure. Do meander through the towns and villages of Brecon Beacons—and keep an eye out for the wild ponies who roam and graze where they please. An overnight stay at Swn yr Afon in Brecon is a treat (especially come breakfast time), as is dinner at the Angel Hotel in Abergavenny. For more insights on how to eat and drink your way through Wales, reach out to Susan through Blaenafon Cheddar.