Why is Somerset Cheddar so Special?

The verdant rolling hills of Somerset County, England are perfect for raising dairy cattle. Before WWII, approximately four hundred dairy farms were making Cheddar cheese. Today, there are less than one hundred.

The story behind the rise and fall and rise of artisanal Somerset Cheddar is well documented. What is less well known is that to protect this heritage food product, the Artisanal Somerset Cheddar Slow Food Presidium was formed by a few Somerset cheesemakers. Today, the producers that remain committed to producing artisanal Cheddar are Montgomery’s Cheese, Westcombe Dairy, and Trethowan Brothers Pitchfork. 

 

An Abbreviated History of Somerset Cheddar

Cheddar cheese is widely believed to have first appeared in the 12th century in southwest England, near the town of Cheddar. The location was ideal due to caves found nearby that were perfect for storing and aging cheese. No one knows for sure how the first Cheddar cheese formed, but it rapidly gained in popularity due to its ability to age and its savory flavors.

As cheddar grew in popularity and spread around the world it became a favorite cheese of royalty. By the 1700s, rules around the production of cheddar cheese included the decree that to be labeled Somerset Cheddar, it must be made within thirty miles of Wells Cathedral.

WWII marked the industrialization of English Cheddar, and most dairies no longer bothered with the intense labor involved in making artisanal English Cheddar. Recently, a renewed interest in real food, culture, and heritage is supporting the makers that never gave up.

 

What is the Slow Food Presidium?

The Presidia are Slow Food Communities that work daily to save native livestock breeds, local fruit and vegetable varieties, bread, cheeses, cured meats, sweets, and more. They are committed to passing on traditional production techniques and crafts. They care for the environment and they add value to landscapes, places, and cultures.

The Presidium recognizes the culture and heritage of Somerset Cheddar. 

To be considered Traditional English clothbound Cheddar, the following criteria must be met:

• It must be made by hand.

• Raw cow’s milk must be used, though in rare cases, pasteurized milk can be used.

• It is made with calf rennet.

• Local starters are used.

• Lard is used to cover the cheese before wrapping.

• Only 10-20 cheeses per day are made by each producer.

Artisan Somerset Cheddar has a moldy light brownish-gray rind and an intensely hay-yellow curd. The mouthfeel is firm yet buttery, and sometimes even a hint of crunchy texture in more mature cheeses, giving it a wonderful texture. The curd has flavors of caramelized milk, nuts, and bitter herbs.

Though each producer is completely independent, they are all following essentially the same recipe—yet each produces something wonderfully different. What makes the difference is the terroir of each farm, differences in feed, and the hands-on techniques of each producer.

 

The Cheesemakers

Montgomery’s Cheese

Montgomery’s Cheddar is one of the oldest producers in Somerset. Cheddar was being made there at the time current owner Jamie Montgomery’s grandfather, Sir Archibald Langman, purchased the farm in 1911.

During WWII and after, when most producers had either called it quits or turned to producing industrial cheddar, Elizabeth Montgomery continued to make real Somerset cheddar. Today, with her son Jamie at the helm, Montgomery’s is highly regarded as the quintessential Artisanal Clothbound English Cheddar.

Jamie Montgomery is passionate about protecting the culture and traditions infused into each wheel of cheddar produced.

He uses the same starter cultures his grandfather used, and notes that during his grandfather’s day, they had more Ayrshire cattle. His parents introduced the Fresian cattle that make up the herd today. However, in an interview for Neal’s Yard Dairy, he says that he’s considering introducing Ayrshire back into the herd.

 

Westcombe Dairy

Westcombe Dairy’s history has followed a somewhat serpentine path. Cheddar production on the farm dates back to the 1890s, and ownership changed hands several times.

One thing that didn’t change at Westcombe, even during the war years, was the production of Somerset cheddar. What did change was pasteurizing the milk, but every other step of the cheddar production remained.

In the 1970s, Westcombe hit a short-lived low point, and began to produce the industrialized block cheddar that most other cheddar producers had already switched to making.

Luckily, in the 1980s, owner Richard Calver decided it was time to return to the methods and roots that had made them successful in the past. The industrial buildings were torn down and a new dairy was built so that true Somerset Cheddar could be produced.

Fortunes at Westcombe changed again when in 2008, Richard’s son Tom took the role of cheesemaker, bringing many new techniques to Westcombe. They began producing a true artisanal cheddar. He also brought many modern and welcome changes to the dairy. 

Tom is deeply committed to sustainability and leaving a small footprint. Some of the changes he made include building a cave into the hillside for aging cheese rather than installing electric cooling systems. He also installed a water cooling system to keep the room at constant humidity and temperature. Westcombe was also the first to use a robot for cleaning and turning the cheeses.  

Tom’s enthusiasm for preserving the land and culture goes hand in hand with the philosophy of the Slow Food Presidium. Westcombe is highly regarded as one of the top cheddar producers in Somerset.

 

Trethowan’s Dairy

Pitchfork Cheddar is produced by Todd and Maughan Trethowan, brothers who for twenty-five years have been dedicated to making raw milk cheese. The Trethowans hail from Wales, where their cheese-making journey began.

In 2013, they found a farm in Somerset only five miles from the village of Cheddar. Pitchfork refers to the tool used to toss the cheese curds while they are cooling and salt is being added, a practice that today is still part of making cheddar.

The farm has a herd of Holstein Friesian cattle that graze on organic grasses. Having their own herd and control over the milk was the brothers’ first priority when they decided to relocate the family farm and dairy to Somerset. Their first Somerset Cheddar was ready in 2019. Since then, it has received many awards, medals, and recognition, including artisan Somerset presidia status.

Though the Trethowan Brothers are sort of the new kids on the block of cheddar, their commitment to preserving the tradition of artisanal Somerset cheddar is unquestionable. Just taste their cheese.

 

The Future of Artisanal Somerset Cheddar

Artisanal West Country cheddar is at risk of extinction, according to the Slow Food Presidium. However, the growing popularity of heritage foods and a newfound love of tradition among consumers is inspiring more producers to step forward and take a chance on preserving English food heritage. If we are all lucky, the nutty, savory delicious notes of raw milk English cheddar will become the norm and not the exception.