News

The 2019 Artisan Cheese Awards

Sponsored by The Fine Cheese Co. Though it’s been a while since I checked, I dimly recall gluttony being among the seven deadly sins. In fact, I’m almost positive that it is. It was fortunate then, that on the 4th May, the Artisan Cheese Awards were held in Melton Mowbray’s Church of St. Mary, that we might better atone for what was to come. For the fourth consecutive year, cheesemakers from across Britain and Ireland congregated in ... Read More

Job Opportunity: Cheesemaker at Sleight Farm

Sleight Farm uses continental cheesemaking methods to produce its own range of lactic and rennet-set goats-milk cheeses developed by Mary Holbrook. Mary achieved an international reputation for producing award-winning cheeses from her own herd of goats and we are working to continue that legacy. We are looking for an experienced cheesemaker to work full-time and lead our small team of full and part-time staff. The role will cover the life... Read More

A tribute to Mary Holbrook

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Mary Holbrook, the maker of the incomparable Tymsboro cheese, who passed away at the weekend. She died at home on Sunday, at her beautiful farm on the hill, in Somerset, where she has worked tirelessly over decades to establish and maintain her world-class reputation. Mary has had an impact on a staggering amount of people in the artisan cheese industry in the UK and beyond. She welcomed trainee... Read More

Choosing Your Cheddar

Cheddar, a year-round favourite, really comes into its own at Christmas. But which one would be right for your cheeseboard? We’ve created short profiles for some of our most popular traditional west country cheddars, so you can find your perfect match. Westcombe Cheddar Hand Selected: As the name suggests, we pick these out personally, together with cheesemaker Tom Calver, to find those Cheddars with exactly the taste profile we’re after. Mad... Read More

A Maverick and a Renegade

Marcus Fergusson and his cheese, the aptly named 'Renegade Monk' Cheesemakers are like their cheeses: they’re supposed to take time to mature and fully develop. Marcus Fergusson, of Feltham’s Farm Cheeses, is a fascinating character, as he doesn’t quite fit this mould. Like his cheese, he is something of a renegade. He’s prodigiously talented and far more comfortable taking risks than a cheesemaker of his experience has any right ... Read More

The Fine Cheese Co. Festival 2018

After a few years' hiatus, we're delighted to announce the return of The Fine Cheese Co.'s Festival at Milsom Place. Past events have proved this to be a perfect chance for fans of cheese from Bath and beyond, to spend the day with some of the fantastic cheesemakers the UK has to offer. Our line-up looks set to be one of the largest ever, which means a huge amount of cheese to try and buy! Our cheesemongers and the rest of the team from The F... Read More

Manchego - A Spanish Dream

If you were to think of Spain, Manchego would likely be the cheese which immediately sprang to mind. It belongs to a very exclusive club. Along with Brie and Cheddar, Gorgonzola and Gruyère, it has become the poster child for an entire nation’s cheesemaking prowess. This is not without good cause. A truly great Manchego manages to be many things at once. In my experience, most things in life which are capable of being more than one thing at a... Read More

Perfecting the Art of the Picnic

I’ll share a secret with you. I used to think picnics were overrated. I know… I know... It’s an unusual and unlikely opinion to hold, especially at this time of year. The popularity of the picnic puzzled me. If you can't imagine this, well, bear with me…you might be able to relate more than you first thought. Picture the scene. It’s your first picnic of the summer; the anticipation is high, the journey is long and the hamper is heavy. After... Read More

Father's Day: A look at Cheesemaking Families

James and George Keen ‘I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.’ Umberto Eco Cheesemakers obsess over the smallest of details, in order to perfect that taste they are seeking. Over the years, a cheesemaker will build up a laundry list of tips and make-notes. This Father’s day, we took a moment to celebrate a few of t... Read More

The British Cheese Awards 2018

Sponsors of the 2018 British Cheese Awards: The Fine Cheese Co. The 25th annual event was a special night for all concerned, and, as sponsors of the awards, it was all the more poignant for us, for a number of reasons. The awards night, which was held at The Royal Bath and West Showground, brought together the best of the best in British cheese. Close to 1000 cheeses were entered and then whittled down to a select few which were lauded and a... Read More

Duckett's Caerphilly

We adore Duckett’s Caerphilly. Being but a short drive away, we recently visited Tom Calver of Westcombe Dairy to see how it is made, and to learn a little of its incredible story. Duckett’s Caerphilly is a traditional territorial cheese and is one of but a handful of Caerphilly that are made with raw milk. During spring and summer, its taste enters a peak period and has a wonderful fresh taste with bright, fresh flavours of citrus, offse... Read More

The Artisan Cheese Awards 2018

What a weekend it was at the 2018 Artisan Cheese Awards. We were the sponsors of the event so we spent some time in Melton Mowbray celebrating the best that the British Isles have to offer the world of fine cheese. As ever, there were triumphs and trophies galore. It is always rewarding to see the number of cheesemakers we work with come home with some gold. It is a fitting testament to the hard work they put in making the Artisan cheese ... Read More

Raw Milk Revolution

Imagine if you discovered, quite by chance, a forest at the end of your garden. Certain it had never been there before, you proceed to venture into this wild and unexplored territory, whereupon you encounter sights, tastes and smells that were strange and delightful to your senses. Reeling from your discovery, you rush to tell your friends and family about it, but to your astonishment you are met with incredulity, or, even worse – declarati... Read More

The pride of Somerset

An Ode to Our Founder, Ann-Marie Dyas, on International Women's Day

International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate the achievements of women in all walks of life, but as cheese is our business, we got to thinking about the women who have influenced us and from whom we draw inspiration. Well, one name stood out above all others, that of our founder, Ann-Marie Dyas. For 30 years, Ann-Marie Dyas held a place at the heart of the artisan cheese industry. In the 1980s, she left behind a successful career in advert... Read More

International Women's Day, A Time to Celebrate the Cheesemakers

Women have long held a place at the heart of traditional cheesemaking. In the very early days of British cheese, monasteries were important centres of production. With their dissolution by Henry VIII in 1560, recipes often passed to the local farmers' wives, broadening the styles of cheese to be found on British farms. There is a long tradition of the women of the family taking control of the dairy, and making butter and cheese both to feed... Read More

Flipping Marvellous! Pancake Day’s Almost Here

The French have La Chandeleur and the Americans, well, they like pancakes most days. In the UK, however, we celebrate those flat, circles of joy each year on a specific day in February for Pancake Day. It might be the tradition for lemon and sugar on your Pancake Day pancakes, but we like to make things a little more cheesey at The Fine Cheese Co. So, with the help of our Cheese Care & Quality Manager, Ruth, we’ve come up with some sugges... Read More

Westcombe Dairy and White Lake Cheese, Two of Our Cheesemaking Neighbours

A group of us from different departments in The Fine Cheese Co ventured into the heart of Somerset for a trip, which for most of us was our first visit to see one of our cheesemakers in their element. We started our day by meeting cheesemaker, Tom Calver, in his dairy that’s nestled in the beautiful village of Westcombe. There have been records of cheesemaking here since 1879, with the first cheeses being made with Edith Cannon. Since then,... Read More

Judges Hooked on Blu di Bufala and Rachel at World Cheese Awards 2017

Two of our favourites, the buffalo milk blue cheese, Blu di Bufala, and goats’ milk cheese, Rachel, hit the big time at The Guild of Fine Food’s recent World Cheese Awards in London. Made by Caseificio Quattro Portoni , Blu di Bufala, picked up Best Italian Cheese, while White Lake Cheese’s Rachel is now officially the Best Goats’ Milk Cheese in the world. Blu di Bufala wasn’t far off making it a perfect night. The cheese was awarded 69 point... Read More

Claire’s Baked Pumpkin Fondue

Baking a pumpkin filled with as much cheese as you can fit in is the recipe for a truly special, comfort meal that's not just perfect for Halloween! As our designer, Claire, puts it, “this is the best bonfire night recipe ever!” This is an annual tradition for Claire. The pumpkin can be dipped into, like a traditional cheese fondue, or if you roast it for a while longer, then the pumpkin's flesh becomes gorgeously tender and is delicious when... Read More

What is the Difference Between Brie and Camembert?

Slice some Brie, serve it on a Natural Cracker and the cheese will taste fairly similar to a Camembert, if you were to do the same. Despite both being made from cows’ milk and both being soft cheeses, they are, however, quite different. For one, just look at the two side by side and you’ll see these are not the same cheeses. Take our Camembert Domaine de St Loup as an example. It’s about the size of a CD, whereas our Brie de Meaux Dongé isn’t... Read More

Enjoy an Afternoon of the Finest Cheese and Wine at Waddesdon Manor

One of the most exciting events in our calendar has to be the annual cheese and wine tasting that we run at Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, among the Rothschild Collections. It doesn’t get much better than tasting cheese in the grand architecture of Waddesdon Manor. They have some fantastic wine knowledge and in the manor’s glorious cellars, are a collection of bottles that rival the best in the world. On Sunday 8th October, you have the ... Read More

Recipe: A Heavenly, Baked Vacherin Mont d'Or

Vacherin Mont d’Or season is upon us, but how do you eat it? You may choose to enjoy it at room temperature, but for a truly special experience, why not try baking the cheese? We’ve called upon the knowledge of our Cheese Care Manager, Luke, for his favourite Vacherin Mont d’Or recipe. He has delivered this full-flavoured dish that will wow friends and family alike. Ingredients 3 Shallots, finely chopped 2 Sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped 2... Read More

Some Words About Ann-Marie Dyas, Co-Founder of The Fine Cheese Co.

We know how saddened you will be to learn that Ann-Marie died on Saturday morning, at her home in a house and village that she loved. Ann-Marie was the spirit of our business, and we are determined that this spirit will not lose its strength and momentum. Our vision and our values will not change. We have been so grateful to all those of you who have shown your commitment and loyalty to The Fine Cheese Co. We look forward to continuing this r... Read More

Watch as TV Chef Nadiya Hussain Bakes with La Tourangelle Pistachio Oil

If you tuned into BBC Two last night to watch Nadiya's British Food Adventure, you will have seen our La Tourangelle Pistachio Oil make an appearance. The Great British Bake Off winner, Nadiya Hussain, explored London as part of her road trip around Britain, where she uncovers some of the country’s most exciting food pioneers. While in the capital, she baked an exquisite-looking cake with the Pistachio Oil during the recently aired fourth e... Read More

Our Affineur Walo Cheeses Win Big Again at Nantwich

Swiss affineur, Walo von Mühlenen, has been the talk of The Fine Cheese Co. offices after his impressive haul of medals at the recent International Cheese Awards 2017 in Nantwich. We are all so excited for Walo and all of the cheeses that picked up rosettes. In total, there were 12 awards for his tasty alpine cheeses, including two gold, five silver, two bronze and three very highly commended. Of course, we are delighted that the Affineur Wal... Read More

Win a Cheese-board with Your Wedding Day Cheeses

Would you like to enjoy your wedding cheeses again with our compliments? All you need to do is send us a glorious photo of your cheese wedding cake, with a quote from you. If we use them on our website, or social media, we will send you a cheese-board version of your cake to cut again. All you need to is email ellie@finecheese.co.uk with you images and testimonial. Happy snapping! Read More

Sparkenhoe: Behind the Scenes of Englands' Only Raw Milk Red Leicester

Our visit to Sparkenhoe creators, Leicestershire Handmade Cheese Company, was my first outing to meet a cheese maker while working at The Fine Cheese Co. and it was a fun one! After winding our way through the country lanes of Leicestershire, we reached the most idyllic location for a farmhouse cheese. Despite some interesting parking by our Cheese Care Manager, Luke Maslen, (not to mention that of our buyer, Gabi) we were welcomed by Da... Read More

Pavé Cobble Cleans up at British Cheese Awards 2017

White Lake, makers of the light and delicate ewes' milk cheese, Pavé Cobble, left the Bath & West Showground last night with big grins on their faces, having won a clutch of gongs at the 2017 edition of the British Cheese Awards. Pavé Cobble picked up Best Fresh Cheese, Best Speciality Cheese, Best English Cheese and last, but by no means least, Supreme Champion, which makes this the best of the best when it comes to British cheese. Whit... Read More

Berkswell Cheese Crowned Supreme Champion at Artisan Cheese Awards 2017

Produced by the Fletcher family at Ram Hall Farm, Berkswell cheese beat more than 500 entries from 115 producers to win the Supreme Champion at this year’s Artisan Cheese Awards. Ewes’ milk cheese, Berkswell, not only won the Supreme Champion, sponsored by us, but also the Best Farmhouse Cheese and the Best English Cheese, making it a momentous evening for farm-owner, Stephen Fletcher. Our Co-Founder, Ann-Marie Dyas couldn’t be more pleased f... Read More

The Fine Cheese Co. will be at the Artisan Cheese Fair 2017

Who’s ready for one of the biggest cheese events of the year? It’s almost time for the eighth Artisan Cheese Fair, which is taking place on 29th and 30th April between 10am and 4pm. There will be more than 60 cheese-makers and upwards of 300 different cheeses at the Artisan Cheese Fair 2017, so it’s easy to see why this is the UK’s largest event of this kind. Of course, The Fine Cheese Co. isn’t only attending, we will have a stall and, on ... Read More

Our Cheese Care Manager spends a week in Vermont

As I landed in Boston Logan ready for my Jasper Hill Farm adventure, the heaviest snow storm in years swept in and the city was left knee deep in snow. Then, while the hordes of workers filed out to clear the pavements and roads with shovels in hand, I imagined what the route North to subarctic Vermont would look like. Despite my concerns, it ended up being fine thanks to our all-wheel drive vehicle. That is, until we ventured onto the back r... Read More

Browse Our New Brochure

Have you caught us on television recently?

Delicious, a television series on Sky 1, has just finished its four-episode run and we were over the moon to see that a number of The Fine Cheese Co. partner products had starring roles. The eagle eyed among you will have caught appearances from Artisan Du Chocolat, La Tourangelle, Serrats and Van Nahmen. Our partner brands shared screen time with several big-name British actors and actresses, including Ian Glen, Emilia Fox and Dawn French.... Read More

A Christmas Thank You to all of Our Wonderful Customers

A HUGE thank you to all of our customers for the fantastic orders you have placed. Christmas is definitely on the way thanks to your largesse (and DPD, our couriers). We have had some amusing phone calls, and many grateful ones. It was good to talk - so more thanks for making a challenging time of year a joyous one. To the three impossible to please (or even get a word in edgeways) customers, who would make Miss Piggy seem even tempered. Don... Read More

How to Use our Multiple Delivery Address Feature

Our all-new Multiple Delivery Address feature is perfect for those of you who are shopping for several Christmas or birthday gifts intended for different people. Let us guide you through the checkout process for Multiple Delivery Addresses, so you can save time when shopping on The Fine Cheese Co. Start by adding the products you wish to buy to your bag. Then, when you have finished making your selection, hover your mouse cursor over the M... Read More

Job Vacancies: Temporary Holiday Staff Required for Christmas

We are looking for a number of lively and enthusiastic people to join us to help pack Christmas Mail Order boxes. The tasks involved can be physically demanding and will require a keen eye for detail. Our mail order operation is located in Tolldown Barn, Dyrham, Bath (on the A46 near Marshfield Bakery and adjacent to the Crown Pub). If you do not have your own transport, we are able to offer lifts between the warehouse and The Fine Cheese Co.... Read More

New Cheese Selection Boxes - Wicked

Vacherin Mont D’or has returned to our cheese room

It’s back! Vacherin Mont D’or, the spoonable one, is now in stock. Made in the shadow of the Mont d’Or in France, this cheese has become famous throughout the world. Vacherin Mont d’Or is only made between the 15th August and 15th March, when the cows have come down the mountain from their high summer pastures, and their milk is too fatty and not plentiful enough to make whole Comté wheels. The Comté co-operatives then turn their hands to mak... Read More

Stichelton Toast Brings New Meaning to the Term “Moreish”

Together with cheese-maker Joe Schneider, we’ve created Stichelton Toast, an utterly unique type of toast and a collaboration we're proud of. The toast is made by combining a generous amount of unpasteurised Stichelton blue cheese with buttermilk, our, sesame seeds, and a dash of lemon juice, before it’s carefully seasoned. Each slice of Toast is cut thinly to make it super-light and crunchy, and the taste is deeply savoury. This is unlike ... Read More

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