Cornish Yarg cheese gets its name from the original cheese maker, Alan Gray (Yarg backwards), who reportedly found the recipe in his attic.
Sold to the nearby farm in 1984, the cheese was then made by the Horrell family; and it became one of the earliest examples of the new-style British artisan cheese production.
Catherine Mead joined the team in the 1990s; and continuing growth led, in the early 2000s, to production being moved to a purpose-built dairy.
The cheese is loosely based on a Caerphilly recipe, and it is wrapped in stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) that are completely edible. The nettles are hand-picked from the local Cornish countryside when they are a bright, vibrant green, and frozen for use throughout the year. A team of nettlers applies the leaves in elegant concentric circles, once the cheeses have been removed from their moulds and brined ready for maturation. The leaves protect the cheese, while allowing it to breathe and attract the specific moulds that encourage the beautiful almost lace-like appearance of the rind to develop. This in turn begins to break down the interior of the cheese, although the texture remains gently crumbly in nature.
We unashamedly source, care for and sell the best cheese, because that is what we believe in. Every day of dispatch one of our trained cheesemongers cuts every piece fresh, by hand, and wraps it in our waxed paper. We do this because it is most respectful way to treat this precious food.
| Brand | The Fine Cheese Co. |
| Country of Origin | British Isles |
| Milk Variety | Cows' |
| Style of Cheese | Hard |
| Vegetarian? | Yes |
| Organic? | No |
| Unpasteurised? | No |
| For Pregnant Women? | Yes |
| Ingredients | Cows' milk, salt, nettle leaves, DVI starter culture, vegetarian rennet, calcium chloride, penicillium candidum |
| Nutritional Info (per 100g) | Energy 1550KJ, 374Kcal | Fat 31.7g, Of Which Saturated 19.08g | Carbohydrate 0.7g, Of Which Sugars <0.1g | Protein 21.5g | Salt 2g |
| Allergen Advice | For allergens see ingredients in bold. |
| Storage | Keep refrigerated below 8˚. Please eat within 10 days of receipt. |
Cheese Finder
Throughout our history, we have sought, cared for and loved hand-made cheese. Search from over 600 delicatessens, farm shops and so on throughout the UK, and in over 30 countries (from Austria to Australia).
Delivery
We care about your cheese
Because our products are perishable, we take great care in delivering your order. We will hand pack and prepare your order the day before arrival. We must have an alternative delivery instruction for any private address, such as "leave in porch/on step/with a neighbour". This is particularly important if you are sending a surprise gift.
Our delivery service
- We send goods by overnight carrier to destinations on the GB mainland only.
- We can deliver to your home or place of work, and to the home or work-place of your relatives, friends, colleagues or business associates.
- We must have a complete post code and telephone number for every delivery address.
- We deliver on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and now Saturdays.
- Because our products are perishable, we must have an alternative delivery instruction for any private address, such as "leave in porch/on step/with a neighbour". This is particularly important if you are sending a surprise gift; but, even if you are planning to be in, circumstances do change.
Please click HERE for Christmas & New Year Delivery information.
How will your order arrive?
Cost
Delivery is FREE for all orders over £20.00 in value. For any order lower in value than £20.00, our pricing is very simple, it costs £2.95 to get your order delivered to any address on the GB mainland*.
* Excluding Highlands & Islands (A Delivery Surcharge may apply).
About Us
The Fine Cheese Co. is a maturer, wholesaler, retailer and exporter of artisan British cheeses. We are based in historic Bath, founded by the Romans and famous for its beautiful Georgian architecture - alongside Venice the only World Heritage city in Europe.
We have been cheese specialists for twenty years, and from the start we have nurtured and supported the cream of British cheese-makers. We stock over a hundred hand-made British cheeses: from classic gems such as Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire, a traditional cloth-bound territorial cheese, to Baron Bigod, a raw milk Brie-style cheese.
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