DEVON-based farmhouse cheesemaker Quicke’s has unveiled the line-up for its first ever British Farmstead Cheese Board, hand-picked to be at their best during the Christmas festivities.
Partnering with other artisan cheesemakers across the region, who craft their cheeses from milk produced within metres of the dairy, Mary Quicke has curated a winter cheese selection that supports the beautiful landscapes and delicate ecosystems behind some of Britain’s finest cheese.
The British Farmstead Cheese Board can take palates on a journey of the West Country’s lushest pastures. Beginning with Sharpham Rustic, a golden, crumbly and delicate semi-hard cheese, made with Jersey milk in the beautiful Dart Valley, next up is White Lake’s Eve from Somerset, a soft goat’s cheese made from the farm’s goats, wrapped in a vine leaf and washed in Somerset Cider Brandy.
Quicke’s 24-month matured Vintage Clothbound Cheddar brings Britain’s favourite cheese to the Christmas table, a culmination of the Quicke family’s 500 years spent nurturing the land at Home Farm, while Royal Bassett Blue from Brinkworth Dairy completes the set, handmade in Wiltshire from the milk of Friesian cows grazed on the traditional lush pastures of the Dauntsey Vale.
A true expression of the land from which they came, with every aspect of their characters’ imparted by the fields, the animals, the seasons and the cheese stores at each farm, farmstead cheeses also result in minimal food miles and the preservation of some the most ancient and ecologically diverse corners of Britain.
Mary Quicke explains: “The crazy times we’re living through are shining a spotlight on where our food comes from and we feel that there’s an opportunity this Christmas to make the relationship between producer and consumer a little closer. The stories of our food heritage are coming to the fore as people dig a little deeper, so we feel it’s the perfect time to shout about farmstead cheese – a product that captures a moment in space and time, from the soil to the seasons and everything in between.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the interest we’ve received over recent months, as cheesemakers have faced challenges like never before, and I hope that we can use the traditional time of family, friends and feasting to build upon this growing appreciation for our food and drink.”
The Farmstead Cheese Board will be available to purchase at www.quickes.co.uk, priced at £39, including next day delivery across the UK. The website also has details of Quicke’s own gift boxes.