This is a semi-hard washed rind cheese, a process which, in this case, creates a natural orange/brown mottled rind. It's ripened for 3 months, but makers Cranborne Chase dairy say it's flavour improves with further maturing. All their cheeses are hand made at Manor Farm, Ashmore, Dorset, and use unpasteurised milk from a neighbouring farm. Among Cranborne Chase's other cheeses is the soft white cheese, Win Green.
Like the sound of Alderwood? If so, you might also want to look at Keltic Gold or Stinking Bishop.
Unpasteurised
More About Cranborne Chase Cheese
James McCall and Alison French might be described as accidental cheesemakers. After a degree in zoology, Alison returned home to Dorset and rather fell into a job with Cranborne Chase Cheese back in 2004. She’s been there ever since. Her colleague’s story is more remarkable. Back in 1987 the 15 yr old James was in his home town of Beckenham looking for a Saturday job. He was fortunate enough to be taken on at the first shop he came to, a cheesemongers.
But this wasn’t just any cheesemongers. Run by James Aldridge, it was championing the sort of artisan cheesemaking which – back in the 1980s – had almost been smothered by market power and public indifference. Aldridge toured the country, finding the real cheesemakers, encouraging them and tirelessly promoting their cheeses. He also started to make his own - including Celtic Promise and the Duckett’s Caerphilly-based Tornegus. These are both washed-rind cheeses, and James’ Saturday job – which turned into17 years working with Aldridge – turned him into a real expert in this type of cheese.
James joined Alison at Cranborne Chase in 2009, bringing his experience to bear on the dairy’s established Alderwood, then developing the new King’s Favourite – washed in a local single-variety cider. The dairy – which uses unpasteurised milk from local herds – also makes Windwhistle plus the soft cheeses Gold Hill, Win Green and Eldren. Future possibilities include ‘Double Dorset’ – a long-extinct local cheese – and a cheddar.
