Producers of one of the very finest cheddars, the Keens have been making cheese at Moorhayes Farm near Wincanton in Somerset since 1899. George Keen says: "Cheese has been made by the Keens at Moorhayes Farm since our Great Aunt Jane pressed her first truckle in 1899. Our mother Dorothy learnt cheesemaking at the Somerset Farm Institute in Cannington. Nowadays, me and my brother Stephen, assisted by our sons Nick and James, continue to make un-pasteurised Cheddar – we’re one of only a few farms left who do."
Matured in cloth for over 12 months, the cheese uses only milk from their own dairy herd, with the untreated milk being used within a day of milking. Only about 130 cheeses are made per week.
Keens, Montgomery's and Westcombe created one of the first UK Slow Food Presidia – for 'Artisan Somerset Cheddar'. Part of the Slow Food movement, its aim is to raise awareness of the special quality of traditional cheddar made using local raw milk and crafted by hand.
The special place held by this cheese is indicated by the numerous awards it has won, the latest being Champion Cheddar at the 2006 Royal Bath and West Show, and best cheddar at the World Cheese Awards in both 2005 and 2006.
Unpasteurised
Note: from time to time you may find a bit of blue in these ultra-traditional cheddars. This is quite normal, and in fact the cheese may even be tastier because of it. The makers believe that full development of flavour means creating a cheese that can breathe as it matures - this means that a few of the bacteria which create blue cheese sometimes get in. A greater authority than I, Sarah Freeman, had this to say in The Real Cheese Companion: "at this stage [i.e when very mature] may have developed a few knots of blue, probably near the rind, which is a recommendation rather than otherwise".
More About Keens
Walking through the big maturing room, packed from floor to ceiling with 25 kilo cheeses, it's hard to believe that 30 years ago the Keen family might have thrown in the towel. Pasteurised factory cheese was on every side ... “no-one's making unpasteurised cheddar any more" seemed to be the consensus ... and the options seemed to be either give in (and pasteurise) ... or give up.
The family had been making cheese at Moorhayes Farm near Wincanton since 1899, so this was a truly depressing prospect. But then, brothers George (pictured) and Stephen met Randolph Hodgsonof Neals Yard Dairy. Hodgson (a key figure, along with James Aldridge) in the artisan cheese revival, encouraged them to identify what was unique about their product, and to have faith in it. In retrospect, this advice was spot on. What they needed to do was let the public know about Keen\s Cheddar and its distinctive qualities. The problem was that people just thought that cheddar was, well, just cheddar. There was an educational job to be done.
Out of this grew the idea for the Slow Food Presidium for Artisan Somerset Cheddar. Slow Food - originally from Italy - is the international movement dedicated to the pleasures of food and the authenticity of the best artisan produce. Slow Food brings together gastronomy, green thinking, biodiversity and politics, but preservation of traditional foods is at its core. A 'Presidium' identifies and protects the key techniques involved in an important artisan product - in this case, the ultra-traditional cheddar made by just three Somerset dairies: Keens, Westcombe and Montgomerys.
So what makes Artisan Somerset Cheddar different? Well, it has to be made in Somerset, with unpasteurised (or 'raw') milk from the farm's own cows. The cheese is made in open vats, using traditional 'starters' (the bacteria which start the milk's transformation) are used, and calf rennet. Then, the 'cheddaring' process itself has to be used. You can see James Keen doing this in the photo: stacking the curd in blocks, turning, cutting and re-stacking - this is key to the cheese's eventual texture. Finally, the cheeses are cloth bound and matured on wooden shelves for at least 11 months.
Today George and Stephen have been joined by their sons (Nicholas and James respectively). The ethos at Moorhayes Farm is simple: "We just make cheddar how our grandparents made it".
Keen's Cheddar & Smoked Paprika Biscuits
Pre-heat oven to 160c/325f/G3
Cooking time - 30 minutes
Makes about 10
Need well greased baking tray and 7cm/2½” cutter
175g plain flour
175g butter
75g Keen’s cheddar, grated
50g unblanched almonds – finely chopped
1 large egg yolk
½ tsp smoked paprika* (this weeks obscure ingredient – Ed.)
Sift flour and paprika into a large bowl and lightly rub the butter in. Add the grated cheese and egg yolk (saving a little to brush the pre-cooked biscuits with). Stir in the chopped almonds and gently knead the mixture to a smooth (but sticky) dough. Wrap in cling-film and chill for at least ½ hour in the fridge.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1cm thick and, using your cutter, make about 10 biscuits. Place on the baking tray, brush the tops with a little beaten egg yolk and you can either sprinkle the tops with a little more paprika or grated cheese.
Bake on the middle shelf for 25 minutes. Biscuits should be firm to the touch when ready. Lift off baking tray gently and leave on a wire rack to cool. Gorgeously crumbly and cheesy!
* Ok, ok, use ordinary paprika if you have to.
