The Montgomerys have made cheese on their farm near Yeovil in south Somerset for three generations. Perhaps the epitome of traditional cheddar, and made in a truly traditional way – matured for over a year wrapped in muslin cloth on wooden shelves - this wonderful cheese has won numerous awards, including Best Cheddar at the 2006 British Cheese Awards.
James Montgomery says: "We make about 60 truckles of unpasteurised farmhouse Cheddar each week with the milk produced by our 140 Friesian cows. Before joining the herd, our young cows roam on South Cadbury "Camelot", an Iron Age hill fort on the farm, heavily fortified at the time that King Arthur defended Wessex from the Saxons." 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.
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".
Unpasteurised
Mature Cheddar, Butternut Squash & Bacon Soup
Serves 6
200g Mature Cheddar - grated (we used Keens - but 'Montys' will do just fine)
225g smoked back bacon
800g butternut squash
1 tbsp olive oil
225g onions
275g potatoes
2 garlic cloves – crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp crème fraiche
900ml vegetable stock
salt, pepper & tabasco sauce to taste
100g Keens Cheddar – grated, to finish
Method:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the chopped onions and garlic until they begin to soften. Remove all the fat from the bacon, chop into small pieces , add to the saucepan and cook for approximately 4 minutes. Stir in the spices and cook on a low heat for a further minute or two.
Peel the squash, de-seed and cut into small chunks. Add to the saucepan, along with the peeled and chopped potatoes and stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Blend the cornflour with a couple of tablespoons of water and add to the soup along with the crème fraiche. Bring to the boil again then turn down and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add a touch of tabasco, salt and pepper to your taste.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining Keens Cheddar (which will melt into the soup) and serve with warm bread.
Delicious, filling soup and bread for a cold February evening!
