This cheese, invented by James Aldridge, is based on Chris Duckett's Caerphilly.
Aldridge, who died in 2001, was a seminal figure in the revival of artisan cheese in the UK. From his cheese shop in Beckenham he sought out the pioneers like Robin Congdon (of Beenleigh Blue fame) and others who taking cheese making back from the big industrial dairies. Today Tornegus is still made by his partner Pat Robinson at Godstone in Surrey, with Duckett Caerphilly cheeses sent up from Somerset.
Tornegus is a washed-rind cheese: the wash used to include Kentish wine until the food safety people got nervous. Finding that the wine didn’t add a great deal to the cheese, Pat left it out, and she feels that the cheese is just as good. The pinkish rind also has a scattering of Egyptian Mint, to give the cheese a sweeter finish. the texture is silky - semi-soft, and the flavour spicy, becoming fruitier and more powerful as it matures.
Vegetarian / Pasteurised
