Westcombe Dairy produces one of the 'big three' Somerset cheddars, the others being Keen's and Montgomery's. Although cheese had been made at Westcombe Farm, near Shepton Mallett, since the 1890s, there had been a gap when cheesemaking re-started in the early 1990s.
Richard Calver says that small volume and high quality have always been the key: "With the help of our cheesemaker Bob Bramley and his team we now produce about 100 rounds each week, aging the cheeses for up to 20 months. This means we have to wait longer for a return on our investment but the final product is a fine cheese that varies subtly with the seasons."
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.
And the taste? Sarah Freeman says in The Real Cheese Companion that it "falls neatly between the softer, more flowery tones of Montgomery's and the altogether more robust character of Keen's." Westcombe also make the marvellous Westcombe Red, the cheese which single-handedly resurrected the idea of unpasteurized Red Leicester.
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: "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 & Herb Focaccia
Makes 1 loaf – either by hand or using a breadmaker to make the dough only.
Lightly oiled baking sheet
Pre-heat oven to 200c/400f/Gas 6
Bread:
200ml water
350g strong white bread flour
½ tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp easy-blend dried yeast
Filling:
175g Grated mature cheddar (actually we used Keens, but Westcombe would do just fine!)
1 tbsp parsley
2 tbsp basil
1 garlic clove – finely chopped
pepper to taste
Topping:
1 tbsp olive oil
herbs to sprinkle
NB Fresh herbs are best but dried works just fine!
Method:
If using a bread machine to make the dough, pour the water into the machine, sprinkle over the flour ensuring that it covers the water. Add the sugar and salt, make a small indent in the centre and add the yeast. Set the machine to dough setting and start.
If making by hand, do exactly the same as above only when the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, knead on a floured surface by folding over the dough and pushing it down over and over. If the dough is sticky, add more flour and knead until it shines and has an elastic feel to it. Place in bowl, cover with oiled cling film and put in a warm place to prove until it doubles in size (about an hour). Repeat this kneading process again and leave to prove for another 45 minutes
Lightly oil a baking sheet and flour the surface. When ready, knock the dough back gently and roll it out into a rectangle measuring approximately 12x9 (30x23cm), cover with oiled cling film and leave to rest for 5 minutes in a warm place.
Sprinkle over the cheese leaving ½ in (1cm) border along each edge. Add the herbs, garlic and pepper to taste. Starting from the shorter side, roll up the dough so it looks like a swiss roll, tucking the side edges underneath to seal it. Place the roll, seam side down, on the baking sheet again cover with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
Brush the top of the bread with the olive oil then use a skewer to prick holes in it. Make sure the holed go right down to the base of the bread and sprinkle a few herbs on the top for decoration. The bread is skewered so that the cheese can seep through when cooking! Bake until golden and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
Best served warm and eaten on the day you make it. If not, re-heat in over before serving.
