Yorkshire’s cheeseboard heroes, by the Booths experts.

Old Roan Unpasteurised Wensleydale
Sam and Ben Spence, along with brother Adam, have a small dairy farm in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. In 2019 the Spences decided to start making a traditional raw-milk Wensleydale to a slow traditional recipe, resulting in a cheese that is smooth and creamy in texture. They use unpasteurised milk to give it added flavour and the milk travels a mere five metres from the milking parlour to the processing room next door. The cheese is clothbound and aged in 3-4 months resulting in a creamy, buttery cheese with that distinctive Dales lemony tang. Perfection with a slice of Christmas cake.

Blue Wensleydale
Made in Hawes with milk from local farms, this is a cloth bound cheese invented by Thomas Nuttall in the late 19th century. The recipe is a variation of the famous Stilton cheese but firmer. Matured for six months and lightly pressed for 24 hours before being wrapped in a muslin cloth. The mellow and less salty Blue Wensleydale appeals to many newcomers.

Mrs Bell’s Blue Ewes, Shepherd’s Purse
A highly lauded sheep milk cheese, full of flavour from the ewe’s milk, comparable to Roquefort but slightly sweeter with less salt, resulting in a more rounded cheese. Made by Judy Bell in Thirsk, who also makes Yorkshire blue, it’s similarly creamy blue. Matured for 10-12 weeks developing its snow-white colour and lovely blue veining. Made with vegetarian rennet and pasteurised milk.

Bluemin White from Shepherd’s Purse
This mild cow’s milk blue cheese is a cross between brie and a soft blue. It develops a velvety blue rind and has a rich almost nutty flavour. Winner of a three-star Great Taste Award and multiple gold medals at the World Cheese awards.

Yellison Soft Goat’s Cheese
Beloved by Yorkshire chefs, Yellison is a soft tangy goat’s cheese made in Bradley, between Keighley and Skipton by Sharron and Edward Parker. The farming duo are carrying on the legacy of Steven Askrigg who founded the cheese. Their cheeses grace Michelin-starred menus across Yorkshire and beyond. The creamy consistency of this mild lemony cheese is a great addition to a cheeseboard. A smear in dates would makes a sensational canapé.
Booths’ cheesemongers recently won 35 gold medals for their range in the International Cheese Awards.
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