Where better to buy a nice piece of Cheddar Cheese then from the Village where it originated and which gave it it's name.
Driving along the Somerset Roads, I didn't expect to suddenly be surrounded by an array of gorgeous high peak rock formations containing the caves where my favourite Cheese was fathered.
The biggest Gorge in the United Kingdom at that!
What is a Gorge I hear you cry. A Gorge is: Noun: A narrow Valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it.
Cheddar doesn't claim any Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), so it can be produced anywhere you like, however only Cheddar made from locally produced milk can be called "West Country Farmhouse Cheddar".
Down in the Valley you can go and have a look how Cheddar Cheese is made and then buy some of the glorious product at the end. The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Co. is a tourist friendly place and it isn't more expensive then you would expect. They have a show room which will give you an insight in how the cheese is made. What makes Cheddar cheddary is the cheddaring process. After the curds have been separated from the whey, using a rennet enzyme, they are kneaded with salt, compressed into shape and then matured at constant temperature into different strengths. The Caves at the Gorge are perfect for the maturing process.
I have filled my little bag with a selection of their award winning cheeses wich will make great presents for my family, when I go to visit them tomorrow.
But more importantly I will use some to recreate a pie that I discovered in a little Delicatessen in Burnham on Sea, a village nearby. Homity Pie is a typical West Country Style Pie, using Cheddar as a topping. It is so delicious, I just couldn't stop eating until it was all gone, and I was supposed to share....
The good thing is, I have found a new dish that has astonished and inspired me, and that is what I love and what this blog is all about!
Here are a couple of links:
Cheddar Gorge: http://www.cheddargorge.co.uk/
Cheddar Gorge Cheese Co.: http://www.cheddargorgecheeseco.co.uk/
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