Wensleydale

Wensleydale

What it is

The Cistercians who came to Jervaulx Abbey in 1156 made it from ewes' milk in the manner they had learned in the Roquefort country; the change to cow's milk came centuries afterwards. In May 1992 the last creamery in the dale was shut and production moved to Lancashire — eleven of the sacked workers came back that November with a management buy-out and started the vats again.

In the kitchen

It is acid-set and does not melt: heat squeezes the whey out and leaves it rubbery, so keep it raw. Break it with your fingers rather than slicing — a blade smears the curd flat and the fluffy crumble is the entire point of the cheese.

Goes with

Apple Fig Honey Dried cranberry Walnut Celery Quince

Same species

Abura-kasu Amourettes (spinal marrow) Spider steak Bastourma Flank steak Beef

Something wrong here, or missing? Tell us