Hello Hope - Take Home Notes
HELLO CHEESE!
#1: Dale End Cheddar
The Vibe: Serious Yorkshire muscle. A clothbound, raw-milk heavyweight that takes no prisoners.
Dietary Details: Made with raw cow's milk and vegetarian rennet (suitable for vegetarians).
Tasting Notes: Sharp, tangy, and deeply savoury with a hit of oniony funk and an intensely long, tingling finish. It’s got that classic earthy rind vibe that lets you know it’s the real deal.
Pairing Suggestion: A pint of dark Yorkshire ale or a heavy-hitting Malbec.
Fun Fact: Made at Botton Village in the North York Moors by a self-sustaining community supporting adults with learning disabilities. Cheesemaker Alastair Pearson actually traveled to Germany to master his craft before bringing those skills back home to North Yorkshire.
#2: Summerfields (Summer Field)
The Vibe: The Swiss Alps, but make it North Yorkshire.
Dietary Details: Made with raw cow's milk and traditional animal rennet (not suitable for vegetarians).
Tasting Notes: Sweet, supple, and exceptionally nutty. You’ll pick up notes of toasted hazelnuts, warm butter, and a hint of summer meadow flowers.
Pairing Suggestion: A crisp dry cider or a buttery Chardonnay.
Fun Fact: This cheese can only be made in the summer! Because Alpine-style cheese requires cows to feed on fresh grass (and zero winter silage), it’s made exclusively when the Dairy Shorthorn cows are grazing out in the pastures, making supplies ultra-rare.
#3: Smoked Brie
The Vibe: Bonfire night meets a French Parisian bistro.
Dietary Details: Made with pasteurised cow's milk and vegetarian rennet (suitable for vegetarians).
Tasting Notes: Rich, molten creaminess wrapped in a delicate cloud of campfire smoke. The smooth, gooey interior cuts right through the savory, oaky exterior.
Pairing Suggestion: A glass of lightly chilled Pinot Noir or a smoky Islay whisky if you’re feeling bold.
Fun Fact: Cold-smoking Brie is a high-wire act for cheesemakers; if the smokehouse gets just a couple of degrees too warm, the whole wheel melts straight through the racks into the woodchips!
#4: Kit Calvert Wensleydale ("Top Tier")
The Vibe: The granddaddy of real Wensleydale. Forget the chalky supermarket stuff.
Dietary Details: Made with pasteurised cow's milk and vegetarian rennet (suitable for vegetarians).
Tasting Notes: Creamy, moist, and delightfully crumbly with a subtle, buttery acidity and a rich, rounded finish. It’s how Wensleydale tasted a hundred years ago.
Pairing Suggestion: A slice of rich fruitcake or a crisp local bitter. (Yorkshire law practically mandates eating it with fruitcake).
Fun Fact: Named after Kit Calvert, the legendary local hero who saved the Hawes Creamery from permanent closure in the 1930s. Without him, authentic Wensleydale wouldn't exist today!
#5: Wensleydale & Mango
The Vibe: A tropical holiday in a northern dale.
Dietary Details: Made with pasteurised cow's milk and vegetarian rennet (suitable for vegetarians).
Tasting Notes: The clean, milky acidity of young Wensleydale cuts straight through sweet, juicy chunks of candied mango. It’s vibrant, zesty, and dangerously snackable.
Pairing Suggestion: A chilled Prosecco or a fruity Pale Ale.
Fun Fact: Wensleydale is famously the "chameleon of cheeses." Because of its high moisture and naturally fresh, acidic profile, it holds sweet ingredients like mango, cranberries, or ginger better than almost any other cheese on earth.
#6: Harrogate Blue
The Vibe: A golden beauty that looks like a sunset and tastes like a dream.
Dietary Details: Made with pasteurised cow's milk and vegetarian rennet (suitable for vegetarians).
Tasting Notes: Luxuriously creamy and fudgy with striking blue veins running through a vibrant orange paste. It hits you with a rich, buttery flavour followed by a gentle, pepper-and-spice kick from the blueing.
Pairing Suggestion: A glass of Tawny Port or a sweet dessert wine like Sauternes.
Fun Fact: Produced by Shepherd’s Purse, this cheese gets its golden-orange hue from annatto—a natural plant dye derived from the seeds of the achiote tree!
#7: Yorkshire Pecorino
The Vibe: Mediterranean soul, Yorkshire soil.
Dietary Details: Made with pasteurised sheep's milk and traditional animal rennet(not suitable for vegetarians).
Tasting Notes: Firm, smooth, and deeply savoury with a delightful sheep’s-milk sweetness, a hint of olive oil, and a salty, nutty bite.
Pairing Suggestion: A punchy Chianti or a crisp Italian Pinot Grigio.
Fun Fact: Made in Leeds by Mario Olianas, an Italian native from Sardinia who moved to Yorkshire and realized the local sheep's milk was perfect for making traditional Italian Pecorino!
#8: Abbots Gold
The Vibe: Pure comfort food on a cheeseboard.
Dietary Details: Made with pasteurised cow's milk and vegetarian rennet (suitable for vegetarians).
Tasting Notes: Smooth, rich Cheddar blended with sweet, sticky caramelised onions. It’s savory, indulgent, and hits all the same pleasure centers as a gourmet French onion soup.
Pairing Suggestion: A dark stout or a crisp, dry white wine to cut through the sweetness.
Fun Fact: Abbots Gold is one of the most famous "blended" British cheeses. The caramelised onions are cooked down slowly until they reach a jam-like consistency before being folded into fresh curd.