Leeds - Take Home Notes

The Fromage World Cup

#1: Isle of Mull Cheddar (Scotland)

Jeff and Chris Reade moved from Cornwall to the bleak and beautiful Isle of Mull in 1970s and built a farmhouse to make cheese. They use a mixture of cows mainly Fresian but with Jersey, Aryshire and Brown Swiss which gives the resulting cheese an interesting flavour. Unpasteurised cheddar, uses animal rennet and is milled, salted, moulded, pressed then cloth wrapped and matured for six months. (nV+nP) 

#2: Montagnolo Affine (Germany)

A triple crème soft cheese that is both surface ripened and marbled with delicate blue veins. It combines the texture and rich tastes of a triple-crème brie, with the flavour of a blue cheese. Montagnolo Affine won the Supreme Champion award at the 2013 International Cheese Awards beating more than 3900 other cheeses in the process. (V+P)

#3: Gouda with Fenugreek (Netherlands)

Known locally as Komijnekaas, traces its origins to the lush pastures of South Holland in the Netherlands. Dating back to the 17th century, this traditional Dutch cheese evolved alongside the golden age of the Dutch East India Company. As merchant ships returned laden with exotic spices from global trade routes, clever Dutch cheesemakers began blending aromatic cumin seeds directly into their soft, sweet Gouda curds. Originally crafted on family farmsteads surrounding the historic market town of Gouda, this distinctively spiced wheel quickly became a regional favorite, beautifully reflecting Holland's rich agricultural roots and storied maritime trade history. (nV+nP)

#4: Kaltbach Creamy (Switzerland)

Hailing from the lush Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland, Kaltbach Creamy is an alpine masterpiece. Its distinct flavor comes from aging in the famous Kaltbach Cave, a 22-million-year-old natural sandstone labyrinth. The cave's constant 96% humidity naturally develops the cheese's signature dark rind and ultra-smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Fresh cream is added to pure Swiss milk before processing, giving it a rich, buttery profile with subtle earthy undertones. (V+P)

#5: Taleggio (Italy)

Hailing from the Val Taleggio in Italy, this is a washed-rind cheese with a surprisingly gentle soul. Beneath its funky, orange-tinted rind lies a semi-soft interior that is fruity, tangy, and remarkably mild. Taleggio is one of the oldest soft cheeses in existence, dating back to Roman times. It was traditionally washed in brine and ripened on wooden shelves in caves, where the cool atmosphere helped develop its unique character. Its aroma can be powerful, but the flavour is sweet, gentle and moorish. (nV+nP)

#6: Baron Bigod (England)

Baron Bigod is Britain’s only traditional farmhouse Brie-de-Meaux style cheese. Crafted at Fen Farm Dairy in Bungay, Suffolk. It is made using raw milk from the farm’s own herd of Montbéliarde cows.
The cheese is named after the 12th-century Earl of Norfolk, Baron Hugh Bigod, who built a castle overlooking the very land where the farm now stands. History has it that the Baron was a bit of a troublemaker; his defiance of King Stephen famously led to him being sent off to fight in Syria as punishment. Today, he’s remembered through this rich, buttery, and earthy masterpiece. (nV+P)

#7: Manchego with Saffron (Spain)

The classic - rich, creamy sheep's milk cheese from the La Mancha region of Spain. The Manchego sheep graze on the shrubs of the vast plateaus of the Dehesa and produce a super thick milk that gives the cheese its unique character. The zigzag pattern wax rind proves that the cheese is Manchego and guarantees the exclusive use of milk only from Manchega sheep. (nV+P)

#8: Comte (France)

Made from unpasteurized cow's milk in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France Comté has the highest production of all French AOC cheese and is the most popular cheese in France with over 65, 000 tonnes made annually! (nV+nP)