insideKENT Magazine Issue 54 - September 2016 | Page 58

FOOD+DRINK

cheesemakers of canterbury
The Mediterranean has produced sheep’s cheese since Classical
times. For shepherds looking after flocks miles from a village, let
alone town, there was only one way to preserve any milk left over
by thirsty lambs: turn it into cheese.
It was found to be so nutritious it
was included in the official diet of
legionnaires; it is richer than cow’s
milk in fats, solids and minerals. At
4.8% its lactose content, too, is
much higher, and the high calcium
content makes it much better to
cook with. Now, following on from
these age-old traditions,
Cheesemakers of Canterbury have
added three sheep’s milk cheeses
to their shelves.
Ramsey (unpasteurised) is made in
the cheddar style but aged for just
two to three months. Shawn
(unpasteurised) is a semi-hard
cheese, similarly aged. Dargate
Dumpy (pasteurised) is a soft
cheese matured for four to six
weeks. Ideally they should age
longer, but supply is presently only
just keeping up with demand.
Sheep’s cheese may pre-date
cow’s cheese, but the yield is much
lower. Cow’s milk accounts for
about 83% of the world’s milk
production, buffalo 12.9%, goat

2.4%, and sheep a numerically
insignificant 1.3%. The low yield
means it is expensive, more than
four times the cost of cow’s milk.
But it is so rich it produces about
twice as much cheese per litre.

With very few milking
flocks in Britain,
Cheesemakers of
Canterbury had to go
to Stratford on Avon
to find a supplier. And
as demand for sheep’s
cheese increases, the
search for supplies will
only get tougher.

“We were surprised,” owner Jane
Bowyer admitted when they made
their first batch of cheese, “if we
are using 500 litres of cow’s milk
we will need 10-11 of our 4kg size
moulds. With the sheep’s milk the
cheese just kept on coming and
we need another 10 moulds all of
a sudden.”

“If someone in farming
was looking for a
change in direction it
might well be worth
them looking at milking
breeds like Lacaune. I can’t see the appetite for sheep’s milk lessening,
and just look at the price it fetches!”

The flavour is gentle and sweet while
young, gaining power as it ages.
Ramsey has a slight nuttiness
backed by a rich depth. Shaun,
named in honour of Britain’s
favourite sheep, is livelier and
punchier. If you can find an older
wheel it makes a great alternative
to Parmesan on pasta and in
pestos. Dargate Dumpy is full in the
mouth and plumply pleasing. It won
a silver last year at the World
Cheese Awards.

To mark their origin the labels feature the oldest oak on the farm at which
Cheesemakers of Canterbury is based.
Founded in 2007, its cheeses have proved popular with the public, pubs
and restaurants and local shops. It now produces 14 different flavours from
cow, sheep and goat’s milk, plus its own butter.
For more information go to www.cheesemakersofcanterbury.co.uk, or
drop into their counter at The Goods Shed, Station Road West, Canterbury
CT2 8AN for a tasting.

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