Learn About Cheese

Cheese-maker Martin Gott shares his favourite way to cook/eat his St James cheese, “It may be simple, but trust me it’s grand as owt!” Ingredients 2 corn on the cob…

A merging of two classic dishes: Alpine Tartiflette and the Worcestershire* Fidgety Pie.  This is the Kingstone Dairy team’s favourite way to cook their iconic cheeses, bringing together the inspiration…

Michael loves milking cows.  So much so as soon as he hit the teenage years he was pretty much responsible for milking all of the cows on the family farm…

Sunday 12th June will see some of the finest farmhouse cheese-makers in the north come together at The Courtyard Dairy’s famous shop near Settle, to showcase the brilliance of farm…

Many people have been put off for life by tasting a really-ripe goats’ cheese – saying it is ‘like licking a goat’! But contrary to popular opinion, goats’ milk doesn’t…

Each mammal produces slightly different milk. Although the constituents are broadly the same (water, lactose sugar, fat, protein, minerals and nutrients) the exact make up of each milk varies, depending…

Firstly lets debunk three broadly-held myths: Keeping the Billy Goat with your female goats is NOT the reason some goats’ cheeses taste ‘goatier’ than others, Goats are historic to the…

In 2001 Mario arrived from Italy into Leeds/Bradford Airport.  He spoke no English, and had just £200 in his pocket, and the promise of a friend’s floor to sleep on. …

Join Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks and award-winning cheesemonger The Courtyard Dairy as they guide you through Cheddar, why it cooks so well, what to look for in selecting a cheese…

The best-selling dish at the Courtyard Dairy Café, here is Kathy’s tried and tested recipe. Makes four slices Ingredients 50g butter 50g flour 1 teaspoon mustard powder 1 teaspoon cayenne…

This dish became a much-loved favourite at The Courtyard Dairy Café. Serves 2 Ingredients 200g grated Cheddar (for best results use a good strong Cheddar like St Andrew’s) 200ml beer…

Kathy’s recipe from the Courtyard Dairy Café’s excellent cheese scones – if in doubt, add more cheese! Makes approx 12 scones Ingredients 450g self-raising flour, with 1 teaspoon of baking…

“Cheese is an ingredient that has so much to offer in flavour, texture and versatility.” Chef Michel Roux Snr Cheese is an ingredient that can transform and elevate almost any…

How do you match beers with cheese? Does it really work? And is beer as good as, or better than, wine or port with cheese? There are certainly particular styles…

In order to keep staff entertained during the Coronavirus pandemic, The Courtyard Dairy found some old ‘rejected’ cheeses (flavour profile was not good at all!) and challenged the staff to…

Serves 4 Ingredients 1 large onion, sliced 1 clove garlic Leaves from a large sprig thyme 12 new potatoes, cooked and sliced into rounds (5mm) 18 slices chorizo (3mm) 12…

In October 2020 chief cheesemonger Anna went to visit Stonebeck cheese.  Here she recounts her journey and explains what helps make the cheese so special. A few of the Courtyard…

What should I be drinking with my cheese?  It’s the age-old question whenever the cheese board is pulled out… Well, with two Michelin stars, five AA Rosettes and many other…

When you buy farmhouse cheese you are supporting the farmer and his/her family. Shown below are just a few of the families and individuals you have supported and are continuing…

Farmhouse cheese is tasty – raw milk, heritage breeds, traditional grasses, pasture feeding, and slow, ancient cheese-making techniques quite simply make for unbeatable flavour. Continuing support of farm-made cheese is…

Cheese shop The Courtyard Dairy near Settle has teamed up with the charity ‘Send a Cow’ to celebrate ‘Februdairy’. For every new three-month subscription to The Courtyard Dairy’s popular monthly…

After years of buying food that has been processed, neatly wrapped, sealed, and is bright and clean, people have become afraid of mould. But cheese and mould have been best…

After seeing a diagram produced by an American farmstead cheese-maker showing how much of their turnover went back into their community I thought we’d do a similar analysis at The…

Tommy Banks, from The Black Swan at Oldstead, featured this recipe on Saturday Kitchen using home-grown courgette stalks and Summer Field cheese. Serves 2 Ingredients 6 courgette stalks approx. 50cm…

Tom Parker, head-chef and joint owner of Michelin-starred White Swan at Fence, uses Hebden Goat cheese and season-fresh tomatoes in this amazing dish. Serves 5 Ingredients: Consommé 20 ripe tomatoes…

Oli Martin, head-chef of the three AA-rosette Hipping Hall hotel, and 2018 Professional Masterchef finalist, uses Fellstone cheese in this fabulous dish, which, when he presented it as his signature…

Farmer and cheese-makers, Tom and Clare Noblet make Fellstone cheese on their farm near Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria. Andy interviewed them to find out what makes these fantastic cheese-makers tick….

Cheese-maker, Rose Grimond makes Bix, Witheridge and Highmoor on their farm near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. Andy interviewed Rose to find out what makes this fantastic cheese-maker tick. Give a brief…

Salt is very important in cheesemaking, for as well as helping add to the flavour of cheese, it also controls the bacteria that grow inside the cheese, helps with texture…

There are many opinions and different views on what makes a true Single or Double Gloucester and how they vary as cheeses. The height, the weight, the richness, the age…

Michael Wilson, head-chef of The Midland Hotel at Morecambe, uses Old Winchester in fabulous Italian-inspired dish. Try his recipe below. Serves four Ingredients 1kg Desire potatoes Rock salt 225g pasta…

Kevin Tickle, chef-owner of Heft in Cumbria, uses St James in this newly-created spring dish. Try his recipe below. Makes about 8 crumpets, enough for eight people as a starter…

Will Lookwood, head chef of renowned Michelin-starred Roots (part of The Black Swan at Oldstead group) has created a fabulous dish using Jerusalem artichokes and Baron Bigod Brie. You can…

Mark Byron, chef-owner Le Caveau, Skipton, uses one of his favourite cheeses, Sparkenhoe Red Leicester, on his menu to create these fabulous twice-baked soufflés. You can recreate his dish by…

Listed below are all the cheeses normally available from The Courtyard Dairy cheese shop.  Other ‘guest’ cheeses are occasionally available that may not appear online – please phone Andy on…

Mark Byron, chef-owner of Le Caveau, Skipton, gives the secret recipe to his Cheddar, haggis and bacon filled potato-cakes that feature regularly on his menu. Makes four potato cakes, enough…

Keen-eyed readers of the Radio Times for 1-7 December will have seen that ‘master cheesemonger’ Andy Swinscoe of The Courtyard Dairy was called in to assist with the latest episode…

There are thousands of cheese-making books out there. And they all vary. Some are uncomplicated and easy to use, others go into great detail. Over the years at The Courtyard…

The rapid growth of farmhouse and small-scale artisan cheese-making in the UK has seen a matching growth of suppliers of cheese-making equipment, starter cultures, moulds and bacteria, keen to supply…

Nestled on the border between England and Scotland, Doddington Farm is almost as far north in England as you can get. And allegiances up here are mixed; indeed the Maxwell…

Well, if you thought it was salt, you’d be wrong! We do know what causes the crystalline white deposits found within hard cheeses. It isn’t common salt, and in fact…

The farm began 2017 under a substantial cloud of bovine Tuberculosis (bTB). Unfortunately we had a quite terrible test result just before Christmas 2016 and were counting down the days…

What is natural cheese-making? Natural cheese-making essentially involves cheese-makers making their own starter cultures rather than buying-in commercial starter cultures to make cheese.  But it is difficult to do, and…

The term ‘starter culture’ is used to describe bacteria specially grown to ‘start’ the transformation of milk into cheese. A starter culture is used in the making of the vast…

Follow Cais na Tire cheesemaker Barry Cahalan’s recipe for making his favourite dish using his cheese: Serves three Ingredients 220g pasta (penne or tagliatelle), uncooked 170 g pancetta or streaky…

An in-depth video interview with Barry Graham, who was at the forefront of the raw-cheese British cheese-making revival in the 1980’s. Starting with just four Ayrshire cows and a parcel…

Farmhouse British cheese has seen an enormous revival in recent years with brand new Bries, blues and brilliant bloomy goats’ cheeses. But things were not always thus; for many years…

An in-depth video interview with Martin Gott, maker of St James Cheese and one of Britain’s foremost cheese-makers. In this 50-minute podcast, Andy & Kathy of The Courtyard Dairy chat…

Andrew Hattan, of Low Riggs Farm in Nidderdale, who makes Stonebeck Cheese talks to Andy of The Courtyard Dairy.  In this hour-long podcast and video Andrew talks on his experiences…

Graham Kirkham talks about what tradition means to him and for his farm in this 50-minute podcast or video. This interview with Andy & Kathy explores British farmhouse cheese in…

Cheese-maker Fraser Norton of ‘Norton & Yarrow’ a favourite way to cook her Sinodun Hill goats’ cheese: Ingredients 1 Sinodun Hill goats’ cheese cut into 1-2cm chunks Vegetables e.g. red…

Cheese-maker Rachel Yarrow of ‘Norton & Yarrow’ a favourite way to cook her Sinodun Hill goats’ cheese: “I often cook this at home!” Ingredients 1 Sinodun Hill goats’ cheese, cut…

The Courtyard Dairy has been crowned ‘Local Food & Drink Champion’ for The North of England in The Countryside Alliance Rural Oscars. The Countryside Alliance Rural Oscars are an annual…

Gillian and Tim Clough farm a small herd of 10 Anglo Nubian goats in Hebden Bridge (England). Gillian hand-milks the goats every day before using it to make Hebden Goats&#8217…

New cheese-makers on the block, Rachel and Fraser make Sinodun Hill goats’s milk cheese on their farm near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. Andy interviewed them to find out what makes these…

Martin Gott’s cheese-making day doesn’t start until 8.30 am. By that time the milk vat is full. With just 100 litres. Most of the small farms that supply cheese to…

Award-winning chef Martin Frickel uses Cais na Tire in this version of a classic Caesar salad, a perfect accompaniment to a BBQ. Serves four Ingredients 200g purple-sprouting broccoli 60g purple…

“This room is not for me”, stated my four-year-old daughter, Mary, as she entered the final ageing room where Young Buck Blue is matured. You could understand why – the…

Stuck deep within rural Ireland is the small market town of Portumna. It is near here, on a small family-owned farm, that one of the finest goats’ milk cheeses is…

Clipping from The Times national newspaper (November 2017) listing The Courtyard Dairy as one of the UK’s top 15 cheese shops.  Click here to read the full article.

Rebecca Holden of Hodlen’s Farm Dairy favourite choice of cooking her Hafod Cheddar is this adapted Hugh Fearnley-Whittenstall recipe for Welsh Rarebit: Ingredients 50g/2oz flour 50g/2oz butter 250ml/9oz strong beer…

Read how about The Courtyard Dairy’s newest recruit – Louise Pauley went to help make Stichelton cheese earlier this year, and what she loved about the place. “I’ve decided that…

Joe Schneider wanted to make a raw-milk (unpasteurised) Stilton and so set up a small dairy in partnership with the Wellbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire in 2006. Unable to call it…

Hidden amongst the forest and lakes on the border between Northern and Southern Ireland is an idyllic small cottage.  Here lies a truly inspirational cheese-maker; one of the pioneers of…

Take a glance at many supermarket cheese or milk labels and you’ll often see a picture of a happy cow in a field. The reality is very different, however, because…

Clipping from The Yorkshire Post (August 2017) on The Courtyard Dairy.  Click here to read the full article.

A year ago, cheesemonger Sam went out to Botton Village to make Summer Field Alpine cheese. Here’s the story of his visit, learning about Botton Village’s unique way of farming…

Charlie Westhead was one of the pioneers in artisan cheesemaking in the UK. This short video tells the story of his cheesemaking business and his famous cheeses: Ragstone, Dorstone and…

Here are Kathy’s and Andy’s favourite cheese gifts and gift selections for this coming Father’s Day.

Proper West-Country boys, James and Dave make sheep’s milk cheese on their farm near Shepton Mallet in Somerset. Spring is when they are working at their peak: the lambing and…

How to make cheese? The transformation of milk into cheese is one of the brilliant achievements of humankind. It enables us to take a product that spoils fast at ambient…

A brief synopsis of your business and career? I run Mike’s Fancy Cheese and we make a raw-milk blue cheese called Young Buck, here in Newtownards. We have been making…

No doubt a few of you will know already about The Courtyard Dairy’s purchase of the former Yorkshire Dales Falconry Centre on the A65 near Settle.  The plan is for…

Owners of The Courtyard Dairy in Settle have developed a brand-new ‘air freshener’ that gives off a cheesy whiff!  The device is incorporated into a simple 13A plug that can…

Last Wednesday, 22nd March, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales called in to sample the cheeses at The Courtyard Dairy. Andy and Kathy Swinscoe were thrilled that His Royal…

Once a year, cheese-makers and cheesemongers across the globe celebrate the production of raw milk and raw milk cheeses on Raw Milk Appreciation Day. Small scale farmhouse cheese makers that…

Dads are hard to buy for, and with Father’s Day approaching (Sunday 18th June) choosing just how to please them best is difficult.  But there is one thing that most…

This Wednesday, 22nd March, Andy and Kathy Swinscoe, owners of The Courtyard Dairy will be thrilled to welcome his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to their shop.  The Prince…

If you’ve heard that Northerners are apparently keen on a wedge of fruitcake to complement their cheese, you might be asking is it just a rumour, or is it a…

Cheese-maker Maggie Maxwell of ‘Doddington Dairy’ a favourite way to cook her Darling Blue cheese: Ingredients 2 pears, peeled 100g Darling Blue, in small (15mm) cubes 100g walnut halves 3…

With British artisan cheese all but disappearing in post-war Britain, things were indeed dire for farmhouse cheese makers. A few continued to make cheese, encouraged by the remaining great cheesemongers…

An interview with Barry Cahalan; farmer and owner of the fabulous Cais Na Tire cheese! Find out what Barry loves on the food scene, his ethos for his business and…

Despite the decline of farmhouse cheese production as a result of the industrial revolution, by the early 1900s there was still a reasonable amount of cheese being made on the…

The Holden’s farm – Bwlchwernen Fawr – is pretty small by modern UK standards, with a milking herd of just 73 Ayrshire cows. Nick is the only full-time member of…

Yorkshire cheese maker deservedly wins national award Gillian Clough of Hebden Bridge has bagged a prestigious national award for her lovely cheese, Hebden Goat.   The Small Food Awards are designed…

Once upon a time insipid bits of soggy Cheddar and dried out Stilton (that needed to be revived with Port!) were about all that Britain could offer the cheese world…

The Courtyard Dairy featured in pride of place (number 1!) in this weeks Sunday Times Christmas Gift Guide.  Along with many fabulous other Christmas gifts the Christmas cheese selections had…

Brief synopsis of your business & career? I am Jonny Crickmore, dairy farmer and cheese maker of the UKs only raw milk Brie Baron Bigod, from the Waveney valley,Bungay,Suffolk ….

Goat, cow and sheep cheese making was around in Britain during the time of the Celts, who simply let milk go sour (turning acidic exactly as it does today if…

Cheese has been made in Britain for thousands of years. Yet the cheeses we know and have come to adore as classically British (Cheddar, Lancashire and Wensleydale, for example) have…

Throughout November and December some of Britain’s best cheese-makers are visiting The Courtyard Dairy, and they’d love to meet you! They’ll be in the shop 11-4pm tasting out their cheese…

Martin Gott and Nicola Robinson farm a small herd of 110 Lacaune sheep in South Cumbria (England). Since 2006 Martin and Nicola have used their fabulous milk to make St…

Tell us briefly about your business and your career. We have been milking cows here (starting with just 3!) since 1952, on the tenancy farm we obtained. The farm has…

Last month, along with my colleague Sam, I met Andy at the Courtyard Dairy ready to set off for a day of fun-filled excitement making Kirkham’s Lancashire. Even though I…

Brief synopsis of your business & career? Prior to setting up Barwhey’s cheese I lived in London – working for many years as a management consultant and then MD of…

Some pictures and comments from customers who have previously celebrated with Cheese Wedding Cakes from The Courtyard Dairy.

(part 3)

Earlier this year The Courtyard Dairy visited Botton Village Creamery. Botton is part of the Camphill Village Trust (CVT), and was the first and still largest Camphill created. Below is…

An interview with Joe Schneider; creator and cheese-maker of the fabulous Stichelton cheese! Find out what Joe loves on the food scene, his ethos for his business, how he got…

When Andrew and Sally Hattan took over the tenancy of run-down upland farm Low Riggs Middlesmoor, Nidderdale, in 2007, their goal was to create a farm that cared for the…

In early 2015 a young couple named Tom and Clare Noblet visited The Courtyard Dairy at Settle and told Andy Swinscoe and his team of their intention of starting to…

The Courtyard Dairy, has re-enacted an age-old tradition of passing a newborn baby through a wheel of cheese. Andy and his wife Kathy (owner’s of Settle’s award-winning cheesemonger) found out…

A couple of years ago, Andy got a visit from Gillian Clough. Gillian loves goats, specifically Anglo Nubian (big floppy eared) goats. Her passion had taken her to breed (and…

If you go into any good cheese shop, you’ll often hear the cheesemongers talking about the breed of cow that produced the milk from which a cheese was made. Phrases…

Specialist cheesemonger The Courtyard Dairy on the A65 near Settle has beaten off stiff competition from all over the UK to be named ‘Cheesemonger of the Year’ at this year’s…

THE UK’s Department for Dairy (UKDforD) has today released an official white paper stating that the government intends over the next five years to incentivise all UK adults to eat…

Some pictures and comments from customers who have previously celebrated with Cheese Wedding Cakes from The Courtyard Dairy.

(part 2)

A selection of pictures and comments from customers who have previously celebrated with Cheese Wedding Cakes from The Courtyard Dairy

Some pictures, decoration ideas and comments from customers who have previously celebrated with Cheese Wedding Cake Towers from The Courtyard Dairy.

(part 4)

An exclusive cheese tasting and an opportunity to discover the story behind Young Buck – directly from the man who makes it.

How does the blue veining come about – is it mould?  And how does it get in the cheese?

Find out all the answers here from the history of blue cheese…

Have you ever wondered why some cheeses, like Cheshire, Red Leicester and Shropshire Blue, have such a dark red/orangey hue?  And did you wonder “Is it natural?”

An interview with Todd Trethowan; cheese-maker of the fabulous Gorwydd Caerphilly cheese! Find out how Todd got into cheese, what he loves on the food scene, the ethos for his…

Nestled high in the Swiss mountains there remains a a group of small farms make a truly special cheese: Etivaz.  Made to a Gruyere recipe but over burning log wood fires, it is a true step…

This five-minute video tells the story of Etivaz cheese, a truly special cheese still made over open log wood fire high-up in the Swiss Alps.

An interview with Sam Holden; cheese-maker of the fabulous Hafod cheese! Find out what Sam loves on the food scene, the ethos for his business and his recommendations on the…

This month Andy, Kathy and all the team at The Courtyard Dairy were extremely happy to be featured in The Observer Food Monthly Awards: read the article here. Find out more…

Ever wondered why some cheeses really stink?  And what is a ‘washed-rind’ cheese?  Find out here…

An interview with Stacey Hedges; cheese-maker of the fabulous Tunworth and Winslade cheeses! Find out what Stacey loves on the food scene, her ethos for her business and her recommendations…

Brief synopsis of your business & career? We began experimental cheesemaking on the 9th March 2015, and began to sell cheese in August 2015 The cheese dairy itself was built…

Part time Cheese Monger and Affineur trainee Joe Lodge visits Holden farm, makers of Hafod Cheddar, to find out about Sam and Rachel’s quest for the perfect cheese and their dedication…

Part time Cheese Monger and Affineur trainee Joe Lodge visits Holden farm, makers of Hafod Cheddar, to see how their farming practices help to make their cheese special.

An interview with Marion Roeleveld; farmer and cheese-maker of the fabulous Killeen cheese! Find out what Marion loves on the food scene, her ethos for her business and her recommendations…

An interview with John Rudden, owner and chef of the award winning Grassington House Hotel. Find out what he loves on the food scene, his ethos for food and his…

Last month Andy and Kathy went to visit Frederic and Irene Chabloz, one of the few producers of Etivaz cheese.  Perched 1550m high on the side of a mountain, they…

What is the difference between cheeses made with raw and pasteurised milk?  Does it make a difference to flavour? Are there any health concerns?

Click below to a balanced article on…

An interview with Sarah Hampton; farmer and cheese-maker of the fabulous Capra Nouveau cheese! Find out what Sarah loves on the food scene, her ethos for her business and her…

The Courtyard Dairy is featured in The Daily Telegraph’s  ‘Most Amazing Cheese Shops in the World’.

Earlier this year, the BBC’s Lucy Siegle visited The Courtyard Dairy in Settle to get advice on making cheese.

Watch the clip by clicking below.

This five-minute video tells the story of Anster Cheese, and the background to Falside farm where Jane Stewart makes Anster and St Andrews Cheddar

I once had an esteemed food critic come into the shop and say “well, Brie and Camembert – they’re the same thing anyway”.  Not wanting to contradict and upset him…

This is the month to talk about French cheese – what better time to celebrate French cheese than Bastille Day on Tuesday 14th July.  So this July give a little…

Find out what got Val into food, his secret foodie ‘gems’ and what he loves about the British food scene in this interview with Valentine Warner; cook, TV presenter and…

Below lists all the organic cheese producers in the UK, from farmhouse to large scale; those cheeses that are made with UNPATEURISED (RAW) organic milk are further highlighted.

After several months of hand-wringing at The Courtyard Dairy along with cheese-maker Haydn Roberts has finally chosen the name for their recently-developed goats’-milk ‘cheese with no name’.  A competition to…

An interview with Jenny Linford; food and cookery book writer – including author of the fabulous Great British Cheese Book.  Find out what got Jenny into food, her secret foodie…

Clipping from Delicious Magazine (June 2015) on top Father’s Day gift ideas.

Clipping from FT Magazine (May 2015) on the five best British cheesemongers.

Andy visits St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese; the last remaining producer of farm cheese is Fife, find out what makes their cheese (Anster) taste so special and how they got into making…

This five-minute video tells the story of Hafod cheese, from the very beginning of the Sam and Rachel Holden’s journey into cheese making to how the cheese is made now.

An interview with Martin Gott; farmer and cheese-maker of the fabulous St James cheese! Find out what Martin loves on the food scene, his ethos for his business and his…

The world’s most popular cheese, Cheddar still accounts for over half of all British cheese sales (52%), but what exactly is Cheddar?  

Made in Somerset?  

Aged for over a year? 

Find…

An interview with Chris Wildman; butcher, farmer, retailer and all round Yorkshire food hero! Find out what Chris loves on the food scene, his ethos for his business and his…

An interview with Claire and Anthony Kitching, owner and creators of the inspirational Leeds bar: Friends of Ham. Find out what they love on the food scene, their ethos for…

The Countryman’s May 2015 edition had a special feature on The Courtyard Dairy and Andy’s passion for farmhouse cheese. Read the article here: page 1, page.      

We all know that dads love cheese (and beer!), so Andy Swinscoe from The Courtyard Dairy, has come up with some top gift ideas for this Father’s Day, gifts your dad…

Another May passes and The British Cheese Awards have yet again graced their medals and awards to the best cheese makers (and mongers) in the country.

Juliet Harbutt started The British…

Ever wondered what makes a Caerphilly, Cheshire and Cheddar different? 

Click below to see what characteristics a cheese grader would expect Britain’s key territorial’s to exhibit: examining their body and texture, flavour and…

The traditional British Cheese types are often called the ‘territorials’; as they take name from the counties or areas where they come from, but what is the difference?  Find out…

Cheese-maker Selina Errington of Errington’s Cheese has a favourite way to cook her creation that is Lanark Blue – a brilliant canapé for drinks before a meal!

Over the last few months local North Yorkshire business The Courtyard Dairy and Blue Pig Company have teamed up to develop a brand new cheese: one made from pigs milk!

Cheese-maker Julie Cheyney of White Wood Cheese has a favourite way to cook her St Jude Cheese: “This recipe is It’s incredibly simple and it’s gorgeous…”

Read more by clicking the…

‘Farmhouse’, ‘traditional’ and ‘artisan’ are not protected terms so essentially mean nothing! This blurs the boundaries as far as the consumer is concerned – so what is an artisan, traditional…

The backbone of any cheese-shop in the UK is a great Cheddar cheese.  Keen’s Cheddar, made in Somerset by the same family since 1899, is one of the best. 

Read the…

Bungay is a long way from North Yorkshire.  But in the pursuit of good cheese, The Courtyard Dairy’s cheesemongers will travel to the ends of the earth so it was…

Yes, it’s that time of year again… and don’t forget that mums love cheese!

Here are ten amazing cheese gifts just right for mums that love cheese:

Cheese-maker Selina Errington of Errington’s Cheese has a favourite way to cook her creation that is Corra Linn – turn it into an amazing pesto!

Learn more about Bleu de Termignon from this documented visit to one of the last three producers.  Making by hand on a small chalet at 2000m high in the Alps…

Cheese-makers Charlie and Grainne Westhead of Neal’s yard Creamery have shared their brilliant way to cook their Dorstone cheese.

Click below to read more.

This five-minute video tells the story of Sparkenhoe red Leicester, and the whole story of David and Jo Clarkes journey from dairy farmers to award winning cheesemakers.

This five-minute video tells the story of Baron Bigod cheese, from the very beginning of the Crickmore’s journey into cheese making to how the cheese is made now.

Win a three-month subscription to The Courtyard Dairy Monthly Cheese Club by simply thinking of a name for a brand-new goats’ cheese

For this year’s St Valentine’s Day you could keep up this tradition and give the cheese-lover in your life a delightful heart-shaped cheese (or maybe a whole cheese gift box!)….

Advice for shop owners on how to mature, look after and age cheese; most cheese shops across the land will state that they ‘mature’ or ‘age’ cheese.  But what does…

Every month cheese lovers all over the UK receive a box of cheese delights delivered to their door from The Courtyard Dairy.  But how does The Courtyard Dairy decide which…

Cheese isn’t just for Christmas!  And with Burns Night on its way shortly after, what better time is there to celebrate all things Scottish by rounding off your Burns Night…

James Martin’s Saturday Kitchen recipe for cheese soufflé using the brilliant Old Winchester Cheese

Every month cheese selections are delivered to lucky cheese lovers throughout the UK as part of the monthly cheese club.  If you are thinking of subscribing, or giving it as…

Baked Vacherin Mont d’Or is an absolute delight.  Soft, rich and unctuous, it makes a perfect meal for two or starter for 4+.  Try the following recipe throughout the season…

A list of the common and well known cheese jokes frequently heard in the shop … from cheeses to tempt a bear out of the woods (Camembert) to cheeses you…

Clipping from Olive Magazine (December 2014) buyers guide for a Christmas cheeseboard.

Clipping from The Independent Newspaper (December 2014) on the 10 Best Cheeseboards for Christmas (including The Courtyard Dairy’s Christmas Cheeseboard!)

Two clippings from BBC Good Food Magazine (December 2014) – Andy’s tips on how to look after your cheese this Christmas, and a brilliant British gift for foodies: The…

This week has seen the delivery of a new, long-awaited product: Camembert Bakers. 

This recipe is a brilliant way to enjoy Camembert – bubbling and oozing – and, combined with crusty bread, makes the perfect starter for four, or main course for two….

For those that want to make a unusual and different cheeseboard this Christmas, or are looking for a gift for cheese-lovers that is a bit different, here are some brilliant…

Cheese-maker Graham Kirkham of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese has a favourite way to cook his creation that is creamy Lancashire – they way his mother (Ruth – the ‘Mrs Kirkham’)…

Recreate that classic Alpine experience thanks to this intuitively designed raclette grill from Swiss manufacturer Stöckli.

For those that want to be the envy of their friends by offering the best cheeseboard this Christmas, here are some Christmas cheeseboard ideas to help them choose a cheese…

Cheese-maker Jonathan Crickmore of Fen Farm has a favourite way to cook his Baron Bigod Brie.   Read more by clicking the link below.

Read about the different Lancashire cheeses: crumbly, creamy and tasty.  Find out more about how they came about and what makes them taste so different!

The owner of Lyburn Farm, Mike Smales, has a favourite, and very simple, way to enjoy his Old Winchester cheese at a certain time of the year…   Read more by clicking…

With World Smile Day (3rd October) fast approaching, we have decided to run a competition to find some new ‘cheesy’ jokes.  Come up with your best pun and enter to…

Dorstone goats cheese is a regular favourite of cheesemongers across the UK.  But what makes Dorstone so special – find out it’s story, history and how Charlie Westhead’s excellent cheesemaking…

Last month Andy took all the staff out to visit The Courtyard Dairy’s favourite cheesemaker: Botton Village Creamery.  Their cheeses are great, and their story is extra special, here is…

Last month cheesemonger Deb went off to visit The Courtyard Dairy’s favourite cheesemaker: Botton Village Creamery.  Their cheeses are great, and their story is extra special – read about Deb’s…

Buying cheese online in the UK can be a daunting task – just how can you be sure who you are buying from and the quality of their cheese? 

Whether it is for Father’s Day or for a birthday, here are The Courtyard Dairy’s top 10 best-selling cheese gifts for men:

A justifiably famous French and Swiss Cheese, Vacherin Mont d’ Or.  But how did it come about?  And why is it still seasonal….

It’s about this time of the year in the shop that Kathy starts singing ‘Vacherin is coming, Vacherin is coming….’  

Mont d’ Or will soon be here so celebrate…

Last month we sent Pamela Curran, cheesemonger in training, to see how Sparkenhoe red Leciester Cheese is made.  The Clarke’s are the only-remaining makers of unpasteurised farmhouse red Leicester cheese…

Being a Yorkshire cheesemonger and with Yorkshire Day fast approaching (1st August) I thought now is an especially appropriate time to champion Yorkshire cheese!

Click below to read a brief history…

A perfect cheese, potato and onion pie as made by Paul Hollywood on his Pies & Puds series (BBC 1).  Featuring Dale End Cheddar made by Botton Creamery the rich…

The morning of Thursday 17th April had finally arrived.  My colleague, Pam, and I, were being taken on an amazing educational “day out” by Andy and Kathy, owners of award-winning…

I frequently get contacted by budding keen cheese-makers, including owners of small farms that want to find a way to use their milk, looking to make cheese on a commercial…

Cheese-maker Ben Harris of Ticklemore Cheese has a favourite way to cook his Beenleigh Blue cheese: “This recipe is one way I love to eat Beenleigh blue, although my favourite…

Every couple of months Andy, Kathy and occasionally some of The Courtyard Dairy staff like to pop over to visit good old Graham Kirkham (of Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese fame) and…

Earlier this year, the BBC’s Matt Baker visited The Courtyard Dairy in Settle to seek out some great cheese.

Watch the clip by clicking below.

A story to tell the tale of Robin Congdon, the master of the blues.  The latter is rightly credited as the creator of Beenleigh Blue, Harbourne Blue and Devon Blue…

Cheese lovers everywhere purchase their cheese online from The Courtyard Dairy.  Quite often, the cheese they purchase is not for them, but is intended as a gift, maybe for a…

For their June 2014 edition, Homes & Gardens went behind the scenes at The Courtyard Dairy to ask probing questions about, amongst other things, how The Courtyard Dairy came into…

Women & Home’s May/June 2014 edition of ‘Feel Good Food’ had a special feature on their VIP Producers and Favourite Online and Mail Order Suppliers.

The Courtyard Dairy was fortunate to…

Cheese-maker Michael Thompson of Mike’s Fancy Cheese says this is his favourite way to cook his Young Buck Blue cheese: “It’s become my staple pasta dish – try it with…

Why does The Courtyard Dairy stock Richard 3rd Wensleydale, instead of the very good Wensleydale cheese made at Hawes Creamery?

Find out by clicking below….

If you want to learn how to make your own cheese, the best place to start may be a cheese-making course, of which there are many throughout the UK.

View a…

The FDA in American is banning some cheeses due to cheese mites.

An explanation into the various methods of classifying cheese types by their texture and flavour.

An explanation of the methods of classifying cheese by how it is made.

Every year, brilliant, new, unusual and exciting cheeses are developed in the UK.  Last year, for example, saw the introduction of Little Anne, Baron Bigod and Cais Na Tire.

Here are…

With Mother’s Day fast approaching now is the time to choose that cheese gift for your Mum!  

If your Mum is a cheese lover, or you are just tired of…

Hot on the heels of winning last year’s World Cheese Awards ‘Cheesemonger of The Year’, The Courtyard Dairy has enjoyed even more success: they were short-listed from over five thousand…

When I told Kathy we were going on holiday for a week, she seemed excited.  And I hadn’t even told her she’d be spending a day with Hampshire Cheeses, makers…

Cheese-maker Jane Stewart of St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese has a favourite way to cook Anster cheese: “Personally, I like to use Anster in a risotto. At this time of year…

We appreciate that not everyone lives in North Yorkshire to buy cheese from The Courtyard Dairy and click here to view  some of Andy and Kathy’s favourite cheese shops and…

I’m often asked if the natural blue vein that finds its way into non-blue cheese is edible.  The answer is: by and large, yes.

But what is it and how…

Two years ago I visited Holden Farm Dairy and reported some very exciting things that Sam and Rachel Holden were experimenting with:  “I can’t wait to try some of his…

The Courtyard Dairy pays tremendous attention to ensure the highest quality of cheese is sold in the cheese shop or sent out for delivery direct to the customer, so that…

If you have cheese lover as a friend or relative, then a cheese gift may just be the perfect present for them, whether it’s for their birthday, a special treat…

Cheese-maker Michael and Mary Davenport have a favourite way to cook Cote Hill Blue cheese, with the odds and ends they have left.

Read more by clicking the link below.

This recipe…

A clipping from The Saturday Telegraph promoting The Courtyard Dairy in it’s top places to visit.

Scotland had lost all its farmhouse cheeses. They’d all gone to the great farmhouse cheese heaven.

In 1972, the Scottish Farmhouse Cheese-makers Trophy was discontinued, but a recent resurgence has…

Michael and Mary Davenport had a decision to make: give up farming or find some way of adding value to their milk.

Here is the story of how they transformed a…

If you’d like to add height to your cheese wedding cake why not add separators between each layer.

See more about how these separators work by clicking below.

Clipping from Best Brands Magazine (Jan 2014) on The Courtyard Dairy.

Cheese-maker David Clarke of Leicestershire Handmade Cheese has a favourite way to cook his creation that is Battlefield Blue.

Cheese-maker Michael and Mary Davenport have found an ingenious way to cook Cote Hill Blue cheese, fried with mushrooms and onions.

Read more by clicking the link below.

This recipe is one…

It’s not all about cheese!  Sometimes Kathy and I have to eat other things too.

Click below to read more are some of the favourite places we have found to buy…

Clipping from The Times Newspaper (Dec 2013) on The Courtyard Dairy.

In the shadow of the real Mont d’Or (gold mountain) lays a small dairy.  At 6.00 am in the morning its three big long vats are being gently filled with…

The Courtyard Dairy, the specialist cheese shop on the A65 near Settle, North Yorkshire, has followed up its success in winning ‘Best New Cheese Retailer’ at The British Cheese Awards…

The English have a trump card – Stilton.  An elderly English cheesemonger once visiting me in France once said: “The French still can’t do the blue ones, eh?”  To be…

On a trip to London, a guy named Joe Schneider got talking about cheese.  Over a pint of bitter, an idea was mentioned and developed.  A raw-milk Stilton.  Made with…

Clipping from The Yorkshire Post (December 2013) on The Courtyard Dairy.

Christmas and cheese go hand in hand, and there simply isn’t a better way to finish off the Christmas meal than with a glass of Port and a chunk of…

Botton Village (and creamery) on the North Yorkshire Moors finally gets some recognition it deserves for the mighty fine Yorkshire cheeses it makes.

With interest reviving in food in the last twenty years, two particular industries in the UK have flourished: artisan cheese and craft beer.  And what better way to enjoy these…

Finn was created in Sevenoaks as Britain’s first cream-enriched cheese (often called double or triple cream cheese) and is named after Charlie Westhead’s dog at the time (Finn is Irish…

Late last year I went off into the deepest darkest depths of Herefordshire to find one of Britain’s most-outstanding and pioneering cheese makers: Neal’s Yard Creamery.

Read about that visit here…

A soft and delectable tart made from Dale End Cheddar and leeks. 

Click below to read the recipe…

September 29th 1998.  10 days before the British Cheese Awards results are released.  Will Montgomery’s Cheddar win ‘Best Cheddar’ and ‘Best Traditional British Cheese’ for the third year on the…

All about the amazing Dale End Cheddar made on the North Yorkshire Moors by Botton Creamery.

Alastair only makes a small amount of cheese: he farms only 46 Dairy Shorthorn cows…

Clipping from Yorkshire Life (October 2013) on the The Courtyard Dairy.

Cheese-maker Sam Holden of Holden Dairy has a favourite way to cook Hafod cheese is the Hafod Homity Pie below “… or of course you could do a Hafod Welsh…

Recreate this classic Alpine dish in your own home!  Perfect for those cold wintry nights.

Clipping from House & Garden (September 2013) on The Courtyard Dairy.

Details and an introduction into five of the best newly invented British Artisan cheeses from this year.  Including Baron Bigod, Cais Na Tire, Little Anne…

I’ve visited a lot of cheesemakers.  Very rarely have I been back twice.

But some producers are awe-inspiring. Tarentais cheese is one of these.

Cheese-maker David Clarke of Leicestershire Handmade Cheese has a favourite way to cook his creation that is Sparkenhoe red Leicester.  Read more by clicking the link below.

Cheese mites. An age-old enemy. They revel in life’s lactic joys , burrowing they way deep into the rind. Slowly but surely eating their way through dry, aged cheese, turning…

Andy goes off to visit a very special farmer making Salers de Buron Traditional Cheese.  Making by hand on a small farm in the Auvergne mountains their method of cheesemaking is…

Rennet is one of the most important tools in making any cheese.  But how does it work and what does it do?

Read more by clicking the link below.

Clipping from Yorkshire Life (June 2013) on the best Yorkshire Cheeses (including Dale End Cheddar from The Courtyard Dairy).

Clipping from The Yorkshire Post (June 2013) on The Courtyard Dairy.

James Aldridge became a leading figure in the revival of specialist farmhouse cheese. It is thanks to these visionaries like him that unpasteurised farmhouse cheese was kept alive. They kick-started…

For those of you wanting to buy a cheese wedding cake to help you celebrate your special day, you’ll want to choose cheeses that are important to you and are…

One cheese-making course and 11 years of hard work have enabled Mike and Judy Smales (of Lyburn Farmhouse) to create one the finest modern British Cheeses around: Old Winchester.

Read more…

Cheese-maker David Clarke of Leicestershire Handmade Cheese has a favourite way to cook his creation that is Sparkenhoe red Leicester and use up leftover mash.

Contrary to popular belief, heart-shaped cheeses are not a recent invention for the Valentine’s Day bandwagon, but originated over 500 years ago. 

To read the story of heart-shaped cheeses, click below….

Part four –  the first few weeks..

Part four of the four-part series on how The Courtyard Dairy was created.  Click below to read more….

Part three – chilling it down.

Part three of the four-part series on how The Courtyard Dairy was created. Click below to read more….

Part two – getting it open.

Part two of the four-part series on how The Courtyard Dairy was created.  Click below to read more….

Part One – choosing the right place for a cheese shop.

Part one of the four-part series on how The Courtyard Dairy was created.  Click below to read more….

Clipping from The Fine Food Digest (Jan 2013) on the creation of The Courtyard Dairy.

The story of Humprhey Errington and how Lanark Blue came to be, and their trials and tribulations along the way!

During a bleak time for Scottish cheese making, Humphrey Errington decided…

Close to the edge of Leicestershire (barely a mile inside) is Sparkenhoe Farm, near Hinckley. Hinckley, with its clay loam underfoot, is the traditional red-Leicester area. And it was here…

Rennet is essential in cheesemaking, but with more and more vegetarian cheeses on the market how does vegetarian rennet fit in?  And how is it different from ‘traditional rennet’?  Does it affect the flavour?…

Getting my hands-upon a frayed ancient cheesemaking book by Dora Saker was the start of my investigations into ancient cheesemaking techniques…

Bwlchwernen Fawr. Hard enough to pronounce, let alone find, especially with enterprising Welsh locals turning round the road signs to keep us confused. It’s no wonder they say no one…

Andy visits Appleby’s of Hawkstone; the last remaining producer of unpasteurised traditional cloth bound Cheshire, find out what makes their cheese special and how they got into making this mighty-fine cheese.

Every Spring Bank Holiday the most important event in any cheese-enthusiasts calendar takes place…. Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling. When mad men (and women) chase after a 9lb cheese chucked down the…

I drove up into the mountains of Beaujolais, and as the sun rose, my enthusiasm for seeing this cheese grew. I was visiting Isabelle and Jacques. Daily, for almost all…

Andy goes in search of France’s best Reblochon with a visit to the Savoie to visit and make cheese with some of the best cheesemakers in France.  Find out who…

I’ve been thinking about moulds. At Mons there is an excellent balance, which has built up over many years. But they still need encouraging and pointing in the right direction…

An apprenticeship in cheese ageing …. Andy’s latest update from Mons Fromages, with more information on what Andy is learning about the importance of spruce boards and beautiful bacteria  like…

The story of Yves,  a rustic French goat herder who makes goats’ cheese from his small herd on the side of a hill in France.

After a successful first month working with the affinage experts at Mons I thought I’d better explain the layout of Mons and each of the caves here, and what they…

Read part one of my journey into the world of cheese ageing at Mons Fromager & Affineur.

From arriving for my apprenticeship, pidgin French and making a fool of myself….

Updated Sept 2021. If you want to use a Courtyard Dairy voucher that you have received, simply add the product(s) you want to purchase to your shopping basket (cart) then…