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 select out for the shop some of his special cheese.

You can enjoy watching Andy’s last visit here and find out from the horse’s mouth just how the delicious Kirkham’s Lancashire is made…

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, all at a time when no-one was really making artisan blue cheese in the UK.

Read his story by clicking below.

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 of the outstanding Tunworth cheese.

Read about that day and the background of Tunworth Cheese – click below.

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 experimental Hafod cheeses when they are fully matured.  At 3 months old they were already tasting brilliant – buttery, rich and warm.”

Click below to read about how these cheeses turned out and all the developments since at Holden Farm Dairy…

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 small tenancy farm into champion cheesemakers!

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 milk ready for the production of a very special cheese. 

Here tells the story of our visit to one of the fourteen producers left of the French Mont d’ Or.

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 unpasteurised milk, on the farm, just how it used to be.

Here we tell the interesting story of the cheese that was created from this idea, and The Courtyard Dairy’s most recent visit to Stichelton and Collingthwaite Farm.

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…

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 …

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.

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 not only unique but very special.

A cheese worth looking out for.

Read more by clicking the link below.