BBC Radio 4: Food Programme. "The Forgotten Foods of Christmas"

A brief history of Wensleydale cheese

16th July 2025

Below follows an abridged history of Wensleydale cheese, for full detailed history of Wensleydale cheese you’ll want to get your hands on the limited edition book: “Some notes on Wensleydale Cheese (1000AD – 2024)” Ancient times. Cheesemaking has been in the Dales for 1000s of years, often associated with the establishment of monasteries after William the Conquerors invasion. However there was cheesemaking in the region prior to that, with Roman cheesemaking moulds and evidence found in archaeological digs throughout the Dales (notably at Bainbridge Roman Fort). Monastic Influence. There is no doubt that the monasteries in the Yorkshire Dales framed the landscape we see today, taking control of land management and agricultural techniques – many of the dry stonewalls still in use will have been established by monks. With lay brothers to make cheese, and cheesemaking expertise from visiting French abbots; there is many historical ledger records of cheese sales from the famous abbey of Jervaulx, Fountains and Bolton. Although the cheese was probably quite unlike anything we would taste today. Some cows’ milk was used; but sheep’s milk would dominate (primarily led by the wool trade), until the 17th century – when cow dairying began to take over. With…

How to look after your cheese this Christmas

26th November 2024

In order to make sure your fabulous cheese tastes at its very best on Christmas Day, it’s advisable to do a couple of things: Sometime around the 21st-23rd December, ‘clean’ and re-wrap your cheese To keep it as fresh as possible, give your cheese a quick scrape on all over the cut faces with a clean sharp flat-bladed knife (as shown) to remove any ‘gloss’ or any surface mould, then re-wrap tightly, ideally in fresh greaseproof or wax paper or cling film. Store your cheese in the fridge Keep it wrapped in fresh greaseproof or wax paper or cling film and either leave within the delivery box (closed) in the fridge, or transfer it to a sealable plastic container with a layer of kitchen towel or a ‘jiffy’ cloth at the bottom. Serve your cheese at room temperature Remove it from the fridge a few hours before the big reveal! Your cheese will taste at its best within 10 days form delivery, if you haven’t finished it by then… Find out more fascinating facts about cheese – simply sign up to The Courtyard Dairy monthly newsletter for regular exciting offers and interesting info from the cheese-world. Sign up here.

The Resurgence of Farmhouse Wensleydale (video)

26th May 2024

Watch Andy speaking on the resurgence of farmhouse raw milk Wensleydale cheese: an iconic traditional British cheese that had disappeared into the annals of history. In this short 3-minute video he tells of it’s decline and revival, explaining the three new producers and their differences. Video by Angus Birditt of Our Isles. To buy these Wensleydale’s as a set to compare, click here >. If you want to learn more about Wensleydale Cheese, this fascinating book explores it in depth >

The history of fruitcake paired with cheese

7th March 2017

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 modern fad? Well it’s certainly not a rumour. The Courtyard Dairy sells vast amounts of cheese to people who want to enjoy it with their fruitcake. In fact at Christmas the shop actually sells more cheese to go with the Christmas fruitcake than it sells of Stilton. Customers come in, make their cheese selection, and then say, “Now we need a cheese to go with the Christmas cake…” It’s so popular that the shop even sells a fruitcake specially made to go with cheese! How did this come about? What we do know is that matching fruitcake with cheese is not a recent phenomenon. The eminent Yorkshire Food Historian Peter Brears has traced it back to definitely at least a Victorian tradition and the first written reference we’ve found is from Joseph Lucas’s book 1871 ‘Studies in Nidderdale [Yorkshire]’ “On Christmas Eve one Yule Cake is given to each member of the family, along with a piece of Christmas cheese. As a rule, part of it is left for Christmas morning,…

Creating A Perfect Christmas Cheeseboard

20th November 2016

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, yet now Britain’s resurgent cheese scene means specialist cheese shops are on the increase and their counters sag under the weight amazing cheeses. Award winning cheesemonger Andy Swinscoe of The Courtyard Dairy, who studied cheese-maturing in France before setting up his own business, is happy to give the low-down on what to look out for when choosing the best British cheeses to create a perfect Christmas cheeseboard: “When you look at The Courtyard Dairy’s counter you see 30 unpasteurised farm-made cheeses from the UK. And 25 of them have only existed since 2005! The low-price of milk coupled with the public’s ever growing interest in quality food has meant many small farms have turned back to cheese-making, making a really flavoursome product, and keeping their farm sustainable. And since Christmas is a time of indulgence, it’s a great time to support the small rural farms that are making cheese by hand, and show your friends and family just how good British cheese can be.” “First of all, it’s always good…

A Christmas cheeseboard with a difference

14th November 2014

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, unusual English and Irish cheeses that have all come into prominence in the last two years ….