Yorkshire Gouda

Alastair only makes a small amount of this Gouda: full-flavoured, quality milk is collected from the community’s 46 Dairy Shorthorn cows (a traditional Craven breed known for the superb quality of their milk).

Alastair, a local lad who worked at Botton, travelled to Germany to learn his cheese-making trade.  Using the Dairy Shorthorn’s rich, yellow milk Alastair makes a traditional Gouda how he learnt in Germany.  Andy Swinscoe met Alastair by chance on a cheese-making course several years ago, when Alastair was trying to perfect Dale End Cheddar.

When The Courtyard Dairy set up in North Yorkshire, Andy visited Alastair and discovered that his cheese was relatively unknown and only sold locally.  The Courtyard Dairy decided to stock the Dale End Cheddar and age it to 18-months old, by which time it is rich, with a sharp Cheddar bite.  SInce then the additional cheeses made here: this Gouda and the Moorland Tomme, have been added into the fold.

This Gouda is made by a Camphill Community in Botton Village.  Camphill Communities are a social enterprise for people with learning disabilities, mental health problems and other special needs.  The community has over 130 residents, is set in the wild and beautiful North Yorkshire Moors and is fully self-sustainable and biodynamic.  Each of the residents has a job: working on the farms, helping Alastair to make and age his cheese, or in other roles (the local store, wood workshops, making preserves and baking bread).

Read about The Courtyard Dairy’s visit to Botton Creamery to see how the cheese is made and tell this amazing story by clicking here.