Scamorza affumicata - Smoked Mozzarella

Scamorza affumicata is sold as smoked Mozzarella. It is made in the same style (pasta filata) where the curds are stretched to create the elastic paste. Scamorza can be shaped as a pear like Provolone and then smoked over Beechwood fire or sometimes straw for 10 to 15 minutes.
the texture is firm, elastic, stringy and dry and the taste is subtule smoky flavour with sweet, light caramel notes.
A great cheese to use in salad, sandwiches, pizzas, etc.

Tomme du Berger - Herve Mons

Tomme du Berger
this is a firm, unpateurized mixed goats and sheeps' milk cheese from Provence. Nutty, strong but not overpowering in taste, Tomme du Berger has a silky and unctuous pate with a rich texture.
It brushed, washed and turn regularly as well as being matured to perfection by Meilleur Ouvrier de France: Herve Mons.

Ailsa Craig - Back in stock!

Ailsa Craig (the cheese) is now back in stock. 170g approx. Pasteurized goat's milk, vegetarian rennet, bloomy rind made in Stewarton, Ayrshire. Named and shaped after the block of granite in the outer Firth of Clyde, it is a great addition to any cheeseboards.

Bosworth leaf

I was going to write about the new season, the start of Spring, the lambs jumping in the meadows..... but it is actually snowing in the Lothians!
I have just cut into a Bosworth leaf and it is amazing! Made by Stella Bennet at Innes cheese, it is a round cheese made with unpasteurised goats milk, then wrapped in a chestnut leaf. The texture is soft and fragile and the taste is creamy and not too strong. Stella has been making goats cheese since 1987 and the dairy is run by her son Joe. it is their technique of production that makes the cheese particularly good, as they use the milk still warm from the milking, keeping the full flavour of the milk.
Available in no less than 200g!

Francis by James McCall

We are now stocking Francis from James's cheese, Dorset. Winner of the best New Cheese Award at the British cheese awards 2012, Francis, named after the late James Aldridge, is a pasteurised cow's milk cheese made by Lyburn cheesemakers in the New Forrest.
The cheese is then washed in a traditional in a traditional French culture and matured for 8-10 weeks in specialised temperature and humidity controlled maturing rooms.
Francis has a wonderful pungeant aroma, its texture is supple with softness under in the rind.
Also in stock: Burwood Bole and Little Colonel, both from James's cheese.
For more info please visit: http://jamesscheese.co.uk/

Scottish cheese update - April 2013

After a long winter, we found ourselves now waiting for the new season to start. I spoke to many cheese makers yesterday and here is the report:

Dunlop dairy is working on a small amount of Ailsa craig and Glazert (both goats) should be available from next week.
Errington cheese Co. will start producing Corra linn pretty soon but none will be available until 3 to 4 months.
Highland fine cheese Co. are still making St Duthac (sheep's milk blue) but will pause production of the Goat's blue until further notice.
Loch Arthur creamery is still waiting for the go-ahead to sell their Farmhouse product and whilst they have started production of Criffel, it will not be available for another 6 weeks.
Everything else is available.
Enjoy!

Tomme de Savoie Fruitiere

Just cut and sampled Tomme de Savoie for a tasting tomorrow. Amazing creamy texture and nutty flavour.
Tomme de Savoie is a raw cows milk cheese from the French Alps (Savoie and Haute-Savoie) from Tarine Cows (Tarentaise and Abondance).
the term fruitiere refers to the provenance of the cheese, in this case from the Cooperative des Thones.