Blackwoods Cheese Company

PRODUCER: Blackwoods Cheese Company, London
PRODUCT: Graceburn Cheese
REGION: London and the South East
CATEGORY: From the Dairy (Artisan)

WHAT THEY DO

Co-founder of Blackwoods Cheese Company Dave Holton began his career in cheese with a traineeship at the Yarra Valley Dairy in Australia in 2006, and completed his education in dairies across the world, including Neal’s Yard in London and Mons Affineurs in France. Holton teamed up with Rory Holwerda, Cameron Rowan and Tim Jarvis to form Blackwood’s Cheese Company in June 2013 and soon started bringing traditional cheesemaking to urban London.

Common Work Organic Farm in Kent provides Blackwoods Cheese Company with raw, unpasteurised milk, which the team collect direct from the farm as the cows are being milked. The herd, made up of Friesian x Holsteins with Swedish Red and Montbéliardes bred in, are recognised for the quality of their milk. Swedish Reds’ milk provides a higher butter fat proportion, while Montbéliardes’ contains higher levels of protein, which makes it ideal for cheesemaking. 

Drawing on Dave’s global cheese knowledge, Graceburn is inspired by a Persian feta recipe he picked up in Australia. Described as a marinated soft cow’s cheese, it’s steeped in extra-virgin olive and rapeseed oils infused with garlic, thyme, bay and pepper, lending a continental twist to a very local cheese.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

The London and South East panel were impressed by the provenance of the company’s raw materials and the commitment to making cheese from carefully sourced unpasteurised milk. The judges “really wanted to taste that cheese it looks so appetising!”

VISIT THE WEBSITE: blackwoodscheesecompany.co.uk