Trethowan’s Dairy

PRODUCER: Trethowan’s Dairy, North Somerset
PRODUCT: Gorwydd Caerphilly
REGION: South West, Channel Islands and Isles of Scilly
CATEGORY: From the Dairy (Artisan)

 WHAT THEY DO

Trethowan’s Dairy’s Gorwydd Caerphilly is a product with heritage. Although it was popular in the West Country in the early 20th century, today farmhouse caerphilly is hard to find in the UK. Trethowan’s say they are “committed to keeping a cheesemaking tradition alive.” 

Having produced the cheese for 18 years in Wales, Trethowan’s Dairy relocated in 2014 to a Somerset dairy farm just nine miles from where previous generations of the family perfected the recipe.

The company works in partnership with a dairy farmer who gives them use of the farm’s dairy buildings in exchange for a fair price for his milk. This relationship is beneficial to both parties and ensures superb provenance, as the cheesemakers are “joined to the herd – quite literally, by a pipe from the milking parlour!”

Making caerphilly is a labour-intensive process at Trethowan’s Dairy, with no machinery or shortcuts used. The individual cheesemaker’s skill and attention to detail are paramount to creating a perfect finished product. Seasonal changes to the milk provide a subtle variation to the taste but never compromise consistency. 

Now in its 20th year of cheesemaking, the dairy is “committed to keeping the cheese unpasteurised and true to its origins.”

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID 

The judging panel particularly liked the use of a traditional recipe handed down through the generations, and the use of unpasteurised milk to produce a cheese with outstanding flavour and texture. 

VISIT THE WEBSITE:  gorwydd.co.uk