October Cheese of the Month: Harrogate Blue
Continuing on our Cheese of the Month series, where we dive into one of our award-winning range, our October offering is the beautifully creamy (and very aptly coloured for autumn) Harrogate Blue.
This deliciously decadent cheese differs from our other blues here at Shepherds Purse, due to its striking colour, but its buttery, full bodied flavours and enticing appearance have made it one of our most popular.
Handmade here on the family farm in North Yorkshire, using fresh milk from local cows, Harrogate Blue has packed a lot into the 12 years since its launch, including winning a Super Gold at the 2017 World Cheese Awards, which saw it voted the 11th best cheese in the world by a panel of experts, and a further 2 Golds at the World Cheese Awards in 2018 and 2019.
"Exceptional cheese, incredible lingering taste in the mouth. So much personality, it is an honour to taste this" Roland Barthelemy - Cheese Expert and World Cheese Awards Top 16 Judge.
Holding a special place in our history, it was the first cheese to be co-created by Katie and Caroline after taking over the running of the business in 2012. But behind every wheel of Harrogate Blue is our team of master cheesemakers using traditional methods and skills to create its signature golden colour and luxuriously creamy texture.
Meticulous attention to detail at every stage, from carefully cutting the curds and salting by hand, to maturing under their watchful eyes for a minimum of 10 weeks to develop its unique blue veining and rind, allows the mellow blue flavours to gently develop.
Each wheel is then wrapped by hand in foil before being moved into another ripening room where it’s matured to perfection for a further eight weeks.
Did you know, we sample each and every batch before its release? To enable us to deliver the perfect cheese to you every time, our team carefully profile its unique character to ensure excellence throughout. Cheeses are then specially selected to be cut into smaller wedges, with each wrapped by hand and checked for quality, before winging their way to your local deli counter!
Get inspired! Comfort food season is well and truly here, and as the days start to shorten and the weather turns a little chillier, hearty dishes full of delicious flavour are the order of the day.
As well as being a perfect addition to your cheeseboard all year round, Harrogate Blue is also a fantastic ingredient in a whole host of deliciously comforting dishes… perfect for staving off the autumn chill!
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