1. Cheddar

1 in 3 who voted for their favourite cheese opted for Cheddar which is one of Britain’s oldest cheeses and is bought by around 90% of all households.  Whether it is mild, medium, mature, vintage, smoked or West Country Farmhouse, the majority of respondents felt that Cheddar worked for them due to its versatility. Cheddar is the most purchased and consumed cheese in the world, with all modern variations originating from a recipe developed around the Cheddar Gorge in Somerset hundreds of years ago.

2. Blue Cheese, including Stilton

Blue cheese, and in particular Blue Stilton, proved to be the second most popular cheese (17%). Rightly known as the ‘King of English Cheese’, Stilton is an acquired taste - you either love it or you hate it – you can’t be ambivalent about it! It is smooth and creamy with a complex, slightly acidic flavour.

3. Cheshire

Cheshire is one of the oldest cheeses around - it’s roots can be traced back to the Roman occupation of Chester and it even gets a mention in the Domesday book. Its unique flavour derives from salt deposits in nearby pasturelands. It has a slightly crumbly and silky texture and a wonderfully full-bodied, fresh flavour.

4. Wensleydale

A cheese with history, the recipe for Wensleydale can be traced back to the Cistercian monks who came over to England with William the Conqueror in the 11th century. Wensleydale is a moist, crumbly and flaky textured cheese with a mild and slightly sweet flavour.

5. Red Leicester

Traditionally made in a large cartwheel shape, Red Leicester is a rich, russet coloured cheese whose flaky and slightly open texture plays host to a distinctive mellow flavour.

6. Lancashire

A creamy open textured cheese with a mild flavour, it’s creamy white in colour. Farmhouse Creamy Lancashire is wonderful for breakfasts, lunches, sandwiches and snacks. A superb cheese for children with a  mild, creamy flavour. A great introduction to cheese for youngsters.

7. Brie

Considered to be the ‘Queen of Cheeses’, Brie is known for its smooth, yet tangy taste and its lovely aroma. It ripens quite quickly and must be eaten quite soon to benefit from the full flavour.

8. Double Gloucester

Double Gloucester was traditionally made as a large wheel with a thick rind to withstand annual cheese rolling ceremonies - when cheeses were rolled down the hills in Gloucestershire to protect the grazing rights. It has a smooth, buttery texture with a clean, creamy, mellow flavour.

9. Cornish Yarg

Cornish Yarg is a semi-hard cheese that is deliciously creamy under the rind and slightly crumbly in the core. It has a young, fresh, slightly tangy taste and is made by hand in open round vats. After pressing and brining the cheese is wrapped in nettle leaves. These are picked from the hedgerows and neighbouring farms and are then frozen for use throughout the year. The leaves are carefully brushed onto the cheese in a prescribed pattern and they attract wonderful natural moulds of white, green, grey and blue. These moulds help the cheese to ripen and as it matures these edible nettles impart a delicate, slightly mushroom taste. The end effect is a beautiful lacy pattern of leaves in blue and green. The cheese looks quite different from any other on the counter and tells its own story of dedication and commitment to a product that is quite different and totally special. It finds an unusual but rewarding companion in Boddingtons.

10. Goats Cheese

Although cow’s milk and goat’s milk have similar overall fat contents, the higher proportion of medium-chain fatty acids such as caproic, caprylic and capric acid in goat’s milk contributes to the characteristic tart flavour of goat’s milk cheese. Pantysgawn is an example of a Welsh goat’s milk cheese, and Gevrik is a Cornish goat’s milk cheese (literally meaning ‘little goat’).

Cheese experts across the country and the world are constantly voting and presenting awards to their favourite cheeses but to date there has been a distinct lack of opportunities for the nation to decide and choose their favourite cheese, in response, The BCB launched ‘The People’s Cheese’ award in August.

Nigel White, Secretary of the British Cheese Board says:  “The People’s Cheese campaign has been a fantastic opportunity for the general public to have their say and recognise the outstanding range and quality of cheese being produced in our country.  I am not surprised that Cheddar has come out on top due to its versatility and heritage.  These findings reflect the fact that provenance is becoming increasingly important to consumers.”

Philip Crawford, Chairman of the West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers commented: “We are delighted to see Cheddar voted number one. It’s also encouraging to see Great British territorial cheeses take pride of place in the hearts of UK cheese lovers. Of course, the future of our nation’s cheesemakers depends on the continued support of British consumers and their appreciation of the importance of provenance - Cheddar is made all over the world but nothing beats the flavour of the real thing, made by hand on West Country farms with West Country milk.”

For recipe ideas and more background on British Cheese visit www.britishcheese.com

Sources

British Cheese Board
Goat’s milk cheese - Wikipedia
Lancashire cheese - Wikipedia

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