The Cheese
This stalwart of Welsh cheeses, Caerphilly cheese has been made since the middle of the 19th (first made in about 1831) century and originated in small farms close to the town. It rapidly grew in popularity with the Welsh miners. It was already known that cheese absorbs the toxic substances inhaled in the mines, and cheddar was a popular choice. Caerphilly cheese however became an instant hit, its fresher flavour and softer texture making it more palatable ‘down the pit’.
Early in the 20th Century, with the advent of steam trains, Welsh farmers found that they could export their milk directly rather than making it into cheese. This was more profitable. The gap was filled by cheddar makers across the Bristol Channel in Somerset. They found that Caerphilly cheese had a much shorter maturing time of a week to ten days. There was therefore no lag between the start of the season and cheese production.
During World War II, production of Caerphilly and all other cheeses except cheddar, was restricted to that which was intended for personal consumption. This hit Welsh cheese makers particularly hard and the recovery after the war took several decades.
Caerphilly cheese is a moist, crumbly cheese with a pale-coloured paste. It has a slightly sour but buttery flavour and a sharp, but not overpowering smell. Made from unpasteurised cows’ milk using vegetarian rennet, it is a full fat cheese with a fat content of 48%.
Loading ...