Made by Julie Cheney and Stacey Hedges at Hyde Farm near Herriard, Hampshire

Soft Cows Milk Cheese

Traditional Animal Rennet

Unpasteurised cows milk

Tunworth is a Camembert-style cheese developed by Julie Cheyney and Stacey Hedges in Hampshire. Julie’s husband is an arable farmer, but they buy in cows milk from a friend who has some Ayrshires (a Scottish dairy breed with comparatively low milk production but terrific fat-to-protein ratios for cheesemaking). Since their early cheesemaking days we have worked with them on the recipe experimenting with various starters, different mould cultures on the rind and different types of rennet, different cutting and ladling techniques; all culminating in the Tunworth we have today which has rich, sweet, nutty and milky with a lovely cabbagey flavour. Long lasting, mouth-filling harmonious flavour. We continue to work very closely with Julie and Stacey on improving the flavour of the cheese. Recently they have started holding the cheeses at 22C after moulding for a couple of days before they are taken to the ripening rooms where the mould coats grow. This is a step that is used in Perail recipes and we all feel that this has allowed the flavour to develop more complexity.