milk type
Sheep
coagulant
Vegetarian Coagulant
milk treatment
Thermised
location
Riseley, Berkshire
milk source
Bought-in
season
All year
cheesemakers
The Wigmore Family
Show MoreShow Less
While its character is drawn from the Berkshire landscape, Spenwood was inspired by a Pecorino cheese encountered by Anne Wigmore while visiting the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.
background
our work with this cheese
Accompaniments
Brown Bread Crackers
£2.90
Tracklements Fig Relish
£4.20
Serving Suggestions
Shave Spenwood over rocket leaves dressed with olive oil and balsamic for a simple side salad.Recipes
Cacio E Pepe
Use Spenwood in place of the pecorino in this classic pasta dish.
Pea & Tarragon Arancini with Saffron Mayonnaise
Deep fried risotto balls from Giovanna Ryan of Three Girls Cook. Try usng Spenwood in place of the pecorino.FAQs
How much cheese to buy?
How should I store my cheese?
Spenwood
A sheep’s milk cheese with a supple texture and a thin natural rind
While its character is drawn from the Berkshire landscape, Spenwood was inspired by a Pecorino cheese encountered by Anne Wigmore while visiting the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.
milk type
Sheep
coagulant
Vegetarian Coagulant
milk treatment
Thermised
location
Riseley, Berkshire
milk source
Bought-in
season
All year
cheesemakers
The Wigmore Family
background
Spenwood, named after the nearby Spencers Wood, is made in the Berkshire village of Riseley, not far from Reading, but it was inspired by the produce of a very different landscape: that of the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. When its maker, Anne Wigmore, visited Sardinia during a life-changing six-month sabbatical from her job, she fell in love with the wonderful local ewe's milk cheeses, particularly Pecorino Sardo, and decided on her return to devote her efforts to recreating some of their charm, putting into practice the theoretical knowledge she had gained while working as a microbiologist at the National Institute for Research in Dairying. A hard-pressed cheese made from unpasteurised ewe's milk, Spenwood has a supple texture and a well-developed, nutty flavour. The longer it matures, the harder and more piquant it becomes, making it a good substitute for Parmesan or Pecorino in pasta and risotto recipes.
our work with this cheese
The cheese is generally sold at around six months of age, though it can be matured for longer, at which point its paste becomes denser and slightly waxy. Spenwood has a rounder, gentler flavour than our other hard sheep's milk cheeses, which tend to be marked by juicy, fruity acidity.
pairing suggestion
Shave Spenwood over rocket leaves dressed with olive oil and balsamic for a simple side salad.
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