Frederic Melton
Caerphilly is a hard, crumbly, white cheese that originated in the town of Caerphilly, South Wales, in around 1830. It is made from cow's milk and has a fat content of between 45% and 55%. The cheese has a mild, salty, tangy and buttery flavour and is often described as tasting like buttermilk. It is usually grated or melted and served alone or with wine, bread and/or fruit.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colour | Light-coloured or almost white |
| Texture | Crumbly, moist, supple, creamy, rugged |
| Taste | Mild, salty, tangy, sour, buttery, lemony |
| Fat content | 45% to 55% |
| Type of milk | Cow's milk |
| Pasteurised | Yes or no |
| Organic | Yes or no |
| Shape | Wheel |
| Rind colour | Ivory white |
| Rind texture | Smooth |
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Salty and moist
Caerphilly cheese is a hard, crumbly, and salty cheese that originated in the area around the town of Caerphilly in South Wales. It is made from cow's milk and typically has a fat content of between 45% and 55%. The cheese gets its salty flavour from the salting of the curds, which also gives it its moist texture. This process was essential in giving Caerphilly its characteristic rugged texture and shallow height, making it easy for coal miners to eat with their bare hands. The salt content was also necessary to replenish the lost minerals of these manual workers.
The traditional method of making Caerphilly involves adding rennet to buttermilk, creating curds. These curds are then cut and pressed into a cylindrical mould. The rounds are then soaked in a brine solution for 24 hours to produce a rind, which is then dusted with rice flour to create a white rind. This process results in a moist, crumbly cheese with a salty buttermilk flavour that can be slightly sour or tangy. The cheese is often described as having a "mild, salty, buttermilk flavour" and is said to be halfway between ricotta and cheddar in taste and texture.
The moist texture of Caerphilly cheese is a result of the cheese's high moisture content and the way it is aged. Traditionally, the cheese is left to mature in moist cellars, where the whitish moulds become thicker and more leathery. This process enhances the creaminess and rounded flavour of the cheese. The humidity and temperature of the ageing environment are crucial factors in developing the cheese's texture and flavour.
The salty and moist characteristics of Caerphilly cheese are well-suited to the tastes of those who enjoy a savoury and creamy cheese. It is often served alone or paired with dry white wines, bread, and/or fruit. The cheese can be grated or melted onto dishes, enhancing its salty and moist qualities. The cheese's ability to complement both sweet and savoury flavours makes it a versatile ingredient in various dishes.
While the mass-produced version of Caerphilly cheese has a drier texture, some cheesemakers still produce the cheese in the traditional moist style. These artisan cheesemakers, such as Gorwydd Farm, have received recognition for their efforts in preserving the original characteristics of Caerphilly cheese.
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Crumbly texture
Caerphilly cheese is a hard, white cheese with a crumbly texture. It is made from cow's milk and generally has a fat content of between 45% and 55%. The cheese gets its crumbly texture from the acid production during the cheese-making process. The acid production is initially slow but gradually builds up, and the low temperature used during production causes the acid to dry out the curd, resulting in a crumbly texture.
The recipe for Caerphilly is inspired by other crumbly cheeses such as Cheshire, young Lancashire, and Wensleydale. It is said that the cheese was created to provide food for coal miners, and its crumbly, rugged texture and shallow height made it easy for them to eat with their bare hands. The salt content of the cheese was also important for manual workers, as it helped to replenish lost minerals.
The crumbly texture of Caerphilly cheese is a defining characteristic, and it is often described as having a moist yet supple texture, with a fresh and pleasant taste. The cheese is usually grated or melted onto dishes, and it pairs well with dry white wines, bread, and fruit.
While most mass-produced Caerphilly cheese has a crumbly texture, some variants are kept for up to a year to develop a more rigid texture and a more robust taste. Additionally, some cheesemakers produce Caerphilly in the traditional, pre-war style, which has a greater moisture content and a creamier texture. These artisan cheeses have been successful at the British Cheese Awards.
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Mild taste
Caerphilly cheese is known for its mild, salty, and buttery flavour. It has a tang of lemon and a slightly sour taste. The cheese is described as having a "buttermilk" flavour, with Bee Wilson, a writer for The Daily Telegraph, comparing it to French cheeses and calling it "buttery" in contrast to the "young and flavourless" post-war mass-manufactured type.
The mild taste of Caerphilly can be attributed to its production process and ingredients. It is made from cow's milk, with a fat content ranging from 45% to 55%. The cheese is formed and cut, then lightly pressed into a cylindrical mould. The rounds are then submerged in a brine bath for 24 hours, which contributes to its salty flavour. The cheese is then dried and ripens quickly, usually within two weeks. The rapid acid production and low temperature used during production cause the crumbly texture associated with Caerphilly.
The mild flavour of Caerphilly is also influenced by its colour and texture. It is a light-coloured cheese, ranging from ivory white to almost white in appearance. The texture is moist and crumbly, with a supple and creamy mouthfeel as it matures. The combination of its colour, texture, and flavour gives Caerphilly its distinctive character.
The mild taste of Caerphilly cheese can be enhanced through maturation and pairing. When left to mature in moist cellars, the cheese develops a thicker and more leathery rind, resulting in a rounder and creamier flavour. Serving Caerphilly with dry white wines, bread, or fruit can also bring out its flavour. The cheese is often grated or melted onto dishes, adding a delicate and pleasant taste to various recipes.
While Caerphilly has a generally mild flavour, it can vary depending on the production techniques and ageing process. Some variants are kept for up to a year, resulting in a more robust taste and rigid texture. The cheese's flavour can also differ between mass-produced and artisan versions, with the former being described as "young and flavourless" and the latter praised for its old-style flavour.
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Made with cow's milk
Caerphilly is a hard, white cheese made from cow's milk. It originates from the town of the same name in South Wales, where it was first made around 1830. The cheese is known for its crumbly texture and salty, moist curd. It was created to provide food for local coal miners, with the salty curd helping to replenish lost minerals and its shallow height and rugged texture making it easy to eat with bare hands.
Caerphilly cheese is made from cow's milk, which is slowly heated to 76°F. If using pasteurised milk, calcium chloride is added during this heating process. Once the milk reaches the correct temperature, a culture is added, and the mixture is stirred slowly for several minutes. The temperature is then increased to 86-88°F, and stirring is ceased, holding this temperature for 45-60 minutes. This heating process activates mesophilic cultures, which are favourable for the development of the cheese's texture and flavour.
The final curds should be well-cooked and firm, with a moderate resistance when pressed. At this stage, the curds should still taste slightly sweet. They are then transferred to a cloth-lined colander or draining pan and kept warm. The curds are cut in half and restacked multiple times to achieve the desired moisture level.
Once the cheese is formed, it is lightly pressed into a cylindrical mould and submerged in a brine bath for 24 hours to create a rind. The outside of the cheese is dusted with rice flour, resulting in a white rind. Caerphilly cheese ripens quickly, usually in about two weeks, and has a mild taste with a tang of lemon. The acid production and low temperature used during production contribute to the crumbly texture of the cheese.
The flavour of Caerphilly cheese is described as salty buttermilk, with a slightly sour and tangy taste. It is often served alone or paired with dry white wine, bread, or fruit. The cheese can be grated or melted and is known for its "melty mouthfeel", which is more delicate than sharper cheeses like Cheddar.
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Originated in Wales
Caerphilly cheese is a hard, white cheese that originated in the area around the town of Caerphilly in South Wales. It was first made in Caerphilly in around 1830. The cheese is nicknamed "The Crumblies", and its texture and flavour resemble cheddar, the most popular cheese in the United Kingdom. The recipe for Caerphilly was inspired by other crumbly English cheeses like Cheshire, young Lancashire, and Wensleydale.
The traditional story goes that Caerphilly cheese was created to feed the local coal miners. Its rugged texture and shallow height made it easy for miners to eat with their bare hands, and the salty, moist curd helped to replenish the lost minerals. It has also been suggested that the salt content of the cheese was required by manual workers, and that its wedges would not dry out in the underground conditions.
The cheese is made from unpasteurised cow's milk and matured anywhere from 8 to 14 days. Some variants are often kept for up to a year to develop a more rigid texture and more robust taste. The cheese is created by adding rennet to buttermilk, resulting in curd production. This is then formed and cut, before being pressed lightly into a cylindrical mould. These rounds are then submerged in a bath of brine to cause the production of a rind. Rice flour is used to dust the outside of the cheese, resulting in a white colour for the rind.
In the early 20th century, competition for milk in the local area saw production decline, and Caerphilly production was gradually relocated to England. During the Second World War, production was stopped and replaced with Cheddar in English factories. After the war, those factories began to produce Caerphilly as it was quicker to make and therefore more profitable. The majority of Caerphilly is now produced in Somerset and Wiltshire. However, there was a resurgence in farmhouse-produced Caerphilly during the 1980s in Wales, and some cheesemakers still produce Caerphilly in the pre-war style.
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Frequently asked questions
Caerphilly cheese has a mild, salty, buttermilk flavour with a tang of lemon. It is said to be somewhere between ricotta and cheddar.
Caerphilly is a crumbly, white cheese with a moist yet supple texture. It is usually grated or melted onto dishes.
Caerphilly is traditionally an early-ripening cheese, maturing in as little as 8 to 14 days. However, it can be aged longer to develop a more robust taste and a more rigid texture.
