Kamil Perry
Wensleydale is a sweet, creamy, and crumbly British cheese that is often made with fruit. It was first made by French Cistercian monks who settled in the Yorkshire Dales around 1150 AD. The monks used sheep's milk and mold to create Wensleydale, which was originally a blue cheese. Over time, the recipe was passed down to farmers' wives and cow's milk began to be used instead, resulting in a harder cheese with a white colour. Today, Wensleydale cheese is produced in various creameries across the United Kingdom and is known for its rich flavour and unique texture.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England |
| Texture | Creamy, crumbly, hard |
| Flavour | Rich, sweet, fatty, buttery, complex, rounded, earthy, citrusy, lemony |
| Colour | Golden brown (rind) |
| Type of milk used | Cow's milk, sheep's milk |
| Pairing | Savoury foods, fruit cake, Christmas cake |
| Variants | Extra mature, smoked, flavoured with pesto, cranberries, apricot, ginger, onion & chives |
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What You'll Learn
Wensleydale is a creamy, crumbly, hard cheese
Yorkshire Wensleydale is a hard cheese created at the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes, Yorkshire, using a traditional recipe and locally sourced cow's milk from nearby farms. The cheese is handcrafted by skilled cheese-makers and has a creamy, crumbly texture and a rich, full flavour. The cheese is aged and matured for around 16 weeks on open shelves in an atmospherically controlled cheese store, under the watchful eye of a specialist Cheese Grader. During this time, the cheese develops a natural rind and a complex, rounded flavour and texture, with earthy notes and a hint of citrus.
The origins of Wensleydale cheese can be traced back to the 12th century when French Cistercian monks from the Roquefort region settled in Wensleydale. The monks brought with them a recipe for making cheese from sheep's milk, which would have naturally "blued" due to the conditions under which it was made and stored. Over time, the recipe evolved, and by the 14th century, cow's milk began to be used instead of sheep's milk. The cheese became harder, and the white variety, absent of mould, became more common.
Wensleydale is often made with fruit and is known for its sweet and creamy characteristics, making it a great pairing with savoury foods. It is also available in flavoured varieties, such as pesto, cranberries, apricot, ginger, and onion & chives. The cheese has gained popularity through its mentions in the animated programme "Wallace and Gromit", where it was featured as the main characters' favourite type of cheese.
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It's a British classic, made in Yorkshire, England
Wensleydale is a British classic, made in Yorkshire, England, and named after its place of origin, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire. It is a creamy, crumbly hard cheese with a rich flavour, handcrafted by skilled cheese-makers using locally sourced cow's milk. The cheese is aged and matured for around 16 weeks, during which a natural rind forms on the outer surface, and the buttery, creamy, complex, rounded flavour and texture develop, with earthy notes and a lemony aftertaste.
The cheese was first made by French Cistercian monks from the Roquefort region, who settled in Wensleydale in the 12th century and brought with them a recipe for making cheese from sheep's milk. During the 14th century, cow's milk began to be used, and the character of the cheese changed. When the monastery was dissolved in 1540, the local farmers continued making the cheese, and by the mid-1800s, it was being produced with cow's milk, no longer brine-washed, and sold when still white and absent of mould.
In 1897, Edward Chapman founded the Wensleydale Creamery and started making this new style of Wensleydale cheese at scale. The creamery faced closure in the 1930s but was saved by Yorkshire businessman Kit Calvert MBE. During World War II, most milk in the country was used to make "Government Cheddar" as part of war rationing, and no commercial Wensleydale was made from 1939 to 1954. In the 1990s, Wensleydale cheese experienced a boost in sales due to its mention in the popular animated programme "Wallace and Gromit" as the favourite cheese of the main characters.
Today, Wensleydale is predominantly produced in numerous creameries across the United Kingdom, with the designation "Yorkshire Wensleydale" reserved for cheese made in Wensleydale. It is a classic British territorial cheese, suitable for vegetarians, and received a gold medal at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards in 2023. The cheese is often eaten with fruit cake or Christmas cake in Yorkshire and North East England, and can be purchased flavoured with pesto, cranberries, apricot, ginger, and onion & chives.
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The cheese was first made by French Cistercian monks
During this time, Wensleydale cheese was almost always blue, with the white variety being almost unknown. However, today, the opposite is true, and blue Wensleydale is rarely seen. The local farmers continued to make the cheese after the monastery was dissolved in 1540, and they continued to do so until the Second World War, when most milk in the country was used to make "Government Cheddar".
The first creamery to produce Wensleydale commercially was established in 1897 in the town of Hawes. Wensleydale Dairy Products bought the Wensleydale Creamery in 1992 and sought to protect the name "Yorkshire Wensleydale" under an EU regulation. The designation Yorkshire Wensleydale is reserved for cheese made in Wensleydale, and the variety is now predominantly produced in numerous creameries across the United Kingdom.
Yorkshire Wensleydale is a creamy, crumbly hard cheese handcrafted by skilled cheese-makers using locally sourced cow's milk from nearby farms. It stands as a classic British territorial cheese suitable for vegetarians. Notably, the cheese received a gold medal at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards in 2023.
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It's a sweet, fruity cheese, often paired with savoury foods
Wensleydale cheese is a sweet, fruity cheese that is often paired with savoury foods. It is a creamy, crumbly hard cheese made from cow's milk, though it was originally made with sheep's milk. The cheese was first made by French Cistercian monks from the Roquefort region who settled in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England, in the 12th century. They brought with them a recipe for making cheese from sheep's milk, but by the 14th century, cow's milk began to be used instead, and the character of the cheese changed.
The monks' original recipe for Wensleydale cheese resulted in a blue cheese, which was the dominant variety until the mid-1800s. Today, the white variety is more common, though blue Wensleydale can still be found. Wensleydale cheese is known for its creamy, crumbly texture and rich flavour, and it stands as a classic British territorial cheese suitable for vegetarians. The cheese is handcrafted by skilled cheese-makers using locally sourced cow's milk from nearby farms, adhering to a traditional recipe.
The sweet and fruity characteristics of Wensleydale cheese make it a great pairing with savoury foods. It is often eaten with fruit cake or Christmas cake in Yorkshire and North East England. Wensleydale with cranberries is a popular variety, and the cheese is also available in other fruit-flavoured options such as blueberries and apricots. The contrast of sweet and savoury flavours makes Wensleydale a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes.
In addition to its sweet and fruity varieties, Wensleydale cheese can also be found in more savoury options such as smoke, pesto, ginger, and onion & chives. The versatility of Wensleydale cheese makes it a popular choice for cheese lovers, and it has even gained fame through its mentions in the animated series Wallace and Gromit as the favourite cheese of the main character, Wallace.
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Wallace and Gromit loved it, and sales soared by 23% in 2005
Wensleydale cheese, a style of cheese originally produced in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England, has a long and fascinating history. The cheese was first crafted by French Cistercian monks from the Roquefort region who settled in Wensleydale and established a monastery. These monks introduced a recipe for making cheese using sheep's milk, which evolved over time as cows' milk became the primary ingredient.
The cheese is known for its creamy, crumbly texture and rich flavour, handcrafted by skilled cheesemakers using locally sourced cow's milk. It stands as a classic British territorial cheese, suitable for vegetarians. However, Wensleydale faced a significant challenge in the 1990s when sales declined, threatening the continuation of its production.
This is where the beloved characters Wallace and Gromit enter the story. In the 1995 short "A Close Shave," Wallace, a self-proclaimed cheese connoisseur, proclaims his love for Wensleydale, declaring it his favourite cheese. This mention was not a deliberate attempt to promote the cheese but rather a choice made by animator Nick Park due to the name's animation-friendly qualities. Nevertheless, it had a profound impact.
The popularity of Wallace and Gromit, coupled with their appreciation for Wensleydale, resonated with audiences. When the full-length film "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" was released in 2005, sales of Wensleydale cheeses soared by 23%. This surge in sales not only saved the company from the brink of closure but also solidified the iconic status of Wensleydale cheese in British culture. The cheese continues to be associated with Wallace and Gromit, even featuring in limited-edition character-themed truckles released in 2024.
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Frequently asked questions
Wensleydale is a creamy, crumbly, hard cheese with a buttery, complex, rounded flavour and a sweet and fatty profile. It is often made with fruit and pairs well with sweet and savoury foods.
Wensleydale cheese was first made by French Cistercian monks from the Roquefort region who settled in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England, in 1150 AD.
The designation "Yorkshire Wensleydale" is reserved for cheese made in Wensleydale. While Wensleydale is now predominantly produced in numerous creameries across the United Kingdom, Yorkshire Wensleydale is made in the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes, Yorkshire, using locally sourced cow's milk.
Some varieties of Wensleydale cheese include mature, extra mature, oak-smoked, and blue Wensleydale. Wensleydale is also sometimes flavoured with fruits like blueberries, cranberries, apricot, and ginger.
