Local Cheese makers

zombiecazz · Local Cheese makers

On the look out for some.
I do know about the Dutch makers at Bruckley. Does anybody know any others?

Ina

How local? What about the ones at Banchory Devenick? And the ones at Torphins (I think that's where they are - Craigmyle)?

Ina

Update on the ones in Banchory Devenick:

Just bought some of their cheeses at the farmers' market in Montrose; they have a new variety (I think it's called Bishoptons red?! - sorry, it's in the house, too far to check, but it's definitely red - the wax around it, that is! Very mild and very, very nice.)

They now have three "hard" cheeses (also a cheddar and the Deesider); lovely yoghurt (have only tried the natural, as I prefer to add my own fruit), and yoghurt drinks; whipping cream; soft cheese (with various flavours); and a cheesecake, that is quite some cheesecake... I bought one piece - they are quite big and very thick, and cost the princely sum of three pound. HOWEVER: I've just managed to eat about a third of it, and I wish I'd stopped a bit sooner, as I am stuffed! Proper cheesecake, that is. Cheesy and buttery; not too sweet, and with a hint of vanilla. I think it would be even better with a few raspberries or brambles on the side, or some orange segments - something to cut the richness of the cake. Well worth the money.

pete_inthehills

allathan dairy
Home made cheese and butter

Mrs Pat Courts, Mill of Allathan, New deer, Turriff
email: allathandiary@yahoo.co.uk

I've never been there, I just picked up the card at the food thing a couple of months ago.

pete
inthehills

pictishpunkgirl

Allathan cheese is quite expensive but delicious. My mum loves it or she did til they put her on cholestrol drugs!

Sassinak

Allathan is usually at Thainstone on a Sunday

PurpleDragon

I know her and she is a really nice wife, and I trust the way she looks after her cattle. She really cares about her cows, which is reassuring.

There is also a sheep cheese maker across at Maud, but I'm not sure of their details - perhaps Sass knows?

Lord_Azrael

There's a brilliant one at Wester Lawrencton farm near me. They have a stall at the Elgin farmers market, but you have to get in first thing in the morning as they're usually gone about half way through after selling out!
They have a range of nice cheeses and they do a fantastic Sage Derby at christmas time too

Ina

The Banchory Devenick Dairy is offering cheese hampers in varying sizes. They also now have a farm shop of their own - has anyone been there yet? It's not exactly local to me...

Click to see full size image

zombiecazz

I'll have to take a trip over there soon and try the cheese.

it was in the newspaper the other day that the poortmans at Brucklay are movie back to The Netherlands and the farm/cheese production are up or sale.
I really hope someone takes it on and keeps producing.

Sassinak

Oh and just as their house appears to be complete

I don't know how viable a business it has become, but if they are selling as a going concern then surely it would be silly to buy a business and not keep it going.
I suppose it depends on having quite a few different skills with sheep and cattle husbandry as well as cheese making. Maybe the new owner will make a bigger range of sheep products because in the past I have had soft cheese as well as yogurt and icecream and they are all absolutely fantastic.

flingdizz

Craigmyle cheese co are also up for sale

Ina

What??? How come? I must admit, I never really got into their cheese... Now this would be THE chance for some enterprising NEEPS - so let's all dig into our back pockets and get out the spare change!

wildgarlic

Sorry to hear that craigmyle is up for sale - do you know why??

flingdizz

No, I dont know why, I know one of the employees and she didnt say and the BD dairy didnt know either. She does buy all her milk in organically though so it might be that margins just arent working for her...or they are and she wants to retire early?!?
Apparantly loads of people are interested though including Mackies, so here's hoping it stays in the area...

wildgarlic

Fingers crossed - hope it goes to someone with the same attention to detail.

Ina

But if a company like Mackies get it - OK, they are not quite Nestle, but it'll come down to being "big-style" uniform boring standard cheese in the end... (Maybe I'm being pessimistic, I admit it.) Had a discussion with the Banchory-Devenick folk when I bought my cheese there, and they explained that some of their cheeses were now a bit different from when they first started making them, and I think they were quite pleased that I welcomed the fact that it's not always the same old taste! Cheeses have to taste different every time you make them - otherwise you might as well buy rubber cheese from a multinational. Milk is different every day; so cheese should be, too.

And yes, I admit this, too - I sometimes buy rubber cheese, too.

wildgarlic

Fair point - but better Mackies than say Wiseman.

It would be great it we could form a group to buy it and run it... and make neeps cheese lol.

JamesB

From what I've heard, they dont want to run an expanding business and want to get someone else to take the business to the next level. It fair to say they dont actually make the cheese themselves (contracted to cheesemakers) and they buy in their milk. I can also understand that if you have started the business from scratch then thats a different set of skills to expanding an established business.

James

Ina

The Devenick Dairy now have their own website. And I still haven't managed to go there!

http://www.devenickdairy.co.uk/