Those of you who caught my last blog entry will know that I was recently in Somerset, stronghold of traditional English cloth-bound cheddar. The primary reason for the visit was to attend the inaugural conference The Science of Artisan Cheese. It was a privilege to be there on many levels, and not least because the two day conference was held adjacent to Manor Farm, home of Montgomery's cheddar, acknowledged by many to be the benchmark, traditional cloth-bound cheddar.

The Montgomery family have been making cheddar at Manor Farm for over one hundred years, and the recipe has changed little during that time. Milk for production comes from the farm's own herd of Friesian cows and head cheesemaker, Steve Bridges, oversees the daily production of between twelve and fifteen wheels, all made with unpasteurized milk.