When the news of import restrictions first hit us in July, we were afraid that we would no longer be able to purchase from and support our much-championed suppliers of Brie de Meaux and Camembert.  It was a huge relief to know that both could supply a limited quantity of pasteurised cheeses as they had a small production so they could export to countries that don’t accept unpasteurised soft cheese.  Even in pasteurised form, their Brie and Camembert de Normandie represent the best of the best and it’s worth reminding ourselves of the key reasons why.

Vincent Tyrode, one of our favourite Gruyere producers, makes Vacherin from the third week of August to the middle of April.  Just as in France there is a link between Comte production and Vacherin Mont D’Or during the winter season, on the Swiss side of the Jura mountains the same link exists between Gruyere and Vacherin.  The Mont D’Or itself, named because of the way the sunlight lights its cliff edges at the summit, straddles France and Switzerland and the cheeses are close neighbours too.

Julie Cheyney calls herself ‘the dairymaid who gets to make her own cheese’.  She first started milking cows as a teenager on weekends and has been dedicated to farming and fascinated with the potential of milk ever since.

When a cheese tastes as good as St Jude, it’s tempting to look for the romantic story behind it and mythologise its origins.  If you pursue this line of questioning with Julie, you’ll receive a wry smile, and she’ll explain the practical issues that lead to her choice of cheese.