Sparkenhoe Red Leicester

Type: Hard
Milk: Raw cow's milk
Rennet: Animal
Location: Leicestershire/Warwickshire border, England

Although Sparkenhoe Farm was famous for its Red Leicester in the 1700s, farmhouse cheese-making in the area ceased 50 years before David and Jo Clarke decided on their revival.

Sparkenhoe is a traditional cloth-bound Red Leicester, coloured with annatto - a South American spice that became popular in British cheese-making in the eighteenth century. This is a subtle cheese, but also complex and delicious with a rich nutty quality, complemented by flavours ranging from warm spices and chai, to cured ham.