Description
Gould’s Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese
About Gould’s Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese
Every cheese counter needs a really good ‘house’ Cheddar.
This is ours.
Gould’s Farmhouse Cheddar comes from Batch Farm on the Pennard ridge in Somerset, where the Gould family have been making traditional farmhouse Cheddar for nearly 50 years.
The farm sits in glorious Somerset countryside, with Glastonbury Tor and the Mendip Hills in the distance, and the dairy is right beside the family’s old thatched farmhouse. Milk from the farm’s own Friesian cows travels a very short distance indeed before being turned into cheese.
But while Gould’s Extra Tasty is the one I reach for when somebody wants a bigger, more mature Cheddar, this is the cheese I recommend when someone simply asks me for “a really good Cheddar.”
It’s creamy, beautifully balanced and has that lovely cut-and-come-again quality that makes you realise you’ve eaten rather more of it than you intended.
Protected by PDO Tradition
Gould’s Farmhouse Cheddar is protected as a West Country Farmhouse Cheddar PDO.
That means it must be made in Somerset, Dorset, Devon or Cornwall using traditional methods, including the process of cheddaring itself, where slabs of curd are stacked and turned to help develop the characteristic texture of the cheese.
At Batch Farm, those traditional methods are still very much part of everyday cheesemaking. The finished cheeses are made in substantial 27kg cylinders, clothbound and allowed to mature slowly.
It’s a traditional way of making Cheddar that takes rather more time and care than producing a block of cheese in a factory.
But then, that’s rather the point.
Gould’s Farmhouse Cheddar – Jen’s Tasting Notes
Gould’s Farmhouse is our house Cheddar for a reason.
It’s creamy enough to appeal to someone who prefers a gentler Cheddar, but there’s enough flavour and tang to keep a proper Cheddar lover happy too.
The texture is firm and smooth, with a lovely creaminess as it warms in your mouth. The first flavours are milky and buttery, followed by a gentle savoury nuttiness and that all-important Cheddar tang at the end.
You might find a little toasted nut, a touch of earthiness and sometimes a hint of caramel sweetness, but nothing shouts louder than everything else.
It’s just beautifully balanced.
This is what I mean when I describe a cheese as cut-and-come-again. You cut yourself a piece.
And then somehow find yourself cutting another one.
How to Serve and Pair Gould’s Farmhouse Cheddar
- Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it so it can come up to room temperature.
- Classic pairings: A good IPA works brilliantly. The hops bring freshness while the malt sits nicely alongside the creamy, savoury flavours of the Cheddar.
- Something a little different: Try a fruity Gamay. It’s light enough not to overwhelm the cheese and all that lovely red fruit works beautifully with the gentle tang.
- On the plate: I like to keep this one simple. A good cracker, some fresh pear and perhaps a little apple or onion chutney. It doesn’t need much.
- In the kitchen: This is a really useful cooking Cheddar. It melts beautifully in macaroni cheese, cheese sauces, soups and toasties, with enough flavour to make itself known without taking over the whole dish.
Jen’s note: We call Gould’s Farmhouse our ‘house’ Cheddar because it’s the one that seems to please just about everybody. It’s not our strongest Cheddar and it isn’t trying to be. It’s simply a really good, creamy farmhouse Cheddar that you can keep going back to. And we do.
Buying Gould’s Farmhouse Cheddar
- Brand or Producer: Batch Farm Cheesemakers
- Product name: Gould’s Farmhouse Cheddar
- Milk: Cow
- Country: England
- Region: Somerset
- Strength: Medium
- Vegetarian: Yes
- Suitable for pregnancy: Yes
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £2.05
- 500g wedge, £10.25
Storage Advice
- Keep refrigerated
- Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
- Remove from the fridge before serving
- Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening
Delivery and Collection
- UK wide courier delivery
- Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
- Free local delivery available for selected postcodes
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, rennet, salt
