Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £4.20 through £45.00
Made from Channel Island milk, Barkham Blue has a rich blue taste and a fabulously buttery texture. It is one of our best-selling cheeses.
Barkham Blue is one of those cheeses that always stands out to me. Made by small-scale cheesemakers in the English countryside, it’s creamy, full of flavour, and looks rather striking on any cheeseboard. There’s a lovely mix of charm and complexity in every wedge.
Barkham Blue has a lovely backstory. It all started in Barkham, right on the Hampshire-Berkshire border, with Sandy and Andy Rose. They set up Two Hoots Cheese in the early 2000s, naming it after two orphaned owls they once looked after! From the outset, the Roses did things their own way. Instead of the usual Holstein or Friesian cow’s milk, they chose milk from Jersey and Guernsey cows, which is much richer and creamier. Most blue cheese makers steer clear of this milk because it can make the blue veining tricky, but Barkham Blue goes against the grain and uses it to create a blue that’s lush, creamy, and much gentler in flavour than most traditional blues.
Barkham Blue has picked up quite a following over the years, not to mention a shelf full of awards from the likes of the Great Taste Awards and the British Cheese Awards. More recently, Sandy’s cousin Anne and her team at Village Maid Cheese have taken over making it, and I’m happy to say it’s still every bit as good.
After about 5 to 8 weeks of maturing, Barkham Blue develops a natural rind with a bloom of greyish-blue mould. This gives the cheese a gentle earthiness and a hint of bitterness, which works so well with the rich, creamy centre.
Taste-wise, Barkham Blue is rich and buttery, with a texture that’s almost melt-in-the-mouth, nothing like those crumbly, punchy blues. The blue veins add a gentle, spicy kick and a bit of pepper, but without any of the harshness you sometimes get. It’s a great blue for both die-hard fans and anyone just dipping their toes in.
There’s a lovely balance to Barkham Blue, savoury depth, creamy sweetness, and just the right amount of spice. It’s subtle enough to enjoy on its own, but there’s plenty going on if you want to get creative with pairings.
Jen’s note: We had a wheel of Barkham as part of our wedding cake – it went down a real treat with our guests and was one of the first cheeses to disappear!
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starter cultures, rennet, Penicillium Roqueforti
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
