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: £3.40 through £34.00
Cheddar with chilli and garlic is a sparky combination. Firstly you’ll taste the traditional cheddar and then the warmth of the chilli pops up. For the full experience, let the cheese warm-up in your mouth and get ready for the fiery hit!
Spitfire Chilli Cheese isn’t shy. It brings flavour, warmth and a bit of heat to anything you pair it with. It’s a real crowd-pleaser if you like your cheese bold, and it’s right at home on a cheese board with milder cheeses, spicy chutneys and drinks that help cool things down.
Spitfire Chilli Cheese is a British cheddar-style cheese with a twist. Think creamy, familiar cheddar, but with a good kick from chilli, jalapeño, garlic and dried chilli flakes all mixed in before pressing. It starts off tasting like a classic, then the warmth builds and lingers in the nicest way.
Spitfire isn’t one of those cheeses with a long list of rules or a centuries-old recipe. It’s part of the new wave of flavoured cheeses, where classic cheddar gets a bit of fun with bold extras. The base is a medium cheddar made from pasteurised cow’s milk, then in go the chilli, jalapeño and a hint of garlic for good measure.
The name “Spitfire” nods to the cheese’s fiery personality; a playful metaphor rather than a literal connection to the iconic British fighter plane. It sets expectations for something with heat rather than something mild.
Spitfire isn’t steeped in history like Somerset cheddar or those old West Country favourites. It’s part of the newer crowd: flavoured cheddars that really took off when cheesemakers started getting creative with ingredients like chillies, herbs, mustard seed, beer, cumin, and garlic.
It’s all part of a bigger shift in the cheese world, taking old favourites like cheddar and giving them a modern twist for those of us who like a bit of adventure. Spitfire fits right in: fun, memorable, and perfect for anyone who likes their cheese with a bit of attitude.
Spitfire Chilli Cheese is all about contrast; creamy at first, then the heat sneaks up on you. It has a pale yellow to golden paste, as you’d expect from a cheddar-based cheese. The paste is speckled with chilli flakes and pepper pieces.
It has a smooth, slightly springy texture that melts pleasantly on the palate. I love its initial mild, lactic scent with subtle hints of garlic and chilli that become more noticeable as the cheese warms in your hand or mouth.
The overriding first impression in the mouth is one of creamy cheddar richness. Then the chilli’s warmth builds into a spicy crescendo. The heat builds at the back of the throat without overpowering the base cheese. The garlic and jalapeño add depth and a savoury complexity to balance the warmth.
Some chilli cheeses just go for heat, but Spitfire is more about a gentle warmth and a bit of sweetness. It’s not an all-out burn, so even if you’re not a chilli fanatic, you’ll probably get on with it.
Jen’s note: Lots of people think spicy cheeses are a new thing, but adding chillies and peppers to cheddar goes back to home cheesemakers at least as far as the mid-20th century. People would mix in whatever flavours they had to hand, and chillies were a favourite. They kept well and brought a bit of warmth in the colder months.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, rennet, salt, chilli, Jalapeno peppers, garlic, potassium sorbate
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.
