Description
White Nancy Cheese
About White Nancy
White Nancy is one of White Lake Cheese’s original goat’s cheeses and remains one of my favourites. It’s a soft, bloomy-rind cheese with a beautiful snowy white exterior and a fresh, creamy centre that changes considerably as the cheese matures.
Made in Somerset, White Nancy is one of those cheeses that can be enjoyed at several different stages. When it’s young, it’s fresh, firm and citrusy. Give it a little more time and the texture begins to soften beneath the rind, becoming much creamier and developing deeper, earthier flavours.
And despite being made in Somerset, its name actually takes us rather further north…
The Story Behind the Name
White Nancy takes its name from a white stone monument on Kerridge Hill overlooking Bollington in Cheshire, where Pete Humphries, one of the founders of White Lake Cheese, comes from.
The monument dates from 1817 and is thought to have been built to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo. Sitting high on the hill, its distinctive white shape has become something of a local landmark.
White Lake’s version is considerably more delicious.
White Nancy was one of the early cheeses made after Pete Humphries and Roger Longman established White Lake Cheese in 2004, and it’s become something of a classic in their range.
White Nancy – Jen’s Tasting Notes
White Nancy is a lovely cheese to watch mature because the texture and flavour change so much.
When it’s young, the centre is bright white, quite firm and slightly crumbly. The flavour is fresh and clean, with a gentle yoghurt-like acidity and plenty of that lovely citrusy tang you expect from goat’s milk.
As it ripens, the magic starts happening just beneath the rind. The outside becomes softer and creamier while the centre stays firmer, so one slice can give you several different textures.
And don’t be alarmed if you spot some rather extraordinary fluorescent-looking patches developing on the rind as it matures. They can look almost too colourful to be natural, but they’re part of the rind development — and I think they taste rather good too!
With maturity, those fresh flavours become rounder and more savoury. I sometimes pick up a little vanilla-like sweetness alongside mushroomy, earthy notes from the rind.
Make sure you eat the rind and the middle together. That’s where White Nancy really comes into her own.
How to Serve and Pair White Nancy
- 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: I love White Nancy with a chilled Pinot Grigio. Its fresh acidity works beautifully with the citrusy goat’s milk flavours.
- Something a little different: A dry Somerset cider keeps things local and gives you enough acidity to balance the creaminess as the cheese matures.
- On the plate: Crusty bread and some fresh pear or apple are really all you need. I’d keep everything else fairly simple and let the cheese do the work.
- In the kitchen: If you have some left over, crumble it over rocket and walnuts with a citrusy dressing, or add it to roasted vegetables or a quiche. Although White Nancy rarely hangs around long enough in our house to become leftovers.
Jen’s note: We had a White Nancy on our wedding cheese cake because it’s one of our favourite cheeses. Its lovely round shape made it perfect for the top of the tower. Well… almost the top. We somehow managed to sneak another two cheeses above it!
Buying White Nancy
- Brand or Producer: White Lake Cheese
- Product name: White Nancy
- Milk: Goat
- Country: England
- Region: Somerset
- Strength: Mild to medium
- Vegetarian: Yes
- Suitable for pregnancy: No
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- Sold as a whole cheese (500g), £23.50
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, salt, starter cultures, vegetarian rennet, mould cultures.
