Description
Gorwydd Caerphilly Cheese
About Gorwydd Caerphilly
Gorwydd Caerphilly is one of those cheeses that shows you exactly why traditional Caerphilly is worth seeking out.
Cut through the natural rind and you don’t really get one cheese at all. You get three. There’s the earthy rind, a wonderfully creamy layer just underneath it, and then that fresh, crumbly, lemony centre. Make sure you cut yourself a piece that includes all three because together they are absolutely delicious.
Gorwydd was created by Todd Trethowan, who began making Caerphilly at Gorwydd Farm in Ceredigion, West Wales, in 1996. At the time, much of the Caerphilly available was a far cry from the traditional farmhouse cheese that had once been made across Wales.
Todd wanted to bring that older style back.
His brother Maugan later joined him and together the Trethowan Brothers have become some of the best-known champions of traditional British cheesemaking.
From Wales to Somerset
Gorwydd may have been born in Wales, but these days it’s actually made in Somerset.
The brothers eventually moved their cheesemaking to Puxton Court Farm near Weston-super-Mare, taking the Gorwydd name, their traditional recipe and their cheesemaking knowledge with them.
And I think that’s rather lovely because Caerphilly itself has always travelled. Although it’s unquestionably a Welsh cheese in origin, generations of West Country cheesemakers made Caerphilly alongside their Cheddars because it matured much more quickly and provided an income while the big Cheddar wheels were ageing.
So perhaps Gorwydd ending up in Somerset isn’t quite as strange as it first sounds.
The Make
Gorwydd Caerphilly is made by hand and matured for around two to three months.
The curds are carefully handled and pressed using traditional methods before the cheeses are allowed to develop their wonderfully rustic natural rinds.
But the really clever bit happens during maturation.
Over time, Gorwydd develops three very distinct layers. At the centre is the fresh, crumbly paste we associate with Caerphilly. Surrounding that is a softer, creamier layer where the cheese has begun to ripen inwards from the rind. Finally, there’s the natural rind itself, bringing earthy, mushroomy flavours to the whole thing.
Which means you really do need to eat the rind with this one.
Gorwydd Caerphilly – Jen’s Tasting Notes
For me, Gorwydd is all about those three layers.
Start in the centre and you get everything you’d hope for from a traditional Caerphilly: fresh, crumbly and moist, with a lovely lemony acidity and clean milky flavour.
Then move towards the rind and the cheese changes completely.
There’s a wonderfully creamy layer just beneath it which is softer, richer and more buttery than the centre. Finally you reach the rind itself, where those earthy, mushroomy flavours come through.
Take a bite containing all three and you get fresh acidity, creamy richness and earthy savouriness all at once.
That’s what makes Gorwydd so good.
And it’s also why I always tell people not to leave the rind behind.
How to Serve and Pair Gorwydd Caerphilly
- 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 crisp, dry cider is brilliant with Gorwydd. The acidity works with that lemony centre while the fruit sits beautifully alongside the richer flavours near the rind.
- Something a little different: Sauvignon Blanc is another lovely match, particularly if you want to emphasise the fresh, citrussy side of the cheese.
- On the plate: Keep things simple. Some good crusty bread, a crisp apple and perhaps a little tangy chutney are really all it needs.
- In the kitchen: You can cook with Gorwydd, and it melts beautifully, but I’m going to be slightly bossy here. If you’ve got a perfect piece with all three layers intact, just eat it! There are plenty of other cheeses we can cook with.
Jen’s note: Whenever I cut Gorwydd for someone, I make sure their piece goes all the way from the centre to the rind. You need that crumbly, lemony middle, the creamy layer underneath the rind AND the earthy rind itself. Leave one behind and you’re only getting part of the story.
Buying Gorwydd Caerphilly
- Brand or Producer: Trethowan Brothers Dairy
- Product name: Gorwydd Caerphilly
- Milk: Cow
- Country: England
- Region: Somerset
- Strength: Medium
- Vegetarian: No
- Suitable for pregnancy: No
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £4.15
- 500g wedge, £20.75
- Whole cheese (approx. 4kg), available to pre-order
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, rennet
