cheesewire Artisans take a stand Unsung heroes against labelling regs
news & views from the cheese counter
HIDDEN GEMS FROM BRITISH PRODUCERS
BY PATRICK MCGUIGAN
EU nutrition labelling regulations, which come into force this month, pose a major threat to the future of artisan cheesemakers in the UK and across Europe. That’s the stark warning from the Farmhouse and Artisan Cheese and Dairy Producers European Network (FACE), which represents artisan cheesemakers across the EU. It says the costs of new mandatory labelling requirements for pre-packed foods will be too much for many of its members to bear. Under the Food Information to Consumers (FIC) regulations, which were first introduced in 2014 but become compulsory this month, cheesemakers will have to list the energy value, fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugar, protein and salt content of their cheeses on pre-packed products. In a move supported
Food Information to Consumers regulations become compulsory for all pre-packed food in the EU this month
by Britain’s Specialist Cheesemakers Association, FACE has launched a petition urging the European Commission to exempt small cheesemakers, arguing traditional methods
Funds raised as Errington fights ban BY PATRICK MCGUIGAN
Scottish cheesemaker Errington and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) remain at loggerheads as the cheesemaker launched a crowd-funding campaign to help it battle the ban on its cheeses. As previously reported, Errington Cheese has been linked by FSS to an E-coli 0157 outbreak, which resulted in the death of a three-year-old girl – a claim that the raw milk cheesemaker vehemently disputes. All of its cheeses are currently banned from sale despite the company finding no trace of E-coli following its own extensive testing with leading laboratories in the UK and Europe. However, FSS says that its tests have found clear evidence of the pathogen in Errington’s cheese. The company plans to
fight the ban with the help of a £50,000 Just Giving campaign, which was set up with food journalist Joanna Blythman. As FFD went the press, it had raised more than £17,000. Errington had also lodged a case for a judicial review into FSS’s order to destroy all of its stored cheeses, but the food authority subsequently rescinded the order and agreed to pay legal costs. “This [case] puts the reputation and future of the whole British artisan cheese industry under threat,” said Errington in a statement. “We have the irony of unpasteurised French cheeses such as Roquefort being imported into Scotland and freely available for sale, while a ban exists on our own indigenous cheese.” www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/joanna-blythman
of production and natural variation in the composition of raw milk make it hard to standardise products. “The nutritional content of the final products varies,” said FACE in a statement.
“To be able to provide meaningful nutritional information, producers would have to check the nutrient content of their products at several moments in the year, and use different stocks of labels according to the results. Most would not be able to bear the costs.” Around 700 people had signed the petition as FFD went to press including Kristen Schnepp of Peckham-based Gringa Dairy, who said: “As a very small cheesemaker, we are struggling to comply with these guidelines. While our cheeses are sometimes ‘pre-packed’, they are not packaged foods produced in a factory under standardised conditions. These regulations have good intentions, but in practice are doing nothing more than placing a burden on small suppliers.” To view the petition, search ‘artisan cheese’ at www.change.org
Brock Hall shuts down dairy for good Cheese lovers rushed to buy Brock Hall Farm’s last remaining goats’ cheeses after award-winning cheesemaker Sarah Hampton revealed she had decided to stop production. The Shropshire-based company, which won the Very Important Producer Golden Fork award at Great Taste 2015, sold its last piece of the washed rind Dutch Mistress cheese at the Local to Ludlow Market in October, after consumers came from far and wide to buy the company’s remaining stock. “This was the first place
I ever sold our cheese and it will be the last,” said Hampton on Instagram. “I was bowled over by the enthusiastic purchasing by my many loyal Ludlow customers.” Hampton was unavailable for comment as FFD went to press, but said on Twitter that stopping production was a “positive decision to strike out in pastures new”.
SINODUN HILL In a nutshell: Less than a year old, Norton & Yarrow makes its Sinodun Hill from raw goats’ milk using a slow lactic coagulation and matured for up to 21 days. Flavour and texture: Similar to Pouligny, the cheese has a delicate white rind with occasional blue and grey moulds. The core is smooth and dense with a rich buttery flavour that is also herbaceous and slightly nutty. History: Set up in 2014 by project manager Fraser Norton and English teacher Rachel Yarrow, the company’s cheeses are made at Nettlebed Creamery, using unpasteurised milk from their own goats and another local herd. Cheese care: Keep wrapped in wax paper below 8°C or unwrapped at high humidity (over 80%). Turn regularly. Why stock it? Raw milk goats’ cheeses are relatively rare in the UK, while the pyramid shape helps it stand out. Perfect partners: A tart Sauvignon Blanc is an obvious choice, but the creaminess of the cheese is complemented by the fruitiness of a Taylor’s First Estate Port. Where to buy: Paxton & Whitfield FFD features a different ‘unsung hero’ from Specialist Cheesemakers’ Association members each month. To get involved, contact: patrick.mcguigan@gff.co.uk
Vol.17 Issue 10 | De cember 2016
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