Cheesemakers of Canterbury has won gold in a prestigious international awards competition,
The firm, which sells its produce from a stall in The Goods Shed, sent its Ancient Ashmore to the World Cheese Awards in Bergen, Norway, where it was judged against 3,500 varieties from 29 countries including France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark.
The gold-winning Ashmore is made and aged for 12 months at the Cheesemakers’ dairy in Dargate.
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It is an unpasteurised, naturally-rinded farmhouse cheddar with a deep, rich taste that retains a creamy texture.
The Ancient Ashmore joins its younger, six-month-old Ashmore Farmhouse, which won a gold at the World Cheese Awards in 2011.
Cheesemakers of Canterbury was founded by Jane Bowyer in 2007 with the aim of putting Kent on to the map of cheese-making counties.
She said: “We now sell our cheeses, to shops, pubs and top restaurants and hotels across the south east of England.
“Customers at our retail counter at The Goods Shed, Canterbury, regularly include French, Belgian, Dutch Italian and even America visitors.
“We have seen our cheeses taken back to Rio, Singapore, Shanghai, and even on a trip to the Antarctic. This award, organised by the Guild of Fine Food is recognition of what hard work, and the finest local milk, can achieve. We are immensely proud.”
It is not a ‘City’ cheesemaker. Dargayte is Dargate or Faversham.