Blessed are the cheesemakers!
EVEN THE FRENCH IMPRESSED BY TASTY HERITAGE CHEESES MADE BY CREAMERY
A DERBYSHIRE creamery stood among the best in Europe and impressed even the French with its products at an expo in France earlier this year.
Hartington Creamery, based in Pikehall near Matlock, proudly showcased its heritage cheeses at the esteemed Salon du Fromage in Paris, an event hosting top cheesemakers from around the globe at the Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.
Invited by its distributor, FROMI, responsible for exports to France and Germany, Hartington Creamery highlighted Derbyshire’s oldest cheesemaking traditions.
Founded in 1870 by the 7th Duke of Devonshire to utilise surplus milk from tenant farmers, Hartington Creamery has upheld artisanal practices, particularly in crafting Blue and White Stilton, dubbed the King of Cheese. Situated at Pikehall Farm since 2012, the creamery remains the sole Stilton producer using local Derbyshire milk and manual processing techniques.
Beyond Stilton, Hartington exports its distinctive PDO cheeses, including the creamy Dovedale Blue and the historic Fowlers Sage Derby, originating in 1670 near Ashbourne.
However, the question of how the French perceive these artisanal cheeses loomed large for farmer and creamery owner Robert Gosling, prompting curiosity about international reception. “Well, if I base my answer on the rapidlyincreasing sales of our cheese to France and the feedback from the show, it is a resounding yes: they love it”, Robert said.
“The French consumers eat more blue cheese than the UK, and they like their blue cheese with a stronger flavour, for which our Stilton is perfect for their weekly shop, rather than just for Christmas. “The show was a resounding success not just for us as a small cheesemaker but for giving us a platform recognising the true quality of artisan-made British cheese.”
He added: “I was truly amazed by how far buyers had travelled, from Vietnam, Perth and even Leeds.”
The French like their blue cheese with a stronger flavour, for which our Stilton is perfect for their weekly shop. Mr Gosling