Caerphilly

What is Caerphilly Cheese?

Caerphilly is a hard, white cheese originating from a town of the same name in South Wales. It was first made in Caerphilly in around 1830. Its texture and flavour resemble cheddar, the most popular cheese in the United Kingdom. 

The recipe for Caerphilly has been inspired by other crumbly cheeses like Cheshire, young Lancashire and Wensleydale. It is said that the cheese was specially made for coal miners as its rugged texture and shallow height made it easy for them to eat with bare hands, while the salty, moist curd helped to replenish the lost minerals.

Caerphilly is made from unpasteurised cow's milk and matured anywhere from 8 to 10 to 14 days. Some variants are often kept for up to a year to develop a more rigid texture and more robust taste.

The Duckett family from Wedmore began making Caerphilly (known as Duckett's Caerphilly) in the 1920s and continued despite challenges during and after WWII. Chris Duckett's legacy continues through Westcombe Dairy and his apprentice Todd Trethowan, who produces the successful Gorwydd Caerphilly. Additionally, Allan Gray in Cornwall created Cornish Yarg using an adapted Caerphilly recipe.

What Does Caerphilly Cheese Taste Like?

Inside the pale ivory rind of the cheese, young Caerphilly has a fresh and pleasant taste alongside a moist yet supple texture. With maturity, the edges become creamy, and the flavour becomes more rounded. It usually has a wheel shape with ivory-white rind dusted with rice flour. As the cheese ages in a moist cellar, the white and grey moulds become thicker and more leathery. 

A  white burgundy would go well with this cheese. It usually is grated or melted onto dishes.