Burt’s Blue

Claire Burt began making cheese in her kitchen in Cheshire as a hobby in 2009, while working for a large dairy company. It soon developed into a full-time business, operating from a small unit in Altrincham before moving to larger premises on Ash Farm, near Knutsford – the same year in which Burt was named Best Producer in the Observer Food Monthly Awards.

Today Burt and chef-turned-cheesemaker Tom Partridge make a range of soft blue cheeses using whole, pasteurised milk from local farms. The curd is not scalded and is cut into 10cm cubes before being hand ladled into moulds, where it drains overnight without pressing. The cheese is hand-salted and aged for around five weeks during which time it is hand pierced and develops pockets of blue mould inside and a natural rind.

Younger cheeses are semi-soft, but as they mature they give way to a much softer texture. The rind can vary in colour from dark blue to grey blue. The paste is white, punctuated with blue pockets of mould. The paste has buttery and creamy notes with a mild blue tang and slight saltiness.

Try a chilled tawny Port or white dessert wine with a touch of acidity. The sweetness contrasts with the gentle saltiness of the cheese.