Who are we?
For 225 years Paxton & Whitfield has pioneered artisan cheese and handmade fine foods. The company has held the Royal Warrant of Appointment to every monarch since HM Queen Victoria in 1850.
Jazz Reeves is the Quality Manager, based in Paxton & Whitfield’s new cheese rooms in the Cotswolds, where she manages the maturation of our cheeses, alongside the cheese operation, and food safety for the business. Jazz’s passion for artisan cheese began whilst working on one of our shop counters and this passion continues to grow and evolve every day.
Which cheeses have you chosen to mature?
Cropwell Bishop Blue Stilton
Why did you enter the competition?
Entering the competition is a great opportunity to have a conversation about the process of maturing cheese, to engage with other affineurs and most importantly to create something delicious. After moving into our new maturation facilities at the start of 2022, it’s an exciting opportunity to create something special and unique within this new space.
What is your relationship with affinage to date?
Affinage is a part of cheese making, and mongering that has always interested me. The idea that small changes to the environment, temperature, humidity etc. can have such an impact on a cheese is fascinating.
Since moving into our new space in the January of this year, I have been working closely on our maturation program – whether this is the longer-term maturation of hard cheeses, or the short-term ripening and care of smaller, soft cheeses.
The competition is a great opportunity to try some new approaches, experiment and learn. I’m excited to see what ourselves, and other entrants will create!
How are you approaching the maturation and why have you chosen this approach?
The maturation will be approached very thoughtfully, we will be using classic maturation techniques, and processes we have honed over our 225 years as Cheesemongers, combined with some more experimental, and forward-thinking ideas, whilst continuing to ensure that the integrity of the cheese, and quality of the initial product is at the forefront of everything we do.
What are your expectations for the matured cheeses?
At this moment in time, I think it’s difficult to say what I am expecting from the matured cheeses when we receive them in 2023. Once we have tasted the cheeses in an initial assessment, I think that’s the point our expectations will become clearer.
