Still going strong

It was never my intention to join the family business. I spent most of my life wishing my parents had ‘normal’ jobs. Jobs that meant we could have a family holiday every year, days out and more time together, like all my other friends. Looking back now I realise what the Swaledale cheese company gave us as a family. I had a pony and all the trimmings, a great education, a lovely home and amazing holidays every few years. Mum and Dad have given us a future, that’s why they worked so hard, to ensure we would continue to have the life they provided and we in turn can give our kids the same. The sad part is I had to lose both of them to realise this.

On and off I worked weekends at shows and in the dairy waxing cheese and many afternoons in the office after school waiting for mum and dad to finish. This was my basis for not wanting to be any part of the business, it was boring. But one evening at The British Cheese awards change my outlook. A September evening in 2007 in a marque in Oxford, several hundred of the country’s finest cheese makers collected together to celebrate the cheese industries’ answer to the Oscars. Mum and I were invited as special guests of one of our customers and Mum asked to hand out the award they had sponsored in my Dads name.

When the time came after some Dutch courage Mum stood up and announced the winner – The Swaledale Cheese Company – Swaledale Ewe. It was when the crowd cheered, cried and applauded I realised – My Mum and Dad are a big deal in this industry. Respected, admired and supported. How many people can say their Dad has an award dedicated in his memory? I think that’s pretty special – just as my parents were.

This summer Sam and I have maintained the Swaledale Cheese Company’s Award winning status..

Swaledale Blue – Class Winner – Great Yorkshire Show 2012

Swaledale Goat – 1 Star Gold – Great Taste Awards 2012

Swaledale Ewe PDO – 2 Star Gold – Great Taste Awards 2012

Swaledale Blue – 2^nd Speciality Cheese Blue – Dumfries & Lockerby Cheese Awards 2012

Swaledale Old Peculier – 1^st Speciality Cheese Flavour added – Dumfries & Lockerby Cheese Awards 2012

Richmond Smoked – 2^nd Speciality Cheese Flavour added – Dumfries & Lockerby Cheese Awards 2012

Swaledale with Chives & Garlic – 3^rd Speciality Cheese Flavour added – Dumfries & Lockerby Cheese Awards 2012

 

Bring on the next one…

Louise & Sam

World Cheese Awards 2011

Back in November we sent our cheese down to the annual World cheese award which was judged at the BBC good food show at the NEC in Birmingham. The 2010 awards were amazing for us with our Swaledale Blue just missing out on Supreme champion (of all the cheeses in the world!) by just two points. Happily though, we lost out to a friend, Cornish Blue. 2011 was surely to be our year?.......

Although we didn't win Supreme champion and came second to Cornish Blue again, watch out Phil (The Cornish Cheese Co) 2012 is ours!

We did however win some pretty impressive accolades –

Super Gold – Swaledale Blue

Silver – Traditional Swaledale PDO*

Silver – Swaledale Ewe PDO*

Bronze - Swaledale Goats 

So a massive WELL DONE to Sam and the dairy team, keep up the brilliant work!

I’ve uploaded our fab certificates for you to all look at in awe, I’m off to start planning our summer show schedule

Speak to you soon,

Louise x

A night at the Oscars.....well the cheesy version!

On Friday 23^rd of September, Mum and Sam set off on our annual pilgrimage to Cardiff castle to attend the British Cheese Awards; it’s the closest this we are ever going to get to the Oscars and it’s a big deal in the cheese world.

Although we didn’t pick up any major awards we did come home with 3 Bronze medals for the Ewes, Goats and Old Peculier and a Silver medal for the Ewes in a different category. Only small percentage of cheeses entered received a medal so we were very proud and even more so that this is Sams first year in charge of production and he is already winning awards for his cheese......cheese making really must be in his blood!

Mum and Sam of course celebrated in Swaledale cheese style and I understand both started selling  on Saturday morning with large black coffees and sunglasses on....inside!

A great weekend was had by all and a special thanks to Katie and Amy from Shepherds Purse cheese for sitting with my family through dinner.

Just had a count up and only 11 weeks until Christmas, best go get some cheese made then.

Louise, Sam and Mandy

The day the Bank Manager came to play.

At this point in the world’s financial situation, I bet if I asked you who you would love to have ‘a word with’, the first person on your list would be – ‘My bank manager’. Well like a gift from above, we were handed him, our area bank manager for a whole day, to do what we want with – insert evil laugh!

Unfortunately, Keith Crossley from Barclays was an absolute gent, so as much as we wanted to, we just couldn’t give him the rubbish jobs. He grafted with us, laughed with us and explained to us what the banking situation is all about. Barclays Bank have a programme in which all the big bosses have to volunteer a day once a year in a business they deal with. It’s a fantastic programme and we really benefited from getting to know Keith and hope he learnt enough about us to improve our working relationship with him and Barclays.

My favourite part of the day would have to be Keith and our new starter Arron brushing and turning the cheeses in a store together for a good couple of hours. They chatted away like old friends for the whole time they were in there. After Keith left, Arron politely asked, ‘he’s alright, who is he?’, ‘Our bank manager, did no one introduce you to him?’ I said. ‘No but he talked to me so I talked back to him, so he doesn’t work here then?’ Arron replied.

Clearly we need to work on our introduction skills!

Well, we have a full weekend of production planned to build up stocks for Christmas so I best get some cheese cloths cut!

Louise

Sam, Arron and Keith

You’re fired!

I’m not up on blog etiquette and have just noticed I’ve jumped straight into the ramblings of a mad cheese maker without any warning as to who I am or what I do. I’m Louise, I work in my family business, The Swaledale Cheese Co and I will be filling you in on what we get up to and the history of how we came to be. Mum and Dad started the business around the same time as I was born and I’ve been involved most of my life, whether it be messing up pile of filing as a toddler or earning my first wage as a teenager. I was lucky enough to be offered a full time job as trainee cheese maker after college although I didn’t see things as such back then. Being 20 I worked out that 25 grand a year and a company car where mine by rights. So I entered the office in an Alan Sugar ‘The Apprentice’/ Dragons Den style pitch my proposal and left with my P45, ink still damp and a little confused as to what had just happened. After a stint in a pub, I realised that I was ready to join the real world and came back with my tail between my legs ready to graft. And by gosh has Mum made me graft!

Best go get some cheeses waxed,

Louise

Cheese-Enders

Well, what a week it’s been. Move over Eastenders. I give you... Cheese-Enders!

It all started with a bang which at the Swaledale Cheese Company is no real surprise. After a slight hiccup with a milk delivery whilst suffering the after effects of my locals Sunday club we moved onto a cheese tasting. Julie our accounts wiz was worried about the ‘fuzzy head’ she was experiencing after tasting a very creamy brie style blue. We were all worried as was she and in a very concerned voice asked, ‘What’s in blue cheese?’ I reeled off the list of ingredients, cow’s milk, salt penicillin etc all in an attempt to reassure her that there was nothing scary. It was at this point I noticed the silliest grin appearing on Julies face. Then the giggling started. After composing herself she looked me straight in the eye and said ‘I’m allergic to penicillin, but that’s better than a bottle of wine!’

If the excitement of a slightly giddy Julie wasn’t enough my brother Sam (Sam works with me too. He’s head cheese maker.) Was doing his weekly deep clean of the milk tank. Unfortunately for Sam this involves getting and giving it a good scrub. This is usually a fairly straight forward job. However Sam had miss judged the temperature of the steel tank after washing it with very hot water and proceeded to give himself a DIY sauna leaving him with the reddest face any of us had seen and in true Swaledale fashion we fell about the place in fits until he cooled down, which to our enjoyment was most of the day!

Must dash, cheeses to brush and a glass of Vino awaits. (Enter Eastenders Duff Duff’s here)

Louise

Penicillin, DIY Saunas and Vino

Well, what a week it’s been. Move over Eastenders. I give you... Cheese-Enders!

It all started with a bang which at the Swaledale Cheese Company is no real surprise. After a slight hiccup with a milk delivery whilst suffering the after effects of my locals Sunday club we moved onto a cheese tasting. Julie our accounts wiz was worried about the ‘fuzzy head’ she was experiencing after tasting a very creamy brie style blue. We were all worried as was she and in a very concerned voice asked, ‘What’s in blue cheese?’ I reeled off the list of ingredients, cow’s milk, salt penicillin etc all in an attempt to reassure her that there was nothing scary. It was at this point I noticed the silliest grin appearing on Julies face. Then the giggling started. After composing herself she looked me straight in the eye and said ‘I’m allergic to penicillin, but that’s better than a bottle of wine!’

If the excitement of a slightly giddy Julie wasn’t enough my brother Sam (Sam works with me too. He’s head cheese maker.) Was doing his weekly deep clean of the milk tank. Unfortunately for Sam this involves getting and giving it a good scrub. This is usually a fairly straight forward job. However Sam had miss judged the temperature of the steel tank after washing it with very hot water and proceeded to give himself a DIY sauna leaving him with the reddest face any of us had seen and in true Swaledale fashion we fell about the place in fits until he cooled down, which to our enjoyment was most of the day!

Must dash, cheeses to brush and a glass of Vino awaits. (Enter Eastenders Duff Duff’s here)

Louise