Wensleydale (cheese) 68883 223383544 2008-07-03T21:03:40Z Glane23 6959733 /* History */ cite added {{Refimprove|date=June 2008}} {{Cheese|Wensleydale | [[Image:Cheese 18 bg 050606.jpg|220px|Wensleydale cheese.]] | [[England]] | [[Wensleydale]],<br>[[North Yorkshire]] | [[Cow]]s and [[Domestic sheep|ewes]] | Yes | medium, crumbly | 3-6 months | None}} '''Wensleydale cheese''' is a [[cheese]] produced in the town of [[Hawes]] in [[Wensleydale]], [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]]. There are four types, all of which are suitable for [[vegetarian]]s: *'''Real Yorkshire Wensleydale''' is usually shaped into a variety of weights in a range of moulds from a small flat disc known as a "truckle" that is highly pressed, and preserved in wax, to several larger cheeses - it has an acidic-honeyed flavour to it; *'''Mature Wensleydale''' is a harder, more highly-flavoured version of the Real Yorkshire Wensleydale and highly prized by cheese connoisseurs; *'''Blue Wensleydale''' has [[blue cheese|blue veins]] and is produced in range of sizes. It is highly flavoured but less salty than the classic British blue cheese - [[Stilton (cheese)|Stilton]]. *'''Smoked Wensleydale''' is cold smoked to produce a cheese with a special tang and texture. ==Flavour and texture== The Wensleydale pastures give the cheese the unique flavour for which it is renowned. Good Wensleydale has a supple, crumbly, moist texture and resembles a young [[Caerphilly cheese|Caerphilly]]. The flavour suggests wild honey balanced with a fresh [[acid]]ity. <ref name="CheeseDirect"> {{Cite web |url=http://www.cheesesdirect.com/wensleydaletruckles.htm |title=Wensleydale Cheese |accessdate=2008-07-03 |publisher=Lawsons Cheeses Direct |work=}} </ref><ref name="RYW"> {{Cite web |url=http://www.wensleydale.co.uk/realwensleydale.html |title=Real Yorkshire Wensleydale |accessdate=2008-07-03 |publisher=Wensleydale Creamery |work=}} </ref> ==History== Wensleydale cheese was first made by [[France|French]] [[Cistercian monk]]s from the [[Roquefort]] region, who had settled in Wensleydale. They built a monastery at [[Fors]], but some years later the monks moved to [[Jervaulx Abbey|Jervaulx]] in Lower Wensleydale. They brought with them a recipe for making cheese from [[sheep|ewe]]'s milk. During the 1300s cows' milk began to be used instead, and the character of the cheese began to change. A little ewes' milk was still mixed in since it gave a more open texture, and allowed the development of the blue [[mould]]. At that time, Wensleydale was almost always blue with the white variety almost unknown. Nowadays, the opposite is true, with blue Wensleydale rarely seen. When the monastery was dissolved in 1540 the local farmers continued making the cheese right up until the [[Second World War]], during which most milk in the country was used for the making of '[[Government Cheddar]]'. Even after rationing ceased in 1954, cheese making did not return to pre-war levels.<ref name="WDHistory"> {{Cite web |url=http://www.wensleydale.co.uk/history.html |title=History of Wensleydale Cheese |accessdate=2008-07-03 |publisher=Wensleydale Creamery |work=}} </ref> ===Dairy Crest and the management buyout=== Wensleydale Creamery has been hand crafting cheese for more than 100 years to time-honoured traditional recipes. In May 1992 [[Dairy Crest]], a subsidiary of the [[Milk Marketing Board]], closed the [[Hawes]] [[creamery]] with the loss of 59 jobs. This was the last creamery in the dale. Dairy Crest transferred production of Wensleydale cheese to Yorkshire's traditional rival, [[Lancashire]]. Six months later, in November 1992, following many offers to rescue the Creamery, a management buyout took place, led by local businessman, John Gibson, and the management team. With the help of eleven members of the former workforce, cheese making recommenced in Wensleydale. Today Wensleydale Dairy Products is a thriving business, producing award-winning cheeses. It employs 190 local people and buys from 36 farms in Wensleydale. ===Wallace and Gromit=== In the 1990s, sales had fallen so low that production was at risk of being suspended.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} Fortunately, inspiration struck when the popular [[Wallace and Gromit]] 1995 short, ''[[A Close Shave]],'' had main character Wallace mention Wensleydale as a particularly favourite cheese. Wensleydale was also mentioned in the Academy Award-nominated short film ''[[A Grand Day Out]].'' [[Peter Sallis]], who provides the voice of Wallace, mentions Wensleydale in the role of Norman Clegg (from ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]''), during a skit in the 1982 BBC one-off ''The Funny Side of Christmas'' (the same year that ''A Grand Day Out'' began production). Animator [[Nick Park]] chose it solely because it had a good name that would be interesting to animate, unaware of the company's financial difficulties.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} The company contacted [[Aardman Animations]] about a licence for a special brand of "Wallace and Gromit Wensleydale", which proved to be an enormous success.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} When the 2005 full-length Wallace and Gromit movie, ''[[Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit|Curse of the Were-Rabbit]]'', was released, sales of Wensleydale cheeses jumped by 23%.<ref name="Wallace&Gromit"> {{Cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=1781/ |title=Wallace & Gromit Boost Cheese Sales |accessdate=2008-07-03 |publisher=Hearst Communications Inc. |work=}} </ref> ===Seeking protected status=== Wensleydale Dairy Products is seeking to protect the Wensleydale Cheese name from other manufacturers, following the announcement that it is to make a submission for [[Protected designation of origin]] for Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese. Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) aims to promote and protect food products in the [[European Union]], and is used to describe foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how. This will mean that any manufacturers outside Wensleydale will be unable to call a cheese Real Yorkshire Wensleydale. The application process involves the first stage submission and approval by [[DEFRA]] after which the application is submitted to the European Union. ==Common flavour combinations== [[Image:Wensleydale with Cranberries cheese.jpg|thumb|right|Wensleydale with Cranberries]] The flavour of Wensleydale is suited to combination with sweeter produce, such as fruit. A popular combination available in many restaurants and delicatessens is Wensleydale containing [[cranberries]]. In the north-east of England it is often consumed with fruit cake or [[Christmas cake]].{{Fact|date=December 2007}} ==Other pop culture references== <!--please note that the influence of Wallace and Gromit is in its own section and doesn't need mentioning again in this section - the "Other" in the section title refers to this--> The owner of [[Monty Python's Flying Circus|Monty Python's]] [[Cheese Shop sketch|Cheese Shop]] is called Henry Wensleydale (played by [[Michael Palin]]). However, he has no Wensleydale cheese&mdash;or any other varieties&mdash;for sale. In the issue "In Which We Wake" of [[Neil Gaiman]]'s ''[[Sandman (Vertigo)]]'' comic book series, the character of Destruction requests Wensleydale cheese when asked if he would like something to eat. In one of [[James Herriot]]'s [[Yorkshire]]-based veterinary stories, he has some Wensleydale cheese when he stops to eat in a pub. ==See also== *[[List of cheeses]] *[[List of British cheeses]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.wensleydale.co.uk/ Wensleydale Dairy] [[Category:English cheeses]] [[Category:Yorkshire cuisine]] [[Category:Cow's-milk cheeses]] [[Category:Sheep's-milk cheeses]] [[Category:Blue cheeses]] [[Category:Wensleydale]] [[af:Wensleydale (kaas)]] [[de:Wensleydale (Käse)]] [[fr:Wensleydale]]