Hafod

Adding a new cheddar to our list isn’t done lightly. After all, we already have a fabulous range of authentic cheddars form the best names around - Keens, Quickes, Montgomery’s and the like. With such a popular cheese, there are always lots to choose from, so there has to be a really good reason to take another one on. But here’s the thing. Until now, what we haven’t had is a traditionally made organic cheddar. Godminster, after all, is a creamery (i.e factory produced) cheese, and although we’ve sold it from the start, it’s arguably not what The Cheese Shed is really about.

Enter Hafod, an organic, unpasteurised cheddar made by Sam & Rachel Holden in west Wales. The farm at Bwlchwernen Fawr was started by Sam’s father Patrick Holden ((now Director of the Soil Association) and its herd of Ayrshires has been producing organic milk since the 1970s. Cheese was a natural progession for the Holdens, and began in 2007. I tried some at that time and although it was a delightful cheese, the flavour was quite light. Since then there’s been a process of continual development, and today’s Hafod has a rich complex flavour that we think you’ll love. It will also feature in the Cakebuilder, where it will provide a very useful extra choice.