Sparkenhoe Cheese

We live in Warwickshire close to the Leicestershire border, the A5 Roman Watling Street splits the two counties with the beautiful Fen Lanes on our doorstep.

This area has many independent businesses from food specialists to antique barns, it is also the area where the Battle of Bosworth was fought and Richard III died - he's the king that was found in a car park and is now in Leicester Cathedral.

We have visited the fabulous Dreamy Cow ice cream farm where they make ice cream from the milk from their own dairy herd but we haven't been to Sparkenhoe Cheese  before so took a drive through the lanes to the farm.

This 380 acres farm has arable fields as well as clover pastures where their 150 Holstein-Friesian cows and 150 Romney ewes with their lambs graze. The farm practices regenerative farming which cares for the soil using natural grazing, crop rotation and regeneration of the soil. The herd produce the mik needed for the cheese making with the raw milk going straight to the cheese room at 5am.

Sparkenhoe Red Leicester is made using traditional methods with the wheels of cheese being wrapped under cloth and matured for 6-8 months for the traditional red and 12-14 months for the vintage red. 

Sparkenhoe Blue and Sparkenhoe Shropshire Blue are made the same way with the cheeses pierced at 4-6 weeks to form the blue veins and matured for 4-6 months.

The cheeses have won many awards including Sparkenhoe Red Leicester being voted the best artisan cheese in the world.

As well as their Sparkenhoe cheeses the farm shop sells a few artisan cheeses from elsewhere. They all looked delicious and it was very hard to choose.

The farm also has a cafe with inside and outside seating. There's variety of savoury and sweet with their cheese toasties being very popular, as were their cheese scones.

The lambs outside were so cute and certainly had healthy lungs as they were bleating very loudly. Inside the farm dog had everyone smiling as he/she was lying at a table tail wagging frantically for fuss then moving on if no fuss given, occassionally lyingĺ on its back to request a tummy rub, so cute.

Our visit coincided with a celebration day for me, six years since my consultant rang (during lockdown) to say they had got all the cancer and I was clear. In someways it feels like it only happened yesterday, in others it feels a lifetime ago.

To celebrate we had a bottle of Laithwaites Il Papavero Prosecco, this was my Dad's favourite Italian wine label especially the rosso. 

Our local cheese farm purchases were the stars of our sharing dinner with Sparkenhoe Tradional Red, Sparkenhoe Blue and Bosworth Field being our selection. The cheese was superb along with our cooked meats, olives, nuts, crusty bread and my homemade apple chutney.

All the cheeses were lovely, the first time I've had cheese made from raw milk and there is definitely a richness and complexity I've not tasted in other cheeses. My favourite was Bosworth Field and I'd like to try the Vintage Red next time

Laithwaites latest selection

Making the most of the Black Friday deal we ordered a case of wine from Laithwaites  - I do think their packaging is impressive ... I wonder who it's modelled on.

We ordered a mixed dozen which then included two free glasses and an extra bottle of Malbec. I never miss the chance to order a bottle of PS, it was my Dad's favourite. 

Our six reds included:

El Bombero from the Spanish region of Carinena, made from Garnacha

The Black Stump  from Australia, a Durif Shiraz blend

Cabalie from France, a Grenache blend

Vinha Do Fava from Portugal, made from Touriga Nacional

Pillastro from Puglia in Italy, made from Primivito

These are all superb red wines that we always enjoy, sometimes revisiting a favourite is a good as discovering something new. I particularly enjoy a glass of Cabalié and Black Stump, especially for a cosy winter night in.

Our white wines were:

La Belle Saison from southern France, made from Sauvignon Blanc 

Queen Bee is a South African Viognier 

Hole in the Clouds from Marlborough New Zealand, another Sauvignon Blanc 

Atakarma from Chile, a Sauvignon Blanc 

The Gooseberry Bush is a South African Colombard

I do enjoy Sauvignon Blanc wine, my preference is French from the Loire Valley so it will be interesting to try these three varieties from different places.

Our extra bottle was Opi Malbec from Mendoza in Argentina. I prefer to drink this grape with food, usually steak, it will be interesting to try as it's new to us.

Our special bottle of PS Péttilant Rosé from France. My Dad used to buy from the Sunday Times Wine Club and this was his favourite sparkling wine. It's his birth date soon when we always have scampi and chips with a glass of rosé wine in his honour. He would have been 97 this year and our bottle of PS will be a very fitting toast.

Our Black Friday deal included some favourites, some new to tries and a special bubbly, not bad for less than £85 - thank you Laithwaites!