A Delightful Visit to Errington Cheese
It is always a great joy to visit cheesemakers and delve deeper into their craft. However, it is an exceptional delight to visit one of the finest cheesemakers in Scotland, Errington Cheese, which also happens to be one of our most local producers. Although this was my third visit, my companions — the wonderful ladies who work with me at the shop — had never been before, making the experience all the more special.
The Legacy of Errington Cheese
Errington Cheese was founded by Humphrey Errington in the early 1980s. The Errington family, originally hailing from Dumfriesshire, relocated to Lanarkshire in 1981, where they established a mixed farming enterprise with beef cattle and sheep. In the 1980s, Humphrey Errington embarked on a mission to revive the tradition of raw milk cheese in Scotland and it has been a fascinating experience, not without some challenges along the way.
Today, Humphrey's daughter, Selina Cairns together with her sister-in-law Angela, continues the cheesemaking legacy. They are one of the few in the UK to produce cheese from both sheep's and goat's milk. The farm is home to around 100 goats, a mix of Saanen, Toggenburg, and Alpine breeds, whose milk is used to make Elrick Log. Additionally, their flock of Lacaune and Friesian sheep provides the milk for their famous Lanark Blue and Corra Linn.
The Art of Farmhouse Cheese
All the cheeses produced by Erringtons are from the milk of their own animals, making their cheeses truly "farmhouse." Our tour began in their cheesemaking rooms. There are two separate cheesemaking rooms — one for the soft and blue cheeses, including Elrick Log, Lanark Blue, and Biggar Blue, and another for their firm cheeses, Corra Linn and Bonnington Linn.
Having worked with farmhouse and artisan cheeses for nearly 20 years, I have always known that making cheese is both an art and a craft. What struck me and my companions the most however was the intricate details involved in making each variety. For instance, after being made, Elrick Logs must spend time in four different rooms with varying environments with different temperature, humidity, and airflow to develop their true character. They must be closely monitored and turned to ripen to the desired outcome. Thus, cheesemaking is not just a matter of time but of meticulous attention and care.
A Taste of Fresh Cheese
In the firm cheesemaking room, we were treated to a taste of newly born cheese curd, made earlier that morning and destined to become Corra Linn. It was custard-like and sweet — a delightful and unique treat.
In the maturation room, we discovered hundreds of truckles of Corra Linn and Bonnington Linn maturing slowly. We sampled both from the maturing wheels and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed a younger Bonnington Linn — it was creamy on the palate with a subtle nuttiness.
Meeting the Animals
Our tour concluded in the animal barn, where we were greeted by some very excitable goats. We learned that they prefer to stay indoors during wetter months but do get a chance to play outside. We also had a peek at a field next to the barn, where we saw some beautiful Lacaune sheep grazing contentedly.
All in all, it was a fabulous visit, and we gained a deeper appreciation of what the Erringtons do. Their work is truly phenomenal, and we cannot thank them enough for their hard work in creating their amazing farmhouse cheeses.
With gratitude,
The Cheese Lady x