A Portrait of British Cheese: A Celebration of Artistry, Regionality and Recipes

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Through interviews, stories, recipes and photography, the book celebrates how British cheese is profoundly connected to the land, farm animals and people involved in making it. Full of personal stories, warmth and admiration, Angus teases out just what makes British cheese so special. From Lincolnshire Poacher to Stichelton, Baron Bigod to Brefu Bach, the book explores the diversity of cheeses and the communities that make them.

Farmhouse cheesemakers are also increasing the diversity of pasture their animals are grazing to see whether it affects the final flavour of the cheese. Angus has captured it all so beautifully in his photos and words and Lilly’s illustrations are perfect as always. Through his essays, many photos and recipes, Angus brings to life the joys and challenges of cheesemaking in 21st century Britain, and shows how each of us can play our own small part in keeping alive this important part of our culinary and agricultural heritage.From Lincolnshire Poacher to Stichelton (the original Stilton), Britain's own Brie in the form of Baron Bigod from Suffolk, to Brefu Bach sheep's milk cheese from Snowdonia and Appleby's Cheshire cheese from the heart of rural Shropshire, this is a unique journey through photos, essays and recipes, revealing the joys and challenges of a life in cheesemaking. A Portrait Of British Cheese celebrates the excellence of artisan and farmhouse cheese in the British Isles, expressing it as a product of the land, its animals, and its people, offering a snapshot of rural life, traditions and delicious dishes. The book shines a light on the industry’s rich heritage, community and, above all, its cheesemakers, looking at how, through a mixture of knowledge and intuition, science and artistry, they create their cheese. I loved that these cheeses were not only a wonderful, delicious food product but also an instrument to express heritage, tradition and history.

but with nowhere to house it all, so that’s when I decided to found Our Isles, a place for all of my work to come together.An exploration of the people, processes, stories and histories behind the incredible cheese made in the British Isles, A Portrait of British Cheese is a beautiful, thoughtful book that charts 30 farmhouse cheesemakers around the UK. Besides my love for the natural environment and a real desire to celebrate what was going on in it, hopefully conserving it in someway, Our Isles was kick-started in essence when I started The Bridge Lodge, a small food company which sold a range of foraged products like wild garlic pestos and wild garlic sea salt. Ultimately, Our Isles is a platform to explore and appreciate subjects like artisan and regional food, nature, rural history and heritage.