What are my special features?
Dorset Blue Vinny cheese is a hard skimmed cow’s milk cheese with a creamy white colour that is cut through by thin blue veins. Despite the cheese being very blue, it is not overwhelmingly strong, since the mould has a mild herbal taste.
What is my history?
‘Vinny’ is an old English word meaning ‘mould’. During the 18th and 19th centuries the cheese was well known and made using the milk left over from butter making.
Since the Second World War, the cheese was only made in very small quantities on one or two farms until it was revived by one sole producer. In the past, such thrifty skimmed milk cheeses were so hard in texture that they were often humorously likened to the material used to make the soles of shoes. However, the modern version of the cheese is much more crumbly in texture and has been awarded Protected Geographical Identification (PGI) status.
Why am I forgotten?
During the 20th century, production was hindered by various factors including tighter producer restrictions, however, Blue Vinny Cheese is now becoming more widely available commercially.
Don’t lose me…cook me!
