Dairy's first cheese proves it's the cream of the crop

Brinkworth Dairy’s soft garlic and pepper cheese has taken first prize in the South West Cheese Awards.

It follows a series of wins in the past year for the business including a gold in the Taste of the West Awards for Brinkworth Blue.

Ceri, who runs the dairy with help from family including husband Chad and fellow cheesemaker Lewis Williams, said: “I am proud of our little cheese. It was the first cheese that we ever sold at a market and now it has a little bit of regional recognition.”

It is the first year the dairy has entered the South West awards, but the garlic and pepper won a bronze medal back in 2008 in the British awards.

“Garlic and pepper cheese is a super cheese for the summer and great in salads,” said Ceri.

She revived the dairy ten years ago and since then it has gone from strength to strength, with customers all over North Wiltshire and as far away as London.

Her family has farmed at Hill End for more than a century and the milk comes from the herd of pedigree Friesian cows bred by her mum and dad.

But it isn’t just the cheese that has been winning plaudits in recent months. The dairy’s unsalted butter was shortlisted in the Great British Food Awards and its strawberry yoghurt won gold at the Bath and West Show this summer.

Ceri, who recently added ice cream to the range, was also invited to showcase her cheeses at a food and drink event at the European Parliament earlier this year.

The dairy, which also produces 60kgs of traditional Wiltshire Loaf, won its latest award in a class for cheese with savoury additives like mustard and chili. Second place went to Batch Farm Cheesemakers in Shepton Mallett and third to Norseland Ltd of Ilchester.

The South West Cheese Awards were launched at the Mid Somerset Show five years ago, just a few miles away from the home of Cheddar cheese.

Producers have a choice of 66 classes ranging from goats cheese to Brie. Winning cheeses are put up for auction.