A unique opportunity to try the ‘Poacher 50’: a cheese born of the pandemic.

Only made for the first three months of the pandemic, this is a one off chance to try Poacher 50 – a cheese invented out of necessity, and made for a brighter future.
That future is now, and now is your chance to try this  ‘limited edition’ cheese: like a cross between Comte, Parmesan and Cheddar.

Poacher 50 was created when the COVID pandemic hit in April 2020: cheese and milk sales collapsed and Simon and Tim couldn’t just ‘stop’ farming.  So they decided to create a stable/long lasting cheese would only be ready in several years; when the turmoil of the pandemic might be over.
It was their way of ‘capturing’ their milk for the future when things might have changed.

Things have changed.

We’ve selected for you cheeses from 26th May 2020; three years old and tasting amazing.

About LIncolnshire Poacher

Fourth generation farmers Simon and brother Tim, farm very traditionally on the Lincolnshire plains.  Not an area associated with dairying, cows are found few and far between but in recent years the ‘Poacher boys’ (as they’re affectionately known) have become well known for making a brilliant Cheddar-style throughout the UK.  Starting to make cheese in 1992 they have gone from success to success for their well known, full-flavoured cheese.  At one point due to its success they had to ration the supply of Lincolnshire Poacher.

Using their own herd’s unpasteurised milk, all the milk from the farm goes to make Lincolnshire Poacher to a traditional Cheddar recipe with a few twists.  They learnt off the late, great, Dougal Campbell, he made a Cheddar (Tyn Gryg) but with influences from his time making cheese in Switzerland.  Hence the cheese is more waxy in texture with a fruity, sweet nutty flavour to match the Cheddar tang.  The normal Lincolnshire Poacher is matured to 12-14 months.

About 20 years ago, head cheesemaker Richard made a a ‘one-off’ honest mistake in making the cheese, forgetting to turn the heating off and scalded (heated) the curd up to 50°c, this temperature is too hot for making Cheddar as it kills off the flora and bacteria needed.  However, the damage was done so they decided to proceed to finish, making the cheese anyhow and just see what happened.  At first it tasted of nothing, but they kept it, and at three years old, the flavour came through and though still recognisable as Poacher it had a drier texture, a smoother cheese with plenty of flavour, like a cross between Comte, Parmesan and Cheddar.

An interesting one off but they didn’t repeat the experiment – too much time maturing, they were happy with Poacher the way it was.

When the COVID pandemic hit in April 2020 the milk and cheese market collapsed as milk sales tumbled (due to the loss of all the milk used by the likes of cafés, Costas, Pret’s…..); and the artisan cheese market also disappeared (closure of restaurants, coupled with a lack of people going to farm shops & deli’s).
Simon and Tim decided to recreate Poacher 50.

This product will have two weeks shelf life from the date of delivery.  Conveniently, at checkout you can choose a delivery date even well in the future if you would like your cheese delivering for a specific event