Island Life October/November 2018

Food & Drink
Briddlesford Farm
Dairy scoops five
Great Taste Awards
Great Taste is among the world’s most coveted food awards,
with over 15,000 products from around the world coming
under scrutiny - so it’s an amazing achievement for Island-based
Briddlesford Farm Dairy to have been awarded not just one, but a
remarkable five awards - for its farmhouse cheddar cheese, halloumi
cheese, double cream, whole milk and semi skimmed milk.
Judged by over 500 of the most
demanding palates, belonging
to food critics, chefs, cooks,
restauranteurs and producers,
as well as a whole host of food
writers and journalists, Great
Taste is widely acknowledged
as the most respected food
accreditation scheme for artisan
and speciality food producers.
As well as a badge of honour,
the unmistakable black and gold
Great Taste label is a signpost to a
wonderful tasting product, which
has been discovered through
hours and hours of blind tasting.
Briddlesford’s Great Tasting
products can be found in the
farm’s shop and Bluebells café, as
well as all good shops, delis and
coffee houses across the Island
– and, if you travel on Wightlink
ferries your tea or coffee will be
served with Briddlesford milk.
‘We are delighted to have won
so many Awards,’ explained
Louise Griffin of Briddlesford,
‘My great- grandparents started
farming at Briddlesford in
1923 and today’s herd are all
descendants of the original 15
Guernsey cows. Guernseys
are the traditional breed of
the Isle of Wight but there are
now very few herds left in the
country. Their milk and cream
is renowned not only for its
rich, creamy flavour but also for its
golden colour, and we have now
developed some unique cheese
recipes that complement this.’
The hard cheeses at Briddlesford
are matured on wood from the
farm’s ancient woodlands which
adds subtlety to the delicious
flavours. The halloumi is probably
the freshest you can get. The
cows are milked in the morning,
their milk is pasteurised, sent
through to the cheese room, and
by the end of the day it is on the
shelves in the farm shop. The
same goes for the milk and the
cream, which means customers
can’t get any fresher than that,
or clock up so few food miles!
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