Glastonbury hard goat's cheese gives cows some stiff competition

After two years of development, Glastonbury-based cheesemaker Green's, a member of the West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers' group, has created a hard goat's cheese.

The product uses milk from a herd of local goats and is made using the same method as traditional cow's cheese, by pouring fresh milk into a large cheese vat. It takes approximately nine pints of milk to make one pound of hard goat's cheese.

After processing, the cheese is pressed for at least 24 hours. Each cheese is removed from its mould, bathed in hot water and wrapped before being labelled. It is matured for more than six months, resulting in a creamy, nutty flavour.

The group explains that because goat's milk has a slightly more delicate structure than cow's and produces a finer curd, the final cheese has a closer texture than a traditional Cheddar.

"West Country Hard Goat's Cheese has a much richer, more complex and longer lasting flavour than the average soft goat's cheese. It's also a more versatile and flexible ingredient - it grills, melts and makes perfect sauces just like a West Country Farmhouse Cheddar," says the group.

Green's of Glastonbury Hard Goat's Cheese costs around £10 per kilo and is available in pre-packaged wedges from Waitrose.