What on earth to write about for N?
Thankfully I went into the Co-op and chanced upon N for Norfolk White Lady Cheese!
Norfolk White Lady is a soft white Ewe’s milk cheese made by Becky Enefer on her farm at Hockwold near Thetford in Norfolk. Similar to a brie but richer and stronger
The Enefer family have had 4 generations on their farm. First rented in 1930 and bought in 1954. The farm is now run by Nathan and wife Linda and their son Lee and his wife Becky and their sons.
In 2021 they made the decision to diversify further and purchased a small cheese company. Becky gave up her job to begin making cheese on the farm in a barn converted to a modern cheesemaking facility.
I found this online about the original cheese maker Jane Murray
‘Initially, I started milking a handful of Friesland dairy sheep in 1986, which soon increased to a flock of 60. After nearly a year of trying to develop a cheese recipe, with varying success, I eventually started production of Norfolk White Lady in 1999. This was the first cheese produced commercially in Norfolk and the county name was naturally included in the name of the cheese. “White Lady” was chosen because my sheep were my white ladies in the surrounding black fen, the cheese has a bloomy white surface mould & I was one of very few “lady” cheesemakers.
The following year I developed the recipe for the hard, manchego styled Wissington cheese. This name was chosen due to the dominance of the Wissington sugar beet factory on the skyline of the surrounding fens. In 2008 I sold my dairy sheep & relocated the cheese business to Deopham, where I developed the mild & creamy Deopham Blewe. After 23 years of increasing cheese making success, I sold my business at the end of 2021 & looked forward to retirement.’
Wilton Farm now produce two cheeses – the Norfolk White Lady and Wissington – a hard cheese also made from ewes milk . They sell through farm shops in Norfolk and Suffolk and to the wholesaler who supply East of England Co-op.
I’d never tried a cheese made from ewe’s milk so this was an interesting taste-test. I found it much firmer than a Brie – even after being out of the fridge to come to room temperature. It has a lovely flavour when eaten on it’s own but on top of one of my home made Suffolk rusks the flavour disappeared.
My overall view is that it’s nice but not really worth the cost.
