Glyde Farm Produce was set up in 1996 by Peter Thomas who spent the next several years researching the market in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
for suitable dairy products. Peter and Anita Thomas started making Bellingham Blue cheese at their family farm at
Mansfieldtown
Mansfieldtown or Mansfieldstown () is a townland and a former Church of Ireland parish located between Castlebellingham and Tallanstown in County Louth, Ireland.
It was called Mandelvelleston, Mandevilleston and many other names in histori ...
in
County Louth
County Louth ( ; ga, An Lú) is a coastal county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of Meath to the south, Monaghan to the west, Armagh to the north and Down to the ...
, Ireland, in 2000.
Bellingham Blue
Bellingham Blue is a firm blue
cheese
Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
made from unpasteurized
cow
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...
's milk. It has a strong flavour with a salty finish, and the texture is crumbly and grainy. All the milk used is from their own herd of Friesians using raw milk.
Boyne Valley Blue
In 2011, Peter and Michael Finnegan began production of a version of Bellingham Blue made from raw goat's milk.
Awards
Bellingham Blue won a Gold Medal award at the British Cheese Awards in 2001. In 2008, Bellingham Blue was awarded a silver medal at the World Cheese Awards. In 2010, it won the Supreme Champion at the Irish Cheese Awards.
See also
*
List of cheesemakers
This is a list of notable cheesemakers. Cheesemakers are people or companies that make cheese, who have developed the knowledge and skills required to convert milk into cheese. Cheesemaking involves controlling precisely the types and amounts of ...
*
*
References
Irish cheeses
Cow's-milk cheeses
Cheesemakers
Goat's-milk cheeses
Dairy products companies of Ireland
{{cheese-stub