BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme Best Food Books of 2022

'I'd happily eat this book - with a spoonful of chutney.' - Gill Meller

'If you want to know more about the human stories behind real cheese, buy this book! It highlights the wonderful diversity of people, scales and skills which characterise and bind together the emergent community of UK artisan cheese makers.' - Patrick Holden, Sustainable Food Trust

A Portrait of British Cheese celebrates the excellence of artisan and farmhouse cheese in the British Isles, expressing it as a product of the land, its animals, and its people, offering a snapshot of rural life, artisan traditions and delicious dishes.

The UK farmhouse cheese industry has faced its biggest challenges in recent years, with the Covid-19 pandemic forcing many small cheesemakers out of business. Food writers and journalists including Jamie Oliver led the call to save British cheeses, and the public's discovery of and support for speciality artisan cheeses helped many producers to weather the storm.

Photographer and writer Angus D. Birditt has been visiting and documenting dairies all over the British Isles, looking at the food, people and landscapes dedicated to artisan and farmhouse cheeses. From Lincolnshire Poacher to Stichelton (the original Stilton), Britain's own Brie in the form of Baron Bigod from Suffolk, to Brefu Bach sheep's milk cheese from Snowdonia and Appleby's Cheshire cheese from the heart of rural Shropshire, this is a unique journey through photos, essays and recipes, revealing the joys and challenges of a life in cheesemaking.

About the Author
Angus D. Birditt is a writer, photographer, poet, award-winning food producer, and founder of Our Isles www.ourisles.co.uk/about. Angus is an advocate for the rural environment, celebrating and encouraging its appreciation through his various works. He writes and photographs on food & drink, agriculture, nature, and rural heritage. Angus has written for the Sustainable Food Trust, Pasture-Fed Livestock Association, Farms to Feed Us, and Pipers Farm.

Reviews
An essential read for anyone wanting to get down to the nitty gritty of traditional British Cheese. * Andy Swinscoe, The Courtyard Dairy *
Angus has shone an exquisitely lit spotlight on the talented British cheesemaking community. Full of personal stories, warmth and admiration, Angus teases out just what makes British cheese so special. * Ruth Raskin, The Fine Cheese Co. *
This beautiful book brilliantly captures the artisan cheese industry as it stands today, and issues a call to all of us to ensure its future by keeping real cheese on our plates. * Bronwen Percival *
A book rich and generous with information, that like any good cheese, you'll be sure to return to until you've devoured it all. * Valentine Warner *
This is a beautiful book celebrating iconic British cheesemakers that transports you across the British Isles with stunning photography and stories of culture, history and families. The multi-talented Angus really has curated a very special cheese book. * Tracey Colley, Academy of Cheese *



Book Information
ISBN 9781787137981
Author Angus D. Birditt
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint Quadrille Publishing Ltd
Publisher Quadrille Publishing Ltd
Weight(grams) 1210g