EU Protected Food Names Scheme - UK registered names
Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 - Application for Registration Article 17
Protected
Designation of Origin
National application No: 00613B - Swaledale Ewes' Cheese
1. Competent service of the Member State:
Name: United Kingdom - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Tel: 020 7238 6687
Fax: 020 7328 5728
2. Applicant group:
a) Name: The Swaledale Cheese Company
b) Address: Mercury Road, Gallowfields Trading Estate, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 4TQ
tel:
c) Composition:
3. Name of product:
Swaledale Ewes Cheese
4. Type of product (see list in Annex VI):
Cheese Class 1.3
5. Specification - Summary of requirement under Article 4(2)):
a) Name:
Swaledale Ewes Cheese
b) Description of Product:
Cylindrical shaped full fat hard cheese, white in colour with a firm crumbly texture, made from ewes milk. Coated with a greeny blue greyish mould or coated with black wax
c) Geographical area:
Swaledale in the County of North Yorkshire
d) Proof of origin:
The Cheese has been made in the area for centuries. The recipe has been handed down from generation to generation and is still known only by a few people
e) Method of production:
The entire cheese making process is carried out by hand. Milk from the designated area is heated to 28*C and culture is added. Two hours later rennet is added and the milk is left to curdle for an hour. The curd is cut and stirred for 40 minutes at 28*C. It is cut into blocks and allowed to drain and then cut again into smaller blocks and stacked. After being broken into small nuggets and filled into moulds lined with muslin, they are lightly pressed for 18 hours at 20*C and turned once after 4 hours. The cheese is removed from the moulds and soaked in a 85% solution of brine for 24 hours. The cheese matures over 3 to 4 weeks.
f) Link
The pastures on which the sheep graze consist of herbs and grasses characteristic to the area due to the soil and climate. The milk together with the authentic unvarying cheese making skills give the cheese its specific properties.
g) Inspection bodies:
Product Authentication International Ltd
Address: Rowland House, 65 High Street, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 1DN.
Tel: 01903 237799
Fax: 01903 204445
h) Labelling:
PDO
i) National requirements (if any):
EC No:
Page last modified: 7 August 2007
Page published: 21 July 2003