You can now buy 300g Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar.
From stockists to science, recycling to rain charts, we’ve tried to think of everything you need to know and collect it here. If you can’t find it here, don’t hesitate to Get In Touch.
Yes – though you may notice some further shortening and crumbling of the texture in the cheese. Please allow your cheddar or butter to thoroughly defrost in the fridge before unwrapping.
It is best to store Ivy’s Reserve Cheddar in the cheese drawer compartment of your fridge, which is the warmest and moistest part. Ivy’s Cheddar and Butter can both be stored in their packaging. Once you’ve opened your cheese, we recommend wrapping it in our Ivy’s Reserve Beeswax wraps in the cheese drawer compartment.
Remove the cheese from the fridge at least half an hour before serving. Simply set it on a plate or board in its packaging and let it reach room temperature. This allows the fat molecules in the cheese to warm up and effectively relax, amplifying the rich and complex flavours.
Yes, Ivy’s Reserve Cheddar is made with Vegetarian rennet. Our Butter is also Vegetarian-friendly.
This white coating is perfectly normal and signifies a good Vintage Cheddar. It’s where calcium lactate crystals have risen to the surface during the extended maturing period. This is what gives Ivy’s its distinctive, award-winning flavour.
Our cows are out to grass whenever the weather permits. Given the unpredictable nature of British weather, the decision is reviewed on a regular basis: if it is particularly horrible and wet then we do not expose them to the worst of the elements. Our cows’ diet is carefully monitored and balanced to ensure they are happy and healthy. We are also proud to be Red Tractor assured, which means that our standards are monitored as part of this British food assurance scheme. We go above and beyond what is expected of us.
Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar is matured for an extended period to guarantee its distinctive flavour. During this time the cheddar begins to break down, giving it the crumbly texture. We appreciate that this can be a little more difficult when it comes to grating and neatly slicing but the flavour is worth the extra care (plus it’s perfect on a cheeseboard!).
We would suggest a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Gavi or an oaky Chardonnay. Alternatively, a fine port or dry Somerset Cider are perfect companions to Ivy’s.
On our farm we have three large Anaerobic Digesters which break down organic waste into natural energy. We use the by-products of cheesemaking, farmyard manure and waste from other local friends (apple pomace from cider mills, bread waste) to produce electricity and gas which we then use to run all of our sites. We also work with nature to generate energy from solar with panels being fitted on almost all of our farm buildings. And that’s not all: since 2014 we have been recovering 95% of the water used in the cheesemaking process, saving up to 850,000 litres of water a day!