modernidad. Mantiene la producción de quesos con leche cruda de sus propias vacas, al tiempo que ha introduci-do mejoras tecnológicas. Destaca su “cheddar de las cinco millas”, robusto con matices de avellana, caramelo y cítri-cos, madurado en las bodegas de arcilla de las laderas cer-canas a la quesería. Para cualquier amante del queso, Neal’s Yard Dairy es una meca. Fundada en 1979 por Nicholas Saunders y Randolph Hodgson, cuenta con cuatro locales en Londres. Bronwen Percival, directora técnica, revela su secreto: “No solo compramos el queso ya madurado y lo almacenamos hasta su venta. Tenemos instalaciones similares a las que tienen los productores. Maduramos mucho queso fresco que adquirimos con apenas tienen unos días de vida.” Entre los imprescindibles, Percival destaca el Colston Basset Stilton. “Es nuestro bread & butter (pan de cada día), el que muchos consideran como el auténtico queso britá-nico.” Otro esencial es el Stichelton, un azul de leche cruda y no menos importante es el Hafod, un cheddar hecho en West Wales, en la granja orgánica más antigua del Reino Unido. “Desafía las expectativas de este tipo de queso”, anuncia la experta. Pero la ruta no termina en el campo; Londres, con sus mercados y tiendas, también homenajea a este manjar. ENG In the cheese dairies of Somerset, in the Southwest of England, the aroma of curdled milk and aged wood evokes centuries of artisanal tradition. West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers Protected Designation of Origin cheddar is not just a cheese here, it’s a living leg-acy of age-old techniques. They know all about this at Montgomery’s Cheese, founded in 1911 in North Cadbury in the heart of Somerset, a dairy that has built up a sol-id reputation over many years. Elizabeth and John Montgomery spent decades forging its reputation, and today, under the leadership of Jamie Montgomery, the legend continues. “Carrying on my grandfather’s meth-ods is what really works,” he says. Jamie produces about 120 cheddar cheeses every week, using fresh milk from his 200 Friesian cows, which he refers to as his ‘pets’, all named after Shakespearean characters, flowers and food-stuffs. In addition to its famous cheddar, Montgomery’s Cheese is noted for its Ogleshield, a raclette-style cheese that won, amongst other awards, Best English Cheese at the 2004 British Cheese Awards. Jamie divulges that the key to his cheeses lies in ‘the soil, the water, the air, the cows, the feed, the milking staff, the cheesemakers, the fermentation and the rennet... and not upsetting this bal-ance’. A mansion fit for a cheese Montgomery’s Cheese is located in North Cadbury Court, an elegant country house dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. More than a conventional hotel, it offers a cosy atmosphere that makes guests feel at home. ‘Details such as the wallpaper in the billiard room and the golf tee on the roof make it unique,’ he says. In addition, North Cadbury Court hosts cheese-related events such as the Science of Artisan Cheese conference and Cheese Journeys. Westcombe Dairy: heritage and modernity In the early 20th century, in Evercreech, in the Somerset hills, the Brickell family started their own cheese-mak-ing venture, inspired by Edith Cannon, a local legend who as early as 1890 was producing a famous cheddar from unpasteurised milk. Thus, was born Westcombe Dairy. In the 1960s, Richard Claver joined the family business, improving the quality of the grazing and milk. Together with Christine, granddaughter of the founders, they revived the traditional British cheese recipe. Today Richard’s son Tom has taken over. Trained as a chef in London and with experience at Neal’s Yard Dairy, he has revitalised the farm combining tradition and inno-vation. He has maintained cheese production using raw milk from his own cows, while at the same time introduc-ing improvements in technology. His ‘five-mile cheddar’, robust with hints of hazelnut, caramel and citrus, matured in the clay cellars on the hillsides near the dairy, is a par-ticular highlight. Neal’s Yard Dairy is a mecca for any cheese lover. Founded in 1979 by Nicholas Saunders and Randolph Hodgson, there are four locations in London. Bronwen Percival, technical manager, reveals their secret: ‘We don’t just buy matured cheese and store it until it’s sold. We have facilities similar to what the producers have. We mature a lot of fresh cheese that we buy when it’s only a few days old’. Among the must-tries, Percival highlights the Colston Basset Stilton. This is our bread & butter, what many con-sider to be the authentic British cheese. Another essen-tial is Stichelton, a raw milk blue and just as significant is Hafod, a cheddar made in West Wales, on the oldest organic farm in the UK. ‘It defies expectations of this type of cheese,’ she declares. But the journey does not end in the countryside; London, with its shops and markets, also pays homage to the delicacy. LONDRES LONDRES Vuelos // Flights: Hasta la capital británica, ya sea para ver un musical o una exposición, te lleva Air Europa desde Madrid en dos vuelos cada día. // Whether it’s to catch a musical or see an exhibition, Air Europa takes you to the British capital on two flights a day from Madrid. www.aireuropa.com