BLACK CROWDIE
Product Expiry 46 days from dispatch date
Packs a peppery punch
Dense, dry curd cheese (with reduced fat) rolled in cracked black pepper and springy oatmeal. Gritty and aromatic on the palate with a spicy kick, this little cheese (Gruth Dhu in Gaelic) packs a peppery punch on your oatcakes, hot buttered toast with eggs, or on top of a perfect fillet steak.
Believed to be first introduced by Vikings in the 5th century, the creamy taste of crowdie, handrolled in oatmeal, is enhanced by the spicy kick of black pepper.
Black Crowdie
The Making of Black Crowdie
Every cheese is crafted in Tain, ScotlandWe collect milk from local farms around Tain. Once the milk is received in our dairy, the milk goes through the pasteurisation process and will then be placed in vats. Cultures are added to begin the process of acidification. After a time, depending on how much acidity is required, rennet is stirred in, and the milk coagulates.
Cutting and Draining the CurdOnce a firm set has been achieved and depending upon how much moisture we wish to retain in any specific cheese style we will cut the curds. Crowdie is a lactic curd, no rennet is used, the milk acidifies to such an extent that the calcium precipitates and it forms a fragile curd, not unlike yogurt. The curd is then cut and scrambled like eggs for it struggles to hold a shape.
Shaping the cheese – MouldingOur Crowdie curd is then placed into a mousseline cloth to allow for the curd to dry even further. One the right level of moisture is reached, the Crowdie curd is shaped into logs and rolled into cracked black pepper and pinhead oatmeal to become our fiery Black Crowdie.
Salting and MaturationNo maturation or salting
