SKINNY CROWDIE
From bathtub beginnings to culinary delight
Crowdie is the cheese that started the Dairy from the family bathtub. Thought to have Viking origins and an evolution of production through ladies’ stockings and pillowcases, it has graduated to hang in muslin and plastic sacks.
The most traditional of Scottish artisan cheeses. A lactic curd with reduced fat in order to make butter with the separated cream. At it’s most tasty when just “cooked”, a wonderful cheese to experiment with; try fruit, wild garlic leafe, mixed dried herbs also smoked mackerel for a pate. Pair with a fruity white or a viognier.
Milk Type - Dairy Cow
Style -
SKINNY CROWDIE
The making of SKINNY 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 Skinny 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, Our Skinny Crowdie is packed in its little pot to preserve it’s freshness
Salting and MaturationNo maturation or salting.
