Andy Swinscoe, cheesemonger and owner of The Courtyard Dairy at Austwick, between Ingleton and Settle, suggests some new cheeses to try this Christmas

BRITAIN’S artisan cheese industry has been prospering in recent years.

The rise in interest in produce made locally and on a small farm-scale, coupled with a growing interest in food and falling milk revenues, has meant many farms have seen cheesemaking as an attractive addition to their business.

And it’s nice to see, as cheese made on a farm level can be more unique and characterful as the producers can concentrate more on quality. Feeding more at pasture, using traditional cow breeds and hands-on slow techniques to make and mature their cheese mean flavour can be maximised.

So for this Christmas why not celebrate this resurgence and support some of these small farms and their new cheeses?

Here would be my top selection for your cheeseboard this Christmas - and all bare rand new British cheeses that have come about since 2016:

Fellstone.

Developed by Tom and Clare Noblet above Hutton Roof, near Kendal, this three-month old cheese is a take an old-fashioned Wensleydale.

It's quite different from what you’d expect. It's made using their own farm's raw cows' milk fresh every morning.

It is supple and moist with a rich buttery lactic flavour.

This would be my choice with the Christmas cake.

Summer Field Alpine.

Made on the North Yorkshire Moors, this is Britain’s answer to Comte.

Alastair Pearson uses the milk from 46 native-breed Dairy Shorthorn cows and techniques he learned while making ‘mountain cheese’ in Germany

It is only made in the summer. The ones I'd suggest are from summer 2018 so about 16-months old.

Like Gruyere and Comte it works perfectly in a twice-baked cheese soufflé; perhaps this year’s Christmas dinner starter?

Hebden Goat.

Gillian Clough has only 12 goats and farms Anglo-Nubian goats above Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire.

Hand-milking every day, she uses traditional French techniques to make small fresh soft goats' cheeses.

At three weeks old they are mousse-y, zesty and fresh with a herbaceous goat note.

If you can resist eating it whole I’d serve slivers of goats' cheese on pieces of roasted red-peppers or segments of baked beetroot as canapés on Christmas Day or for your boxing day buffet.

Darling Blue.

Doddington Farm in Northumberland really is a family affair. Bob milks the animals, brother Neill uses it to make ice cream and sister Maggie makes cheese.

Darling Blue is their most recent creation and is a gentle blue with a rich, biscuity note.

Serve as an alternative to Stilton this Christmas Day, but with the leftovers you can create a fabulous salad. Dice the remaining blue up and serve with walnuts or hazelnuts that have been baked in honey, fresh salad leaves and segments of poached pear.

Yorkshire Pecorino.

Mario moved to Yorkshire 15 years ago from Sardinia and now makes a range of cheeses true to his family’s recipes within his converted garage in Leeds.

Using local sheep’s milk his Yorkshire Pecorino is a very easy cheese to eat lots of.

Based on a Pecorino Fresco recipe, these are rarely found outside Italy: it is young, supple, yogurt–y and sweet (not to be confused with the hard Pecorinos that were often exported to the UK years ago).

It's the perfect accompaniment to your choice of baked stone fruits.