First Northern Irish cheese shop opened by artisan producer

Organic cheese maker Christo Swanepoel is opening Northern Ireland's first cheese shop as a showcase for his and other products.

Swanepoel, originally from Pretoria in South Africa, has moved into a new and bigger creamery in Ballywalter, a seaside resort in county Down, part of which he has developed into a shop selling artisan cheese and accompaniments including locally produced chutney, relishes and biscuits. The shop will open its doors ahead of the Christmas season.

An experienced chef, he previously operated a much smaller creamery nearby in Millisle, another popular Northern Irish seaside resort, where he produced organic raw cow's milk cheeses.

The new creamery features a glass partition separating it from the shop but allowing visitors to see the cheese being handmade and in the maturing room.

The new cheese shop is named Angeluqe's Pantry after his wife, also a qualified chef, who will be supervising artisan products for its shelves

Swanepoel, commenting on the new business, says: "I needed more space to develop my artisan cheeses in response to the tremendous interest in my Dutch style products and saw a gap in the market in Northern Ireland for a dedicated cheese shop.

"It's my intention to offer a broad range of artisan cheeses from Ireland and further afield. I've noticed a growing interest in Northern Ireland for such cheese. Tastes are certainly developing here and there's a growing appreciation of good artisan cheese especially blue,"
he adds.

Resident in Northern Ireland for almost 10 years, Swanepoel gained the top food award from Food NI, the promotion body, at this year's Royal Ulster Agricultural Show at Balmoral Park for Young Culmore, an organic cheese that he handcrafts using milk from an organic farm in Londonderry. He describes it as "a Dutch Gouda style cheese with a rich creamy taste".

The flavours he's creating have already attracted local chefs and retailers in the Republic of Ireland and even Holland. His three cheeses reflect the influence of the Dutch who contributed greatly to the food business in South Africa. The other cheeses in his portfolio are: Angeluqe, a Parmesan style cheese named after his wife, and Pitjes Kaas, a rich, nutty and creamy taste of South Africa that uses cumin seeds.

"The ingredients for my cheese, especially milk from grass-fed dairy herds, readily available here are superb, wholesome, healthy and safe.

"The artisan sector is tremendously exciting here,"
he says. "There are some wonderfully inventive producers who are passionate about food. I've seen the sector develop rapidly over the past five years, and I am delighted to be a part of it and to work alongside so many creative people.

The decision to use raw milk was influenced by his belief that this offers a much richer flavour. "Raw milk cheeses are delicious and contain natural enzymes that infuse cheese with natural, deeper and exciting flavours. My supplier understands milk and runs a dairy unit to the highest hygiene standards. His organic milk is wholesome, healthy and safe," he explains. "And it helps me to create unique cheeses with outstanding taste."