The snow which lay over Alledal has now gone, though the forecasters predict more arriving tomorrow. It does make me sort of excited in a child like way. I’ve just been out to Höör and I’ve seen snow ploughs and gritters moving out on the roads, so it likes like we’re in for more than a dusting. It seems fitting somehow for it to be snowing in December.

It’s been a while since I mentioned the Alledal Cheesemaking Project, so I’m sure you’ll be glad to know we’ve reached a milestone in the manufacture of hard cheese. Having aged them for four months as required, we have finally been able to taste the fruits of our labours. This is the first real hard goat’s cheese we’ve made – and it’s not bad. If you will permit me to indulge my inner Gilly Goulden it’s almost compté like in texture and has hints of melted butter, hazelnuts and fudge. I’m quite impressed over all. I have to say I was very apprehensive about the whole project. I’ve been making hard cheeses for months now without any way of telling if the finished results were in any way edible. It seems I’ve been worrying for nothing. As Clifton Fadiman once declared A cheese may disappoint. It may be dull, it may be naive, it may be oversophisticated. Yet it remains, cheese, milk's leap toward immortality