Yarg
It sounds like a pirate cursing a stubbed toe and comes from Cornwall, a place notorious for it’s pirates during the 16th century. The name, together with the fact that it is wrapped in nettle leaves, conjures thoughts of a four hundred year old traditional recipe… however, this is not the case.
 Yarg Initially created in the 1980′s by Alan and Jenny Gray, Yarg is simply their surname spelled backwards. It sounds good though. The rind is covered with hand picked, blemish free, nettle (or wild garlic) leaves, meticulously laid so that no cheese is exposed. The result is a rather attractive dark, greyish green mosaic with a dusting of white mould that picks out the detailing and edges of the leaves. The pate is hard and crumbly, yellowing slightly towards the rind. The flavour is sharp, almost fresh, a bit like Wensleydale or Caerphilly, with light earthy and mushroomy overtones. The wild garlic version introduces a subtle garlicky flavour into the mix and is, in our opinion, the better of the two. Olympia is quite partial to this cheese, but I’m not so keen (but then I’m not a fan of Wensleydale or Caerphilly either). Having said that, if you are preparing a cheeseboard for guests, Yarg would make a good choice, adding both a visual and a flavour contrast. |
Produced by Lynher Dairies Cheese Company
Reviewed by Nick & Olympia 2010.
(2.5/5)