434: The tumultuous history of British cheese

Britain is a nation of cheese lovers. In 2022 a Mintel report showed a third of us ate it two-to-three times a week. And British cheese is booming. The British Cheese Board says we now produce more than 700 varieties. But it was not always thus… In fact the history of British cheese is a turbulent one, with peaks and troughs throughout the ages. Things got so bad in the post-War period that the social historian Dorothy Hartley wrote: “Our cheeses are lost to England”. In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we explore that past but also look to the future.  How rosy do things look for British cheese going forward? And what impact will dairy-free alternatives have on the market? Guest: Ned Palmer, Author