Scotland's National Bard had a few jobs in his time, from farm labourer to excise officer, but he also dabbled in cheesemaking for a while! Well, his wife did...
The story goes that Mrs Dunlop, herself a cheesemaker as well as a long-time fan of Burns' writing and his frequent correspondent, gifted him an Ayrshire cow when Burns moved to Ellisland Farm in 1788. He was familiar with the breed, as his mother, Agnes Broun, made cheese from Ayrshire cows' milk whilst they lived in Alloway.
This generous gift gave him an idea, and he bought more dairy cattle from Ayrshire. His wife looked after the cows, milking them, churning butter, and making cheese. This enterprise only lasted a few years before Burns gave up the farm in 1791 and moved to Dumfries for the last few years of his life.
Nowadays, Scottish cheesemaking includes more than the traditional 'sweet-milk' cheese Burns would have made from the whole milk of the Ayrshire cattle. From waxed cheddars to soft, Brie-style cheese and even an award-winning blue, Scottish cheese has something to suit every taste!
Explore our range of Scottish cheeses online and in-store, and for even more luxury, why not treat yourself to one of our Scottish Cheese Hampers?
