Leeds Blue

Producer: Yorkshire Pecorino Cheese Ltd.

Location: Otley, Yorkshire

Style: Blue

Milk Type: Ewe

Milk Treatment: Pasteurised

Tasting Notes: Rich, Sweet, Salty

Vegetarian: No

Mario Olianas, is an Italian with a big personality, and fantastic cheesemaking skills. He was born in Vienna, and brought up on the island of Sardinia. His Papa is a fisherman, and it was he who encouraged Mario's love of good, fresh produce.

Mario moved to Yorkshire in 2001, and set up a business with his partner Sonia, selling homemade Italian produce at Leeds Farmers Market. This then led them to branching-out, and making ewe's milk cheeses out of their unit in Adel, North Leeds, with milk supplied by a local farmer in Harrogate. In 2021 they moved all production to a purpose built unit in the nearby market town of Otley.

Leeds Blue has an incredibly creamy soft texture, which is fresh like their Pecorino, and aged for only 30 days. This is a gentle mild blue with savoury notes, a little bitterness, balanced with sweetness that lingers.