While many cheeses are washed in brine, cheeses can also be washed with beer, wine or spirits. This technique dates from the Middle Ages and originated in the Franciscan monasteries of France and Belgium, where the monks were frequently not only cheesemakers but distillers and brewers as well. Washing in alcohol results in a more pungent and complex taste and a creamier consistency than is achieved through brine washing but it also helps to preserve the cheese.

Renegade Monk is also a nod to the Knights Templar, the original renegade monks following their brutal suppression in 1307. Feltham’s Farm is less than two miles from the village of Templecombe, where a Templar Preceptory was established in 1185. Templecombe was an important administrative centre for the Templars and may even have been a training site for both men and horses before the Crusades. Feltham’s Farm is almost certainly sited on what was once Templar land.

Rebel Nun came about because Marcus was playing with the recipe for the Monk, and really liked the milder more blue cheese.

La Fresca Margarita means “fresh daisy” in Spanish, because this cheese is as fresh as a daisy. A Spanish friend tells us that “fresca’ in front of any female name has connotations of “coquettish” – which of course we love.

Gert Lush means "really delicious" in the West Country - and one of our early cheesemakers said this when he tasted the early version of the cheese. And so a cheese was named...

Lucky Marcel is so named as Felicien (as in a St Felicien cheese) means "lucky" in French and Marcel is short for "St Marcellin" - another French cheese, essentially this is a mash up of our two favourite cheeses - St Marcellin and St Felicien.