Cheeseboards have never really been the same since the old Hartington Creamery closed down four years ago. With it went the wonderful Hartington Stilton, 180 jobs and well over a century of proud cheesemaking tradition – the original plant was opened by the seventh Duke of Devonshire in about 1875.

But now it’s back, albeit on a much smaller scale, thanks to the efforts of two of the former staff and three cheesemongers.

One of them, Claire Millner, meets me in the yard of Pikehall Farm, on a rather blustery day, to show me around the new creamery.

We sit down with a welcome brew to have a chat about the four years of hard work and £450,000 of investment that have gone into getting the new creamery off the ground.

“Two of the other directors, Alan Salt and Adrian Cartledge, worked at the old place and were really upset about it closing and the fact that Hartington had lost its cheesemaking heritage,” says Claire, who also owns the Old Cheese Shop, in Hartington, with husband Garry.

“They came to the shop, said they’d love to make cheese on a small scale and asked if we’d sell it. We said that, rather than sell, it we’d like to get involved.”

Although not strictly speaking in the village of Hartington, which is about two miles away, Pikehall Farm is in the Hartington parish. So the Hartington Creamery name stays.

After more discussions, the group applied for, and won, a £70,000 Leader grant from the European Agricultural Fund. The wheels were in motion.

“We looked all round Hartington and knocked on farms’ doors there but with no luck,” says Claire. “I’d seen this place for let and rang up.

“They used to spray-paint Harley Davidson motorbikes in here. It was really run down but we could see the potential.

“Then we had to start looking for equipment. A dairy was closing down in Dorset, so we bought loads of equipment from there.

“We then bought some Stilton-making equipment from a place in Quenby, Leicestershire. That’s 40 years old and had gone there from the old Hartington Creamery, so we ended up bringing it back.

“We funded all that ourselves, which is why we’re all skint and need to sell cheese!”

The four company directors became five when Simon Davidson, who owns the Cheese Factor shop in Chesterfield, joined.

The first cheese to be created, back in October, was Peakland White – similar to a white Stilton. It is best described as crumbly, creamy, slightly acidic and with a fresh taste.

It is now also available with added flavourings – cranberry and orange, and smoked tomato and garlic.

Then came Peakland Blue, created using the original Stilton recipe from the old Hartington Creamery. Claire is careful not to call the new cheeses “Stilton”.

“With the Peakland Blue, we’ve made four slightly different batches,” she says. “Whichever one we like the most we’ll put forward to try to get accreditation as Hartington Stilton from the Stilton Cheesemakers’ Association.

“The Peakland Blue is crumbly, very blue but not overly strong. This is the first attempt and we’re really, really happy with it.”

She opens a fridge in the little office we sit in and cuts me a slice of what’s known as P1 – the first batch. No hyberbole would do it justice but, if you like blue Stilton, you will adore it.

“If we’d not brought it back, we’d have lost Hartington cheese forever,” says Claire with deserved pride.

“Alan and Adrian make the cheese here and it’s particularly great for them as they’ve worked in the industry for so long.

“We have samples of the Peakland Blue in the shop. Most people love it but you always get the odd one who doesn’t and you get quite protective when someone doesn’t like it.

“Crumbly cheese is better known in the North and a lot of people from the south haven’t tried it. We’re educating the Southerners.”

With that I’m whisked away to the nerve centre of the operation, stopping briefly to meet Adrian who’s busy pasteurising milk for a new batch of cheese.

I enter a small room and am talked through the hygiene procedures. I’d already signed a form to say I was healthy and bug-free, but that was just the start.

Claire talks me through the procedures and I’m away – hands washed and alcohol applied, boots removed and replaced with white wellies, white coat and red mobcap adorned and then the whole hand-washing process repeated.

I even have to use a special cheesemakers’ pen to take the rest of my shorthand notes as mine is made of Perspex and we don’t want shards of that ending up in the cheese.

Claire heads off and I meet Alan, an affable chap I met at last summer’s Bakewell Show, when I was invited to judge some of the cheeses there.

The main cheesemaking room is hot and humid. My glasses and camera lens instantly steam up as Alan and I exchange pleasantries and I’m introduced to Wendy – Adrian’s good lady.

A huge stainless steel vat that would have made a smashing bath for Gulliver dominates the room and begins to be filled with the now-pasteurised milk, piped in from Adrian’s room next door.

The first of 2,000 litres (4,000 gallons) of the white stuff gushes in, making the room smell sweet and, well, milky. It’s gauged closely for temperature and arrives at about 31°C.

“This is Derbyshire cheese made in Derbyshire with Derbyshire milk,” says Alan. “The tanker picks up locally within five or six miles and some of the milk is from this very same farm. It’s travelled 30 feet to here.”

He takes a sample of the milk to test for fat and protein. It’s already been tested for any traces of antibiotics. Then freeze-dried bacteria is sieved in.

“Pasteurised milk is not sterilised,” says Alan, a man clearly passionate about cheesemaking. “We must make sure we get rid of any bugs that may harm people.”

“There are good and bad bacteria and we add the good ones essential for the cheesemaking process. They produce acidity.

“Then we add the rennet, which is the thing that separates the curds and whey. Little Miss Muffet was a cheesemaker.”

Between stirring the milk with a giant paddle and asking for temperature updates, Alan has plenty of paperwork to fill in to satisfy the environmental health inspectors.

Alan began work with the original dairy in 1972 and worked there for 26 years before landing a PR job with Dairycrest, the owner at the time.

When the creamery was closed, so was the production of Stilton, meaning Alan was also made redundant as his job was to promote that cheese.

“It made me cry when Dairycrest sold the old place [to Long Clawson Dairy], never mind when it closed. A lot of local people lost their jobs. It was a big part of the community.

“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved here and we’re proving a point. Things went wrong at the old place and the bosses decided to move on. That’s the tactful answer.”

Alan turns back to his cheesemaking and explains how the curds and whey will be separated the next morning, the curds cut with knives and salt added before being placed into moulds.

After three or four days in the hastening room, they’ll be stacked up on the shelves in the coating room for a matter of months.

We head in there and I’m treated to a taste of P2, the second batch. As with P1, it’s extremely good, though a little milder due to its younger age.

“I’m happy to put my name to that,” says Alan, as he takes a taste, a definite twinkle in his eye. “I want a cheese that’s smooth, blue but not bitter.

“As for when it’s ready, we find out by taste, not time. This stuff’s alive – it’s ready when it’s ready.”

Back in the main room, the milk is ready for the rennet to be added.

“The whey is drained away but in future we want to save it for the pigs,” says Alan. “They love it – they’ll eat it till they explode.”

Today’s efforts should create about 30 truckles of cheese. As Alan stirs in the rennet, the phone goes. Wendy answers.

“Is it Whizzo?” Alan shouts across the room. “I’m just doing t’rennet!”

And with that, it’s time to head for the hills and leave our blessed cheesemakers to their labours.

The cheeses are available to buy at Bakewell Deli; Chatsworth Farm Shop; Cheese Factor, Chesterfield; Derbyshire Larder, Matlock; Fresh Basil, Belper; the Old Cheese Shop, Hartington; Scotland Nurseries, Tansley; and at pubs and restaurants across Derbyshire.

Hartington Creamery also hopes to run cheesemaking courses in the future. Anyone interested in selling the cheese should call Claire on 07790 010293.

But the college staff worked from 6am to clear the drives and paths to make sure the event went ahead.

We took along our trusty camera and met some of the stallholders before popping over to see the new-born lambs on the farm.

Scroll down for more pictures.

John Baddock, from Derventio Brewery, Darley Abbey, shows off his new brew while sporting some natty headwear.

Pete Nash, from Derventio Brewery, Darley Abbey, shows he's got a lotta bottle.

Cathryn, left, and Sophie Meredith, of Sophisticakes, in Smalley, with some of their tempting creations.

Anita Harasymiw, left, and Elaine Tonge from Curves, in Ilkeston, were promoting their diet and exercise plans.

Pie man Andy O'Donnell, of Brockleby's, in Melton Mowbray, had some tempting pastries.

Adrian Rose, of Azorieblue, in Melbourne, demonstrates how much he loves good coffee.

Baljit Johal, of Apna Spice, Littleover, was selling her sauces and Asian snacks.

Keith Daily, of The Derbyshire Winery, in Bakewell, puts one of his reds to the taste test.

Rare-breed cattle a short walk away, on the farm.

Om, nom, nom!

Lambing's in full swing at Broomfield. We snapped this little beauty.

The college pulled out all the stops to get the event on despite the snow.

Each person will win tins of beans, ground or instant coffee for being the first 12 out of the hat in our autumn competition.

All the coffee beans (Brazilian arabica) are roasted right here in Derbyshire.

Adrian Rose, who owns Azorieblue, in Melbourne, will be out over the next few days, personally delivering the prizes to the winners.

So, here are the winners:

1. Don Yates, Chellaston
2. Neil Truman, Worksop
3. K Shone, Derby
4. Irene Mason, Staveley
5. Joan Smith, Wingerworth
6. Edward Beaumont, Riber
7. Ene Rebane, Kidderminster
8. Angie Allen, Eastleigh, Hampshire
9.  Nicci Cowdell-Murray, Dukinfield, Cheshire
10. Philippa Bradley, Spondon
11. Kevin Senior, Two Dales, Matlock
12. Dawn Mills, Chaddesden

If you’re not one of the lucky ones, fear not. There are plenty more prizes up for grabs in winter’s Taste the Seasons.

See the printed magazine, out now across Derbyshire, or the online version.

We have more brownies to be won, from Buffalo Brownies, of Hilton. Click here for the competition (Page 12).

There also the chance to win a £50 hamper of sweets from Edward and Vintage, Tissington, by clicking here (Page 12).

And we have ten tickets to give away for a wine tasting at Worth Brothers Wines, Kirk Langley, in the new year. Click here (Page 36).

Good luck!

Local food and drink will be on sale – ideal for foodie gifts for Christmas – and everything has been sourced within a 30-minute radius of the National Trust stately home’s estate.

Calke Abbey chefs will also be cooking up some tasty dishes with the freshest local ingredients.

Philip Bittner, from Calke Abbey, said: “Visitors will be able to taste their way around the exhibits with lots of nibbles to sample before buying anything.

“The biggest problem will be knowing when to stop and avoid spoiling your appetite for tea time.”

The restaurant will be serving up a tasty selection of fresh meals and snacks, making the event a real culinary celebration. And another special guest will be Santa Claus in his grotto.

The Fine Food Fair will be hosted in the Riding School from 11am to 3.30pm. Normal park admission and parking charges will apply and no booking is necessary.

Two days earlier, on Friday night, Calke Abbey, will be staging a traditional Ale Night, from  7.30pm to 11pm.

The tipples have all been brewed on the estate by Tollgate Brewery. There will be games and entertainment, plus hot roast cobs (with a vegetarian option) available.

Stewart Alcock, general manager, said: “Brewing has always been part of Calke’s story – from the bustling brew house tunnels of centuries gone by, to the work with Tollgate Brewery bringing local beer to our shop and restaurant.

“We’re really excited to have a brewery back on the estate and our ale night is the perfect opportunity to have a great evening with friends and family – supporting traditional local producers at the same time.”

Tollgate Brewery will also be at the fine food fair.

Other festive foodie treats this weekend include Matlock Farmers’ Market and a Santa Claus breakfast event at Bluebells, Spondon. Click here for more details.

The following lucky winners will received a mixed Compact box of brownies and blondies from the Hilton firm through the post over the next few days.

Congratulations to all our winners and don’t forget, if you haven’t been successful this time, there’s always another chance in the winter edition.

See the printed magazine, out now across Derbyshire, or the online version here (Page 12). The autumn winners are as follows:

1. Heidi Higgins, Derby
2. Sylvia Williams, Burton-on-Trent
3. Helen Spendlove, Selston
4. Jennifer Vaudin, Matlock
5. Paul Martin, Speke, Liverpool
6. Linda Hardy, Brackenfield
7. Jo Jones, Burton-on-Trent
8. Andy Boyer, Castle Donington
9. Hannah Wharton, Bramcote
10. Irene Mason, Staveley
11. Elaine Jacklin, Dronfield
12. Sue Bates, Long Eaton

There also the chance to win a £50 hamper of sweets from Edward and Vintage, Tissington, by clicking here (Page 12).

And we have ten tickets to give away for a wine tasting at Worth Brothers Wines, Kirk Langley, in the new year. Click here (Page 36).

Good luck!

Recognised as one of the region’s biggest awards in this sector, the evening celebrated the best of the food and drink offer in the city, with categories including Best Lunch, Best Newcomer and the coveted Restaurant of the Year.

This year’s awards were supported by Marketing Derby, QUAD, Derby College and Owen Taylor and hosted by Capital FM’s Dino and Pete.

More than 1,000 nominations were received, doubling previous years, indicating a stronger offer of eating and drinking establishments in the city. Marketing Derby’s John Forkin praised the finalists and winners.

He said: “The Derby Food and Drink Awards are now firmly established in the food and drink calendar and are keenly awaited and hotly contested.

“There is strength and quality in every category and all finalists are to be congratulated on making the shortlist and I’m sure that the winners will look forward to defending their title again next year”.

The awards also saw the launch of a free to download iPhone app called Taste Derby, featuring all finalists and more than 100 of the very best places to eat and drink in the city, developed in partnership with Marketing Derby Bondholder Silver Pride.

All the winners of the Derby Food and Drink Awards

Finalists and Winners of the Derby Food & Drink Awards 2012:

Best International, sponsored by Skills People Group
Winner: Moonsha
Runners up: Shalimar and Stresa

Best Lunch, sponsored by Geldards LLP
Winner: Le Bistrot Pierre
Runners-up: Jack Rabbits – The Peoples Grocer and  Michael Frith at Bennetts

Best Café, sponsored by Fabulousplaces.co.uk
Winner: Bean Caffe
Runners-up: Cube at Deda, Quad and Sadlergates

Best Bar Category, sponsored by Roundhouse Events
Winner: Red Zebra
Runners-up: Number5 and Vie Piano Bar

Best Pub, sponsored by Marketing Derby
Winner: Exeter Arms
Runners-up: Furnace Inn and The Greyhound

Best Newcomer, sponsored by Taste the Seasons, Derbyshire’s Food and Drink Magazine
Winner: Baked
Runners-up: Fahrenheit at Genting Casino and Black Rock Grill at Sadlergates

Best Out of Town
Winner: The Dragon in Willington
Runners-up: The Bull’s Head in Repton and The Queen’s Head in Little Eaton

Best Customer Service, sponsored by Derby College
Winner: Restaurant Zest
Runners-up: Caruso Café Boutique and Cube at Deda

Young Chef of the Year in association with Derby College’s Hospitality and Culinary Arts Academy
Winners: Ellie Hayley and Jacob Robinson

Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Smith Cooper
Winner: Restaurant Zest
Runners-up: Darleys and Fahrenheit at Genting Casino

For more details and photographs from the night, see the winter issue of Taste the Seasons.

The market, which has switched to its new outdoor home in Hall Leys Park from the Imperial Rooms, has seen a surge in popularity in recent months.

Along with the usual food stalls, there will be activities from the Matlock Live organisation, including music and a chance to make seasonal decorations for Halloween.

And customers are being urged to have their say on the future of the market by taking part in a brief survey.

Matlock Mayor Peter Wilgoose said: “We hope to get valuable feedback from our customers to help us decide the direction of the market in 2013.”

Among the survey’s questions is: Where did you hear about Matlock Farmers’ Market?As you’re reading this, please be sure to tick the Taste the Seasons box.

The market gets under way at 9am. For more information call Catherine Rawas at Matlock Town Council on 01629 583042.

Activities will include a chance to taste many different varieties of apples and try the freshest apple juice as it is pressed right in front of you. The Etwall Well Dressers will also be there, creating a picture with natural materials.

Garden manager Steve Biggins said: “At Calke Abbey, we have a fantastic orchard in the kitchen garden and we pick the apples to use in Apple Day.

“This year’s apple harvest has really been affected by the strange weather conditions. We have a fraction of the apples that we would normally expect. However, there will still be plenty of apple activities for everyone to enjoy.”

The restaurant will be a cooking up a special apple menu, with favourites like apple pie, apple scones and apple and cinnamon cake among the dishes on offer, as well as sweet toffee apples.

Catering manager Steve Lathaen said: “The apples we have for our apple menu are English apples from an orchard in Gloucestershire, which we have sourced through our fruit and vegetable suppliers, the South Derbyshire Growers.

“The menu we have created not only celebrates the diversity of the apple to create delicious, autumnal food but it is also making use of local seasonal produce.”

Apple Day runs from 11am to 4pm and a garden ticket is required.

The list unveiled by the county council features the likes of Lady of the Lamp Florence Nightingale and Flying Scotsman designer Nigel Gresley.

In the foodie world, Ann Greaves has been nominated. Born in 1788, she was later the proprietor of The Rutland Arms in Bakewell for 53 years until her retirement aged 80.

She is said to have welcomed many famous guests to the hotel, including Jane Austen, Lord Byron, Sir Humphry Davy, JMW Turner, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Charles Dickens.

Local legend claims the Bakewell Pudding was invented accidentally at the Rutland Arms in the 1850s and Ann noted the recipe. However, versions of the recipe appear much earlier.

George Bassett (1818-1886) was born in Ashover. He became apprenticed to a grocer and confectioner in Chesterfield and later acquired a small confectionery shop in Sheffield.

Towards the end of the 1850s, he set up and gradually expanded a sweet factory. The famous liquorice allsorts were introduced after his death. He became Mayor of Sheffield and is buried in Sheffield General Cemetery.

There are six Blue Plaques up for grabs and the public have been encouraged to vote for their favourite. The full list of nominees is as follows:

• Sweet maker George Bassett, Chesterfield
• Lace maker Frances Bush, Long Eaton
• Cromford Canal
• Reputed inventor of the Bakewell Pudding Ann Greaves
• War hero Frederick Greaves, Killamarsh
• Flying Scotsman designer Nigel Gresley, Netherseal
• Athlete Tom Hulatt, Tibshelf
• Razor blade magnate and philanthropist George Herbert Lawrence, Hathersage
• Crimean nurse Florence Nightingale, Lea
• Spy master Maurice Oldfield, Over Haddon/Bakewell
• Racing driver Reg Parnell, Findern
• Mill owner and benefactor George Herbert Strutt, Belper.

Council leader Andrew Lewer said: “This is a fascinating list. It is incredibly varied and includes some of the county’s best-known as well as lesser known people and places.”

To vote for your favourite, visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/blueplaques. The closing date for votes is Friday, November 16 and people can vote for up to six entries.

The candidates include businesses and universities from across the East Midlands for the awards, which will be handed out at an awards ceremony at Athena in Leicester on November 15.

Food and Drink iNet director Richard Worrall said: “We had a record number of entries this year to the Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards, which reflects the exciting research, development and business growth going on in the East Midlands food and drink sector.

“We are looking forward to hosting the awards ceremony, which has become one of the highlights of the calendar for the industry in the region. I am sure it will be inspirational to hear about the very different forms that innovation can take.”

This year there are four categories in the Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards – with the overall winner being named Campden BRI Innovation Champion 2012. The shortlisted nominations are as follows:

The Clegg Food Projects Ltd Most Innovative Business Growth Award

Dovedale Foods Ltd, St John Street, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, with a production unit at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham. The firm has been shortlisted for its creation of Agile Manufacturing (a term applied to an organisation that has created the processes, tools, and training to enable it to respond quickly to customer needs and market changes while still controlling costs and quality) to support the scaling up of manufacture of Dovedale’s Sauces for Choice brand, with capacity to offer short-run production to other local small enterprises struggling with the capacity requirements of larger contract manufacturers.

Original Recipes, Boythorpe Business Park, Dock Walk, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The firm has used an old recipe and given it a modern twist to create Granny Mary’s Finest Potted Beef, and has used the same ethos to drive the company’s project growth by getting chosen as one of the final 18 in the new BBC3 series Be Your Own Boss. This gives the firm the opportunity to broaden contacts and experience, enabling the maximisation of marketing and promotion of the business in a relatively short period of time.

The Bottle Kicking Cider Company, Hallaton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire. The company has been shortlisted for the conversion of metallised bags, previously used in the wine industry, to enable creation of a draught real cider that fulfils the CAMRA criteria, that can be stored and used from the bag whilst keeping the airtight vacuum to prevent spoilage and improve shelf life.

The Nottingham Trent University Most Innovative New Product Development Award

Moonshine Drinks Ltd, Fairview Court, West Bridgford, Nottingham. The enterprise has developed a revolutionary home brew system to create quality real ales by simply adding tap water into the unique laminated bag to achieve ABV of 4%+.

The Gourmet Spice Company, Kettering Road, Weldon, Northamptonshire. The firm has been shortlisted for challenging traditional flavour delivery techniques to create flavour combinations that are both innovative and exciting. This has enabled Gourmet Spice to develop products that deliver multi-sensory experiences.

Xcel Milk Nutrition Ltd, Coton Road, Walton on Trent, Derbyshire. The company has been shortlisted for the development of a unique fresh milk-based post-exercise drink, after working with sports nutrition experts and applying existing research in sports recovery.

Most Innovative Positive Impact Award

Deli Continental Ltd, Pintail Close, Victoria Business Park, Netherfield, Nottingham. This project focused on achieving the very best nutritional values in Deli Continental’s pizza bases, initially with salt reduction, whilst ensuring the authenticity of their artisan production methods. Collaboration with the University of Nottingham has resulted in a product that has already raised interest with local county council schools.

Lindhurst Innovation Engineers, Midland Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. Founded on anaerobic digestion, the H2AD technology that Lindhurst has developed in collaboration with the University of Nottingham and Arla Foods is based around a microbial food cell that allows bacteria in food waste to digest quicker and produce a hydrogen rich biogas.

Nutbrook Brewery, Hallam Way, West Hallam, Derbyshire. The company has invested in a wind turbine and some solar panels to create electricity for the brewery and to reduce controllable costs whilst having a positive impact on the environment and the firm’s carbon footprint. Nutbrook Brewery hopes to also inspire other small businesses to follow suit and embrace the benefits of environmental responsibility.

Most Innovative Collaboration Award

Biopolymer Solutions Ltd, Sutton Bonington Campus of the University of Nottingham, near Loughborough, Leicestershire. Research at the University of Nottingham discovered that the properties of xanthan gum could be changed by extrusion cooking. Collaboration between the University of Nottingham and Biopolymer Solutions has enabled funding to support the ongoing trials into the range of applications of the new material, hydraxan, which reduces issues of poor xanthan dispersion.

Just Egg Ltd, Hilltop Road, Hamilton Industrial Park, Leicester. By working in collaboration with the University of Leicester, with support from the Food and Drink iNet, Just Egg has been exploring a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable way of disposing of the firm’s egg shell waste. The company is now well on its way to using the egg shells in the reformulation of plastic to make recycled packaging to protect their egg-based products.

The University of Northampton and the University of Nottingham. This collaboration of the Universities of Northampton and Nottingham with Stichelton Dairy in north Nottinghamshire focused on the aroma development and influence of secondary microflora in blue cheese production to enable an understanding of the variants that can influence the consistency of cheese production.

Tickets are now on sale for the ceremony to present the Innovation Awards, which are being held for the fifth year, and which recognise and reward the brightest ideas in the East Midlands’ food and drink sector.

Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands. It has developed an effective network to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and knowledge, and local food and drink business innovation needs.

It aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes.

The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by The Food and Drink Forum and including Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.

For more information about the iNet visit www.foodanddrink-inet.org.uk 

Tickets for the Innovation Awards cost £69.50 plus vat per person, with discounts for members of the Food and Drink Forum, and are available by contacting the events team on 0115 9758810.

Some sponsoring, table hosting and exhibiting opportunities are still available for the event. Contact the events team for details.