Pantysgawn facts for kids

Pantysgawn, also known as Pant-Ysgawn, is a special kind of goat cheese made in Blaenavon, Wales. It was the very first cheese created by Pam and Tony Craske on their farm. This cheese became so popular that it helped them start their own company, Abergavenny Fine Foods. Today, the Craske family still makes Pantysgawn in Blaenavon, using goat's milk from local farms that are certified by the Soil Association. This means the farms follow strict rules to be good for the environment.

This famous Welsh cheese has been served at important events, like meetings for NATO (a group of countries working together). It has also been enjoyed at St. David's Day celebrations at 10 Downing Street, which is where the British Prime Minister lives. Even Queen Elizabeth tasted Pantysgawn during her visit to Cardiff in 2015!

The Story of Pantysgawn Cheese

Pantysgawn cheese gets its name from Pant-Ys-Gawn Farm, where it all began. In 1981, Pam and Tony Craske moved to this farm. They soon realized that growing crops or raising animals in the usual way wasn't going to work well there. Because their farm was quite remote, they wanted to be able to produce their own food.

With this idea in mind, Tony went to a nearby market. He planned to buy a cow for milk, but he came back with six goats instead! Since they now had more goat milk than they could use, Pam and Tony looked for information on how to make cheese. They found helpful tips at their local library.

Pam started selling their homemade goat cheese at the Abergavenny Women's Institute market. It was a big hit! Over the next few years, their small cheese-making hobby grew into a successful business. In 1987, it became the Abergavenny Fine Foods Ltd.. The Craske family still makes the cheese today in Blaenavon. They use goat milk curds from local farms that are approved by the Soil Association, which means the farms are good for the environment. Also, no rennet (a common ingredient in cheese making) is used to make Pantysgawn. Outside of Wales, you can find this cheese in Waitrose supermarkets across the United Kingdom.

Pantysgawn has become known as a top-quality Welsh product. For example, it was part of the Welsh food served to important people at a NATO reception in Brussels, Belgium, on July 8, 2014. It was also featured as a starter dish at British Prime Minister David Cameron's St. David's Day party at 10 Downing Street in 2015. The dish was a tasty salad with Pantysgawn and beetroot. Later that same year, on June 11, 2015, Pantysgawn was served to Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Cardiff. It was part of a vegetarian starter dish made with red pepper and Pantysgawn.

What Makes Pantysgawn Special?

To make Pantysgawn, only pasteurised goat's milk is used. This means the milk is heated to make sure it's safe and clean. The cheese is then aged for about three weeks. It is made in small round shapes, as well as larger logs that weigh about 2 pounds (around 1 kilogram).

Andrew McMeel, a food expert, described the taste of Pantysgawn in his book 1001 Foods To Die For. He said it tastes "creamy and gentle," with a "delicately salty" flavor and "a faint lemon tang."