A BOOK chronicling the life and times of Dorset and its people is now in its 107th year.

The 2016 Dorset Year Book has just been published, containing a selection of historic and topical articles.

The book is put together by The Society of Dorset Men, whose current president is Lord Fellowes of West Stafford.

This is the first Dorset Year Book to be edited by Selwyn Williams, one of the guardians of the Old Town Hall in Weymouth.

One of Selwyn's interests is the shipwrecks scattered in the waters around Weymouth and Portland.

He has chronicled more than 300 ships sunk off Chesil Beach, some dating to before 1700.

Many local authors have contributed to the book, among them Beverley Lenthall, who writes about cheese making in Broadoak, near Bridport.

Today we're going to take a closer look at Beverley's research, which recalls an earlier version of Dorset Blue Vinney being made by the Miller family at Broadoak in 1959.

Blue Vinney is known as Dorset's 'local cheese'.

Beverley was taught how to make it as a 15-year-old in the spring of 1959.

Her father decided that it would be a good idea for her to learn the art of cheese making.

She visited the Millers, farmers in Marshwood Vale who made cheese.

Beverley recalls: "The weather was warm and sunny as we drove to the Millers' farm.

"The lanes were full of flowers, dog roses and honeysuckle covered the hedges and big trees overhung the cool lanes.

"We had no trees at Burton Bradstock, only a few stunted blackthorns bent away from the wind.

"The wayside was full of summer flowers all the way from our farm on the coast.

"Always a lover of plants and flowers I thought I was in paradise.

"The Millers had a picturesque farm surrounded by a scattering of low, tiled sheds for the calves and pigs."

In those days, Beverley writes, Blue Vinney was thought a poor man's cheese, only made in the summer when cows were out to grass.

Morning milk would be mixed with evening milk which made it 'turn', left overnight in a big tin bath and by the morning the cream would have settled and could be skimmed off with a metal skimmer.

The cream was then made into butter.

Beverley would help Mr Miller get the cows in for milking, recalling 'sauntering along chatting about this and that' behind the rolling rumps and swishing tails of the cows.'

Helping Mrs Miller with the milk in the tin bathtub, Beverley remembers a fire being placed under it to warm it, pronounced ready for the rennet to be added by Mrs Miller testing the temperature with her arm.

The milk then solidified and formed a curd which was broken into big squares.

The wedges of curd would be piled in one corner, Beverley writes, tilted to encourage the last of the whey to leak out.

"The curd was then crumbled into the bath, plenty of salt added to taste," Beverley writes.

It was then put onto big pieces of muslin and squeezed by hand before being put into a wooden mould.

They then went onto the press, 'a large heavy metal contraption, free standing with a small shelf for the mould and an arm and screw that would lower and squeeze out all the whey."

The cheese would then be taken out, the cloth removed and covered in flour; this would form the crust and absorb any seepage.

"Each day every fresh made cheese had to be floured and turned and inspected for cheese flies until it was completely dry," Beverley said.

She recalled that the cheese was stored on a stone floor to help the blue to develop, and out of those that didn't go blue they were eaten by the family!

Beverley then went on to make cheese at home with her family.

This happened for a couple of years but the milking herd was sold and the cheese making never restarted because Beverley married and the family emigrated to Australia.

"My days with the Millers still hold a special and magical time in my memory, something I will never forget.

"It's lovely to know that Dorset Blue Vinney is produced by people I know well and sold in very smart shops, including Harrods.

"A poor man's cheese no longer."

*Beverley's story and more can be found in The 2016 Dorset Year Book, available for £7.50 from Dorchester TIC, Books Afloat in Weymouth and Cards and Celebrations at Easton , Portland.

Or buy it by post from Alderman Andy Hutchings, 23 Hereford Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 0QB at a cost of £10 including UK postage.

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