A moist, white semihard cow’s milk cheese with a crumbly, springy texture, originally from Wales. Its slightly salty flavour is caused by the cheese being soaked in brine. The flavour is not unlike Cheshire, but the texture is different. It is always described as a miners' cheese. The texture means that it does not fall apart or dry up in the atmosphere of the mines, and its height makes it easy for the miners to hold. The saltiness compensates for the salt lost by the men sweating down the pits and it is easily digestible. Traditionally this cheese is lightly pressed, put in brine for a day and then rubbed in rice flour.
