FAQs

Rennet comes in either a traditional form or vegetarian form. Traditionally, rennet is made using a mixture of enzymes extracted from the stomachs of young calves, kids, or lambs. It transforms the liquid milk into a solid curd, which is the first step in cheese making. Vegetarian rennet is made from moulds that produce an enzyme very similar to that of animal rennet and is used to turn milk into a curd, in the same way as traditional rennet. It usually comes from a thistle, or is created in a lab.

Though most rennet today is not a direct product of the meat industry like it once was, the decision whether or not to consume “traditional” (or “animal”) or vegetarian rennet is a personal one.

Artisan cheese is a living product – it changes over time. The team in our Maturing Rooms work hard to manipulate, and even encourage, the growth of certain moulds on cheese over time so that the cheese “matures” to our preferred taste and texture. When the cheese leaves our Maturing Rooms and reaches our stores, it’s up to our cheesemongers to preform “cheese care” and ensure that mould growth is controlled so that the cheese maintains its current appearance and flavour profile.

When you purchase a piece of Mellis cheese, we encourage you to consume it within the next seven to ten days, though harder cheeses can last for a couple of weeks or so. The smaller and softer the piece, the more it will deteriorate over time. 

If you’ve saved your hard cheese for a couple of weeks and start to see some specks of mould, there’s no need to be alarmed. Take the side of a knife and scrape the mould off. It should fall off easily and your piece of cheese will be ready to eat. 

If you’re unsure about the mould on your cheese, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team at enquiries@mellischeese.co.uk.

The fungus that makes blue cheese blue is called “penicillium roqueforti,” and it can be very pervasive – so much so that cheesemakers who make blue cheese must keep their blue cheese dairies isolated, so that the “blue” doesn’t spread. Farmhouse cheddars are especially susceptible to “accidental blueing.”

While this natural addition to cheese is usually safe, it’s always good to check with our expert team. Feel free to send a photo to our team at enquiries@mellischeese.co.uk and we’ll take a look.

Pasteurisation is a heat-treatment process that destroys pathogenic microorganisms in certain foods and beverages. Cheesemakers may choose to pasteurise their milk to try and prevent the growth of dangerous pathogens in their cheese. Some countries have legal restrictions against milk and cheese that is not pasteurised, in order to ensure public health and safety.

That being said, making cheese with unpasteurised or “raw” milk  is the more traditional way of cheesemaking, and in some countries like France, it is heralded as the best way to make cheese with natural flavour and “good” bacteria that contributes to gut and overall health. Raw milk cheesemakers take every precaution to keep their product safe and free from dangerous pathogens. There are very few instances of raw milk cheeses (made by certified cheesemakers) becoming dangerous to public health.

Both types of cheese deserve a place on a cheeseboard.

Out of an abundance of caution we recommend that pregnant individuals only consume hard, pasteurised cheese. Please ask your GP for guidance on consuming pasteurised or unpasteurised cheese.

All our cheeses are made with milk, salt, rennet and bacterial cultures. Occasionally, a cheese may come in contact with gluten or egg. There are very few allergens present outwith these, but if you’re unsure, please get in touch with a member of our team at enquiries@mellischeese.co.uk.

If you do not eat pork, please note that some farmhouse cheddars are coated in lard.

For information about pregnancy-safe cheese, please see the FAQ below. For information on vegetarian cheese, please see the FAQ above about rennet.

We’re not in a position to provide medical advice to our customers. For pregnant customers, we recommend consuming only hard, pasteurised cheese. Please consult your GP for the best advice.

As long as the rind is “natural” (i.e. edible, not wax, paper or wood), you should be able to eat the rind! We recommend eating natural rinds, as they are an important and often flavourful part of the cheese. If you’re unsure, get in touch with us at enquiries@mellischeese.co.uk

We recommend keeping cheese in the coolest part of your fridge – often the crisper drawer – away from any contaminants or excessive moisture. Keep it wrapped in its original wax paper (or the reusable beeswax we sell, or parchment paper in a pinch). Clingfilm will suffocate your cheese and it will deteriorate more quickly – we only use it in the shops temporarily for display.

Cheese should always be consumed at room temperature, to bring out its true flavour. Take your cheese out of the fridge 60-90 minutes before serving.

Artisan cheese is a living product – it changes over time. Mould growth on cheese is often a natural occurrence, and should be expected after some time in your fridge. 

To avoid tangling with unfamiliar moulds, we encourage you to consume your cheese within seven to ten days of purchase, though harder cheeses can last for a couple of weeks or so. The smaller and softer the piece, the more it will deteriorate over time. 

Just because a cheese has mould on it, doesn’t necessarily mean it has “gone bad,” but it’s a good idea to get in touch with a member of our team at enquiries@mellischeese.co.uk to confirm that all is well.

When you place your order, we ask for a preferred delivery date, and do our best to fulfil these requests accurately. Please check your order confirmation if you can’t remember your requested delivery date.

We almost always dispatch on time, but are unfortunately subject to occasional delays from third party couriers or other factors related to supply. Because of this we ask for your patience and flexibility, as your order may arrive +/- 2 days within your requested delivery date.

We always prepare your cheese to survive a few days in transit, but if you’re concerned about delays, please get in touch with us at enquiries@mellischeese.co.uk.

A golden rule for cheese amounts is 100g per person. This is the amount considered for a regular cheese course serving, but if cheese is the main course or served on the side, you may want to add on more or purchase less.

For guidance on ordering please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team at enquiries@mellischeese.co.uk.

For free delivery throughout the UK and Northern Ireland, including local Edinburgh delivery, we have a £50 minimum, which is the industry standard.

For orders under £50, local deliveries and orders shipped to most of the UK mainland will incur a £5 flat rate to cover shipping and delivery expenses. Postcodes in the Highlands and Islands will incur a £12 charge.

All our cheese is hand-cut the day before dispatch, wrapped carefully in our special wax paper, and packaged neatly along with any of your other order items in our Mellis branded cardboard box. The parcels are packed with recycled material to support your items during transit, as well as food-safe ice packs to keep your cheese cool. 

We do not have a gift option because all of our orders are packed without pricing, in a beautiful gift-worthy box! To send an order as a gift, just put their information in the shipping section, and your information in the billing.

Sadly, we are limited to sending our orders within the UK and Northern Ireland at this time. 

When you place your order, please put your email address and your phone number (preferably mobile) into the shipping section. 

If you’re local (within EH1-EH22), our company drivers will hand deliver your order. You’ll receive a text or email notification from our tracking app on the day of delivery with an estimated ETA. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee delivery times, nor can we accept a requested time for delivery. If you’re out during the delivery, please leave a safe place note (the message will let you know how to do so), or get in touch with our team for redelivery. Any orders that are not delivered will be automatically reattempted on the following day. 

Mainland UK orders are shipped with APC. Highlands and Islands orders are shipped with Parcelforce, and Northern Ireland with DPD. Customers should expect either a text or email with tracking information from the courier. If you are not receiving this information and need details, please email us at enquiries@mellischeese.co.uk.

Regardless of location, all in-store vouchers are sent with Royal Mail, on a first class, signed-for service. We know when they’ve been sent and when they’ve been delivered but we cannot track them in transit. If you’re worried your voucher has been lost, please contact us at enquiries@mellischeese.co.uk.

Please visit our celebration cake page for our selection of cheese “cakes” and towers. If you just want a cheese selection, you can simply place an order for larger amounts of cheese through the “cheese” section of our website. We also provide consultation appointments where you can speak with a member of our team.

We take the utmost care with our cake and wedding orders, and can provide personalised service to ensure prompt delivery. Please contact us at events@mellischeese.co.uk for assistance.