Yarg

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Yarg is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese made in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Before being left to mature, this cheese is carefully wrapped in nettle leaves to form an edible, though mouldy, rind. The texture varies from creamy and soft immediately under the nettle coating to a Caerphilly cheese-like crumbly texture in the middle. Modern production is at Netherton farm by Lynher Dairies from an old recipe. "Yarg" is simply "Gray" spelled backwards, after Allan and Jenny Gray, the couple who gave the recipe to Netherton farm.

Yarg Cheese is sold throughout the world, but is produced on a farm near Bodmin Moor. Although the cheese has never been manufactured on a mass scale, it has fans all over the world.

The farm and dairy go back as far as 1905 when the farm owners stumbled across the recipe for Yarg when they met the Grays who had a recipe for a special cheese that dates back to the 13th century.

The cheese is produced solely in Cornwall by Lynher Dairies. As well as the unusual name, the cheese is instantly familiar from its unique coating. The nettles, though being the ingredient which gives Yarg its unique flavour, were originally used as a preservative. However, this ingredient is what now delights many, described as having "a delicate, almost mushroom flavour." As well as the taste of the nettles, an interesting flavour is added by the mould allowed to grow on the cheese, which is not harmful.

Another version of the cheese is Cornish Wild Garlic Yarg which is covered with wild garlic leaves.