0:00:05 > 0:00:08This is Blue Peter, but mini.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12Expect epic adventures, makes, bakes, badges, pets,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15presenters and your post.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19We've only got five minutes, so get ready for your Blue Peter adventure.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Cheese. I absolutely adore it.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25So why, may you ask, am I starting a film about cheese
0:00:25 > 0:00:27outside a cave in Somerset?
0:00:27 > 0:00:29Well, all is going to be revealed,
0:00:29 > 0:00:33but first I need to head about 45 miles that way, to Dorset.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36This is Ford Farm,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39and I'm here because we need to go back to the beginning
0:00:39 > 0:00:42and find out how cheese is made.
0:00:42 > 0:00:43Nice hairnet, Lindz.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47So, where do we start? With milk, of course.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Meet Martin, a cheese-making expert.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Hello, Martin, I am here
0:00:53 > 0:00:55and I am ready to milk some cows.
0:00:55 > 0:00:56Let's do this.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59We've already done that, so we'll crack on and make some cheese today.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Right. Yes. I knew that!
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Hands washed and sanitised, we are good to go.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Oh, my goodness, is that milk?
0:01:11 > 0:01:13We fill the tanks with milk.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15This is now curds and whey.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18- So that's why there's kind of little bits in it?- Yeah.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21When a special ingredient is added to milk,
0:01:21 > 0:01:22it splits into curds and whey.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Curds are the solid bits, and whey is the liquid.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33The curds and whey are now being drained and separated.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35It's foaming, it's hot.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37It is hot. It is 40 degrees.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Once most of the whey has been drained,
0:01:39 > 0:01:40it's time to cheddar the curds.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43- So the idea is we cut it with a knife.- Yeah.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47And then we roll the loaf over.
0:01:47 > 0:01:48Oh, right.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50- And that's cheddaring? - And that's cheddaring.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53- And that's why it's called cheddar cheese.- Absolutely.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54You cut, I'll roll.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Oh, it's quite heavy, isn't it?
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Oh, it's really hot!
0:01:58 > 0:02:00It's like wet, hot, scrambled egg.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02And it's really heavy.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04How long do you just keep doing this for?
0:02:04 > 0:02:06- About two hours.- Two hours?!
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Get strong. It's a good workout, cheddaring.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13'After cutting and turning the curds into blocks,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16'all our hard work is undone by this machine
0:02:16 > 0:02:19'which breaks it up again into small pieces,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22'to make sure that the cheese gets an even scattering of salt.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25'The curds are then are put into moulds to be pressed into shape.'
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Still wouldn't want to eat this in a sandwich, would you?
0:02:30 > 0:02:33'After four hours of being pressed, our cheese is carefully...
0:02:34 > 0:02:36'Yeah, very carefully...'
0:02:36 > 0:02:37Come on, cheese!
0:02:37 > 0:02:39'..taken out and covered with a layer of lard,
0:02:39 > 0:02:41'to protect it from drying out.'
0:02:42 > 0:02:44It's like a proper Blue Peter make.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47'It's then wrapped and left to mature for 12 months.'
0:02:49 > 0:02:51Quite proud of that, Martin. Done.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53'I've just got one more thing on my to-do list
0:02:53 > 0:02:58'because this cheese doesn't just sit on the farm for 12 months.
0:02:58 > 0:02:59'Oh, no.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01'Remember the cave from earlier?
0:03:01 > 0:03:04'Well, it's about to take centre stage
0:03:04 > 0:03:07'because this type of cheese is special.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09'To give it a unique, earthy flavour
0:03:09 > 0:03:12'it's kept 16 metres underground,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14'at the Wookey Hole caves in Somerset,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18'and that's exactly where our cheese is heading.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20'To get our cheese into its home for the year,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22'I'm going to take it caving.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26'Guys, this is extreme cheese!
0:03:26 > 0:03:28'I don't really know what that is, but luckily,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31'caving guide Becca is here to help me.'
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Hi, how are you doing? Thank you for helping me today.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Let's do this.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39I'm taking our cheese through some of the ancient tunnels
0:03:39 > 0:03:42and caverns that have only recently been opened,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45so I've wrapped it carefully in a bag.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47That is a tight squeeze.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51SHE GROANS AND STRUGGLES
0:03:53 > 0:03:57It's incredible to think that some of the caves I'm travelling through
0:03:57 > 0:04:00were created 50,000 years ago.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04This cheese had better taste good. I'll tell you that much.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08But caving is only the beginning.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10It turns out I'll do anything for cheese.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Not just crawling through tunnels.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15So, Becca, what are we doing? I'm scared.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Lindsey, you're going to do an abseil.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18So when you're ready,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20if you just want to kneel down, and go out to the edge.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22- Let go?- Let go.
0:04:22 > 0:04:23- OK.- Oh, my goodness.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27- This is an intense way to store cheese, I've got to say.- It is.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30We could have just put it in the fridge, you know?
0:04:30 > 0:04:31'This is ridiculous.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35'I'm dangling from a rock face, all for a block of cheddar.'
0:04:36 > 0:04:41Just managed to do an abseil with two kilos of cheese on my back.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Can't say that every day, can you?
0:04:44 > 0:04:48After travelling nearly 500 metres through these beautiful caverns,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51I've finally come to the place where the cheese is going to rest
0:04:51 > 0:04:52for the next 12 months,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55and just through here is cheese chamber expert Tanis.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- Tanis, hi. - Oh, hi! Nice to meet you.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Good to meet you. It's great to be here.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04- How did you get here? - There's a path just down there.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07'OK, that's a little bit annoying.'
0:05:07 > 0:05:08Oh, right.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10So, whereabouts is my cheese going to go?
0:05:10 > 0:05:12It's going to go right here.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14- Amazing! Shall we get it out?- Yeah.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16I don't know if it's a bit battered and bruised.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18- No, I'm sure it will be perfect. - Here we go.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20The moment of truth. It's come a long way.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21There we go.
0:05:21 > 0:05:22Well done!
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Blue Peter cheese!
0:05:24 > 0:05:27So why is it important that it's in here, Tanis?
0:05:27 > 0:05:29It's 11 degrees all year round,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31it has a perfect humidity,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34and it has a nice earthy flavour the caves bring out in it.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Our BP cheddar will take on those cave-y tastes
0:05:38 > 0:05:42as it matures 16 metres below the ground for the next year.
0:05:42 > 0:05:43Job done.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46Do you know what? I'm actually really proud of that,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48cheese made with my own fair hands.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50That is extreme cheese.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Join in every Thursday on CBBC.