The word Vinny comes from the old English words vinew or fyne meaning “mould”.

Traditionally the farmer’s wife, in small farms around the Dorset countryside, would use the milk from her cows (after skimming the cream) to make her own Blue Vinny.

However, being skimmed, the cheese didn’t “blue” naturally so to encourage the growth of the mould, old horse harnesses would be dipped into the vats or the cheeses would be stored on damp flagstones or even next to mouldy old boots!

So it’s no wonder that the cheese-making locations were often kept secret for fear of being closed down!