Herbs, Peppercorns, and Add-Ins: Flavour Beyond Milk

When to add the add-in

For most pressed cheeses, the moment to add flavourings is after draining the curd, just before hooping (putting into the mould). Sprinkle the add-in through the broken-up curd and mix gently until even distribution is reached. Adding earlier — into the milk or whey — usually doesn't work: volatile oils are lost to the whey, and fine particles can affect coagulation. Adding later, onto the surface, works for rind flavourings (ash, dried herbs) but not for internal integration.

Choosing dry over fresh

Fresh herbs seem appealing but cause problems. They carry moisture (often 80%+) which disrupts the cheese's structure. They introduce unpredictable microbial loads. Their flavour fades fast during aging. Dry herbs, dehydrated vegetables, and cured spices concentrate flavour, introduce minimal microbial risk, and hold up through aging. Exceptions exist — a fresh truffle shaving in a young cheese, a layer of fresh thyme wrapped around a tomme — but they're short-aging propositions.

Classic add-ins and their cheeses

• Cumin and caraway — classic in Dutch Leyden and Boerenkaas; warm, savoury, ages well.
• Black pepper — in Pepato (Italian), Pecorino Pepato, and many artisanal tommes.
• Truffle — best in young, mild cheeses where the truffle can shine (Caciotta al tartufo, some chèvres).
• Ash (food-grade vegetable ash) — used on rinds of Valençay, Humboldt Fog; deacidifies surface and adds visual contrast.
• Cranberries, figs, apricots — common in modern artisanal cheeses; pair sweetness with mild pressed cheese.
• Nettle — classic in Yarg and Cornish Yarg; wrapping rather than inclusion.
• Smoked paprika, chilli — Spanish tradition; work best in firm cheeses where they won't overwhelm.
• Garlic, chive, dill — in fresh cheeses (labneh, boursin-style); rarely in aged cheeses.

How much to add

Start low — 1 to 2% of the curd weight is enough for most dry add-ins. Peppercorns can go higher, up to 3%; strong spices like chilli or smoked paprika lower, around 0.5%. It's much easier to add more next batch than to salvage a cheese drowning in its additive. Record your percentages and taste aged samples; many add-ins intensify with aging as moisture reduces.

Add-ins that change aging behaviour

Some inclusions actively change how a cheese ripens. Garlic, onion, and some fresh herbs introduce enzymes and microbes that alter flavour development in unpredictable ways. Cranberries and other fruits bring in their own sugars, which can encourage secondary fermentation. Peppercorns are inert. Ash is a useful tool — it deacidifies surfaces and helps rind microbes establish on otherwise-too-acidic cheeses. Understanding which category an add-in is in matters.