Cheeses of The Nilgiris
Cool green hills in south India where a handful of small farms make Gouda and cheddar-style farmhouse cheese.
Made, aged and sold here
Best time: October to June, avoiding the heaviest monsoon rain.
The Nilgiri hills rise to over 2,000 metres where Tamil Nadu meets Kerala and Karnataka. The cool, damp climate that suits tea also suits cows and cheese cellars. Around Ooty and Coonoor, a few small farms and dairies make European-style cheeses in small batches, a thread of Indian cheese that is young but growing, and often sold through farm shops and visits.
Farmhouse cheese in the hills
The cheeses made here follow European models: Gouda-style wheels, cheddar-style blocks, soft white-rinded cheeses and fresh cheeses such as ricotta. The mild temperatures make ageing possible without heavy cooling, which is rare in India. Some farms run cheese-making workshops, and their cheese is sold in Ooty, Coonoor and in city shops in Bengaluru and Chennai.
The hills
The Nilgiris are the home of the Toda people, pastoral buffalo herders whose sacred dairies are part of their religion, and of the Badaga farming community. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway climbs from Mettupalayam to Ooty through tea gardens. Botanical gardens, lakes and old colonial bungalows make the district a holiday destination.
A trail idea for The Nilgiris
- Ooty Botanical Garden The terraced gardens at the heart of the town.
- Nilgiri Mountain Railway Ride the rack railway through tea estates to Coonoor.
- A farm cheese visit Visit one of the small cheese farms around Coonoor or Ooty where tastings are offered.
- Toda hamlets Learn about the buffalo herders and their dairy temples with a local guide.
Written by the EveryCheese desk with AI assistance. Background: "Ooty" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets, caves and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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