Cheddar
Country of origin	England
Region, town	Somerset, Cheddar
Source of milk	Cows, rarely Goats
Pasteurised	Frequently
Texture	hard/semi-hard
Aging time	3–30 months depending on variety
Certification	West Country farmhouse Cheddar Only: PDO

Cheddar cheese is a fairly hard, pale yellow to orange, sharp-tasting cheese originating from the English village of Cheddar, in Somerset. ^[1] Cheddar cheese is the most popular cheese in the United Kingdom, accounting for just over 50% of the country's £1.9 billion annual cheese market.^[2] Although Cheddar cheese is originally English, it is also widely produced in other countries, including Ireland, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 572 pixelsFull resolution (879 × 628 pixel, file size: 93 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... This article is about the county of Somerset in England. ... , This article is about the settlement in Somerset, England. ... COW is an acronym for a number of things: Can of worms The COW programming language, an esoteric programming language. ... For other uses of the term, see goat (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Protected geographical indications in the European Union. ... Cheese is a solid food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and other mammals. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... , This article is about the settlement in Somerset, England. ... This article is about the county of Somerset in England. ...

History

Cheddar cheese has been made since at least 1170. A pipe roll of King Henry II from that year records the purchase of 10,420 lb at a farthing per pound (£3 per tonne).^[3] The Pipe Rolls are a series of financial records from England, beginning in 1130 and lasting, mostly complete, until 1833. ... Henry II of England (called Curtmantle; 25 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as King of England (1154–1189), Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. ... Look up pound in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Wren design Farthing from 1948 A farthing (meaning fourth part) was a British coin worth one quarter of a penny. ...

Central to the modernisation and standardisation of Cheddar cheese was Joseph Harding in the nineteenth century.^[4] For his development and propagation of modern cheese-making techniques he has been described as the father of Cheddar cheese.^[5] Harding is credited by some websites as the inventor of the Cheese Mill^[4]: whether or not this is true, Joseph Harding was responsible for the introduction of modernizing cheddar production along a scientific approach. He was responsible for the introduction of this very English cheese into Scotland and North America. Joseph Harding's son, Henry Harding, was responsible for introducing Cheddar cheese production to Australia.^[6] Joseph Harding (born Sturton Farm, Wanstrow, Somerset, England on the 22 March 1805 and died Vale Court Farm, Marksbury, Somerset 1 May 1876) was responsible for the introduction of modern cheese making techniques and has been described as the father of Cheddar Cheese[1]. One website describes him as the...

Production

Process

Main article: Manufacturing of Cheddar Cheese

Cheddaring refers to an additional step in the production of Cheddar-style cheese where, after heating, the curd is kneaded with salt, then is cut into cubes to drain the whey, then stacked and turned.^[7] Strong, extra-mature Cheddar, sometimes called vintage, needs to be matured for up to 15 months. The cheese is kept at a constant temperature often requiring special facilities. As with cheese production in other European countries, caves provide an ideal environment for maturing cheese; still, today, some Cheddar cheese produced in the UK is matured in the caves at Wookey Hole and the caves in Cheddar Gorge.^[8] The name Cheddar cheese originated because cheddar was first made in a small English village named Cheddar. ... The name Cheddar cheese originated because cheddar was first made in a small English village named Cheddar. ... Curd is a dairy product obtained by curdling (coagulating) milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar and then draining off the liquid portion (called whey). ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... For other uses, see Cave (disambiguation). ... Wookey Hole Caves (grid reference ST53184802) is a show cave and tourist attraction in the village of Wookey Hole on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills near Wells in Somerset. ... Cheddar Gorge is the largest gorge in the United Kingdom Cheddar Gorge is the largest gorge in the United Kingdom, near the village of Cheddar in the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England. ...

The rennet used to coagulate the milk into separate curds and whey used in vegetarian Cheddar is not sourced from the stomachs of dead calves.^[9][7] Rennet (IPA pronunciation: ) is a natural complex of enzymes produced in any mammalian stomach to digest the mothers milk. ... For animals adapted to eat primarily plants, sometimes referred to as vegetarian animals, see Herbivore. ...

International production and taste

Cheddar cheese is produced in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, United States, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia (where it is usually called tasty cheese), Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Much of this cheese is mass-produced and quality varies enormously. The strong flavour develops over time, with a taste diverse enough that food packaging will usually indicate a strength using adjectives such as mild, medium, strong, tasty, sharp, mature, or vintage, and may also indicate the maturation period.

Status

Various cheeses

The name 'Cheddar cheese' has become widely used internationally, and does not currently have a protected designation of origin (PDO). However, the European Union recognises West Country Farmhouse Cheddar as a PDO. To meet this standard the cheese must be made in the traditional manner using local ingredients in one of the four designated counties of South West England: Somerset, Devon, Dorset, or Cornwall. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 768 KB) Summary A selection of local cheeses on display at the Mid-Somerset Show, an agricultural show held annually in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, UK. Competitions are held in livestock, handicrafts, farm produce and equestrian events. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 768 KB) Summary A selection of local cheeses on display at the Mid-Somerset Show, an agricultural show held annually in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, UK. Competitions are held in livestock, handicrafts, farm produce and equestrian events. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Protected geographical indications in the European Union. ... This article is about the region. ... This article is about the county of Somerset in England. ... For other uses, see Devon (disambiguation). ... Dorset (pronounced DOR-sit or [dɔ.sət], and sometimes in the past called Dorsetshire) is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast. ... For other uses, see Cornwall (disambiguation). ...

The Slow Food Movement, encouraged and advised by Neal's Yard Dairy, has recently created a Cheddar Presidia, claiming that only three cheeses should be called 'Cheddar'. Their specifications, which go well beyond the West Country Farmhouse Cheddar PDO, require that Cheddar cheese be made in Somerset, and with traditional methods, such as using raw milk, traditional animal rennet, and a cloth wrapping.^[10] A restaurant placard, Santorini, Greece The Slow Food movement was founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy as a resistance movement to combat fast food. ... Neals Yard Dairy storefront in Convent Garden neighbourhood Neals Yard Dairy is a London artisanal cheese retailer and (formerly) cheesemaker, described as Londons foremost cheese store. ... Rennet (IPA pronunciation: ) is a natural complex of enzymes produced in any mammalian stomach to digest the mothers milk. ...

Character

In England, Cheddar tends to have a sharp, pungent flavour, often slightly earthy. Its texture is firm, with farmhouse traditional cheddar being slightly crumbly. It is always a pale yellow colour, and food colourings are not used. In parts of the United States and Canada, annatto, extracted from the tropical achiote tree, is used to give Cheddar cheese a deep orange colour. The origins of this practice have been long since forgotten, but the three leading theories appear to be: Bixin, the major apocarotinoid of annatto Annatto, sometimes called Roucou, is a derivative of the achiote trees of tropical regions of the Americas, used to produce a red food coloring. ... Binomial name Bixa orellana L. Achiote, or Achiotl, (Bixa orellana) is a shrub or small tree from the tropical regions of the Americas, also known also by its Tupi name of urucum. ...

• to allow the cheese to have a consistent colour from batch to batch
• to assist the purchaser in identifying the type of cheese when it is unlabelled
• to identify the cheese's region of origin.

Cheddar cheese was sometimes packaged in black wax, but more commonly in larded cloth, impermeable to contaminants but still allowing the cheese to breathe, although this practice is now limited to Europe and to artisan cheese makers. In the United States, Cheddar cheese comes in several varieties, including mild, medium, sharp, extra sharp, New York Style, Colby/Longhorn, white, and Vermont. New York style Cheddar cheese is a particularly sharp Cheddar cheese, sometimes with a hint of smoke. It is usually slightly softer than milder Cheddar cheese. Colby/Longhorn Cheddar cheese has a mild to medium flavour. The curds are still distinct, often marbled in colour, varying from cream to yellow. Cheddar that has not been coloured is frequently labelled as "white Cheddar" or "Vermont Cheddar", regardless of whether it was produced in the state of Vermont. Vermont Cheddar is the nearest of any North American cheese to authentic English Cheddar. Country of origin United States Region, town Wisconsin Source of milk cows Pasteurised Texture Semi-hard Aging time None Certification Colby cheese is a cows milk cheese. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

A bowl of cheese curds

Cheddar cheese is one of several products used by the United States Department of Agriculture to track the dairy industry; reports are issued weekly detailing prices and production quantities. The state of Wisconsin produces the most Cheddar cheese in the United States; other centres of production include upstate New York, Vermont, and Tillamook, Oregon. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 473 KB) Summary nudder pic. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 473 KB) Summary nudder pic. ... A bowl of Wisconsin cheese curds Cheese curds are the fresh curds of cheddar cheese. ... USDA redirects here. ... Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or more properly, an animal husbandry enterprise, raising female cattle for long-term production of milk, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy for processing and eventual retail sale. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The areas highlighted in YELLOW and GREEN are those which are considered to be a bona fide part of Upstate New York from the perspective of New York City. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Tillamook (IPA: ) is the county seat of Tillamook County, Oregon. ...

Cheddar cheese is a good source of vitamin B12. A slice of vegetarian Cheddar cheese (40 g) contains about 0.5 µg of vitamin B12 (required daily intake for an adult is 2.4 µg). Cobalamin or vitamin B12 is a chemical compound that is also known as cyanocobalamine. ...

Famous Cheddar cheeses from Somerset include Keen's, with a strong tang, and Montgomery's, with an apple after taste and the unpasteurised Cheddar made by the Gorge Cheese Company in Cheddar itself.

Record sized Cheddar cheeses

White House historians assert that U.S. president Andrew Jackson held an open house party where a 1,400 lb (635 kg) block of Cheddar cheese was served as refreshment; this block of cheese would later serve as direct inspiration for two episodes of the Emmy-award winning television series The West Wing. For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Historian (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see President (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Andrew Jackson (disambiguation). ... An Emmy Award. ... “The West Wing” redirects here. ...

A cheese of 7,000 lb (3,175 kg) was produced in Ingersoll, Ontario, in 1866 and exhibited in New York and Britain; it was immortalised in the infamous poem "Ode on the Mammoth Cheese Weighing over 7,000 Pounds" by James McIntyre, a Canadian poet. This is the article about the town in Ontario. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... This article is about the state. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ...

In 1893 farmers from the town of Perth, Ontario produced The Mammoth Cheese, at a weight of 22,000 lb (10,000 kg) for that year's World's Fair in Chicago. When placed on exhibit with the Canadian display, The Mammoth Cheese promptly crashed through the floor and had to be placed on reinforced concrete in the Agricultural Building. It was more written about than any other single exhibit at the fair, and received the bronze medal. Perth is a town in eastern Ontario, Canada (pop. ...

A still larger Wisconsin Cheddar cheese of 34,951 lb (15,853 kg) was produced for the 1964 New York World's Fair. It required the equivalent of the daily milk production of 16,000 cows. This article is about the U.S. state. ... View of the New York Worlds Fair 1964/1965 as seen from the observation towers of the New York State pavilion. ... For general information about the genus, including other species of cattle, see Bos. ...

See also

• Wedginald – a round of Cheddar made famous when its maturation was broadcast on the internet.

Cheese is a solid food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and other mammals. ...

References

old Radio 4 logo BBC Radio 4 is a UK domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article concerns the British newspaper. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Vegetarian Society is a British registered charity established on 30 September 1847 with the aim of promoting understanding and respect for vegetarian lifestyles. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Icons of England – Cheddar Cheese
• A recipe for a Cheddar-like Cheese
• Andrew Jackson's 1,400 lb Cheddar
• "Ode on the Mammoth Cheese Weighing over 7,000 Pounds" - full text of the poem, with notes