Cheddar cheese has been made since the 12th century and is quite famous.
It originated in the town of Cheddar in Somerset England. Cheddar is a firm, dense cheese with a tangy, acidic flavor, aged anywhere from a few months to several years.
Cheddar is not only a cheese name, but it is a process for making cheese.
The cheese maker cultures the vat of milk and then adds the rennet, so the milk becomes jello like. The curd is cut, and the whey is drained from the vat leaving curds in the bottom of the vat. The curds sit on the bottom of the vat and stick together to form a mat of curds.
Next, they cut that mat into rectangular slabs, and begin stacking the slabs on top of each other. This handling of the curd allows it to expel more moisture, resulting in a drier cheese, and gives the curd time to fully acidify (through the magic of fermentation!), resulting in that “sharp” flavor we love so much.
Next, these slabs are milled (either by hand or machine) which breaks them back down into small chunks of curd. The curds are placed in a mold or hoop and pressure is introduced to form them into the desired form.
After that it’s a matter of waiting, several months or several years, until the cheddar has reached the desired taste profile.
We would like to introduce some of our most noteworthy Farm Fromage cheddars by another standard: Crumbly vs. Creamy, and Sweet vs. Savory. Look at which of your favorites fall into each category: