Cheddar and Cheddar-Style Cheese

Cheddar is the name of an English village in Somerset, and the original home of Cheddar cheese - a firm, cow's milk, pale yellow or orange cheese.

There are numerous steps involved in making cheese, and the production of Cheddar and cheddar-style cheeses includes an additional, unique step, referred to as Cheddaring, where, after heating and draining of the whey, the curd is cut into cubes then stacked and turned, sometimes several times over a couple of hours. This is done to drain off even more of the whey and to develop the acidity and the required texture.

Traditionally Cheddar was often packaged in black wax. But now, artisan cheesemakers in Europe and elsewhere more commonly use larded cloth, which is impermeable to contaminants yet allows the cheese to breathe.

Since it is widely produced, cheddar does not have a 'protected designated origin'. That said, to combat commoditization of this venerable cheese, the European Union recognizes West Country Farmhouse Cheddar as a protected designation of origin.

Only cheese made in the traditional manner using local ingredients in four designated counties of south-west England can earn the designation of West Country Farmhouse Cheddar. At the same time, Neal's Yard Dairy has worked with the Slow Food Movement to establish a cheddar 'presidium', which recognizes only three cheeses that can truly be called Cheddar. Their standards exceed the West Country Farmhouse standard by far, and accept only cheese made in Somerset, using traditional methods, and in some cases, only cheese made with raw milk, using animal rennet, and cloth wrapping.

We are proud to offer a fine selection of Artisan cheddar cheeses.

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