Red Leicester

Red Leicester is a traditional, cheddar-like cow's milk cheese dating back to the 17th century. Local farmers recognized the need to make their cheeses stand apart from other English cheeses by adding a vegetable dye called annotto to impart a reddish-orange color to the dusty rind. The color indicates that the milk used has a high cream content. Although similar to Cheddar, Leicester is much more moist, crumbly, and has a milder flavor. Best paired with a full-bodied white wine such as Me=uscadet, Sancerre, Chenin Blanc and Vouvray.